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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Global Land and Water Issues Hit Home

Thursday, October 10th, 2013

A community discussion held last Monday about how the world is handling its natural resources lead to call for unity after an emotionally charged debate arose over agricultural corporations and their use of land and water on Molokai.

The event, hosted by the University of Hawaii (UH), gathered a panel guests from the UH and across the globe to hold a week-long series of public discussions in Honolulu and on Molokai about natural resource security and appropriation on a local and worldwide scale. Molokai was their first stop.

“When we think about the kinds of impacts that humans have had on the planet in the last 50 years, it is more damaging than any other period in human history,” said Noe Goodyear-Ka`opua, a professor from the UH Political Science Department.…

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Spinach by the Bucket

Wednesday, October 9th, 2013

Community Contributed

By Paul Fischer

One can easily grow a valuable and nutritious crop of Okinawan spinach in a 5 gallon plastic bucket.  We started doing this about a year ago and use this perennial salad vegetable almost every day.  It is incorporated into our family’s diet because it tastes good, doesn’t cost anything, is fresh picked, and it’s always ready a few steps outside our kitchen door.

There are several types of Okinawan spinach. One is dark green with purple on the undersides of the leaves, another is all green. The leaves are smaller and shaped differently than regular spinach.…

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County Awards Molokai Solar Projects

Wednesday, October 9th, 2013

County of Maui News Release

Several county facilities on Molokai will soon be outfitted with rooftop solar panels, announced the County of Maui last week. After releasing a Request For Proposals (RFP), the county selected a group of companies led by Hawaii Pacific Solar LLC of Lahaina, Hawaii to install photovoltaic (PV) panels on community facilities around Maui County. The RFP included 18 sites on Molokai and Maui, including fire and police stations, water treatment plants, aquatic centers, community centers and other county facilities.

“We will save taxpayer dollars because our starting price is lower than the MECO [Maui Electric Company] rate,” said Mayor Alan Arakawa.…

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Celebrating Kalo

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

Celebrating Kalo

In the ancient days of Hawaii, each of the islands’ estimated 500,000 people would eat one seven- to nine-pound kalo plant per day, according to Alton Arakaki, a Molokai extension agent with the University of Hawaii College Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR.) Ancient Hawaiians carefully selected more than 300 kalo varieties to ensure food security and successful growth in many environments. Today, only about 70 of those varieties still exist — and without vigilant cultivation, that number may dwindle.

Last weekend, Molokai residents got the opportunity to select among more than 50 kalo varieties to grow in their own gardens, helping to carry on a tradition that can yield health, cultural understanding and economic benefits.…

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Schools Harvest for Health

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

Schools Harvest for Health

A national program is planting seeds for growing healthier youth and nutritional cafeteria lunches on Molokai one school at a time.

FoodCorps, a nonprofit program newly introduced to the island last month, works to address childhood obesity in underserved areas. FoodCorps partners with the AmeriCorps service network and currently operates in 15 states, According to a Kohala Center press release, an academic institute for environmental science research and education as well as the and host site for Hawaii’s FoodCorps Program. Hawaii, California and New Jersey were added to their 2013-2014 service plan.

Out of 1,000 applicants from around the country, eight youths were selected to serve Hawaii’s public and charter schools, according to Nancy Redfeather, program director of the Hawaii Island School Garden Network (HISGN) and host site supervisor of FoodCorps Hawaii.…

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Island Air to Decrease Molokai Flights Again

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

Air carrier Island Air is once again decreasing the number of flights the carrier offers to Molokai — this time to two per day, starting in November.

“The decision is pretty simple,” said Island Air CEO Paul Casey, who took the position two months ago. “We’re matching capacity with demand.”

In March, the company cancelled all its flights between Molokai and Maui, and in May, decreased flights between Molokai and Honolulu from five to three per day.

At that time, then-president Les Murashige told the Dispatch the Molokai schedule reduction was temporary.

“Our intent is to put additional flights back [between Molokai and Honolulu] in August or September,” said Murashige in March.…

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Local Red Cross Training Series

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

Red Cross Hawaii Chapter News Release

The American Red Cross is recruiting disaster services volunteers on Molokai. The first step for all new disaster volunteers is to take a series of basic disaster classes, which will be offered on Molokai. All Disaster Services training is provided free of charge.

New volunteer candidates must register for, and attend, the entire series. We are
offering the new volunteer training series of four courses in your community on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Oct. 11-13. All courses will be held at the Home Pumehana Senior Center meeting room.

“Disaster Services: An Overview” will be held on Friday, Oct.…

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Global Gardening for Good

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

Community Contributed

By Joe Kennedy

Let’s play a little game. Picture our seven billion people on planet Earth, or even half that many, involved in growing food. Currently, a very small percentage is growing food. For just a minute, let’s forget the large-volume, mechanized producers and petroleum-based chemicals and conventional fertilizers. Could even a half of Earth’s people sustainably produce enough food without machines to feed all of us? I believe we could, if we really wanted to — and it can start in our own backyards on Molokai.

Land reform would have to happen first. I believe that, as human beings, we are all entitled to a small piece of land and enough water to grow our own food. …

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East Slope Watershed Protection

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

East Slope Watershed Protection

Planners, landowners, natural resource managers and community members are putting their heads together to protect one of Molokai’s most important resources — water. Many have noticed deterioration of native forests in recent years, especially on the east end, because of invasive species, and they say something needs to be done. Molokai’s rainforests are key watershed areas, or land that collects rain and acts as the island’s water source.

“The forest is [receding] because of its unkempt state,” said Opu`ulani Albino, a cultural representative of the Aha Kiole, a tradition, community-based resource management group on Molokai. “I’m grateful that someone has come forth with a plan… to preserve it.”…

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Disaster Preparedness Part 2

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

Community Contributed

By MMS Robotics Team

We are the Molokai Middle School FLL Robotics team — Kaitlin, Lana, Taye and Marianna — and this is our second article to raise awareness about natural disasters. We are encouraging you to do three key things in order to be prepared for a natural disaster: get an emergency supply kit, make a family plan, and be informed about the emergencies that can occur and the appropriate actions for you to take. For schools, a well-stocked classroom emergency kit can be a lifesaver.

All Americans — especially Molokai residents, who have more limited access to off-island resources — should have supplies in order to survive for at least three days after a natural disaster occurs.…

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