Oil – A Non-Renewable Resource

It’s true – we won’t run out any time soon.  Combining new extraction methods with additional drilling, mining and refining sites is projected to fulfill the increased demands of developing nations and new technologies.  However, this won’t change the fact that what’s in the ground is what we have left.  Whether we open up new areas for drilling or not is a moot point because eventually, it will all be gone.  We need to start lowering our dependence on it now for the sake of future generations.

Other Factors

In addition to being a non-renewable resource, out of the countries with the top 10 largest proven oil reserves, most have vacillating governments.  This may not resonate with those of us who buy at the neighborhood pump, but larger consumers recognize this as a possible disruption in the supply chain.

Greener Pastures

The U.S. Navy has announced plans to shift 50% of their energy needs to non-fossil fuel sources within the next 10 years.  According to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus – “America and the Navy rely too much on fossil fuels.  It makes the military, in this case our Navy and Marine Corps, far too vulnerable to some sort of disruption.”  They’re looking to diversify and not limiting their options.  Possibilities include algae based jet fuel and sugar based biofuel grown on Maui.

Baby Steps

Change takes time and there’s inevitably going to be a period of transition.  It’s unrealistic to think that we’re going to stop filling up at the pump tomorrow.  So what can we do in the meantime to make things better?  The best answer – use less.  97% of those who responded to the poll indicated they’d be willing to find ways to use less.  Personally, I carpool or take the bus 3-4 days a week – 37% said they’d join me.  I carry reusable bags in my purse and my car – 61% would support changing how our community uses and distributes disposable plastic bags.  And an overwhelming 83% of respondents recognize Hawaii’s potential to become the premier ground for researching and developing alternate sources of energy.

But What Do I Do At The Pump??

Who should I be buying my gas from?  Is there one oil company in particular that’s more sustainable than the rest?  People ask me these questions on a regular basis and I’ve been referring them to Rachel Joy.  She has some good thoughts on the matter.

Do you guys know of any other “sustainable” oil companies?  Are there sacrifices you would be willing to make in your everyday lives that I didn’t touch on in my poll or my Blog?  I would love to hear any feedback you may have – good or bad.  Feel free to contact me at shines@honbue.com or 441-4452.

Goodwill:

What I like about Goodwill is their commitment to helping people get back on their feet so they become self-sufficient.  It’s a responsible, sustainable and long term vision for helping the community.  They’ve also started recycling bottle caps: “You can now recycle clean and dry #2, #4, and #5 plastic caps and lids at Goodwill’s Redemption Centers on Oahu!”

Savers:

Big promoters of the reuse concept. When materials aren’t selling in their marketplace, they don’t just haul them off to a local landfill.  “The majority of items that don’t sell are shipped to developing nations through both wholesale and philanthropic efforts. Individuals in developing countries can then create their own marketplaces that service citizens who rely on affordable, quality merchandise”.

Another great service is the YWCA’s Dress for Success® program.  It helps women who are transitioning back into the local workforce dress appropriately for the jobs they want.

Has anyone heard of any other local services or thrift stores that are helping people while keeping the environment in mind?  Feel free to contact me at shines@honbue.com or 441-4452.

This may come as a shock but Hawaii is no stranger to oil spills.  The 11th largest spill in the world took place 350 miles off the coast of Honolulu in 1977 when the Hawaiian Patriot lost a plate from its hull, exploded and sank.  More recent spills include the Exxon Houston debacle in 1989 and an accident in 2006 when 2,000 gallons spilled at Barber’s Point.

Despite the fact that we have no drilling platforms, we are still at risk for spills.  Hopefully we’ll never see another spill like the Hawaiian Patriot but our high demand for energy will continue to bring oil filled vessels into our harbors.  This not only puts our environment at risk, but additional spills could be devastating to our economy.  Hawaii gets approximately 90% of its energy from imported oil and petroleum products.  And according to the Hawaii Energy Biomas Master Plan Final Report – “While Hawaii’s economy is not necessarily energy intensive, its average per capita oil consumption is over 40 barrels per year compared to 24 for the U.S. mainland.  The per capita comparison between Hawaii and major growing world economies of China and India shows an even bigger discrepancy, since China’s per capita oil consumption is about 2.2 and India’s is close to 1.0.”

Fortunately The Clean Islands Council is on-call and prepared 24/7 365 with skilled personnel and cutting edge equipment.  It’s reassuring knowing that we have a disaster recovery team in place but wouldn’t we better off preventing spills instead of reacting to them?  Wouldn’t it be a safer and more sustainable approach to move to an energy supply model that incorporates multiple sources?  It appears that’s the direction we’re headed.  In 2008, the State of Hawaii started setting aggressive goals to reduce our dependency on imported oil.

This is great news for our community and I was particularly excited to read about the wind farm in Kahuku.  With a multi-source system in place we will be able to reduce our demand for imported oil.  And with less demand, there will be less oil filled vessels transferring their toxic contents to our refineries.  Only then will we be able to reduce future oil spills and keep our oceans clean and wildlife safe.

What else do you think will help decrease Hawaii’s dependence on foreign oil?  Please fill out our poll to the left of this Blog.  If you have other ideas, please feel free to post them in the comments section below.

Want more information or have questions about what we’re doing at HONBLUE? Drop me a line at shines@honbue.com or 441-4452.

Ultimate Pervious Pavement – With storm water playing such an important role in the LEED certification process, specifically Regional Priority Credits for Hawaii, finding reliable pervious paving products is vital to our community.  Unfortunately, last I heard there were still building code issues that were creating hurdles for using such products.  If you know of any updates to those codes, please share!

AQUS Greywater System – I was in San Francisco last year and stayed in a hotel with a great greywater toilet system.  The AQUS system separates the two just a little further making it more appealing and easier to use since you don’t have to lean over the toilet to wash your hands.

If you’ve heard of any other innovative green products either on the market or on the verge of being released, I would love to hear about them.  

And feel free to give me a call at 441-4452 or shoot me an email at shines@honblue.com if you want to know what we’re up to.

But what if you don’t have that kind of space?  How can those of us with smaller units grow our own food?  I was at a loss until I read GOOD’s Blog this morning and came across an encouraging article.  Fortunately, we already have some New Yorkers working on it.

I’d love to try it, but I have the challenge of cats…they completely destroyed my spider plant.  So please share if you’ve seen anything like this locally…or something that might be ‘cat proof’. 

As always, if you have questions about what HONBLUE is doing don’t hesitate to give me a call at 441-4452 or drop me a line at shines@honblue.com.

This has become my favorite travel mug.  Word of advice though – don’t put the lid in the dishwasher.

I keep this at my desk and refill it throughout the day.  Careful – made completely of glass, including the cap.

My mum sent me these for my birthday last year.  Blue Shark is my favorite.

Have you seen any cool ‘reusables’ out there?  I’d love to hear about them – – shines@honbue.com or 441-4452.

Both are making differences in their own way.  Additionally, my friend who drives everywhere has a car that averages 33 MPG.  She’s looking into a hybrid for her next purchase.  And my friend over there on the bus, when she’s offered a biodegradable take out container, she always pays the difference to make the upgrade.  When presented with an affordable product that will help them reduce their impact – they take it.

What’s exciting is that because we make choices as consumers, producers are answering with improved products.  Along the way, producers are also discovering how they can save money.  (www.nytimes.com/2010/06/12/business/energy-environment/12sustain.html)  Some are even evaluating enterprise-wide improvements ahead of consumer demands.

Retailers and manufacturers will continue to adapt in order to meet our demands.  We just have to make sure that we’re asking for the right things.

If you would like to know more about HONBLUE sustainability efforts please contact me at shines@honbue.com or 441-4452.