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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Beached Whale Found at Hale o Lono

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

Beached Whale Found at Hale o Lono

FEB. 22 UPDATE – A dead, 30-ft humpback whale was found at Hale O Lono Harbor on Sunday, Feb. 21. A team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is currently at the scene, taking samples for baseline research. “My guess is it didn’t come ashore alive,” said David Schofield, the stranded marine animal coordinator for NOAA. There hasn’t been a beached whale on Molokai since 2008, when a live humpback was stranded at Kaunakakai Harbor. “It is very decomposed, the chances of knowing [if] it died of a disease is unlikely,” said Schofield. The whale will stay at the beach near Hale o Lono Harbor for now. A witness said at first it was hard to tell it was a whale, in the way it was positioned and how far it had decomposed. “The blubber was all out and there was a pool of blood next to the whale,” she said. A row of the whale’s baleen plates (whale ‘teeth’) were found around 100 yards away from the body. “It looked like there were several shark bites – but not an obvious cause of death,” she added. Four whales were found beached in the main Hawaiian Islands last year, and Schofield said this find is “on par” with the state’s average. “As far as this whale season is concerned, this is the first of the season,” he said. Approximately 15,000 humpback whales frequent the main Hawaiian islands every year. Check back with the Molokai Dispatch at www.TheMolokaiDispatch.com during the week for more information.

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Ho’ailona Gets Own Website

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

Ho’ailona Gets Own Website

The lab at the University of California Santa Cruz where Ho’ailona, formerly and affectionately known as KP2, has created a website so everyone can keep informed of his health.

According to the website, his trainers say he has remained alert and inquisitive and doing very well. Their first goal was to increase his weight – he weighed 16 kilograms (35 pounds) at birth, and now weighs over 70 kg (154 lbs). they increased the variety of fish in his diet and added calories, and trained him for weekly weigh-ins. The staff at UCSC uses “positive reinforcement” training techniques for him to feel relaxed and comfortable for his examinations.

 

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Grow Your Own Dinner

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Grow Your Own Dinner

As everyone scrapes the bottom of the barrel to put food on the table, an old idea is picking up new steam for its cost-cutting, and environmentally-friendly philosophy.

Permaculture is a way of farming that simply let’s nature do its thing. And seasoned permaculturalist Joe Kennedy, who owns Molokai Island Farms, wants this farm-heavy island to know about it.

safe, clean food.”

Kennedy is hosting a practicum workshop for those interested in permaculture, which can easily be translated into a small family garden. He will be teaching water harvesting, creative mulching, small-scale aquaculture and planting a food forest.

A food forest is the opposite of a farm, where everything is in neat rows and farmers can manage how many products they have from year to year. But by planting spinach for example, underneath trees, the shade helps the spinach grow faster and the root systems work together for nutrients.

Permaculture methods plant perennial products, such as the ‘everlasting species’ – trees. Kennedy grows avocados and mangos among his many other products.

“Farmers are under pressure to grow huge amounts – from the media, the state and the public,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy’s workshop is guided by the Permaculture Research Institute, and is from Feb. 18 – 21. It costs $395 – 450 and includes camping and most meals. A discount will be given to Molokai residents.

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Molokai Filmmaker’s Newest Venture

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Matt Yamashita, Molokai born and raised, has just released his newest 30-minute documentary titled, “Sustainable Living on the Island of Molokai.”  The Hawaii Department of Education has already purchased 250 copies for statewide distribution in the school system.  It’s a great piece that explores the many different ways that people are practicing sustainability on Molokai.  

If you want to purchase a copy of the DVD, go to:

https://www.createspace.com/277293

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The Gorilla Ogo Removal Team Is Back!

Monday, February 15th, 2010

The Gorilla Ogo Removal Team Is Back!

Community Contributed

By Cecile Walsh

The Gorilla Ogo Team was delayed for a few months, but wants to let the community know that they are back on Molokai to remove this harmful pest.  The last Gorilla Ogo removal event was carried out in Kaunkakai Harbor in August 2009.

Along with community volunteers the team was able to remove fourteen thousand pounds of this invasive Gorilla Ogo from the harbor area.  The Ogo team returned to Molokai this January 2010, to find an alarming amount of Gorilla Ogo washed up along the beach in front of the canoe shacks.  It was apparent that there was even more invasive Ogo in January than there was in August, so the team decided to conduct another Gorilla Ogo removal event at the harbor.  
    

The Ogo team would like to thank the handful of community members that volunteered during January’s removal event, we could not done it with out the help/man power.  The Gorilla Ogo team hopes that community members will come down to the next few removal events and get educated about this alien limu and lend a helping hand in the removal efforts. 

From February 16-19, the Ogo team will be working within Kaloko eli Fishpond a few miles west of Kaunakakai Harbor.  We will be collaborating with the non profit group Ka Honua Momona International.  We are planning to conduct outreach activities with KHM’s staff, volunteers and educational groups during our week at Kaloko eli removing Gorilla Ogo.  At the end of March we will be on the east end, working within Ualapue Fishpond removing this beast, the Gorilla Ogo.

Volunteers can contact Hoala Davis, at KHM's office 553-8353

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Bankruptcy won’t stop go!Mokulele

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Bankruptcy won’t stop go!Mokulele

Inter-island flyers breathed a sigh of relief last week when they learned that none of go!Mokulele’s regular flights would be grounded after a major shareholder filed for bankruptcy.

Last Tuesday, Mesa Air Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New York court. Mesa Chairman and Chief Executive Jonathon Ornstein said it was a move to unload over one-third of their fleet that is currently unused by the company. Chapter 11 filings allow companies to restructure and eliminate debt without liquidating assets.

“This process will allow us to eliminate excess aircraft to better match our needs and give us the flexibility to align our business to the changing regional airline marketplace, ensuring a leaner and more competitive company poised for future success,” Ornstein said.

Mesa primarily serves as a regional provider for major airlines including Delta and US Airways. They provide the smaller aircraft and flight crews for short connection flights. Those flights have been dramatically reduced over the past year and 52 of the 130 aircrafts Mesa currently leases are not needed.

Go!Mokulele is a joint venture company owned by Mesa and Republic Airways with Mesa serving as the majority shareholder. However, Mesa made it clear in its bankruptcy filing that the Hawaiian company will be unaffected.

“We are a completely separate company,” said go!Mokulele vice president Paul Skellon. “Mesa provides aircraft and crews for our flights and they will continue to do so for all of the flights.”

Skellon said the move might actually improve financial conditions for the Hawaiian company. Go!Mokulele currently uses five jets and four Cessna caravans leased by Mesa. The Chapter 11 laws allow Mesa to renegotiate the price of those leases. The current market value for commercial jets is nearly 50 percent less than what they are currently paying.

“Because all of the major airlines have reduced their flights, the lease rates have come down incredibly,” Skellon said. “During the restructuring, we will renegotiate the lease rates and we suspect those rates will drop drastically.”

Go!Mokulele and Mesa believe that the debt-restructuring scheme will pull the company through this tough period in air travel business. Skellon said experts anticipate that he hardest times are in the past.

“There have been some very early signs of a return to confidence in the travel market. If the rough winter weather continues elsewhere in North America, hopefully Hawaii will become an even more attractive destination than it already is,” Skellon said.

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Seal Slaying

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Seal Slaying

A Molokai monk seal has once again captured the island’s attention – this time for his unfortunate death. A male monk seal that has been known to swim in Molokai waters for the past several years was found dead on Dec. 14, 2009.

NOAA officials say he was intentionally shot, after performing a necropsy, and have opened an ongoing investigation on why and how the animal met its fate. It is against the law to kill an endangered species, like the Hawaiian monk seal, and being found guilty can carry a fine up to $50,000.

are an important part of Hawaiian natural resources,” Schofield said. “They were here before we were.” He added that anyone with any information about this latest incident should call 1-800-853-1964.

 

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New Law Makes Hope for Bright Future

Monday, January 4th, 2010

New Law Makes Hope for Bright Future

Blue Planet Foundation News Release

Hawai‘i took a major step towards clean energy leadership this week as the landmark “Solar Roofs” law took effect. The new law requires that almost all new homes be built with solar water heaters. Hawai‘i is the first state in the nation to make solar water heaters compulsory.

“Hawaii’s new law brings the benefit of free sunshine to new homeowners across our islands,” said Jeff Mikulina, Executive Director of the Blue Planet Foundation, a local non-profit focused at making Hawai‘i energy independent. “We are the Saudi Arabia of sun. Every house in the state should be tapping into this free resource.”

Solar water heaters are among the most effective means of reducing the high electricity bills that residents now pay. The Solar Roofs law will reduce the total cost of home ownership in Hawai‘i by cutting the electric utility bill of an average new home by 30 to 40 percent – saving about $750 each year for an average household. The Solar Roofs law is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide by upwards of 8,000 tons annually from avoided electricity use.

The law was the result of a bill introduced by Senator Gary Hooser (D – Kaua‘i) with strong support from House Energy Committee Chair Rep. Hermina Morita (D – Hanalei, N. Kaua‘i). The law states that “no building permit shall be issued for a new single-family dwelling that does not include a solar water heater system that meets the standards established pursuant to section 269-44.”

The law is flexible in that it allows some exemptions for those homeowners who can demonstrate that their home receives “poor solar resource” or that a solar water heater is “cost-prohibitive” based on a 15-year life cycle cost-benefit analysis.

Supporters of the law are worried that there are still some loopholes that need to be made smaller for the law to have its desired effect. Legislators will be asked to revisit the law if a high percentage of developers seek variances for new home construction. Bills have already been prepared to tighten the variance requirements to ensure that the intent of the law remains.

Solar water heating is a foundation block in building Hawaii’s clean energy future.  A solar water system is the most basic renewable energy device to harness the clean energy from the sun. Solar water heaters provide the greatest energy savings per dollar for reducing substantial residential energy demand.

 

The Solar Roofs law ensures that the vast majority of new homes will have solar water heaters and smooth the transition to zero-energy homes of the future. Further, with solar water heaters a standard feature on new homes, residents will be more accustomed to the benefits of solar, turning more of them into potential customers for photovoltaic and other renewable energy devices.

“Hawai‘i can be proud to lead the nation with this policy,” added Mikulina. “At a time when the globe hungers for smart energy solutions, Hawai‘i is demonstrating how it can be done.”

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West End Mansion Still Uncertain

Monday, December 14th, 2009

West End Mansion Still Uncertain

Eight months after being exempted from a Special Management Area (SMA) permit, Pierluigi Zappacosta is no closer to building his proposed 20,000 square foot farm dwelling on Molokai’s west end, nor is his opposition any closer to stopping him.

The Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) met last week to continue to sort through the tangled web of legal procedures surrounding the controversial project. The commissioners decided they would wait until January to decide whether or not to hear an appeal on their April 22 decision to exempt Zappacosta from obtaining the SMA permit.

or the reasons we made the decision,” said Commissioner Napua Leong. Leong, who spearheaded the motion to allow Morgan’s appeal, asked the appellant to do a better job of capturing the commission’s reasons for allowing the appeal rather than his own.

The commissioners decided that a final decision on whether or not to hear the appeal would be made at their next meeting, schedule for Jan. 13. MoPC Vice-Chair Steve Chaikin said if Morgan’s report was not up to par at that meeting, the group would have to reconsider their decision to let him appeal.

 

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Off to the Capitol

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Off to the Capitol

Washington D.C. is a day of traveling away, but worlds apart from what most Molokai High School students are used to. It has stoplights, an area population in the millions, and museums with artifacts documenting the birth of our nation. But, as these students said, they will have the opportunity to use the nation’s capitol as their classroom to better understand their country.

This year, a record number 23 students from Molokai High School are signed up to participate in Close Up, a nonprofit organization that brings U.S. and international students to visit and study in our nation’s capitol. The week-long excursion will be over spring break in 2010.

The $2500 price tag for the trip is steep, but it comes with the opportunity to discuss and debate domestic and international issues with other students around the country, as well as meet members of Congressional staff, visit museums like the Smithsonian, monuments like the World War II memorial, and government buildings like the Supreme Court. Each student is responsible for raising their own money for the trip.

,” Mokuau said.

The students will be traveling to Washington D.C. from March 14 – 19, and are still actively seeking donations. They will continue to hold fundraisers until their trip, and encourage anyone interested to contribute.

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