Welcome to our Fall 2011 students!

We're so excited to have 20 new students in our Fall 2011 Hawai'i Green Collar Institute program. We're fortunate to have high school students from Kapolei, Nanakuli, Waipahu, and Wai'anae high schools and Kamaile Academy. They're so much fun!

We started the morning with a kick-off presentation by John Leong, Executive Director of Kupu Hawai'i. He talked about how he got started in the conservation field as an intern. Now he runs a for-profit business and a non-profit, which combined employ more than 50 people.

After lunch at Cafe Ka'aha'aina at the Wai'anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and hearing from owner Mark Ka'aha'aina about why he runs a cafeteria at a health center, we went to MA'O Farms, which provides the Cafe with fresh produce.

There at MA'O, we met with Kamuela Enos, Director of Social Enterprise.  He related well to the students and inspired some of them to try organic farming. At MA'O, students can earn money as well as get free college tuition at Leeward Community College . . .but they have to work hard and start at 5 am 3 days a week!

There was a lot to think about regarding green careers and their role in helping to make Hawai'i more sustainable.

HGCI In the News!

Look at this week's Islander!

Happy World Oceans Day!

Today was packed with exciting hands-on activities starting with meeting founder of Kai Makana, Donna Kahakui who introduced us to her volunteer sponsored project restoring Mokuea Island.

After our introduction to the area and a quick lesson in paddling, we loaded into outrigger canoes for the short paddle out to Mokauea Island. We had a glorious day out on the island where we started a series of water quality tests. Three groups tested the water in different locations to e able to do comparisons. One area is in direct line with the waste water treatment plant at Sand Island, one off the edge of the fish pond and the final on a path out to the ocean.

Our group learned about the history of Mokuea from resident and activist. Our last activity of the morning was to help remove invasive plants from the fish pond.

After lunch as we traveled up to the top of Kalihi Valley to Ho'oulu 'Aina where we braved down pouring rain to weed and to tour their amazing 'aina. The organization works to promote:

Hoa 'Aina, Community Access 
Mahi 'Aina, Community Food Production 
Koa 'Aina, Native Reforestation 
Lohe 'Aina, Wahi Pana and Mo'olelo

Mahalo to everyone, educators, presenters and staff who made this summer's Hawai'i Green Collar Institute a huge success

Tour de Trash!!

In our second day, we loaded on a school bus for a "Tour de Trash," an opportunity to see where our waste goes, HOW MUCH there is, and the opportunities for employment within the waste management field.

Our tour guide for the day was City Recycling Specialist Kevin Nesnow. He gave us the back ground of our Opala system in Hawai'i. On the first stop on the tour, Hawaiian Earth Products, we learn how our green bin waste is turned into much and compost. First the green waste is picked over before being ground up. Next, the mulched green waste is placed in windrows where its turned every week to make COMPOST!

Green waste being ground up for mulch

Windrows for compost

Our second stop along the tour was Schnitzer Steel Hawaii Corp.

Think of ALL the metal products that are thrown away that could instead be reused and transformed into new products!

Waste trucked in for incineration

Our final stop on the tour, H-power, where waste is turned into energy. Trash from our curbside pick up is brought into H-power by truck where it is sifted and sorted and ground up before its burned to create energy.

Learning about the control room at H-power.

the Hawai'i Green Collar Institute Returns... with Educators!

HGCI Educators get to know one another

 The Hawai'i Green Collar Institute returns this summer hosting a three-day workshop for educators from around O'ahu. In the workshop, educators were introduced to  the concept of "green collar" careers and opportunities by meeting green professions and participating in hands-on activities.

This program is run by Malama Learning Center and Halau 'Ike O Pu'uloa of Leeward Community College.

Our first day started out with inspiring stories of four different "green collar" career paths from around O'ahu.

We were so lucky to be joined by Kamuela Enos, Director of Community Resource Development at MA'O Organic Farms and Commissioner on the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Jeff Matsu, Lead Researcher, Hawai'i Green Jobs Initiative, Hawai'i Department of Labor, Rick Kaponowaiwaiola Barboza, General Partner, Hui Kū Maoli Ola, Hawaiian Plant Specialist, Vance Arakaki, Sustainability Coordinator of KYA Sustainability Studios

Elsie Ryder from Alu Like shared her organization and their curriculum: Ka Hana ‘Imi Na‘auao
With a hand-on activity, we learned learned to weave eight strands... each strand is strong but braided together the parts become much stronger, we as people are strong with individual knowledge and strengths, but together we can form a stronger community.  

Mahalo nui loa to all of our speakers for sharing your path and your amazing work.

Graduation!

After our work project, we enjoyed a delicious and healthy lunch made by the caring hands of Mark Ka`aha`aina. He runs a cafe at the health center in Wai`anae. Then the students received their certificates of completion and a warm round of applause. Well done, Class One!

Mahalo nui loa to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Ka Papa O Kakuhihewa Fund of the Hawai`i Community Foundation for the funding to make this pilot program possible. More to come, soon!