Hawaii among top solar producers
Hawaiian Electric Co. was among the top solar-integrated utilities in the country, according to a report released Thursday by the Solar Electric Power Association. The association ranked the utilities by total solar electric capacity in 2008. HECO was No. 7 among the top 10 public power utilities, installing 3.5 megawatts of new capacity in 2008. [...]
Hawaii’s oldest wildlife refuge celebrates 100
The Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge—Hawaii’s oldest national wildlife refuge—this week marks its first century of protecting and preserving the fragile ocean ecosystems of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. If you’re on Kauai today, stop by the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on the Island’s north shore for the centennial celebration. The Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife [...]
Households vie for free solor water heaters
Ten Hawaiian households will soon receive free solar water heating systems through a new program created by the Honolulu-based Blue Planet Foundation and Suntech Hawaii. The soon-to-be systems owners will be selected from a list of those who sign up to be a “friend” of Blue Planet by Dec. 20 at www.blueplanetfoundation.org and the winners will [...]
Deconstruction: a green alternative
There’s been a lot of talk lately about going green when it comes to building a home. But did you know there is also a greener way to go when it comes time to tear down your house or business? Say you have an old home, and you want to knock it down and put [...]
Shuttle bikes may start next spring
Bike sharing, popular in several European countries and in its infancy in many U.S. cities, may be coming to O’ahu next spring in a privately funded pilot program. Nguyen Le’s Momentum B-cycle proposal would allow people who pay for the service to hop on a bike in Manoa and leave it at a designated rack [...]
Hawaii to build electric car network
Silicon Valley startup Better Place on Tuesday announced a deal with Hawaii’s governor and the state’s biggest utility to build an electric car charging network throughout the islands. The agreement comes less than two weeks after Better Place CEO Shai Agassi and the mayors of Northern California’s three largest cities unveiled a plan to build [...]
Prisons recycle to save energy, money
Of all the things convicted murderer Robert Knowles has been called during his 13 years behind bars, recycler hasn’t been one of them. But there he was one morning, pitchfork in hand, composting food scraps from the main chow line and coffee grounds from prison headquarters — doing his part to "green" the prison. "It’s [...]
Community Action Service pegs Jeff Mikulina
The League of Women Voters of Honolulu is honoring Jeff Mikulina, Executive Director of Blue Planet Foundation, in a first-time award for community service. The Donald and Astrid Monson Community Action award will be given annually to an organization or individual who has made the year’s outstanding contributions toward or involving public interest planning, housing, [...]
Jason Scott Lee – Hollywood Drop Out
A half-dozen years ago, Jason Scott Lee was in Florida playing the studio publicity game — sitting for interviews and photographs to promote a new film. After a day of interviews, the Pearl City High School graduate had dinner with friends. Conversations floated about careers, Hawaii, lifestyle. An actress at the table talked a lot [...]
Waikiki hotels focus on green initiatives
More hotels in Waikiki are seeing reasons to go green as a way to cut back on energy costs, plus get some good publicity. Savvy travelers are also beginning to inquire about it, including events planners who ask about whether a hotel has the U.S. Energy Star rating. At the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, energy-efficient LED [...]
