The public will have a final opportunity in late October and November to provide input into the 2009 County of Hawaii Agricultural Development Plan, being prepared for the Department of Research and Development by Agricon Hawaii LLC and The Kohala Center.

The Kohala Center is conducting islandwide listening sessions prior to finalizing the plan, which is intended to guide the revitalization of agriculture as a basis for the island’s economic development by focusing on measures designed to increase the production of food for local consumption and support the growth of export products.

The preliminary draft of the plan will be available for review by Oct. 10 at kohalacenter.org/agplan.html.

Download and read the Initial Draft of the Kohala Agrculture Plan

After the fall round of public sessions, The Kohala Center will incorporate public input and present the final draft to the county Department of Research and Development in early December.

In addition to attending a listening session, the public can provide suggestions and comments to Guy Kaulukukui, director of The Kohala Center’s Food Self-Reliance Program, at agplan@kohalacenter.org or 887-6411.

The sessions are 6-8 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

* Tuesday, Oct. 20, Kohala High School Cafeteria

* Wednesday, Oct. 21, Kona Outdoor Circle

* Thursday, Oct. 22, Waimea Community Center

* Tuesday, Oct. 27, Pahala Community Center

* Wednesday, Oct. 28, Aupuni Conference Room, Hilo

* Thursday, Oct. 29, Paauilo School Cafeteria

* Wednesday, Nov. 4, Pahoa Community Center

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle signed into law today three bills to increase renewable energy generation and reduce the state’s dependence on imported oil.

Two of the bills will provide renewable energy project developers with much needed assistance with Hawai‘i’s complex permitting process. The third bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture to offer a new class of loans in its agricultural and aquaculture loan programs to encourage farmers to contribute to the production of alternative sources of energy.

What does this mean for Green Collar Workers?

• First of all think slow. This isn’t going to change anything until we have a vision. This still doesn’t exist. If Green Collar workers want change, they must still as Ghandi might say, “be the change you seek in your world.”
• Streamlining governmental processes can result in the creation of new projects. These acts may help entrepreneurs obtain startup funds and angel investors which otherwise ignore Hawaii due to the unfavorable climate for small businesses. So keep your eye open for new startups but the jobs won’t be here for a while. A full-time facilitator could mean more transparency which could lead to more reporting depending the state energy coordinator position that needs to be filled first. Could Green Collar Jobs be a metric?
• The new agriculture loans will apply to food safety, product tracking, photovoltaics, hydro, wind, methane, biodeiesel and ethanol. Look for projects and jobs in these areas.
• There’s potential here for these acts to improve Hawaii’s digital economies.

Additional Resources

Read about the new Acts 207, 208 and 209 here:
http://hawaii.gov/gov/news/releases/2008/governor-lingle-signs-key-legislation-to-boost

Local Farmer Richard Ha helps farmers generate and use Renewable Energy.
http://hahaha.hamakuasprings.com/2008/02/in-support-of-f.html

A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY Conference Committee recommendation:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/commReports/HB2863_CD1_CCR146-08_.htm

Malama Aina

Common sense was ordinary hundreds of years ago and ahupua`a wasn’t a grassroots movement or a government mandate. It was a way of life for many more people than currently inhabit Hawai`i Island.

We may be able to sideline ahupua`a through creative technologies but just as we thought coal and oil were the way, these sustainable technologies too will have a certain shelf-life. At least until there’s moving parts that grow themselves. But that’s another discussion.

Today I wanted to champion the fact that you’ve come a long way towards being self-sustainable. You’ve done this on your farms, homes and small businesses. You’ve done things only your family or neighbors know about. Whether you’ve changed a few light bulbs or harnessed power from a stream of water, It’s called, “common sense”. It’s part of the beauty of becoming or living sustainably for yourself. It feels good and there’s a certain freedom you get from cutting your energy bill or eating food you grow. It feels free and it feels good inside. Many of you have left somewhere to be here, just for these reasons. Simplicity, common sense and aloha.

The media would have us think that tax incentives, rebates or programs will bring us into 70% energy sustainability by 2030. The fact is that these same programs have been around for ten years or more. You are the one that will become sustainable and you’ll do it when it makes sense to you. Meanwhile, back on the farm, you are growing your own food and we hear about it.

When the prices of energy go up we find cheaper power. When the price of our food goes up, we learn to farm. When the price of water goes up, we catch it from the heavens. These are the stories that need to be shared.

Common sense, logic and ahupua`a isn’t dead. But in the future it won’t be the smartest, fastest or strongest that survive, it will be the most adaptable. At least that’s what I heard.

Malama i ke aina
Malama i ke kai

Green Collar Technologies will be sharing these stories and hope to provide an online technology platform for you to stand upon and declare your adaptations, your manao and your aloha of freedom.

Let’s hear it. Comments will not be moderated for the next two hours, then you’ll have to register and login to comment.

More Resources

East Maui Watershed Partnership – a ahupua`definition

Hawai`i History.org – a ahupua`definition

Would someone please go and rewrite the definition for ahupua`a definition at Wikipedia?