This Conference offers an opportunity for Hawai‘i to explore future planning issues and opportunities to our islands waste stream and how adoption of renewable energy applications can impact our overall sustainability.

Zero Waste is a philosophy that aims to guide people in the redesign of their resource-use system with the aim of reducing waste to zero.

Our Special guest speakers of international acclaim include:

• Gunter Pauli - Founder and director Zero Emissions Research Institute and world renowned sustainability educator
• Gary Liss - Gary Liss & Associates Zero Waste Community Planner
• Richard Anthony - Richard Anthony & Associates - Draft Zero Waste Planner for Hawai’i Island
  
• Patrick Hayes - Oakland CA specializes in Construction and Demolition with reuse outcomes

We have asked experts in the energy field to join us on a panel to discuss “Renewable Energy”. We will assemble a panel to address “Sustaining our Island’s Environment” and a panel to draft the Zero Waste Plan to improve Hawaii’s future.

Please save this date and register by calling Madeline at (808) 935-2180. We look forward to seeing you, at the “Zero Waste” conference at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows in September.

U.S. Department of Energy and State of Hawaii Sign Agreement to Increase Clean Energy Technologies in Hawaii.

For more information about the MOU click on this link: http://www.eere.energy.gov/pdfs/hawaii_mou.pdf

Last year, Hawaii Island Economic Development Board (HIEDB) was asked to continue the momentum of this successful pilot program with the role of expanding it island-wide. In 2007, 31 students participated with 23 organizations.

HIEDB working with its partners at the State Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations-Workforce Development Division, and the Makana Mentor Network at Hawaiʻi Community College (HCC) is looking to expand yet again, thus far in 2008, 83 students have enrolled together with nearly 30 organizations.

Recruitment is underway for Island businesses who would like to get involved in the Huiana Internship Program. “Huiana” means “the act of coming together,” and program leaders are seeking as broad a representation of Island businesses as possible. Businesses that sponsor an intern will receive hands-on training in how to be a successful mentor from the HCC Makana Mentor Network. Student interns enrolled in the program will receive school credit. Participating students must be juniors or seniors in high school.

GET INVOLVED - Help our island communities future by supporting Huiana

For more information please contact Paula Thomas at (808) 443-3032 or paulat at hiedb.org

Selected contractors on Hawaii Island have been invited to participate as a Task Force to assist us with designing the flow of product from their job sites to the reuse store.

For more information or to get involved, contact Skylark Rossetti @ (808) 935-2180.

David Yogi, 415-972-3653, yogi.david@epa.gov

EPA grants $492,600 to Hawaii Island Economic Development Board for reuse and recycling projects

HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded a $492,600 grant to the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board to expand existing recycling and reuse projects on Hawaii Island.

“The management of solid waste is especially critical to an island state such as Hawaii,” said Steven Barhite, acting director of the waste management division for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region, “This new grant will build on the success of previous efforts and extend current programs—playing an essential role in reducing the amount of solid waste that goes to the landfills on Hawaii Island.”

The project establishes a model for renewable resource management on the island. This grant upgrades a solid waste transfer station into a community recycling center to divert resources from solid waste disposal. The effort will develop innovative solutions for collecting, reusing, and recycling products. In addition, educational outreach and results will be measured and reported.

The goals of the project are to:

• stimulate on-island reuse, composting, and recycling;
• create jobs and income for island residents;
• comply with the state’s waste management goals;
• reduce the county’s overall solid waste management costs; and
• create partnerships with businesses to increase the amount of recovered materials.

The current grant builds on successful efforts to improve reuse and recycling in West Hawaii and at Keaau in East Hawaii.

To date, the centers have recycled or mulched nearly 1,300 tons of resources and made possible the reuse of 122 tons of resources. The effort has conserved over 28,000 million BTUs of energy – the equivalent of removing 415 cars from the road each year or not using 226,000 gallons of gasoline each year. Hawaii Island has achieved a 69 percent recycling rate for beverage containers, the highest in the state.

Both locations recycle aluminum, office paper, magazines, plastics, cardboard, mixed paper, inkjet and toner cartridges, newspaper, #1 and #2 plastics and glass. The West Hawaii location also houses a redemption center for the implementation of the state bottle bill.

The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board and County of Hawaii have received more than $1.5 million in four EPA Congressional appropriation grants to develop model reuse and recycling capacity to serve the island’s rural communities.

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NEW SPRAYERS ARRIVE FOR COMMUNITY SPRAYER LOAN PROGRAM

October 5, 2007

Contact Form: Skylark Rossetti

Hawaii Island Economic Development Board

sky at hiedb.org (808) 935-2180

HILO, Hawaii- The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board has taken delivery of four new 200-gallon trailer tank sprayers to be used in the fight against Coqui frogs. The four sprayers will be added to the existing twenty-eight sprayers in the Community Sprayer Loan Program owned by the County of Hawaii, USDA and the State Department of Agriculture. The sprayers are staged island-wide and are loaned free of charge to community members to fight Coqui frogs. The trailer tank sprayers are well suited for the spraying of citric acid for frog control.To make a reservation for a sprayer, call the USDA-Wildlife Services at 933-6955. Ask about free citric acid when making your reservation. The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board Coqui Project is funded by a grant from the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR).

…solid waste going into its landfills. The grant to the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, announced Thursday, will…

July 19, 2007

Hawaii takes one small step into aerospace

…Astronomy Center in Hilo. Mark McGuffie, executive director of the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, said the program complements Lingle’s recent push to make…

by Chad Blair on June 8, 2007

The Women in Technology Program (WIT) is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor to address under-representation of women in technology fields. The Maui Economic Development Board, Inc., in partnership with Hawaii Island and Kauai Economic Development Boards has taken on the project.

Among WIT¹s successes are programs in place and under development throughout the island to generate interest in STEM fields at a time when students are beginning to think seriously about future careers. As an example, the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board (HIEDB) is working directly with the Department of Education in helping fund programs such as Botball Robotics. Funds are being provided this year to Hilo and Waimea Middle Schools and Waiakea and Honokaa High Schools.

At Keaau High School, funds are being provided for a facilitator and four students to travel to an EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technology) conference in Arkansas. In Kona, plans are underway to host a Big Island robotics competition in April 2006. Partners helping to make the competition a reality include WIT, MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education Center), Verizon Foundation and County of Hawaii, Research & Development.

Following a successful internship this past year at Mauna Kea Astronomy Education Center, an additional program is now being developed. Research is underway to expand upon the success of the pilot high school mentoring program that was offered by Hawaiian Electric Light Company (HELCO) last summer. It is hoped that more businesses will see the value of such mentoring programs and agree to participate.

Through WIT, financial support was provided for a pilot Hawaii Island based two-year accredited Associate of Science Degree Program offered by Kapiolani Community College in partnership with Hawaii Community College. HCC formed a partnership with KCC to deliver a radiological technology program as an outreach program that has just ended its two-year pilot.

WIT also gave support to an HCC pilot program to better prepare individuals to qualify to apply for Police and Fire Radio Dispatcher positions for Hawaii County Police and Fire Departments. Other Workforce Development initiatives include Hawaii Academy of Recording Artists Recording Engineer/Mentor Program, on-site Technology Employer Internships, and a Science Exhibit entitled “Hawaii Island Get Real Science.”

WIT¹s objectives are challenging. One objective is to study and promote overall economic development of Hawaii¹s technology industry and business climate and increase by at least five percent annually the number of women majoring in sciences, technology, engineering or math. Another objective is to create a pipeline from education to employment by creating partnerships between educators and businesses. The Marine Advanced Training Education program in place at Kealakehe High School is an example of one such partnership with nearly two-dozen additional schools expected to participate soon. EAST - Environmental and Spatial Technology - is another partnership example with labs in place in selected schools here, on Maui and on Kauai.

WIT seeks to determine and eliminate barriers that have precluded women from entering technology fields. By preparing women for much higher paying technology jobs WIT aims to improve the overall economic quality of life for women. To encourage and support women at the college level, MentorNet is a program in place at both Hawaii Community College and the University of Hawaii at Hilo that pairs STEM majors, at no cost, with a mentor in the field utilizing e-mail.

A final objective assists women engaged in internship, apprenticeship and mentoring programs with everything from childcare support to computer equipment. This broad-ranging objective places HIEDB as a resource for policy makers, educators and employers. Presentation of research, best practices results, workshops and conferences in partnership with the State Department of Education and State Department of Labor help to create a strong foundation for WIT programs.

Businesses of any size that may have STEM related internships available or employers wishing to learn more about Women in Technology and its programs are encouraged to contact HIEDB at 935-2180 for participation opportunities.

Focus on the Economy is written for Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, Warren Lee, chair / Mark McGuffie, executive director. Readers with comments, questions or suggestions should visit www.hiedb.org, e-mail info@hiedb.org or call HIEDB 935-2180. An archive of Focus on the Economy columns is available on the web site.