Posts filed under 'Political Action'
The Botany of Desire – full program online
A PBS video available online featuring Michael Pollan and based on his best-selling book, this special takes viewers on an eye-opening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world — seen from the plants’ point of view. Narrated by Frances McDormand, the program shows how four familiar species — the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato — evolved to satisfy our yearnings for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control.
Add comment November 3, 2009
Mayor’s Meeting on Agriculture Department Furloughs, October 27
Agriculture’s Plant Pest Control Branch employees as well as the furloughs for their agricultural inspectors, Mayor Charmaine Tavares will be hosting her third community meeting to bring important information to the public about the impacts of these staffing shortages. The meeting will be held at the Kaunoa West Senior Center on Tuesday, October 27th, beginning promptly at 6:00 p.m. Kaunoa West is located at 788 Pau‘oa Street in Lahaina. Proceed mauka on Lahainaluna Road and take the second right onto Pau‘oa Street. The meeting will include a Powerpoint presentation by Anna Mae Shishido, Maui County Supervisor for the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Branch. A panel discussion will follow to address the environment, impacts to agriculture and ranching, and how the community can help with early detection and reporting of pest species.
Panelists include:
Lissa Fox, Maui Invasive Species Committee Clark Hashimoto, Agricultural Specialist, Office of the Mayor Willilam Jacintho, Maui Cattlemen’s Association/Maui County Farm Bureau Kuhea Paracuelles, Environmental Coordinator, Office of the Mayor Anna Mae Shishido, Hawaii Department of Agriculture – Plant Quarantine Branch
Mahalo to Zeke Kalua and the West Maui Taxpayers Association for hosting this important meeting.
Add comment October 19, 2009
State Water Commission-Hearings on Restoring Streams
The Na Wai `Eha Interim Instream Flow Standards Contested Case is nearing a final decision by the State Water Commission. Hearings Officer Lawrence Miike’s proposed decision, issued this April, recommends that the Commission restore about half the flows to Waihe`e River and Waiehu, `Iao, and Waikapu Streams. The entire Commission will hold a meeting on Maui to hear final arguments from the parties on October 15, 2009, at 9 a.m., at `Iao Congregational Church at 2371 W. Vineyard Street.
To carpool to the hearing, check rides@CarpoolMaui.com.
[read more]
Add comment October 3, 2009
Agricultural inspector layoffs slammed
Via The Maui News
September 5, 2009
by Claudine San Nicolas
KAHULUI – Environmentalists and farmers lashed out Thursday night at the announced layoffs of state agricultural inspectors, arguing that the move planned by the Lingle administration would uproot efforts to preserve the island’s agricultural industry and pristine environment.
Add comment September 5, 2009
U.S. government awards funds for clean energy projects
From the web via Emerging Energy News.
WASHINGTON: U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Energy Secretary Steven Chu have announced US$502 million in the first round of awards from an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) program that provides cash assistance to companies for clean energy projects in place of earned tax credits.
The new funding creates additional upfront capital, enabling companies to create jobs and begin construction that may have been stalled until now due to slow economic conditions.
Geithner said, “This renewable energy program will spur the manufacture and development of clean energy in urban and rural America, allowing us to protect our environment, create good jobs and revitalize our nation’s economy.”
Chu commented, “These grants will help America’s businesses launch clean energy projects, putting Americans back to work in good construction and manufacturing jobs. The initiative will help double our renewable energy capacity over the next few years and make sure America leads the world in creating the clean energy economy of the future.”
Created under Section 1603 of the Recovery Act, the program is expected to provide more than US$3 billion in financial support for clean energy projects by providing direct payments in lieu of tax credits. These payments will support around 5,000 biomass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy production facilities in all regions of the country over the life of the program.
Around 2,000 jobs are estimated to have been created as a result of this first round of funding, primarily in construction and manufacturing related to the renewable energy industry.
The Treasury Department opened the application process for the 1603 program on July 31. Additional awards under the program will be announced in the coming weeks.
Projects that received funding include the following (please note that none are located in Hawai’i):.
- US$157,809 for Movement Gym PV System in Boulder, CO, for a solar project
- US$2,578,717 for Solaire Development in Danbury, CT
- US$40,441,471 for Evergreen Wind Power V in Danforth, ME
- US$28,019,520 for the Moraine II Wind Farm in Woodstock, MN
- US$52,352,334 for Canadaigua Power Partners, LLC in Cohocton, NY for a wind project
- US$22,296,494 for Canadaigua Power Partners II, LLC in Cohocton, NY for a wind project
- US$47,717,155 for the Wheat Field Wind Farm in Arlington, OR
- US$47,092,555 for the Hay Canyon Wind Farm in Moro, OR
- US$46,543,219 for the Pebble Springs Wind Farm in Arlington, OR
- US$42,204,562 for the Highland Wind Farm in Salix, PA
- US$59,162,064 for Locust Ridge II, LLC for a wind project in Shenandoah, PA
- US$114,071,646 for the Penascal Wind Farm in Sarita, TX
Add comment September 4, 2009
Expect More, Maui—A New Maui Advocacy Web Site
The new advocacy site states, “Let’s raise the bar on what we expect from the County of Maui. Citizens should demand it.”
Maury King, the founding director writes:
Expect More, Maui is a loosely formed group of people dedicated to the proposition that government works for the people, by the people, and there is probably a reasonable time frame for them to do that work. Why does Maui seem to drag things out forever? Why are decisions made that kill or cripple whole segments of business? (wait until you hear about the latest Ocean Activities Rules) It is discouraging and leads people to apathy and a resignation about not being able to do anything about it.
While true that many of us are on Maui because it is laid back, dragging projects out for years just isn’t the same thing as laid back. While having sensible rules is prudent, overregulating whole segments of small businesses that keep money circulating on the island borders on lunacy.
This site and the people that connect through it will be the ones that believe we can make a difference. A recent Political Advocacy Workshop led by Gary Hooser on behalf of South Maui Sustainability has a lot of insight about how we can learn how to be effective advocates with our government. Have a look if you’re interested.
Let’s get the path at Kealia Pond open, let’s continue work on the Kihei bike path along the north/south collector road, let’s get the next 20 wind turbines up and running at Kaheawa. These are just projects I’m aware of that seem caught in the doldrums called County Government. What are your pet peeves? Let’s pick one project to work as a team.
The great thing about this site is that everyone can join in this conversation. We can all inspire each other, give each other great ideas, and create ways to let the people running Maui know that we Expect More from them.
Add comment August 30, 2009
Next Meeting—SOUTH MAUI WATER QUALITY: What You Can Do
Thursday, September 10th
6:00 p.m. Potluck Pupus and talkstory
6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Presentations
Kihei Charter School
South Maui Sustainability is sponsoring the second in a series of community meetings which address South Maui water issues. Previously we examined water quantity. This presentation will introduce water quality concerns and how the South Maui community can have a hand in designing and creating the South Maui Watershed.
Speakers include:
Robin Knox is an environmental scientist with more than 25 years experience in Clean Water regulation and pollution control. She specializes in developing water quality-based pollution controls that protect aquatic resources from man-made sources of pollution.
*Kihei Charter School location:
300 Ohukai Rd # 213
Directions: Coming from south Kihei, take the Pi’ilani Hwy toward the Mokulele. Turn right (mauka) onto Ohukai Road. Take your second right. Go straight to the very end and turn left around the building. Turn left into the next bay. KCS is located on the right. Coming from north of Kihei, turn left (mauka) onto Ohukai Road and follow the directions as above from Ohukai Road. Look for the blue and yellow signs.
Click map to enlarge.
Photo by Peter Liu Photography, peterliuphoto.com.
Add comment August 19, 2009
ADVOCACY 101: A workshop with Senator Gary Hooser
On August 6, 2009, South Maui Sustainability hosted Senator Gary Hooser, who presented an evening workshop titled Advocacy 101. The presentation gave an ‘inside story’ about how Hawai’i laws are made and how participants can be effective advocates for issues that concern them.
Gary Hooser is a State Senator and Majority Leader in the Hawai’i State Senate and currently a candidate for the office of Lieutenant Governor in 2010. His legislative focus has primarily been on education, land use and energy and environment issues. He has sponsored legislation protecting the public right to access coastal and inland public lands, supporting the preservation of agricultural land and open space and introduced and helped pass into law a “first in the nation” solar water heating mandate for all new homes built in the state of Hawai’i. Gary is known for his open and collaborative style and is respected among his colleagues and people around the state.
Thanks to Dr. Leisure for the excellent video.
Add comment August 9, 2009
Advocacy Contacts
TIPS FOR CONTACTING ELECTED OFFICALS!
The address to write to the Mayor or County Council Members is: Kalana O Maui Building 200 S. High Street Wailuku, HI 96793
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Add comment July 30, 2009
‘Complete Streets’ can pave way for aging population to move around
Viewpoint from Maui News, July 5, 2009 by Mike Morris*
Some are calling the aging of Hawaii the “silver tsunami,” a demographic shift in the next 20 years that will result in 22 percent of our state’s population being 65 years of age or older. This increase in older citizens is going to mean the need to change some of the ways we do business, including making our streets safe for them to walk or cycle.
Unfortunately, Hawaii is already ranked as the most dangerous state in America to be a pedestrian or cyclist over the age 65. We have our work cut out for us. It is going to take a major culture shift in both state and county transportation departments and our community as a whole to make Hawaii’s roads safer and more convenient for people of all ages and abilities, not just the elderly.
Today our roads are designed to accommodate as many cars as possible at the highest speeds and in the shortest amount of time. Many of our communities lack sidewalks and bike lanes, and too many crosswalks require a multi-lane sprint against oncoming traffic.
As our population ages, demand for a greater variety of mobility choices such as walking, cycling and mass transit, is likely to grow. The challenge for planners is to design roads that are safer for mixed use by cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
That is where the concept of “Complete Streets” comes into the picture. The Hawaii state Legislature passed Act 54, the Complete Streets Act, in 2009. It requires state and county transportation departments to accommodate access and mobility for all users of public highways, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists and persons of all abilities. This law could pave the way for better transit services, safer walking facilities and better mobility options for all those more likely to try to move around our communities without a car.
Transportation is one of the keys to making sure that people are able to live independently and in their homes and communities as they get older. A recent study by AARP’s Public Policy Institute warns that two-thirds of American transportation planners and engineers have yet to begin addressing the needs of older people.
“Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America” recommends that federal, state, and local highway and street design guidelines serve older people by 1) reducing vehicle travel speeds at intersections where older drivers and pedestrians need more time to make decisions and execute changes, 2) making the physical layout of roads, crosswalks and sidewalks easier to navigate and 3) making it easier for older drivers and pedestrians to notice, read, understand and respond to visual cues and information.
Because of the time required to make such improvements, Hawaii should plan now for the coming age wave. Federal, state and local transportation planners and traffic engineers should focus on adjusting our roads to become safer and more user-friendly for everyone.
To help kick-start a statewide conversation on transportation planning for the silver tsunami, Jana Lynott, the principal author of the AARP study, will visit Hawaii this month to meet with key stakeholders to engage the public and policymakers on Complete Streets, lay the groundwork for successful implementation of Act 54 and prepare the public for involvement in the pedestrian master planning process and transit oriented development.
A free forum on Complete Streets will be co-sponsored by the AARP and the Maui County Nutrition & Physical Activity Coalition Tuesday at the Maui Beach Hotel from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The time has come to prepare our streets for an aging Hawaii. The unprecedented growth in the number of older residents demands that we act now. This is a great opportunity for Hawaii to become a leader in implementing Complete Streets’ policies. You can get involved in this effort by participating in the Complete Streets discussion at the Maui Beach on Tuesday.
* Mike Morris is president and CEO of the Maui Family YMCA and chairman of the Maui County Nutrition & Physical Activity Coalition, a project of the UH-Manoa Office of Public Health Studies, John A. Burns School of Medicine.
Add comment July 11, 2009
