keeping it green

SPECIAL TO WEST HAWAII TODAY

Recycle Hawaii and Earth-Friendly Schools Hawaii have recognized the 2010 recipients of the Keeping It Green Hawaii awards.

Keeping It Green Hawaii is a program that highlights projects and activities of schools, organizations, businesses and government agencies that promote recycling, resource awareness and sustainable practices on the island of Hawaii. The program recognizes the positive “green projects” implemented in the community and helps to motivate others to create projects that care for the environment and address local and global issues such as renewable energy, climate change, the loss of natural habitat and the preservation of indigenous peoples’ cultures.

To be recognized for the Keeping It Green Hawaii award, participants must meet at least three of the following criteria: Practice the 3 Rs: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”; protect native Hawaiian forest; promote organic farming; develop alternative energy; support sustainable industry and green building practices; implement energy and resource conservation practices; create open space “greenways”; support youth programs that utilize service learning projects designed to protect our natural resources; educate our community about climate change and envision possible solutions; honor and respect native Hawaiian gathering rights and cultural practices.

The awardees for 2010 are the Island Naturals Markets of Hilo and Kailua-Kona, Hana Hou Restaurant in Naalehu, Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant in Volcano and Quality Builders in Waimea, with an honorable mention to Alii Garden Market in Kailua-Kona for recycling all its cardboard and providing beverage container recycling bins for its customers.

The Keeping it Green Hawaii top model this year is the Island Naturals Markets in Hilo and Kailua-Kona (the Pahoa Island Naturals joined the program in 2008). Each Island Naturals Market has its “Green Team” that coordinates recycling efforts and other green initiatives like offering the highest rebate to customers using reusable bags anywhere in Hawaii (25 cents for each reusable bag of any kind). Island Naturals President Russell Ruderman served on the county’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee and is a leader in advocacy for local farmers, food producers and environmental initiatives. All the Island Naturals Markets offer local organic produce. High efficiency lighting, a super-efficient cooling system that saves 30 percent of energy compared to standard equipment with the added benefit of hot water being cogenerated by the system and high-rated insulation with photovoltaic solar panels at the new Hilo store keep energy costs down. The Kailua-Kona market also has plans to install solar panels in the near future.

Being the first in the state to switch to compostable take-out containers, flatware and utensils made from bagasse and potato starch instead of containers made of plastics and Styrofoam, Island Naturals Markets pioneered the use of these earth-friendly containers. Following the path to “zero waste,” Island Naturals Markets send produce waste to a farm-based experimental composting operation and kitchen scraps go to a pig farm for feed.

Especially notable in moving away from plastics and styrofoam use are other island food service businesses that have adopted the use of compostable take-out containers and utensils — Patty and Drake Fujimoto’s Hana Hou Restaurant and Albert and Lorna Jeyte’s Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant. The Hana Hou composts all of its eggshells and kitchen scraps, and both Hana Hou and Kilauea Lodge send food waste to local pig farmers for feed. The Kilauea Lodge recently replaced all of its 14 bed-and-breakfast units and restaurant lighting with energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs and provides beverage container recycling receptacles for its guests.

In the area of green building practices, Quality Builders built the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Energy Laboratory, an award-winning, zero-net-energy structure powered entirely by alternative energy. This example of sustainable architecture designed by David A. Croteau, AIA, of Flansburgh Architects, serves as a teaching model for sustainable design to the high school students who use the building.

Participating island Earth-Friendly Schools for the 2009-10 school year were Kohala Middle and Konawaena High.