Pineapple could vanish from Hawaii
July 26, 2008
Layoffs by Maui Land & Pineapple Co. may have put Hawai’i one step away from the complete loss of what was once the state’s single biggest cash crop.
ML&P’s pineapple production will drop by half, from about 2,000 acres to around 1,000 acres. Of the 274 jobs being cut, 204 are in the company’s pineapple division of 441 employees.
Hawaii credit union gives ‘green’ discounts
July 26, 2008
Aloha Pacific Credit Union has become the first financial institution in Hawaii to introduced a loan program to help drivers become sustainable.
AARP the Magazine Names the Top 10 Healthiest Places to Live in America
July 24, 2008
- Ann Arbor, Michigan Takes Top Honors as Honolulu, Hawaii comes in a close second -
WASHINGTON, July 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world’s largest-circulation magazine with more than 34 million readers, today announced the top ten healthiest cities to live and retire in with Ann Arbor, MI, Honolulu, HI, Madison, WI, Santa Fe, NM, and Fargo, ND taking the top five rankings.
It’s easier being green: More schools incorporate eco-friendly elements
July 24, 2008
WASHINGTON — Waterless urinals. Geothermal cooling systems. Photovoltaic solar panels.
The space shuttle? Try your child’s school.
Classrooms are slowly going green, prodded by rising energy bills, public health concerns and a general desire to adopt eco-friendly principles. Green schools cost a little more to build — generally 1 percent to 2 percent extra — than conventional schools but promise payback through lower utility bills and, some studies suggest, better student achievement.
Island breweries go green
July 23, 2008
A sweet cereal smell spills from the large doors of Keoki Brewing Co. as cracked malt husks swirl around a large round tank.
These grains bring aroma and color to the beer, and brewers seek them out in chocolates or ambers from Germany and Canada.
But beer drinkers aren’t the only ones who enjoy their flavor.
So do cows.
Moving trash from state to state will not solve nation’s landfill capacity problems
July 23, 2008
What are we going to do with our trash when the landfills are full?
That’s not a problem that’s garnering much attention because, frankly, there are a lot of places in this country to bury our trash.
But across the Pacific Ocean it’s a real concern — right now.
Hoku Solar and Suntech Power Complete Solar Installation for One of Hawaii’s Largest Beverage Distributors
July 23, 2008
KAPOLEI, Hawaii and SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2008 /Xinhua-PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ — Hoku Solar, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hoku Scientific, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOKU) and designer, engineer and installer of photovoltaic (PV) power systems, and Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.(NYSE: STP), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, today announced the completion of a 254-kilowatt PV solar power system at the Oahu warehouse and distribution headquarters of Paradise Beverages, Inc.
Hawaii firms consider 4-day work week
July 18, 2008
Hawaii employers and state government are looking at four-day work weeks as a way to cut costs, save energy and get their workers off the roads one day a week.
Some are looking at the switch as a “green” initiative while others are seeing a way to boost employee productivity and morale. For workers, it’s one fewer day on the road burning $4.50-a-gallon gas or jamming into a crowded bus.
A recent online survey by Pacific Business News found that 57 percent of the roughly 700 people who responded said their job or business could shift to a four-day work week. Thirty-four percent said they couldn’t.
Last week, Gov. Linda Lingle said the state is “seriously considering” a switch to four-day work weeks for some employees. Lingle has said that there have been discussions with the state Department of Human Resources Development and the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism about whether a four-day work week model would be feasible and ensure the same level of service.
Hoku Accepts Offer to Sell Kapolei, Hawaii Facility
July 14, 2008
Hoku Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOKU), a materials science company focused on clean energy technologies, today announced it has accepted an offer from Operating Engineers Local Union Number 3, District 17 (Hawaii) to sell its property and facility in Kapolei, Hawaii.
Geothermal in Hawaii
July 13, 2008
Geothermal energy: Clean, stable, always available
In 1881, King David Kalakaua had the bright idea of using Hawaii’s fiery volcanoes to produce electricity and light the streets. It took technology the next century to catch up with the visionary king.




