Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local

“Downtown Hilo is the last remaining historic seaside town in the state. It must be preserved.” -Georgia Pinsky


Hello everyone!
I was very lucky to get to interview Georgia Pinsky who is the office manager at the Downtown Improvement office in Hilo, Hawaii. Pinsky has been working at the office since August of 2010 and has really gotten involved in many different aspects of improving Downtown Hilo. She is in charge of overseeing the Hilo Information Center, located in the Mo’oheau bus depot in Downtown Hilo. Along with answering bus schedule question, selling bus tickets and shared-ride tax coupons she assists in the workings of the Downtown Improvement Association (DIA). The DIA works with the County on the Hilo Bayfront Trails Project as well as Downtown Hilo’s economic and environmental revitalization. They have brought to the community economic events like Black and White Night, as well as environmental projects like Let’s Grow Hilo.
Pinsky also plays a role in the Think Local Buy Local campaign that has been put on by the Hawaii Alliance for a Local Economy (HALE) as the Downtown Improvement Association representative (DIA) on the committee.
Pinsky provided the link to ourdowntownhilo.com to see a community site offering suggestions and ideas about downtown Hilo. She is the assistant to Executive Director, helping her to meet the demand and obligation to the Board of Directors.
Pinsky took some time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions that will provide powerful insight to not only the happenings of Downtown Hilo but also what you can do to make a difference buying locally. She provided such detailed answers that I don’t want to cheat you in trying to summarize them!


What role do you play in the Think Local Buy Local campaign?
When Andrea Dean first got her grant from the Dept. of Research & Development she told us she was aware that Downtown Hilo had a high concentration of locally owned businesses and business' that sold locally made products. She asked if the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association would partner with Think Local Buy Local for a pilot campaign. So, I have been the DIA representative on the committee to help shape and foster this pilot campaign, and coordinating the launch with Black & White Night allowed us to play "Black & White Night Goes Green..." So, my role has been secondary, and yet, very integral to the whole of the project.


Why do you feel it is important to buy local versus buying from big box stores?
Well, with the Occupy protest happening these days, I have begun to see it as this... "Want to Occupy Wall Street? Buy Local," but to be less cliché about it, it's really about keeping the money circulating within our friends, family, and neighbors. For every dollar spent at a big box store, only 2% makes it makes into the local economy, mostly through wages to the employees. It just feels right. It requires a little more thinking than most people are used these days. You have to seek your mind, and think about the different stores that might carry what you're looking for. You have to be willing to visit the grocer, then the pet food store, then the hardware store, then the bank, or whatever, whereas if you were to visit a big box store you could probably get all those items with one parking job. So really, shopping at the big stores is an extension of everyone's attempt to multi-task. Plus, they're too busy to make the time needed. This is real, and it's my thoughts about the importance of morals.


During the holiday season what is the best thing that someone interested in starting to buy locally could do?
I think one of the ways I really like to buy local is to purchase services for someone. Buy them a gift certificate for a massage, or a foot bath, or 2 hours of yard work for auntie's yard, or a detailing on their car. I think the more we can get away from stuff, and the more we can support our own community by paying people for their SKILLS the better. Skills are under-estimated these days, and I think it's good to support people's abilities.


How can people interested in getting involved with the buy local campaign help out?
Good question. Best thing, talk to the friends and family about changing the way they shop. Spread the word about the importance.


For someone who is not all that familiar with Downtown Hilo, can you provide a preview of the kind of places they might find in downtown Hilo?
Wow. Visit www.downtownhilo.com, where there is a Business Directory of the members of the Downtown Improvement Association. We have about 130 members. There are more than 500 businesses in Downtown Hilo. I would say most of the stores are single owner-operator, and most of those are women. The things that are sold are quality, and the people working in the stores are happy with the job they do.


NOTE: THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY PORTION OF THE WEBSITE IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND IS ABOUT 80% COMPLETE AT THIS TIME. PLEASE CHECK BACK REGULARLY.


“Hilo's economy is not tourist-based, however, we exist in a state this is. So, we need to recognize that sometimes what's in the best interest of Hilo may be different from the state, or even from Kailua-Kona,” Pinsky said in closing.

REDUCE YOUR PLASTIC USAGE!

Aloha everyone!

Heres a wicked cool link offering some different tips many might not have seen before like buying music electronically or shopping second hand for clothes!

http://www.clubofthewaves.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=837

Hope everyone has a great week!

REDUCE YOUR PLASTIC USAGE!

Hey everyone! Hope you had a good holidays filled with tons of local bought food!

Since christmas is right around the corner and shopping for the holidays is about to begin I thought it would be appropriate to reminded everyone to bring reusable bags to the stores for gifts and groceries. By doing this you can help reduce your plastic usage!

Check out this link on some tips to make the switch from plastic bags to reusable shopping bags!

http://www.everydayhealth.com/green-health/eco-shopping/tips/reduce-your-plastic-bag-consumption.aspx

Remember, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can't believe that it's already this time of year! In the United States Thanksgiving weekend is not just about spending a weekend enjoying family and friends while stuffing yourself as much as you've stuffed the turkey! Thanksgiving almost feels like preparation for Black Friday for many people. Black Friday in the United States is known as the start of holiday shopping. Stores open early (sometimes as early as midnight) and offer sales, door busters and low prices on the latest electronics, toys, household items, clothes and pretty much any and everything else you can think of. Doesn't this sound wonderful? It can be. If you are conscious of your buying choices.

I have a challenge for you and I am going to try this along side with you. Instead of going to Walmart, Target, Macy's, Sears or any other big retail store really take the time to look into local ads for stores that are ran locally. Rethink what you are planning to buy your loved ones this Christmas and see if it aligns with the things we have been trying to bring to you in this blog. Is it a sustainable item? Is it something that isn't abusing the use of plastic? What kind of energy did it take to create that item? What types of resources were used in creating it?

I think once you think about those questions you'll be lead to re-evaluate what is necessary and it will cause you to think reflect on where the items you are buying are coming from and who you are supporting in buying them.

I am ask you to take the challenge of spending your Black Friday in search of deals that are local, from locally ran stores in your community.

Please leave us feedback on our Facebook Fan Page (Hi5 For Sustainability), leave a comment below, or email us at COM344.Hi5@gmail.com and let us know about the local deals you found on Black Friday!

Also, please check back in the next day or two for a post about my interview with Georgia Pinsky who is the office manager for the Downtown Improvement Association (DIA) and also acts as a representative of the DIA on the Think Local Buy Local campaign in Hilo!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday (LOCAL) shopping!

http://localflavormarketing.com/blw2010/

DIY Gardening

Aloha everyone, hope everyone is having a wonderful thanksgiving weekend. I wanted to share with you a video about permaculture. Permaculture is defined as a group of systems that support each other and create an environment in which self-sustainability can be achieved. The people in the video created this healthy, positive environment within a day due to hard work and community involvement. You can also achieve what they did by putting your heads together in your own community, getting your hands dirty and working together.

Reduce your Plastic Usage!

Heres a blast from the past! Setting all humor aside they make a good point for children and even adults who watched the show to be concerned about pollution and how everyone needs to pitch in a help!

Enjoy!

Reduce your plastic usage!

Aloha everyone! Hope all is well going into the thanksgiving holiday! I hope you all enjoy time with friends and family, or just enjoy the day off in general!

Still having trouble figuring out how to reduce your plastic usage? Check out this article written by Maryruth Priebe, it paints a very simplistic and excellent picture on how to change the little things to reduce your plastic usage!

http://www.ecolife.com/recycling/plastic/how-to-reduce-plastic-consumption.html

By doing just a few things mentioned in the article you will be able to reduce your plastic useage greatly and continue to be part of the solution to pollution and waste instead of being part of the problem!

Enjoy the holidays everyone!

Harness Energy From the Sun!

Hey guys, just say this today.. really interesting stuff, check it out! It just a short video/article about the future of solar panels. MIT students are at the forefront of developing 3D panels instead of the standard flat model.

Harness Energy From the Sun!

Hey everyone! I first wanted to say thanks for reading our blog and helping us spread the word about all the different ways we can be sustainable and help heal our planet. I wanted to focus this blog post on the future--what can we expect and hope for for the future of solar energy?

The main challenge for PV systems right now is becoming even more energy efficient while also becoming more cost effective relative to other forms of electricity generating technologies. For those trying to live "off the grid," solar energy is the best way to get electricity, but it is still relatively expensive. Most of us are connected to some find of electrical company (e.g. HELCO), but these companies charge a fee just to be connected to their grids ($18/mo) from what I remember. Another way of saying this is that even if you had enough PV panels to cover to entire cost of your monthly electricity bill, you would still have to pay $18 a month, unless you remove yourself from HELCO's grid. The problem with doing this is that during a power outage or is something malfunctioned with your PV panels, you would have no electricity unless you had a back-up generator. This is where costs begin to mount for those trying to live off the grid, with backup power sources. This is main area in which the cost of solar panels could lowered with great benefits.

Another big step we as a country need to make is more national incentive programs. Despite less sunlight availability than the U.S., Japan and Germany are leading the way in national incentive policies. Most of our incentive policies come from individual states, rather than our federal government. California is a great example of Hawaii can better promote solar energy. With their Million Solar Roofs Program, California aims to create 3,000 megawatts of new solar installations by 2017. Nationally funded programs would go a long way to help all states implement such programs as this.

Over the past 10 years, the solar industry has grown an average of 25% a year. This booming industry needs all of our help to continue to grow the way it has been. We all know we live on  a planet with limited resources. We simply cannot continue to use them the way we have been. Solar energy is the best alternative energy source we have right now and a great way for us to take care of the only planet we have.

Live green, live happy!

Reduce your Plastic Usage

Aloha everybody! Check out this video about a young kid who travels to Hawaii and learns how his lifestyle in California directly affects Hawaii. He learns a few things to change to help out the islands, can you think of some ways to make a change in your lifestyle that will benefit the earth?

DIY Gardening

Aloha again everyone! If you are currently at UH Hilo and haven't already done so, take some time out of your day to check out the bulletin boards. There are interesting things that people post on there like deals on cars, used appliances, activities to do around Hilo and more importantly, classes to take at UH Hilo. Registration is coming up soon and I thought this would be a fun and interesting class to take for the Agriculture majors out there. The class is called Horticulture 197, provides 2 credits towards your degree, is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 5:15pm on Public Access Television (check your local listings.) If my first video blog interested you on sustainable home gardening, this class will surely boost your knowledge and give you more ideas on what to grow next!

Harness Energy From the Sun!

Hello my eco-friendly friends! I'm back to share more information about how we all can take advantage of solar energy to protect and heal our planet. Let's just quickly recap the things I have said before about why it makes sense to use solar energy:

1. Reduce your electric bill-- you can save on average $50,000 over 30 years!
2. Receive 65% in tax credits-- you can write off your investment with state and federal rebates
3. Increase the value of your home-- solar panels are a great investment for the present and the future
4. Save the 'aina!-- make a difference for generations to come!

I also wanted to provide a few links to local companies to contact for those looking to get started:

http://www.bbb.org/hawaii/accredited-business-directory/solar-energy-products-service-and-repair
http://www.sunenergyhi.com/
http://hawaii.uscity.net/Solar_Energy/

The company I used to work for is very small and isn't listed on here, but they are great too. It's called Roger's Solar, LLC. Roger Nite is the owner and is personally involved in every solar installation. The crew is great and professional.

Check out this short video too, it's a personally story of how solar energy is affecting one man's home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ccwecMVgq0&feature=related

Thanks again for reading our blog!

DIY Gardening

     Aloha everyone, about two weeks ago my friends and I took a trip down to Waipio Valley. It was my first time walking down the hill and when I revealed this information to my friends, they laughed and told me to bring a lot of water and get ready to feel the burn! I laughed along with them, not knowing I had a long walk ahead of me. I did my best but no matter what technique I used to walk down the hill (side to side, leaning back, walking faster or slower) the hill got the better of me and I felt my legs getting weaker and weaker with each step. Thankfully, we made it down in one piece and proceeded to hike towards the waterfall.

     We got lost within 10 minutes into our hike and ended up trespassing on private property. We were greeted by a man by the name of Le'a, who had a spear one hand and a bucket in the other. I have to be honest, I thought we were done for and he was going to attack us, but then I noticed he had a knee brace on and the bucket was for farming and I could relax a little bit (I was still nervous because of the fact that we were tresspassing.) Le'a asked us where we were from and invited us to his irrigation system he restored to farm kalo near his house. He survives solely off the land and donations from visitors so be sure to bring some goods for him and  his family if you ever decide to hike down there.

     One more thing, he says camping is not allowed at the beach anymore because the diseases that once were there due to campers relieving themselves wherever they felt like it. He extended an invite for us to camp down there and I'm sure once you meet him he'll welcome you to his house with open arms!

     Here are some pictures that my friend Janice Duldulao took while we were down there. Follow her on Tumblr! http://fallenfromgrace7.tumblr.com/

restored kalo patch.

it was windy!

Le'as house.

next time we go down we'll get a close up view!

my friends and I with some wild horses we met down there.

i was very nervous next to the horse! i thought it was going to kick me while i had my back turned!