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!

Harness energy from the sun!

Hey everyone, this is David again with more information on how we can all become more sustainable by taking advantage of solar energy. This time I wanted to provide more specifics on exactly how much a solar system would cost for your home and actual numerical benefits that you can see. Every state has different laws on incentives, but here in Hawaii, we have great benefits for homeowners.

So as I said last time, the cost of an actual PV system will vary based on how much energy you are trying to offset, the size of your house, how many people live there, and how energy efficient those members are. In general though, I think I safe rough estimate for a PV system would run about $35,000. I know, this seems crazy and completely unaffordable, but wait! There are many benefits to offset this. First, for single-family homes, you can receive $5,000 back via a state of Hawaii tax credit. The federal government also provides incentive, i.e. an additional $10,500 in federal tax credit. This amount is 30% of our estimated cost of $35,000 for the system. This leaves us with a net cost $19,500. There is also something called a feed-in Tariff. I'm a little confused on this one myself, but from what I gather, your energy provider (eg. HELCO) pays you for the solar energy your system is producing. I don't know exact numbers on this, but this will subtract form the cost even more. Lets now also estimate that the average electricity bill is $120/mo. With a system this size, we can assume an electricity bill will go down from $120/mo to roughly $22/mo, a savings of $100/mo and $1200/yr.

This is just one example of a "typical" house. Hopefully this helped make the idea a little more real. Also, check out this link for more info.

http://solarpowerrocks.com/hawaii/

Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local

Hi everyone!
Wow time has been flying.. It has almost been a month since we started our blog and it feels like it's barely been a week! We still have lots to cover as far as my focus on "living locally" but for now I'd like to bring attention to an event that is held annually in Down Town Hilo.

It's Black & White Night and it's happening tomorrow Friday November 4, 2011 in Down Town Hilo. This years theme is, "Think Local, Buy Local" and it is being coordinated by the Hawaii Alliance for a Local Economy. I can't wait to see people get excited about buying local products! This is always such a wonderful event to get the word out about what Down Town Hilo really has to offer the community. There are many neat stores that people simple just don't ever go into or don't realize carry certain products... now it's time to discover them!

Take this full filled atmospheric night to check out local stores and support the local economy. Buying local means living local!

Why should you go?
"Treasure hunt"
Dress up Contests
Live music
FREE refreshments
Book signings
Stores open late
An excuse in Hilo to dress up
A chance to explore Down Town Hilo at a time it's usually asleep

More information about the treasure hunt, "what to wear" and where to go, can be found on Down Town  Hilo's Website.

Bring the family, go with your friends or go on a date night with your sweetie. Just be sure to check out this wonderful local and FREE event!

DIY Gardening

Aloha everyone! This post focuses on the efforts of the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Agriculture Club. They started this project in 2009 in order to provide a better atmosphere for the campus and to promote self sustainability. They got their hands dirty and cleaned up the area in front of the library and planted trees, made a little pond and even built a little cat house for the stray cats! Enjoy!

Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local

Hi everyone! Jamilia here checking in with a quick little announcement!

The other day while I was at the University of Hawaii, Hilo's Mookini Library I saw a flyer about Plaza Market Mondays on campus. It's being put on by the University Student Activities Council and the College on Agriculture. I thought this could be relevant to "buying local" and if you're a student at UHH and already on campus you might as well take a quick stroll through campus center.

Check out the flier below, that I got from UHH Campus Dining's Facebook fan page.

The next Plaza Market Monday is on November 7th, from 10am-2pm.
I'll be there to check it out & take pictures, reporting on the wonders of buying local on campus. So be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that as well as more information on Gardening, Solar energy and Plastic usage reduction!

Until next time I encourage you to Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local.

Harness energy from the sun!

Hey everyone, this is David from Team Hi5. My focus will be on solar energy. As this is my first blog, I figure what better place to start than with the basics. I don't claim to be an expert on solar energy, but I hope to share what I have gathered from working in the industry as well as things I have read on my own. Like I said, I have worked installing solar panels for a small local business on O'ahu. The two main forms for panels that we installed at people's houses were water heating panels and photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Water heating panels are a great, simple way to start harnessing energy from the sun and saving money at the same time. Homes that don't have water heating panels heat their water with electricity. This, obviously, costs money, whereas once a heating unit is in place, your water gets heated for free. People also use this technology to heat their pools. In places of the world where there are dramatic changes in seasons, solar water heaters had a slight downfall. But here in Hawai'i, this is not a problem! Our year-round great weather makes a perfect application for solar energy.

The other type of solar panel I mentioned is photovoltaic panels. These are panels that reduce our electricity bill from other sources, such as lights, AC/heat, electronics, etc. Each panel only produces a limited amount of power so people usually instal a bunch at a time. I have never installed less than 15 on a single family's roof. How much a home needs is determined by how much electricity they use. For example, it's pretty safe to say a home with just a husband and wife will need less PV panels than one that lives a family of five.

I know you're all probably thinking, "Well, how much does it cost?" While solar panels can be fairly pricey, there are government rebates that homeowners get for purchasing solar panels which greatly reduces the cost. Also, the whole theory behind solar panels is that besides being eco-friendly, they will pay themselves off over time with the money saved on utilities.

This is just a brief introduction to get you thinking about solar energy and it's potential impact for you. I'll provide more information next time, so until then keep reading our blog, keep spreading the word, and keep living green!

Also, check out this short video (2min) for a little more information!

Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the "Eat local, Buy local, Be local" section of Hi5 for Sustainability! I'm excited to be introducing some ideas (old and new alike) about eating and buying local! If you have any ideas for a future post, questions about this one or comments feel free to comment or email us at COM344.Hi5@gmail.com

What does it mean to buy local?

This term gets thrown around a lot but through these blog sections I really want to tackle the question of what it really means to buy and live locally. You would think that living on an island it would be simple to “live locally” but when it comes to food buying local isn’t always the simplest. I hope in this section of the blog to help ease any confusion about what it means to buy local and help everyone to live a more local life when it comes to purchasing products.

Buying local can be defined as so many different things but the basic idea is keeping what you are buying close to home. Buying local can start with keeping what you are buying like produce and other products in your community, slowly making the ring of area (as far as distance) you are purchasing from smaller.

It’s important to pay attention to where your products are coming from and whether or not they are something you can buy closer to home.

Buying local supports a more sustainable food system because true sustainability goes beyond the method used in food production to include every step that brings the food from the farm to your plate.

Why should WE buy local?

If the taste of fresh products or the idea of making a change in the environment isn’t enough to get you wanting to look into the buying of local products then maybe you should think about the possibility of improved health and supporting your neighbors, the people who know and understand the needs of your community first hand.

Buying local is the best way to keep food miles (which are the miles in which your food travels from its source to your table) to a minimum.

What can WE all be doing right now?

Challenging yourself to buy local products is something that you can start doing right now. Make a conscious effort to pay attention where your food is coming from. Check out the Farmers Markets and Flea Markets on the Big Island to find local products in your neighborhood!

Here is another website that can help make you aware of other local resources! It's called the Eat Well Guide: Saving the world one bite at a time. Search your local zip code for information.

Below is a Kyle Theirmann video. I really feel the connection between buying local and realizing the global effect of what you are doing where you are now. Kyle Theirmann's website Surfing For Change is something that we may come back to refer to. I encourage you to go through his site. It's amazing the impact that one person (maybe YOU or I)can make in the world!



Until next time I encourage you to Eat Local, Buy local, Be local! Aloha~

DIY Gardening

Aloha, this is Todd from Team Hi5 and this is my first of many video blogs of do it yourself gardening. About 4 years ago, my family and I decided to start growing some of our own vegetables. Growing your own vegetables at home has many benefits. First, because you choose to garden at home and raise your own vegetables, there is an absence of genetically modified organisms or GMOs in the final product. Second, you save money not only by growing your own vegetables, but you save money by not paying for the cost of importing fruits and vegetables that the supermarkets include. Third, if you plant the right things, you can save time, the environment as well as more money by not wasting/using gas driving to the store to buy fruits and vegetables. Lastly, I personally enjoy gardening and it definitely gives you a sense of accomplishment knowing that you are doing your part to be self-sustainable.

Enjoy the video and feel free to give any feedback!



Song used: "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac