Photo Courtesy of Blue Planet Foundation

Hawai'i Green Growth: Sustainability Measures Objective 2012-2014

Hawai'i Green Growth's objective is to develop practical, public statewide sustainability measures and a public-private partnership committed to shared targets, action, indicators and accountability.

Coordinated and institutionalized sustainability indicators help move the needle in the right direction by providing a tangible mechanism to measure progress, maintain accountability and provide transparency. This will benefit and empower key decision makers, state and county government, private sector leaders and Hawai'i residents who all have an important role in working towards sustainability goals.

Indicators are an invaluable resource to the state and counties to:

• Evaluate implementation strategies
• Identify critical gaps and drivers (e.g. funding, policies, capacity to implement, etc.)
• Highlight achievements and entrepreneurial/partnership opportunities
• Justify funding requests and rationale for policy change to support successful strategies and address gaps.

Photo Courtesy of The Nature Conservancy

HGG Green Funding & Priority Legislation Objective for 2012-2014

Hawai'i Green Growth advocates and lobbies for passage of green funding mechanisms and other HGG priority legislation that advance sustainability and support tangible progress for two or more sectors and HGG targets.
By fiscal year 2015 the goal is to secure long-term increases* of at least:

• $11 million/year for at least 10 years for DLNR's the "Rain Follows the Forest"
• $4 million/year for DLNR's invasive species management
• $8 million/year to DOA for food security & agricultural development
• $8 million/year to DBEDT's clean energy initiative
• $1.2 million/year for DOH's oil spill response

*Increases will be gauged from FY12 budget as baseline

• Starwood Hotels, Eric Au, Area Director of Engineering & Sustainability, Hawai'i Starwood Hotels & Resorts
• Pacific Islands Institute, Andrew & Karen Lockwood, President & Vice-President, Pacific Islands Institute
• World Conservation Congress 2016 – Randall Tanaka, General Manager, Hawai'i Convention Center

• Conveyance Tax: Natural Resource Management Programs – Randall Kennedy, Manager, DLNR
• Conveyance Tax: Affordable Housing Programs –
  • Marvis Masaki, Planner, Hawaiʻi Housing Finance & Development Corporation
  • Jenny Lee, Staff Attorney, Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice
• Barrel Tax for Agriculture Programs: Scott Enright, Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture
• On- Bill Financing:
  • Jeff Mikulina, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Planet Foundation
  • Traci Ho Kim, Innovation, Planning, & Policy Branch Chief, Department of Business, Economic Development, & Tourism
• Creative Ways to Fund Public-Private Partnerships:
  • Robert Johnston, President/CEO, Hawaii Pacific Solar
  • Murray Clay, Managing Partner, Ulupono Initiative
  • on Yoshimura, Director of Policy & Electric Markets, SolarCity

• Galbraith Land Acquisition

A collaboration of public agencies, business, and non-profit organizations raised $25m to purchase 1700 acres of former pineapple land for agricultural use as well as to protect the culturally significant site, Kukaniloko.

What makes it bright?

• Collaboration across all levels of government and the private sector.
• Acres of prime agricultural land will be conserved in agriculture in perpetuity.
• Culturally significant Kukaniloko site will be preserved surrounded by a protective buffer zone.

Hawaii currently imports about 85 percent of its food, but the purchase and protection of the Galbraith land for agricultural use will allow us to reduce our reliance on food imports and increase our food security. . .
-- Governor Neil Abercrombie

Key Contact: Lea Hong, Hawaiian Islands State Director, Trust for Public Land, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Learn More:

• Waimea Nui Regional Community Development Initiative

The Waimea Nui Regional Community Development Initiative is a shared community effort designed to create the fundamental infrastructure and programs needed to build a vibrant, self-sufficient, robust, community grounded in traditional Hawaiian values.

What makes it bright?

• Cross collaboration occurring between governmental agencies and private sector businesses.
• Strong community participation and support.
• Creation of new farmers through hands-on training, mentoring, and skill development.
• Providing work opportunities for veterans, homesteaders, and community members.

An outstanding example of the synergy of communities and agricultural food self-sufficiency . . . This program is already changing lives . . .
-- Governor Neil Abercrombie

Key Contact: David Ruf, Co-Founder, Rivertop Solutions, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Learn More: website

• Kunia Ag Park

The 182 acre Kunia Ag Park was established through a partnership between Island Palm Communities, Monsanto, and the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation. Island Palm Communities, a partnership between developer Lend Lease and the U.S. Army and owner of 2,400 acres of land on the Kunia plain reached out to the agricultural community to lease its land. Monsanto, which holds similar ideals of building a sustainable agricultural community, entered into a lease agreement on a portion of the land with Island Palm Communities.

What makes it bright?

• Cross collaboration occurring between governmental agencies and private sector businesses.
• Strong community participation and support.
• Providing land and opportunity for aspiring farmers.

Creating new partnerships that sustain and provide opportunities for our local food producers to scale their operations is fundamental to the long-term viability of agriculture in Hawaii. Working with Senator Inouye and private companies, Island Palms Communities and Monsanto Hawaii provided us with the necessary leadership infrastructure and knowledge base to make this partnership possible.
-- Denise Hayashi, Executive Director, Hawaii Agricultural Foundation

Key Contact: Denise Hayashi, Executive Director, Hawai'i Agricultural Foundation, email
Learn More: website

• Green Schools: US Green Building Council – Chris Parker, Co-Chair, Green Schools Committee, The Hawaii Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council
• Hauʻoli Mau Loa Foundation – Brant Chillingworth, Senior Program Officer, Hauʻoli Mau Loa Foundation