Maui Costal Land Trust Coastal Dunes & Wetlands Refuge Annual Picnic

Saturday, September 5
9:45 a.m.— opening blessing for a day of fun and celebration.

Bring the family out to the Waihe‘e Refuge! See the restoration work that Maui Coastal Land Trust has done and are learn about the progress they’ve made at the rerfuge.

Explore for yourself at this free event.

• Native bird tour with Fern Duvall at 8:00 am – sign-up mandatory
• Blessing of new interpretive trail signage at 9:45 a.m.
• Guided Refuge Walks by Scott Fisher, Maui Coastal Land Trust at 10:00 and Noon
• Free BBQ picnic by Maui Culinary Academy, served from 10:30 – 2:00 pm
• Music by George Kahumoku at 11:00 am
• Keiki games & activities:
  • Hawaiian games by Hawai‘i Nature Center

  • Science activities by Maui Digital Bus
  • Hands-on crafts by Pacific Whale Foundation
  • Hands-on crafts by Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
• Cultural demonstrations:
  • Poi pounding by Hokuau Pellegrino, Ho‘olauna Program, Kamehameha Schools
  • ‘Ahu ‘awa cordage weaving by James Crowe, Maui Coastal Land Trust
  • Waihe‘e history and talk story

Please RSVP! Confirm your attendance by calling 244-5263, or emailing info@mauicoastallandtrust.org.

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.

City Offers Matching Grant to Businesses for Energy & Water Conservaiton

The City of Longmont is offering $60,000 in matching grants to local businesses to help pay the cost of energy and water efficiency improvements in commercial buildings and equipment.

The Commercial Efficiency Matching Grant Program offers financial assistance in addition to existing energy and water efficiency incentive programs available to Longmont businesses. Grant funds will be awarded to match the business or property owner’s investment after other incentives are deducted.

Matching grants are limited to the lesser of $5,000 per project or combined incentives and matching funds not to exceed 70% of total project costs.

Eligible efficiency improvements are those already approved for incentives or rebates under existing programs offered by Longmont Power & Communications, Platte River Power Authority, Public Works and Natural Resources, and Xcel Energy. Eligible measures include lighting, cooling, heating, compressors, refrigeration, motors, insulation, windows, roofing, toilets, urinals, spray valves and others.

Grant applications are being accepted through July October 31. For more program information and application materials, visit http://www.ci.longmont.co.us/lpc, or call 303-651-8386.

via Longmont Downtown Development Authority LDDA  528 Main Street Longmont.

Global Climate Change and Shoreline Changes for Maui—Zoe Norcross Nu’u

Click picture to view video.

Zoe is a coastal geologist who has been doing studies on Maui for the UH Extension program. On July 8, 2009, she shared a very dramatic presentation with the Rotary Club of Kihei/Wailea. She detailed the steady rise of the world’s oceans and how they affect Hawaii, what the future affects are likely to be and what needs to be done, sooner better than later, to prepare and prevent catastrophic effects on Maui. The main areas we need to manage are Coastal Development, Relocation of important infrastructure including at least one power plant and the water purification plant, and studies need to be funded to determine how run off will affect Maui and groundwater resources and how Maui will manage its beaches.

SMS at KCA June 16, 2009 – Review of Meeting

GROWING OUR FUTURE, TOGETHER
June 16, 2009, 68 p.m., Kihei Community Center, 303 E. Lipoa St. Kihei, Maui, HI

The Kihei Community Association hosted South Maui Sustainability for a slide presentation and breakout group discussion of community gardens, renewable energy, reef sustainability and recycling and conservation.

SUGGESTED ACTION ITEMS FROM BREAKOUT GROUPS

RECYCLING AND CONSERVATION DISCUSSION
Curbside Recycling
Advocate for full service curbside recycling
In the meantime set up neighborhood recycling groups where neighbors take turns transporting to the recycle/redemption centers.

Money collected could go to:
• The person who transports the materials
• The whole group
• Other organizations as a donation.

Advocate for the recycling of office paper.

Packaging
• Charge for plastic bags in the stores. This stick might be a more effective way to reduce use of plastic bags than the carrot of getting a small refund for using your own bags.
• Find a way to get money for plastic bags (by weight) to motivate the pubic to pick up the bags, especially off the beaches.

Energy and water Conservation
• Clean the exhaust ducts from electric dryers
• Turn off dishwaser “drying cycle”.
• Watch your wattage on all appliances with KillaWatt or other metering devices.
• Lower thermostat on hot water heater. 100 degrees is enough.
• Upgrade any appliances older than 10 years to Energy Star.
• Clean off the radiator tubes of your refigerator.
• Turn dishwashing and hand washing water off when not actually using it to wet or rinse.
• Turn off electricity for hot water heater, then turn on 15 minutes before needed. A timer box by the heater is better than using the circuit breaker for this.
• Plug appliances, sound and computer equipment into power strips and then turn off power strip when done.
• Use drip irrigation whenever possible
• Promote graywater usage and public policy.
• Advocate for Xeriscaping.
• Advocate for bike lanes, especially on the Norht/South Kihei collector road.
• Encourage bus usage
• Whenever possible rescue freshly dug up plants from beting taken to the landfill. Can take them to schools, Aloha Shares, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, churches, homes, etc. Also see www.MauiPlantRescue.com
• Use used coffee cans for storage.
• Convert old cloths into bags or material to chrochet into rugs.
• Take old towells to the Humane Society for use with the anmials.
• Use the library instead of buying new books.
• Use passive solar jugs to store heat for upcountry greenhouses
• Take used magazines to your doctor and dentist’s offices.

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REEF SUSTAINABILITY DISCUSSION
Most important issues

Carbon dioxide deposition, nutrient rich waters going into ocean.
• Run off from development (concrete, better construction, land use)
• Street run off, golf courses. Irvine& Newport Beach already doing good things. John Tetamer.com
• Decline in fish, over fishing
• Water quality
• Sewage dumping.
• Community ed. is poor, need to raise awareness. Population and growth problem

What needs to be done?
• Start at worst problem and work back.
• Put filters in run off areas, since wetlands are already built over.
• Promote natural wetlands, have penalties to over fishing, rules and regulations.
• Neighborhood watch program.
• Mooring. Rotationrest rotation – put into law?
• Small steps s/b encouraged faucets, car washes, look at selfbehaviors.
• Consulting Hawaiian Kahuna
• More gray water use – education
• Apollo alliance –Pam lightfoot
• Water recycling link west Maui, establishing political strength, Gary Hoosier, political advocacy, Malama Kauau = connecting
• Pick two/3 political issues, strength together State issues DNLR enforcement, 24 county offices to work with.
• Use wastewater instead of dumping It., proactively protecting reefs now. Spending now to save reefs/water later.

What is being done by other groups?
• Pump don’t Dump. Putting signs up to help protect reefs. Educating visitors PSA on Airlines, Ziggy Lovenut. “Eyes on reef” –How to recognize Coral Disease and algae Growth.
• Darla White. Shoreline reef cleanup Diving, snorkeling, beach line
• Aquamarine collection Legislation Dyer?

What can we do? And how will we do it?
• Education. Create Hawaiian island alliances to gain political power.
• Encourage –testify legislators – to save reefs and waters
• Create Education programs, all age schools
• Presentations –water quality, respecting our waters.

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COMMUNITY GARDEN DISCUSSION

Possible Sites
• Kalama heights, Churches, ML&P land, Technology Center
• KCA back and front. Safeway –North Liloacatchment

Interested parties – Kirk Surrey, Anne, Michael

Ideas for bringing in the community
• Church out reach, parents of children in schools, Rotary, SMS mailing list, Advertising in Maui Weekly etc. Flyers on Apt. doors.
• Master Gardeners. Marin County model.
• Tova

Challenges of water cost.
Do prototype, then “sell” idea.
Create a social network.

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RENEWABLE ENERGY DISCUSSION

• Funding – Done by county or state – solar install paid on property tax bill and passes on to new owner w/tax credits over 50% it is a good return on investment 1017%. Also prop value goes up. $24,000.00 = 3KW system. Fed Gov will lend money for this. Standard measurement unit is peak power output of solar panels….?
• New units prices going down due to supply and demand
• MECO can invest in solar elect, themselves and will start doing installs.
• New super efficient glass which gives 3% better absorption of solar light.
• Panel warranties going up to 20 yrs.
• Efficiency = conservation w/out sacrificing
• Great person in Kihei for solar – Steve Fryer
• July 18th solar Town call Hawaii PV coalition.org
• Know what you need – Willy Bennett can do this for you.

Plant Rescue Maui

Have you ever seen someone or some organization digging up plants and throwing them away? Have you ever thought about how those same plants could be ‘recycled and bring joy and add a bit of color to someone’s yard, as well as continuing to help replenish the earth’s oxygen supply?

Next time you see it happening, call for help! Plant Rescue Maui is here for you.

www.PlantRescueMaui.com
Email: Karenmac1999@hotmail.com
Phone: 808-276-2900

Reusing Houshold Water (Greywater) Editorial – Maui News

There’s a way to ease the drain on Maui’s water supplies with the only cost to government being the time needed to revise current rules and regulations. Homeowner recycling of household graywater is illegal due to concerns about contaminating groundwater.

Arizona allows homeowners to use water from a clothes washer, bathtub, shower and bathroom sink to irrigate landscaping by drip or flood irrigation. Kitchen sinks and, of course, toilets must be connected to sewer or septic systems. Spray irrigation is not permitted and the graywater flow must be less than 400 gallons a day.

Homeowners using graywater irrigation need to use detergents that are low in chlorides, sodium, borax, sulfates and alkaline content – chemicals that are harmful to plants. There are an increasing number of so-called “green detergents” readily available.

It’s estimated that up to 1 million Californians are breaking state law by hooking drains to irrigation systems. The state’s Department of Housing and Community Development is trying to come up with new rules covering graywater irrigation.

There’s a long tradition on Maui of piping toilet and kitchen wastewater into septic systems and running water from bathtubs, bathroom sinks and washing machines out into a pasture or lawn. A washing machine uses about 15 gallons of water for every load of wash. Irrigation was a byproduct limited to the end of the pipe. The idea was to avoid overloading septic systems.

Household use of recycled water for landscaping looks to be safe, if handled properly. Arizona has found a way. Just last week, the Maui County Department of Water Supply was urging consumers to cut back water use, although conscientious homeowners have long since figured out ways to make sure every drop of water is used efficiently.

It’s more than apparent that it will soon be essential to get maximum mileage out of water and find safe ways to use graywater from wastewater treatment plants and from Maui’s individual households.

Maui News, June 9, 2009

Green Jobs: Hope or Hype?

David Brancaccio of NOW on PBS talks with environmental activist Van Jones, founder of “Green for All,” an environmental group dedicated to bringing green jobs to the disadvantaged.

In March, Jones was appointed as special advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Now that he has the President’s ear, will Jones be creating a new career frontier for America?

Related links:
Whitehouse.gov: Council on Environmental Quality

Green for All: What are green collar jobs?

YouTube: Van Jones Keynote at Powershift 09

Associated Press: Govt announces money for green jobs and training

The New York Times: Study Forecasts 297,000 Green Jobs

NPR: What Kind Of Green Jobs Will Stimulus Spawn?

Al Gore warns on latest climate trends: TED Video

Filmed February, 2009.

Ecology Action

Ecology Action is a Santa Cruz, CA nonprofit environmental consultancy delivering cutting edge education services, technical assistance, and program implementation for initiatives that assist individuals, business and government to maximize environmental quality and community well being.

Since 1970 Ecology Action has combined municipal, foundation, and private funding to establish cutting-edge conservation programs, prove their effectiveness financially and operationally, and establish each program as a permanent community resource.

They seek innovative ways to instill environmental awareness, promote pragmatic change, and create opportunities for individuals, businesses, and community agencies to save money, create jobs, and contribute to a sustainable local economy.

Browse some of their current programs:

Bike Smart! Promotes safe bicycling through fun, hands-on education programs at Santa Cruz County schools.   Bike to Work Provides incentives, free breakfast, and support to get you hooked on bicycling as transportation.

Business Waste Assessment Waste assessment software to help government and businesses reduce waste, save money, and promote resource conservation.   Clean Beaches Coalition Ongoing beach cleanups including the Annual Coastal Cleanup

Climate Solutions Program A leadership initiative to mobilize the entire Monterey Bay Area to radically reduce our carbon footprint.   Electric Bike Information Providing reduced prices, safety and skill training, and increased service for Santa Cruz County residents.

Folding Bikes in Buses Providing reduced prices on folding bikes and bus passes to promote bike with bus transportation for Santa Cruz County residents.

Cabrillo College Go Green Choose an alternative to driving alone and you can make a difference in reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gases. For Cabrillo College students, staff and faculty members.

Green Building Information about the design and construction of healthy, sustainable places to live and work.

Green Business Program Offers free technical and promotional assistance to help you become a certified green business.

Green Gardener Program Provides professional training and certification in ecological landscaping and helps customers find certified Green Gardeners.

Home Composting Program Offers a wealth of home composting resources and opportunities for the residents of Santa Cruz County.

Household Hazardous Waste Provides information about local and regional drop-off facilities and alternatives to traditionally used chemicals.

Integrated Pest Managment Provides information and technical assistance about less-toxic alternatives to traditional pest management.

Livestock and Land Provides technical assistance and cost share dollars for manure and land management approaches that protect water quality.

LodgingSavers Program Delivers a comprehensive suite of rebated energy efficiency retrofits to Lodging Properties in PG&E service territory.

Model Schools Program Reduces pest problems, flooding and erosion, and the use of toxic chemicals in schools.

Multifamily Recycling A partnership with twelve local agencies and haulers, implementing comprehensive recycling and waste reduction programs at low income multifamily housing complexes.

Oil Recycling Provides information about local and regional used oil and filter drop-off facilities for cars, boats, and farm equipment.

Our Water Our World Raises public awareness about alternatives to using hazardous pesticide and fertilizer products in and around the home.

Santa Cruz County Recycles Provides information that enables people and businesses to reuse, recycle, and buy recycled in Santa Cruz County.

Special Event Recycling Offers recycling and waste reduction programs at events through technical assistance, outreach and education.

RightLights Program Provides subsidized lighting upgrades and free professional assistance to help businesses lower energy bills and boost cash flow.

Tourism Recycling Offers recycling and waste reduction programs at events through technical assistance, outreach and education.

Transportation Membership Services Encourages member employees to use other ways than driving alone to commute to and from work.

Waste Free Schools Program Assists Santa Cruz County schools in institutionalizing campus recycling, composting and reduce / reuse programs.