Sustainable Initiatives by Andrea Dean » sustainable business hawaii

Bamboo Living Homes

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:22:30 +0000

First Impressions: A Bamboo Living Home from Bamboo Living on Vimeo.

Two homes in two days from Bamboo Living on Vimeo.

Live in Your Values from Bamboo Living on Vimeo.

Volcano Island Honey Wins Kuleana Award for Green Business

admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 21:12:46 +0000

Diane Chadwick, Co-Chair of the Kuleana Committee presents Richard Spiegel with the 2010 Kuleana Award.

Of course, I am especially proud because I do a lot of work with Volcano Island Honey! Volcano Island Honey Co. (VIHC) was recognized for its ongoing commitment to social and environmental principles in business as the winner of this year’s Kuleana Award. The Kuleana Award is presented each year at the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Kuleana Green Business & Environment Conference. Read the full story here.

Who is that Woman Behind the Green Cape?

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:07:37 +0000

Susan Cox is the woman behind the green cape- the real life Green Power Woman whose imagination had fueled Green Power Girl, and the Green Power Heroes.

Read the story by Andrea Dean in the March/April 2010 issue of Ke Ola Magazine. Hard copies on the news stands now.

1-18-10: Kamuela Enos- Ma’o Organic Farms Growing Food & Entrepreneurs

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:07:34 +0000

In this podcast I interview Kamu Enos, Education and Resource Specialist at Ma’o Organic Farms. Ma’o Farms is an organic farm that is not just growing food- they are also a social enterprise growing community leaders and entrepreneurs.

If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

Growing Farmers in North Kohala

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:04:03 +0000

Check out my article The “Cool Factor” Bonds Youth and Farming in the November-December issue of Ke Ola Magazine.

The article is about the Uluwehi Farms / Hawaii Youth Agriculture Project CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in North Kohala. The project is growing food and farmers.

One of our “green businesses” in Hawaii is farming, but the high cost of land and inputs, and the low cost of imported food, have driven many farmers off the land. It is generally agreed that in order to re-localize our food production we need to have more farmers, and that means making farming an attractive and financially viable career option for our youth. Dashiell Kuhr of Uluwehi Farms / Hawaii Youth Agriculture Project / The Kohala Center (growing food and farmers takes many hands!) is one of the people helping to foster agricultural entrepreneurship among youth on Hawai’i Island.

Related Links:
North Kohala Food Forum
Hawaii Island School Garden Network
Hawaii Homegrown Food Network
Podcast on the Kohala Center’s Food Self-Reliance Program

Big Vision for the Big Island- Step by Natural Step

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:22:27 +0000

Check out my new story in this month’s Innov8 magazine (the Go!/Mokulele in flight magazine) about The Natural Step framework. The Natural Step is a framework/process that helps companies and communities plan for sustainability. The County of Hawaii just adopted The Natural Step as it’s framework for sustainability planning.

11-13-09: Tyler Mongan on the Honu Guide- a Guide for Sustainable Living in Hawaii

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:21:36 +0000

In this podcast I interview Tyler Mongan, Founder and Publisher of the Honu Guide- a guide for sustainable living in Hawaii. The Honu Guide is a resource book that is published once a year. The Honu Guide features well written articles on sustainability issues in Hawaii, and has a coupon book and resource directory that links people to green goods, services and organizations. Their distribution model is also innovative- organizations can sell the guide as a fundraiser for their organization. Schools take note- the Honu Guide is much healthier than a Krispy Kreme doughnut fundraiser! As a green business owner and writer- I think the Honu Guide is a great way to get the word out about my work.

If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

Scenes from the COC Hawaii 4th Annual Sustainability For Business Forum

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:07:41 +0000

I was recently a speaker at the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii 4th Annual Sustainability For Business Forum on Oahu. I spoke about the Business Case for Sustainability and using the Natural Step framework for Sustainability Strategic Planning.

Green Business in Hawaii, Sheep Poo PaperTM and more at the Sustainability for Business Forum

admin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:28:57 +0000

I spoke today at the Sustainability for Business Forum on Oahu today. Organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and Sponsored by First Wind and Ulupono Initiative.

Ramsay Taum from the UH School of Travel Industry Management is always a great speaker and this time was no exception. He spoke about the Hawaiian values based perspective on current environmental issues and made us all feel “lucky we live Hawaii.”

Representative Hermina Morita is such and intelligent and beautiful woman, I could have listed to her speak all day long. She combined the spiritual, environmental and political into a great talk on poi and energy policy! (Really, you just had to be there!)

It was also interesting to get caught up on what is happening with energy policy in our state from Colton Ching from Hawaiian Electric Company, Michael Chang from Hawaii Energy, and Ted Peck from DBEDT.

Erwin Hudelist, owner of Hagadone Printing was a total character and, of course, a great model of sustainable business in Hawaii.

Tyler Mongan of the Honu Guide and Nella Media Group spoke about marketing strategies for the green business and communicating to the green consumer. Sheep Poo Paper TM is what is really sticking in my mind from Tyler’s presentation. I know he had a lot of great statistics and all, but it is pretty hard to get Sheep Poo Paper TM out of your mind once you hear about it. (Take a marketing lesson folks.)

Kyle Datta and Robin Campaniano spoke on behalf of the Ulupono Initiative, a social investment initiative focused in the areas of local food, waste reduction and renewable energy.

I spoke about the Business Case for Sustainability and using the Natural Step framework for Sustainability Strategic Planning.

Net Impact: Social and Environmental Principle in Business

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:12:14 +0000

Last week I gave a talk at the University of Hawaii, Schidler College of Business. I was invited by the local Net Impact chapter. The mission of the local chapter is to grow and support a community of leaders focused on making a positive environmental, social, and economic impact through the power of sustainable business. Our vision is to foster a new generation of business leaders who incorporate people, planet, and profits into decision-making and action to create a better world.

Following is my presentation (sorry, its a bit dark, but you can still hear it!)