Say you have an old home, and you want to knock it down and put up a new one. In the past, you didn’t have much choice, it got demolished.

But now, homeowners can reduce what goes into the landfill by deconstructing their old home.

The Re-Use Hawaii crew is hard at work on a Diamond Head house.

But they’re not building it, they’re taking it apart.

“We start with the fixtures, drywall, and things that were put in last and we go to the roof and deconstruct all the way to the ground,” said Co-executive Director, Quinn Vittum.

Re-Use Hawaii, is a non-profit organization that recycles building materials, which are then resold and re-used. And there is plenty in a old home like this.

“Typically it ranges from 60-85 % of the volume of the house that we can reuse,” said Vittum.

If the home was demolished, the waste would fill up twenty construction dumpsters, all destined for the landfill. But Re-Use Hawaii will only need 5 for the stuff it can’t salvage.

Deconstruction may initially cost more than a demolition, but home owners get more than just a good feeling at the end, they also get a tax break.

“At the end of the year they get a tax deduction for the market value of their donation and on some of these houses it can be substantial,” added Vittum.

This is not only a greener way to go for homeowners, but workers also get a sense of satisfaction from saving the environment.

One ‘used’ board at a time.

“We’re all ecstatic that we’re spending our days making a difference for the community. We’ll be doing it for a lot longer and hopefully getting more people involved and teaching the concept,” said Vittum.

Re-Use Hawaii has only been around for a year, but as more businesses and homeowners find out about this green way to take apart additions or even whole buildings, the number of jobs is steadily increasing.

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At present the company produces two product lines: Green Lava Hydro-mulch™ and two brands of oil change Boxes.  Hydro-mulch, made from 95% recycled paper, helps seed large areas inexpensively; it is also used for erosion and dust control. Oil change boxes, sold in most automotive stores state-wide, promote responsible waste oil disposal.

In addition Boltz states, “In a couple months our product line will also include InCide Pest Control Cellulose Insulation™.”  This product is made from 80% recycled paper designed to keep homes cool, quiet, and pest-free.  Boltz also reports that Island Shell is actively working on expanding the product line to include a variety of environmentally-friendly pet products.

Island Shell Environmental Manufacturing is protecting Hawaii’s environment by using resources already in Hawaii,  by producing goods that have a positive impact on the environment, and by reducing the need for export of recyclable materials .  Says Boltz, “This plant is a great step in the right direction for Hawaii”. He emphasized both residents and local corporations need to have an active interest in reducing waste to preserve the character and resources of our island home.

For more information about the company or to find out more about phone book / newspaper recycling, email Bernie at bernie@islandshell.com

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The university said 75 shipping containers filled with broken and obsolete electronic equipment would be recycled or properly disposed of, instead of ending up in Hawaii landfills.

The eWaste Disposal Days program collected items from public and private schools and universities; city, county, state and federal government agencies; small to medium-sized businesses and nonprofits.

Containers collected by island were:

• Oahu, 65.25 containers;
• Big Island, 6.25;
• Maui, 3; and
• Kauai, 0.5.

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Together with the Green Hotel and Resort Program, The Green Office and Retail Program will recognize businesses that have applied environmentally responsible measures within their office or retail establishments. The Green Office and Retail Program Pilot is co-sponsored by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) and the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Hawaii.

The program’s objectives are to reduce energy and water consumption, promote recycling, prevent pollution, reduce emissions, and to educate employees and customers about environmental practices.

Businesses that achieve Hawai‘i Green Business recognition go beyond environmental compliance, to reduce, reuse, and recycle as well as restore and conserve Hawai‘i’s culture, natural resources and the environment.

Businesses are required to complete an enrollment form and checklist to ensure that the program is appropriate for their business. A business is expected to maintain the required energy saving practices and may be re-evaluated annually. The enrollment form and checklists can be found on the DBEDT and DOH websites.

“Conserving energy and water makes sense for businesses, public agencies and for all residents of Hawai‘i as we continue to work collaboratively to increase Hawai‘i’s energy independence and preserve our natural resources,” said DBEDT Director Theodore E. Liu. “The Hawai‘i Green Business Program hopes to have businesses become more resource-efficient and share their practices and tips with their peers, clients, guests and employees.”

Participation in the Hawai‘i Green Business program is open to Hawai‘i businesses able to complete the pre-requisite enrollment form and checklist.

The Green Hotel and Resort Program is co-sponsored by the Hawai‘i Hotel and Lodging Association. For more information, visit the program website at (http://hawaii.gov/health/environmental/waste/p2wastemin/index.html) or contact the program coordinators:

Gail Suzuki-Jones, DBEDT, gsuzuki@dbedt.hawaii.gov, 587-3802 or
Travis Hiramoto, DOH, thiramoto@doh.hawaii.gov, 586-4226.

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Hoku Scientific Inc. took a major step yesterday toward financing its planned polysilicon plant, potentially reducing the amount it needs by half.

The Kapolei-based alternative-energy company has signed a contract worth up to $298 million to supply polysilicon, a key material in making solar panels, to Jiangxi Kinko Energy Co. Ltd., a China-based manufacturer of silicon products.

It is Hoku’s fifth major contract for shipments from its $390 million Pocatello, Idaho, plant, set to start commercial shipments in early 2009. The deal fills the remaining 500 metric tons of capacity from the plant’s expected annual production of 3,500 metric tons.

The contract also supplies a key piece of funding for Hoku, which in May had a tentative $185 million deal with Merrill Lynch & Co. fall through and last month started offering shares to raise funds.

“Kinko Energy’s strategic approach and their focus on growth in the solar market make them an excellent long-term partner for Hoku,” Hoku Chief Executive Officer Dustin Shindo said in a statement expected to be released today. “Looking over a 10-year period, we are actually slightly oversold at current planned capacity.”

Hoku will receive payments through the 10-year contract, starting late next year. Predetermined volumes of polysilicon will be delivered each year at set prices that will decline throughout the term of the agreement. Hoku will receive an initial $10 million deposit that will be used during the plant’s ramp-up to pilot production this year, as well as additional prepayments of $20 million by Dec. 20. Another $25 million is due by March 31.

Shindo said the near-term funds will help reduce the company’s risk of failing to meet financing guidelines in its other supply contracts.

Contracts for two of the four buyers, Sanyo Electric Co. and Global Expertise Wafer Division, expired May 31, leaving Hoku open to being “materially harmed” if one of the companies pulled out, Shindo said in the company’s first-quarter earnings release earlier this month. Shindo said yesterday the company might have to adjust delivery amounts or timing for the two companies to compensate for the Kinko contract.

Suntech Power Co. and Solarfun Power Hong Kong Ltd., Hoku’s other two buyers, have extended their contracts through Dec. 31. The contracts are expected to bring total revenues of up to $2 billion.

Hoku will grant Kinko a security interest in its polysilicon assets to secure an obligation to repay $55 million to Kinko as a credit against product shipments over time.

Hoku said earlier this year it would fund the plant through $240 million in customer prepayments and $40 million of its own cash. The remaining $110 million would come from a combination of prepayments from new customers, and from debt, equity and other financing.

Under the agreement with Kinko, up to $55 million could be applied toward the $110 million Hoku needs, Shindo said. Although the company said earlier this month that it had raised $58 million for the plant’s pilot production, it will still need to raise funds not covered by the Kinko contract through this year.

“We plan to continue with our equity distribution agreement and other funding strategies, but do not expect we will need to sell as many shares to complete our plant financing,” Shindo said.

Last month, the company entered into an agreement with UBS Securities LLC to offer up to $54 million in stock sales. From June 12 through June 30, the company sold 527,815 shares for gross proceeds of $3.3 million. Hoku suspended the program July 1 until the release of first-quarter financial information and plans to resume it within the next month.

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The state Health Department also announced today it will not raise the nonrefundable beverage container fee. Under the state law that created the so-called "HI 5" recycling system, consumers are charged a five-cent refundable deposit and a nonrefundable one-cent container fee to cover the administrative costs of the program.

The law raises the nonrefundable fee to 1.5 cents for each container when the redemption rate exceeds 70 percent, but the Health Department director and the state auditor can waive the fee increase if they determine it is not needed.

The Health Department survey on the bottle bill found the program is viewed more positively than it was two years ago, but still showed mixed levels of satisfaction among consumers.

The greatest improvement cited by consumers was that they say they have "more choices," including more redemption centers to choose from, more hours of operation, and shorter wait times.

However, consumers’ satisfaction with the accuracy of redemptions payments when containers are weighed declined.

"We are encouraged by the growing number of residents who are recycling, but there is still room to improve the recycling experience," said Karl Motoyama, of the DOH Office of Solid Waste Management.

"DOH continues to encourage recycling companies to train their employees on customer service relations, and to provide customers with options when calculating refund amounts. While some consumers prefer to have their containers counted to get back an exact refund, others prefer to have their loads weighed because it is quicker," he said in a written statement released today.

The consumer survey was conducted in April and polled 701 residents, including 400 on O’ahu and about 100 each on Maui, the Big Island and Kaua’i. Ward Research conducted the survey.

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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.

The landfill on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu is running out of room. It will be full in 15 years if nothing changes. The Honolulu City Council wants to have 100,000 tons of trash a year shipped to Washington state for disposal in Klickitat County. The folks who run the Klickitat landfill, the largest in our state, are eager to receive the garbage because it means a lot of green in their pockets. The Klickitat dump is the major business in that area as it gets paid to dispose of the garbage. It also converts methane from the waste into electricity.

In the short term, Hawaii’s solution might make sense. It is buying the island’s people some time. But shipping tons of garbage from Hawaii to the mainland, or even from state to state as New York is doing with its garbage shipments to Alaska, is not a sustainable solution. It may take many decades, but our trash capacity will one day be exhausted. In addition, shipping tons of trash could be an environmental hazard waiting to happen.
If the garbage barge were to sink at sea there would be an uproar. And if a barge had problems in the Columbia River, which it would have to travel to get to Klickitat County, the environment could be severely damaged. Sure, the possibility of disaster is remote, but it is possible. We’ve got to find an efficient way to get rid of our trash that results in a positive for society. Klickitat County’s methane to electricity is on the right track.

So, too, is Hawaii’s H-Power plant, which generates electricity using garbage as fuel. Right now Hawaii’s operation is too small to burn all of Oahu’s trash. A new boiler is planned that will allow all the garbage to be burned and extend the life of the island’s landfill to 30 years as only the ashes would have to be dumped in the dump.

The mainland has far more time to deal with this problem, but at some point we will be in the same boat (or is that trash barge?) as Hawaii.
The mainland should keep an eye on Hawaii as it deals with its serious garbage issue. If Hawaii finds a workable solution, the entire nation would benefit.

Hawaii’s most populated island is already running out of room to bury garbage.

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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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But now, there’s an eco-friendly way to enjoy take-out.

Mocha Java Café in Ward is just one of a growing number of local businesses serving up drinks and plates of food in bio-degradable ware.

“We’re almost 100% right now just running out of stock,” said Luzia Maia, owner of Mocha Java Cafe.

The eco-friendly foodware is called Styrophobia.

They contain no harmful or toxic materials — found in Styrofoam and plastic.

Instead they’re made from corn starch and sugar cane fiber — and are 100% compostable.

The idea to bring styrophobia to Hawaii came to Mike Elhoff after San Francisco banned the use of Styrofoam and plastic bags.

“We’re using them as a model and we know they can do it,” said Elhoff.  “And at the same time San Franciso is diverting up to 70% of their landfills to biodegradable’s to landfills and recycling.”

Elhoff says ,where as — Styrofoam sits in our landfill leeching toxic chemicals into the soil, “styrophobia” biodegrades in up to 90 days.

And since it’s au naturale, you can even bury it with the rest of your compost in your back yard.

You can’t really tell the difference between a styrophobia cup and a plastic cup. They both look and feel the same. And even though this is made out of corn. You can’t tell.

The local company’s also pushing bio-bags for dogs, in hopes animal lovers and people who love plate-lunches will use these green products to create a greener Hawaii.

“Ultimately it’s about this,” said Elhoff.  “It’s about changing our habits taking more responsibility for what we do in the day.”

It costs an extra 25-cents to carry the styrophobia products.

So far, almost 100 local businesses, schools and colleges have made the switch.

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of its gym to help reduce some of that waste.
The 28-year old Hemmeter Fieldhouse at Punahou school is getting a face lift. But it’s not out with the old, in with the new, it’s be careful with the old, because it’ll be someone else’s new.
“There’s 20,000 square feet of maple, gym floor, tongue in groove, beautiful material and we’ve been here for about two weeks, maximizing salvage probably 98 percent of the flooring we’re saving,” said Re-Use Hawaii Founder Quinn Vittum.
It wasn’t just the planks, crews also saved what’s called the sleeper sub-floor, douglas fir and the bleacher boards. All of the work done by the non-profit Re-Use Hawai’i, which is a state licensed demolition contractor.
“Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to do deconstruction for obvious reasons because it’s a more methodical process but we’re finding that with the strategies that we implement with our deconstruction program we’re able to be competitive with demolition,” said Vittum.
The salvaged wood is taken to Re-Use’s Kaka’ako retail yard, where it’s prepared and sold for re-use.
“People that are reusing the maple flooring are green builders, contractors and do it yourself homeowner type people,” said Vittum. “Lots of people want to use salvaged material because it’s environmentally friendly also they’re probably gonna save a lot of money as compared to buying new material.”
Vittum says the wood salvaged from the gym represents nearly 113 trees and nearly 29,000 cubic feet of material diverted from a landfill. By the way, the new gym has energy-efficient lighting as well.

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