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Sustainability
Add your commentSave the Trees
This is from an outraged member of the community regarding the cutting dawn of healthy, beautiful trees at Kaunakakai Elementary School. Two years ago, they cut down several trees; one was a gorgeous Magnolia tree. When the wind blew one way it became a shiny, silver green. The other direction revealed a beautiful, soft rusty brown.Today, I watch with a broken heart as the tree butchers cut down two of the healthiest trees anywhere around, and the other day they “trimmed” a tree that’s been dying for years and is just barely alive yet still standing.
Naturally Speaking
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Community Contributed by G.T. Larson
In the heated debate concerning global warming, much of the discussion has been centered on greenhouse gasses. Unfortunately, much of what is being said by both sides in this debate, at times, resembles hot air. As we examined in our last installment, if it were not for naturally occurring greenhouse gasses, life on Earth would not exist as we know it today. They are the insulation for us in our atmosphere to keep us from freezing. Where we run into trouble, is when the atmospheric balance of the gasses becomes imbalanced, particularly if we have contributed to this shift. The problem at the center of this debate is how much, if any, we, as humans, are adversely contributing to the atmosphere’s inventory of these gasses.
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This is a very simplified look at a very complex subject, but, very simply put, for all of humanity and specifically us here on Molokai, a very important subject. CO2, carbon dioxide, is one of greenhouse gasses of concern. One of the main sources of CO2 is the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal. Here on Molokai, coal use is not a factor and natural gas or propane is not used extensively. Gasoline and diesel are the main fossil fuels that are used by most of us. Even if one drives an electric vehicle, if it is charged from the local grid, it is, in essence, diesel powered. All the electricity from the local power grid is diesel generated. The concept of electric powered vehicles on Molokai is a great idea, but unless the electricity used to charge the vehicle is solar or wind generated, it is still a fossil fueled vehicle.
Are all the earth’s CO2 emissions solely the result of human activity? Are all the greenhouse gas imbalances that occur, anthropogenic (you and I caused it)? No, but it is sometimes played out that way in certain media outlets and those that lean in the opposite direction seem to deny most negative effects that humanity has had and is having on our planet. If nothing else, this intense debate has encouraged us to examine our environment and our personal and corporate effect on it. Until next time, Aloha Ke Akua.
Recovering a Species
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The number of Hawaiian monk seals alive in the world is diminishing rapidly, but officials do not think their fate is sealed. That’s why the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is proposing actions they believe may help the recovery of the critically endangered species.
Some of those actions include population monitoring, behavior modification of seals (to discourage human interaction), health and disease control and translocation. While a few of these activities are already practiced under current federal permits, the NMFS is seeking new permits to implement and allow more actions.
The impact of these actions is currently being examined through a process called a Programmatic Environment Impact Statement (PEIS.) That process involves the collection of data, the examination of environmental, cultural and social impacts of the proposed recovery actions and public feedback.
In a hearing about the PEIS held on Molokai last Thursday, community members and fishermen offered their opinion on the proposals. Many expressed concerns about the large amount of fish Hawaiian monk seals eat – fish that they say could be going to feed their families.
“The point we are trying to make is fish is very important food source for us,” said fisherman Walter Naki.
Others didn’t support officials tampering with nature.
“We love the monk seals but we have to find the right balance – we are not God to say we’re going to put them here because they’re extinct,” said resident Eddie Tanaka.
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Sprague said if permitting and funding goes through, the soonest seals would be temporarily translocated would be 2013.
The public has until Oct. 17 to submit comments on the PEIS. The PEIS process is scheduled for completion in late 2011. Visit nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/hawaiianmonkseal.htm for more information. Comments may be emailed to monkseal@noaa.gov or mailed to:
NOAA Fisheries
Office of Protected Resources, Pacific Islands Regional Office
1601 Kapiolani Blvd, Ste 1110
Honolulu, HI 96814
Wind Bid Expected
Molokai Renewables developers confirmed last week they will place a bid to build a 200 megawatt (MW) wind farm on Molokai once a new request for proposals (RFP) is released this fall. Meanwhile, activist group I Aloha Molokai (IAM) continues to speak against the proposal in new and creative ways, including a film series, Facebook page and an upcoming Molokai energy festival.
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) gave Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) 90 days in July to create the new RFP. The decision found HECO did not follow due process in allowing developer Castle & Cooke, which planned to build a 400 megawatt wind farm on Lanai, to assign half of its MW to Pattern Energy to be built on Molokai after another developer, First Wind, failed to submit paperwork on time.
Learning in the Dirt
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Taro Task Force Receives $270,000
Taro Security and Purity Task Force News Release
East Molokai Solar Limits Reached
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Molokai residents east of Kaunakakai who want to reap the benefits of installing small, renewable energy systems for their homes or businesses may be out of luck. Based on limits set by the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Maui Electric Company (MECO) has announced effective closure of the east half of Molokai to new renewable energy systems in order to ensure stability and reliability of electric service, according to MECO.
Each island has its own energy grid, and every grid is broken into circuits that serve different regions of the island. Molokai has five circuits, while Oahu has 465. As of last week, the circuit running from Kaunakakai to Halawa has reached the 15 percent threshold of renewable energy that the PUC has set on electric circuits statewide.
Because most renewable energy is a variable energy source – solar panels, for example, are only effective during the day – fluctuations in the electric grid caused by the use of renewable energy can result in instabilities and possible interruptions in service. In order to maintain the reliability of electric service to customers, residents and business owners wishing to install additional renewable energy systems to an already filled circuit may be required to pay for a study that would “determine that more distributed generation systems like PV [photovoltaic solar] can be safely added to the circuit, or determine what steps are needed to reliably accommodate more on the circuit,” according to MECO spokeswoman Kau`i Awai-Dickson, via email.
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In addition, Awai-Dickson said MECO is working on a team led by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute to “develop and install automated controls and energy storage technologies at the neighborhood level of the electric system to enable better use of distributed renewable generation.”
“The work is just beginning and we hope that by working together, we can help develop a process to support the management of more clean energy solutions on our grids,” said Awai-Dickson.
Cut Down Energy with Hui Up
For the past two weeks, a brigade in blue swept the island, armed with energy meters and power strips. Their mission: reduce energy consumption and educate the community on appliance efficiency.
SustAINAble Molokai interns and student volunteers teamed up with Blue Planet Foundation’s Hui Up program to help residents save substantial energy and money each year. Through Hui Up, Molokai residents have the opportunity to trade in old refrigerators in exchange for new Energy Star models. The first shipment of energy efficient ice boxes arrived this week, and applications are still available for the swap on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Wind Farm Curveball
The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ordered last Thursday that Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) restart the bidding process for 200 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. The decision opens up other companies and islands to replace the energy that could be generated by a wind farm on Molokai.
This means wind company Pattern Energy, which has been in discussions with the community and land owner Molokai Ranch to develop the project, would have to enter the bidding process to move forward.
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