KAMA A-INA SPECIAL

Title: Kama-a-ina Special

Skateboarding in Hawaii

Allow me to introduce you to Mike Kays, the man behind the Hickam Skate Hanger, avid skateboard collector, VW aficionado and proud father of one of Hawaii’s professional skateboarders Chris Kays. ‘BDK’ as he is known to his friends, has been the driving force in transforming the Hickam Skate Hanger.  What was once a place where misfit skateboarders and latch key kids of  the 80’s would skate unsupervised on self  made ramps and unusual obstacles is now a world park wooden skate park  complete with its own pro shop. His passion for skateboarding is to be admired, logging in long hours designing and constructing the bowls and ramps himself. Not for monetary gain, but simply to see the joy it brings other skateboarders.

For the rest of this interview please check out Kama’aina  [email protected]

MAUI :HOPS

Title: Let’s Go on a Photo Safari

Image: Lauren Gerstle

Hawaii Landscape Photography

Whether you’re new to photography or an old pro, or you just want to take a great tour around Maui and get exposed to some of the secret spots, then Photo Safari is for you. With a philosophy of environmental awareness and cultural sensitivity, the Photo Safari team is eager to show you around the island of Maui and teach a few simple tips for capturing that perfect Hawai‘i moment in a digital format. “Remember, the journey is the destination,” states Photo Safari founder Brian Ross, as he offers a photo assignment to the group.  After a few simple lessons on light, anyone will begin to feel confident behind the lens.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a camera of your own, as you can use one of several high-quality devices to explore the unique colors and shadows of the Hawai‘i landscape. The comfortable, biodiesel-powered SUVs, make a day-long trip to Hana or a short sunrise photo tour a unique experience. Photo Safari is a great way to get off the beaten path and have a safe and memorable photographic expedition to beautiful beaches, waterfalls, volcanoes, and rainforests. If you’re interested in a natural photographic experience of your own, then visit photosafarihawaii.com for more details.

HOPS:KAUAI

Title: Adventures in East Kaua‘i

Adventures in East Kauai

It’s well-known that the island of Kaua‘i is one of the best places in the world for a relaxing weekend getaway.  Thanks to the crystal-clear blue water, majestic waterfalls, scenic drives, enchanting rivers, and exquisite nature, it’s no wonder why Kaua‘i has become a favorite vacation spot for people near and far.

There are dozens of charming accommodations to choose from on this picturesque island, from quaint bed-and-breakfasts in remote island locales to luxurious resorts on some of the most breathtaking beaches ever seen.

One of the many hotels that I came across recently on the east coast was Hotel Coral Reef, located just north of the airport in the busy little town of Kapa’a.  The staff of Coral Reef ensures that its guests are comfortable by creating a relaxing, down-to-earth atmosphere. Each room has a view of the ocean, and the hotel offers a number of specialty packages, such as its romantic honeymoon package or Hawaiian culture package.

A stay on the east coast of the island makes it convenient to drive north to the gorgeous lookout at the Kilauea Lighthouse, the northernmost point of the eight main Hawaiian islands, where you can also visit the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.  It’s also not too far from the gorgeous Na Pali Coast, if you have the desire for an adventurous trek on the famous trails or a sail along the coastline.  You will also find those beautiful waterfalls in East Kaua‘i, including Wailua Falls and ‘Opaeka’a Falls.

Although the east side may be the busiest area of the island, staying here makes the activities offered more accessible and your vacation worthwhile.  But, then again, you may never want to leave your beach chair…

ARTS

Title: The Art of Pizza Making

Words: Tyler Mongan

Pull Quote: “What I do is an art. Each pie is unique piece of art”

It’s the simplicity of pizza that makes it so great. At least that is what chef Alejandro “Aker” Briceno wants to share with the patrons that visit V·Lounge in Honolulu.  “Most pizza is full of crap, the flavors are hidden in the toppings. My goal is to make pizza simple and good, using the best ingredients possible.”

Although most artists leave the paint making process to machines, Aker is an artist who mixes his creations by hand, “I have to feel the dough.”  Cooking is an expression of the way the cook sees the world. Aker’s works hard to share his vision of a new food culture in Hawaii that values fresh, natural, and hand-made foods.  What inspires Aker’s creations is the history of food and the ingredients. “If you really know your ingredients, you know how to use them.”  

The art of food making is a delicate and every changing process. “As the climate or the mood of the chef changes, so does the product of his work“ notes Aker. The dough, which is made fresh daily, is topped with a light sauce and fresh pulled buffalo mozzarella, then placed in the Kiawe wood fired oven, a one-of-a-kind in Hawaii.. The flavor and texture of the pizza reflects the characteristics of the wood, which burns heats the oven to a 800 degree baking temperature. In about two minutes and a lift of the peel, a light and tasty pizza is served. The process is truly a work of art.

Good food should be available for everyone. The unlikely foodies at the V Lounge hope that sharing these ultra-fresh, hand-made pies with Hawaii will inspire more of the same thinking.

CHICKEN SKIN

Title: Just Them, Passing Through

GIVING BACK

Title: Ka Honua Momona

Words :: Kirsten Whatley

Pull quote:  “You’ll work side by side with some very passionate and knowledgeable stewards of Hawai‘i’s environment.”

In Hawai‘i, there are volunteer opportunities on every major island, each organization focused on preserving its particular patch of the ‘aina (land), ocean, or wildlife. Some projects take you to the beach, where you watch over sea turtle nests and educate others about how to protect these endangered creatures; or you might find yourself diving among Hawai‘i’s reefs, recording fish populations or damage to the ocean’s coral. There are projects concerned mainly with replacing invasive trees and shrubs with Hawai‘i’s native plants, to bring back essential wildlife habitats, and others focused on nursery propagation, providing young keiki plants for forest restoration efforts.

Ka Honua Momona on Moloka‘i is all about fishponds. East of Kaunakakai, dedicated volunteers can be found rebuilding the ponds’ rock walls and clearing out invasive plants and fish to return this resource to its healthy origins, ensuring a sustainable future. The group also hosts workshops at the ponds that integrate culture and nature, and teaches of their interdependence. And it shows local youth groups how to steward this ancient resource in our modern age.

You don’t need to be skilled to join worthy volunteer efforts like these—just show up. You’ll work side by side with some very passionate and knowledgeable stewards of Hawai‘i’s environment. By the end of the day, you’ll feel like part of the ‘ohana, or family.

To find more than sixty volunteer projects in Hawai‘i, check out a new online resource: www.preservehawaii.org. And visit often—for frequent updates from the field, and to inspire others by sharing your own volunteer stories. We’d love to hear from you.

Give-Back Location: Ali‘i and Kaloko‘eli Fishponds (Moloka‘i)

The tiny island of Moloka‘i harbors more ancient coastal loko i‘a (fishponds) than anywhere in Hawai‘i. But the forces of nature and years of neglect have turned many into ruins, reducing once intricately laid rock walls to rubble.

In 2004, a group of Moloka‘i residents formed Ka Honua Momona to address this troubling reality. They recognized that the many types of interrelated loko i‘a were an ingenious way to sustainably manage an islands’ natural resources. Impressive feats of aquatic engineering, these fishponds worked with the landscape and gravity to transport water mauka to makai (from the mountains to the sea), while providing fish for all to eat. Ka Honua Momona still believes in this kind of sustainability.

Led by kupuna lawai‘a (elder fisherman) Mervin Dudoit, the group manages two fishponds just east of Kaunakakai—Kaloko‘eli Fishpond and Ali‘i Fishpond. Uncle Mervin says he’s out there most mornings if a willing volunteer wants to come lend a hand. Children are invited too. "Kids playing in the pond move the silt around," he points out. "That’s good!"

Every third Saturday morning, they also host Community Day at the ponds, working with volunteers to remove invasive mangroves, rebuild rock walls, and restore the ponds to a viable aquacultural resource. At the end of the workday, they often net the nonnative fish that have found their way into the ponds, and cook up a fresh fish feast—a tasty way to reinforce the idea that nature nourishes those who care for it.

Visit www.kahonuamomona.org for more information.

Adapted from Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawai‘i’s Environment (Island Heritage, 2008). Courtesy of Island Heritage. www.preservehawaii.org

ELEMENTS

Big Vision for the Big Island—Step by Natural Step

Words: Andrea Dean

Pull Quote:  “We find common characteristics among the leading companies that show that sustainability goes far beyond the narrow definition of being environmentally friendly." 

Envision this: You woke up this morning and had a delicious fruit salad comprised of all locally grown fruits—mango, papaya, banana, dragon fruit—and topped with fresh cream from the local dairy, sprinkled with roasted macadamia nuts, and drizzled with organic honey. Feeling so energized by your colorful and flavorful breakfast, you walked the short distance to the local bus stop, where you caught the clean, quiet, hydrogen-powered bus to the airport. Your short interisland flight on go! was powered by locally produced biofuel. Local farmers, scientists, politicians, and business leaders all came together and helped create a vibrant new economic sector by growing biofuel crops on marginal agricultural lands. Inexpensive leases and tax breaks make it all work financially. On board, you are flipping through the in-flight magazine, and you notice that it is printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper with soy inks. You are a bit thirsty. Good thing you brought your own reusable water bottle, and the flight staff is happy to fill that with cold, filtered water for you. Since the airline has decided to make all operations zero waste, more and more people like you have learned to bring their own water bottles. And the airline sells really great steel water bottles, with the go! logo, in case you forgot yours.

When you step off the airplane at Keahole-Kona, you feel the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. You take in a deep breath of clean, fragrant Hawaiian air. You step to the curb, and your business colleague is there to pick you up and take you to your meeting in her company car—an electric car, which is powered with solar on-site. On your way to the meeting, you see people walking and biking on the nicely landscaped bike lanes that are set back from the road. Where there used to be denuded plantation and pasture land, you now see productive farms—mixed-use agriculture with trees dripping with fruits, other crops growing under the trees, and farm animals rotating through the system.

You arrive at the building where your meeting is and the first thing you see is the solar array on top of the building. You come to find out that the entire office building is a green building and is LEED Platinum certified.

As you sit down to your business meeting with a group of truly excellent people who like and respect each other, you think how lucky you are to be making money at this great job. You had always wanted to "do something good" in your professional life, and since the locally based green economy in Hawai‘i is growing like wildfire, you were able to get a job that was aligned with your values.

OK—wake up and smell the Kona coffee!

I am guessing that this is not your reality—yet. But before I totally pop your bubble, I want you to know that there is serious sustainability strategic planning underway!

One of the most common problems in sustainability planning is getting everyone in a company, community, or county to agree on what sustainability is. The Natural Step framework takes all of the guesswork out of defining sustainability. And this is important, because when you want to make sustainable decisions, you have to understand the constraints and the possibilities.

The Natural Step framework, developed by Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert, is based upon four system conditions that make up the definition of sustainability.

In a sustainable society:

1. Nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust.

2. Nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances produced by society.

3. Nature is not subject to systematically increasing degradation by physical means.

4. People are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs. (Think of people displaced or living in war zones because of oil acquisition, people working in sweatshops, villages polluted with electronic waste.)

How does that sound? It sounds hard to meet all four system conditions, doesn’t it? Before you think about giving up on sustainability because it is too hard, let me tell you that the Natural Step philosophy includes meeting people where they are. We recognize that sustainability is a journey, and "green perfection" is not accomplished overnight. Many companies and communities have found when trying to work within the four system conditions that incredible innovation has emerged. And this has translated into a market advantage and profits.

A recent study by the firm A.T. Kearney, entitled “Green Winners: The Performance of Sustainability-focused Companies during the Financial Crisis,” looked at ninety-nine companies identified as having a strong commitment to sustainability and compared their performance with industry averages. The analysis found that in sixteen of the eighteen industries studied, companies committed to sustainability outperformed industry averages by 15 percent over the six months from May to November 2008. From a market capitalization perspective, this superior performance averaged $650 million in protected market capitalization per company. The question, though, is why? It turns out that green business is good business. "Our study indicates that the market rewards specific companies," said Dr. Daniel Mahler, author of the study.  "We find common characteristics among the leading companies that show that sustainability goes far beyond the narrow definition of being environmentally friendly." 

Since its inception in 1989, the Natural Step framework has been used by well-known corporate giants such as Nike, Interface Carpet, Starbucks, Home Depot, and the Canadian winter-destination community of Whistler, British Columbia.  The framework is "scale-neutral," so the size of the entity using it does not matter. It can be used by businesses, communities, nonprofit organizations, and individuals.

Thanks to the foresight of Alex Frost, the Hawai‘i County Resource Center (Big Island) has been using the framework. After a recent training session on the Natural Step approach, Hawai‘i has thirty people from government, nonprofit, education, and business ready to help others start their journey towards sustainability. So, if you share the compelling vision of Hawai‘i as a model of modern sustainable living and working, start taking the journey—step by Natural Step. Wake up and smell the Kona coffee! Take that first sip, take a bite out of that juicy mango, and let’s go.

ESP:SHOP

From Surf to Turf

By Leena Haija

Photo: Leena Haija

PULL quote: “Every fashionista knows, you gotta look as good in the water as you do out.”

If the North Shore beach bunny status is wearing on you and those delicious garlic-butter-drenched shrimp plates are slowly making their way to all the wrong places, it’s time for a little cardio-SHOPPING! (And, yes, that totally counts!)

Less than an hour from Waikiki lies the town of Hale'iwa on Oahu’s North Shore. Known for miles of sandy beaches, local artists, and fabulous grinds, this surf-to-turf town offers visitors old general shops with modern flair.  Stroll down the main street to the town center of Hale'iwa and discover an incredible selection of local galleries, eateries, and the most unique boutiques on the island.  

Located in the heart of Hale'iwa is the Guava Shop.  Local girls Liz Lerner and Kai Cost offer customers flirty beach-inspired clothing. Here you will find well-known designers Indah, La Made, and Frenzii, along with classic girlie faves such as Ella Moss and C&C. Whether you want to show off your sexy tan, or need a breezy dress for a night out, this feminine and stylish boutique is the must-stop spot for locals and tourists alike.

Every fashionista knows, you gotta look as good in the water as you do out. San Lorenzo is just the place to help you make that sultry splash.  From the hottest Brazilian bikinis to handmade earrings and accessories, every item has been hand-selected, offering shoppers the most vibrant colors, sexiest styles, and the best quality of swimwear on the island.  

Looking to take home something unique and local? Kai Ku Hale is just the place!  Upon entering this boutique, customers are greeted with the scent of soaps and candles, such as plumeria, vanilla volcano, and many more. Kai Ku Hale, which translates to "Home of Calm Ocean at Low Tide," features products from over one hundred local artists, musicians, crafters, and photographers.  Shoppers will be happy to know that most items featured are crafted and created using recycled materials. From driftwood wall hangings to seashell charm bracelets and bamboo fabrics, Kai Ku Hale is the perfect stop for that special island gift.

Phew! Now that you’ve burned off those calories, no trip to Hale'iwa is complete without a delicious multicolored shave ice!  The perfect end to the perfect day!