Hawai`i County Resolution 731

[Brent]

Today we joined John Olsen (Puna CDP) in Hilo and Andrea Dean (Green Business consultant) in Kona (via video) to provide testimony to support Hawai`i County Resolution 731, introduced by Peter Hoffman,

"…encouraging the administration to research the application processto obtain funding for an energy worker-related training program as established through the Green Jobs Act of 2007."

This is an important initial first step in learning how we can secure grants provided by the Act.
Details : http://greencollartech.com

[JWFITZ]

By no means is this good for the ecology of Hawaii. You will see vast tracts of now reforested land denuded(ah, it's all invasive trees!) to plant sugar. It will, however, be great for the local economy.

[Rob Tucker]

Thanks for the info Brent. Don't feel slighted by Jay... he's usually in a better mood than that.

Punaweb moderator

[Guest]

Brent -

I appreciate you being involved.

Curious about the blog you have running as you have Monsanto Jobs listed on your "Green" blog.

Damon

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Glob

[JWFITZ]

Sorry, I get very very exasperated at this sort of approach.

Reason 1) If progressives in their "green" activities cannot even keep pace with big finance and its "green" activities--we've got trouble.

Reason 2) If it requires "grant" money to be "sustainable" or
"green," it makes a mockery of the "sustainability" movement.

We need to do better than that. Carving out careers for oneself in the new and booming "green industry"--if that isn't the ultimate oxymoron, is not working for a better future, at least in any way I can see it.

[Rob Tucker]

You are right of course Jay but the efforts you criticize are of no consequence or threat to your vision of sustainability so why
trash someone else's approach? Not all ways of building a better future need be your ways do they? Leave a little room for others
to try their ideas.

Also, I generally dislike seeing brand new members get slapped around... not a particularly nice welcome.

[JWFITZ]

Actually, it IS a threat-- as I see it Res 731 is greasing the skids for big agri-business to tear up Hawaii for ethanol production, and to do so with the aid of taxpayer money. There is a tremendous pressure to get these businesses started--including one fund I'm aware of offering a 1 million dollar finders fee?!??! for the property. If they're that serious I expect the legislature has had a bit of contact as well.

I think a certain level of robust criticism is warranted, targeting those who seem to be dangerously close to profiteering at the planet's expense while masquerading as a ecologist of sorts. This, to my mind is the worst one could do. There is a growing sales pitch out there that is making a lot of money with "feel good" environmentalism, selling the notion that you can save the planet in a very comfortable manner, with very minimal personal investment. . .and very dangerous this idea is.

Still, I'll make an attempt to keep the critique more civil. I'm prone to more passion than tact.

[james weatherford]

Thanks Brent.
I sent email testimony in support of this resolution.

'Green jobs' are part of the reality we all must recognize. The Resolution is one of many steps needed along the way.

While my own family lives on the land -- as I did from childhood and have done in lots of my adult life -- the reality is, many different types of work lay ahead of us and some of that involves activities not directly on the land. For some folks new to living on the land, and frustrated with the challenges of doing so, the bigger picture can be a bit intimidating.





James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[Hotzcatz]

After the County pays to get these workers trained, who then hires the workers and why should the County pay to figure out how to train workers for private enterprises? I suppose the Federal Government is the one providing most of the funding to train these folks, though, huh? Still, until one knows what sort "energy worker" jobs will be available how can these folks be trained?

Wonder if this has anything to do with that statewide biomass powerplants now allowed on AG land bill they passed on Oahu? Apparently, now folks can build a biomass power plant on AG land without having community input since it is an "allowable" AG use and only needs to get a signature of the Planning Department. Who will automatically sign it since it is an allowable use. I guess folks building bio-mass plants still have to get an air use permit, though, so there is hopefully still a few restrictions on their building practices. Wish they would have specified "non-prime ag lands or something" although I haven't specifically read that bill.

Trying to be green via political means sure seems a hard road to go. There are a lot of folks doing green things on a very grass roots level without any political help at all. Generally it seems by the time the political machine has become involved it is no longer a "for the people" sort of thing but a special interest group driving the changes.

[Rob Tucker]

Hotcatz, it is very much like I said on the 30 meter telescope topic. The big money has a history of doing what it wants, when it wants and where it wants.
This basic reality is one of the reason I am supporting Angel Pilago for mayor. Angel is insisting on Home Rule, where community input, yours and mine, actually counts.

As for the threat of Big Sugar coming back that may or may not occur. The large land tracts which sugar used to control have been broken up to a large degree. Makes it difficult to just start up large operations again. However if market forces make sugar attractive then sugar will indeed be planted.