Sustainabability on Maui Featured on Akaku and with the SustainableGirl

I just came from the AKAKU studios where the President of the Nonprofit Maui Aloha Aina Association, a 501c3 nonprofit Organization was on the Show Christi Anna Christensen, also known just as Tia has a show on Akaku and her website www.Sustainablegirl.tv. Also on the show was Maui County Councilman Sol Kahoohalahala.

Unfortunately, the TV in the lobby of the studio has to have the volume kept down low because they are taping the show in the next room and the audio can carry into the studio, but they did bring up the volume enough to allow me to hear most of it.

The show will be available online, I believe on Akaku or on Sustainablegirls website for rebroadcast and can be watched on a computer at a later date.

The discussions were about a number of topics about health and sustainability of our islands and especially Maui county.

Vincent Mina of Ma'a spoke about his up coming Kipahulu Farm Tour going around the back-side direction through Kula and Ulupalakua to visit four Organic Farms on October 24, 2009 and also the upcoming annual Body and Soil Conference held on Maui in January and then it moves over to the Big Island of Hawaii and for the firtst time it will also be held for the first time on the Island of Kauai. The info on all these events is on the website at www.MauiGrown.org.

With the results of the Tsunami in Samoa, then Indonesia tonight and how similar a situation we have in Hawaii where we are lucky to have 10 days worth of food available in the event of a disaster, self sustainability of our islands is even more critical.

Living in Hawaii and trying to "sell" the culture of Hawaii to visitors, only to have them come and feel like they never left home with all the fast food joints and big box stores, just makes it that much more important that we develop and create the niche that Maui really can be.

A good friend of ours stopped in to talk story towards the end, Corey Rider is with Earth Foundation and had a lot to add to the conversation on making our islands sustainable through jobs that can support the local people in helping to move towards being sustainable and having jobs that aren't just centered around the tourism and development end of things. There are a lot of ways that people can be employed and make decent money when the model for sustainability is done right.

Well it's another early work day tomorrow and barring any Tsunamis, we have plans for camping at the beach this weekend, or at least my daughter and grand kids do. I'll probably make at least one night.
Well I was just reminded how late it;s getting and although I had another subject I wanted to write on, it will have to be for a later post.

Mahalo & Aloha from Maui

Jim