Today, going green is all about saving money, not necessarily contributing to sustainability. In contrast to the local and national green rush of 2007 that saw new interest in pricey roof-top photovoltaic systems and LEED certification, the new green reality is more about the small stuff, like switching out light bulbs and turning off air conditioning.

The number of projects that have applied for LEED certification in Hawaii in 2009 stands at 36, down from 48 last year. That includes 25 new construction projects, down from 35 last year.

Nationally, the U.S. Green Building Council, which certifies LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects, says that with construction “at a virtual standstill” applications for many kinds of certification “have not increased at the levels previously expected.”

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Hawaiian Electric Co. and Gov. Linda Lingle inked an agreement earlier this month to move the state away from dependence on fossil fuels for electricity and ground transportation.

But some of the biggest ideas in the deal — including expensive undersea power cables to move wind-generated energy between the islands — lack funding or even cost estimates for how they’ll become reality.

The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is a major step for Hawaiian Electric, said Connie Lau, chairwoman of the board of directors for the utility, which powers Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.

“This is a historic moment for all of us, and it really does take us far beyond what our companies have done historically,” Lau said. “(It) will protect our customers in the long run from these severe fluctuations in oil prices.”

Goal: 70 percent renewable by 2030
The goal is to create 70 percent of Hawaii’s energy use from clean energy sources by 2030. Currently, the state gets about 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources.

The accord seeks to make renewable energy easier to use by integrating it into the power grid.

Under the agreement, Hawaiian Electric commits to not build any new coal plants, integrate up to 1,100 megawatts of renewable energy into the power grid and convert existing fossil fuel generators to biofuels using locally grown crops.

“We don’t have years and years anymore to make these changes,” Lingle said. “These are not hopes or dreams or wishes, these are our specific plans that we hope to achieve.”

The undersea cables, which could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, would link potential wind farms on Lanai or Molokai to population centers on Maui and Oahu.

It’s unclear exactly where the money will come from. Private companies could step in, the state may pursue revenue bonds, or Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, could seek federal funds.

‘Most vulnerable’ state
Inouye said it’s essential that Hawaii emphasize its energy independence efforts because of the state’s isolation and the steady long-term rise of oil prices.

“It’s not going to be easy, but we must do it, because of all the 50 states in the union, our state is the most vulnerable,” Inouye said. “We have no fossil fuels, so we have to manufacture our own energy.”

Additional parts of the plan call for:

• Creating incentives to encourage adoption of electric vehicles.
• A requirement that 40 percent of electric power come from renewable sources by 2030. An additional 30 percent of clean energy savings would come from consuming less and using power more efficiently.
• Changing the way Hawaiian Electric is compensated by moving away from a business model that relies on increased electric sales.
• Making it easier for customers to get credits for electricity contributed to the power grid from home solar or wind systems.

The agreement stems from the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between the state and the federal Department of Energy launched in January with the goal of making Hawaii a model for how the United States can become energy independent.

The state is working separately with Kauai Island Utility Cooperative on similar proposals.

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David shared the story of his company’s sustainable success at the second annual "Who’s Keeping Hawaii Green" awards ceremony last month on Oahu. More than a dozen other businesses and individuals were also honored for their contributions to keeping the environment green.

Davis said the company, which originated in 1998 in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, does its best for the environment and the public by developing a popular brew while leaving less of a carbon footprint on the earth.

"Its not just good beer, but a way of life," Davis told those attending the award ceremony at Moanalua Gardens.

Davis said the brewery’s superb "green" practices include:

- using all Hawaii grown ingredients,

- using biodiesel fuel from used vegetable oil for delivery trucks,

- using energy saving, compact fluorescent lighting (and will soon be incorporating photovoltaic solar cells to replace fossil-fuel generated electricity at the brewery),

- Donating leftover grain, yeast, and hops from the brewing process to cattle farms for feed.

- Using packaging made from recycled cardboard, and

- delivering products to restaurants and bars without packaging, and in reusable trays.

Other companies and individuals honored at the event included

- Celebrity ; Jack Johnson

- Hospitality industry; Four Seasons Hualailai

- Retail; Muumuu Heaven i Restaurant; Town & Downtown restaurants

- Business with a Green program; Maui Brewing Company

- Non-profit with a green purpose; Re-use Hawaii

- Non-profit resource; UH Environmental Law Program

- Business with a green purpose; Styrophobia

- Business with a longstanding program; Hawaii regional cuisine

- Green pioneer; evolution sage

- Contractor; unlimited construction

- Design; PK White Architects

- Developer; Actus Lend Lease

- Individual Educator; Ramsay Taum

- Green Entrepreneur; Bob King, Pacific Biodiesel

- Agricultural Innovation; Cellana

- Business with longstanding green program; NELHA (National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority

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The credit union’s Go Green Auto Loan gives discounts for vehicles that are labeled "hybrid" or have at least 25 miles per gallon. Annual rates are 4.4 percent, and further discounts are given based on payment plans.

"In the face of rising gas prices, this program is one way to help our members meet this challenge," said Wallace Watanabe, president and CEO of Aloha Pacific, the first credit union in Hawaii to offer green-car incentives.

Aloha Pacific FCU is the third largest credit union in Hawaii with more than $450 million in assets.

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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.

“A school district that might have been thinking ’I can’t afford to build a green school’ is now saying ’I can’t afford not to’,” said Rachel Gutter, schools sector manager for the U.S. Green Building Council which certifies school construction projects based on environmental criteria.

Several states, including Hawaii, Florida and New Jersey, now require that new school buildings be more energy efficient, reduce their water usage and recycle more. In June, the U.S. House of Representatives sent a bill to the Senate requiring schools built with federal money to incorporate green elements.

Nearly 100 public and private schools nationwide have been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council since 2000 and another 800 are seeking certification.

Ohio has been a leader in the green school movement, Gutter said. Using money received through a legal settlement with tobacco companies, they are planning to build 250 green schools over the next two years. The state expects to save $1.4 billion in energy costs over the next 40 years thanks to the program.

It goes beyond simply imbuing a sense of environmental responsibility, green advocates say. Some of the elements can help improve schooling.
Studies in 1999 and 2003 by the Heschong Mahone Group, a California consulting firm that promotes energy-efficient design, found that children generally fared better on math and reading tests in schools where natural light was more prevalent because it improved student focus and achievement. “Daylighting,” as it’s called, is encouraged because it cuts down on energy bills by reducing the need for artificial lighting.

“Most of the time we don’t even turn on the lights in my classroom because there’s so much light from the windows,” said Lily Kamali, 11, a fifth-grader who attends Great Seneca Creek Elementary School in Germantown, Md. The school was the first in Maryland certified by the green council.

With large windows a prominent feature in most classrooms, daylighting is a central feature at Fossil Ridge High School, which opened four years ago in Fort Collins, Colo. That’s not just because it’s one of several green elements, such as low-flow faucets and wind power usage, aimed at saving money.
School officials say it also helps student performance. Fossil Ridge Principal Dierdre Cook said there is no hard data to suggest daylighting is a reason the school, which draws from upper-income neighborhoods, scores among the best in Colorado. Still, she added, the airy layout of the campus and its emphasis on clean air contributes to an academically enriching experience.

“It’s just a happy building. It gives you a sense of well-being,” she said. “The better you feel about where you are, the better you’re going to perform.”
Not everyone is enamored with the idea of going green.

Federal lawmakers who opposed a green provision in a school funding bill that passed the House in June don’t like what they view as Congress meddling in a local issue.

“The problem with America’s public education system isn’t that it’s failed to build a sufficient number of green schools,” said Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., the GOP’s second-in-command among House members. “The problem is it’s failed to empower our communities, parents and teachers with the tools and authority they need to provide the quality educational experience our children need, expect and deserve.”

Much of the focus has been on construction. But teachers, parents and children at those schools say it’s easier to imbue pupils with a sense of environmental responsibility in buildings that promote those principles.

At Summerfield Elementary, a Neptune, N.J., school recognized for its green design, students go on nature walks, plant flowers and engage in recycling projects.

“I do find that whatever they learn at school comes home with them,” said Loretta Eichenour, Summerfield PTO president and mother of two girls who attend the school. “They’re more environmentally conscious and that makes everyone more environmentally conscious.”

That’s the way many students feel at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, where a renovated middle school includes photovoltaic solar panels on the roof to save energy, a wetland to enable the reuse of wastewater for the school’s toilets, and plenty of recycled building materials.

“It makes you look at everything in a new way,” said Chitti Raju, 14, an eighth-grader at Sidwell. “You’re used to seeing all these renewable and sustainable materials (at school) and you go to your house and you don’t see any of this and you’re like, ’Hey Mom, we can put in different light bulbs that do this.’ It really makes you think about these things.”

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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.

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Homeowners will be able to rebuild and replace with Energy Star-rated appliances and lighting, Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, water-saving plumbing fixtures, nontoxic paints and carpeting and debris removal that can be recycled and kept out of landfills.

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