Building a Sustainable Community

Online, April 7, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Sustainable Living in Hawaii is striving to make all of Hawaii into a sustainable community. The ultimate goal is to get everyone on the same page, to see the community as a single organism.

The State government is working towards energy independence in Hawaii. That entails the use of solar, wind and tidal power, but also involves the use of electricity generated from collected waste, as well as the use of biofuels. It also must involve personal responsibility, re-inventing how people get from place to place, how they can be responsible for co-generation of power, and how they can live in ways that require less energy consumption.

A sustainable community also means having a sustainable food supply. There are a variety of agribusiness models, and it will probably take a combination of these models to make Hawaii sustainable. Among the buzzwords are permaculture, hydroponics, organic agriculture, farmers' markets, community gardens, green roofs, and even window gardens.

Sustainable living means that every aspect of life must be sustainable. The economy. Politics. Religion. Education. Housing. Healthcare. Diet. Exercise. Each of these has one thing in common. They reflect personal lifestyle choices, and lifestyle choices need to made responsibly.

For that reason, Sustainable Living in Hawaii will be taking a holistic look at what it means to live a sustainable life. Visitors to the website, http://www.sustainablelivinginhawaii.com, are invited to join in and help build a community that we can all live in comfortably.

Individuals can participate at first by signing up for the Sustainable Living newsletter that will be periodically look at key issues involved in sustainability. Respond to postings in the Sustainable Living blog. Read books and attend workshops. Begin to make changes in your own lifestyle to make it more sustainable.

Changes can be simple. Ride the bus one day a week. Ride a bicycle to work. Change your diet so that you are eating more foods grown near where you live. Change your shopping habits by walking to the store, and carrying your groceries home in a re-usable shopping bag. Live a healthy lifestyle so you don't have to "ask your doctor if you should be taking brand rxxxxxx." Get to know your neighbors. Plant a garden. Put your kids in a neighborhood school and teach them to walk to school in safe groups. Volunteer at the school and help make it a school you can be proud of. If you are remodeling your home, use green materials. Create cross ventilation and use shade so you don't need to leave the air conditioning on. Recycle.

Tomorrow's sustainable community begins with the choices and changes we make today. Sustainable Living in Hawaii will be exploring some of those choices. Weigh in with your own options by responding to posts in the blog. Suggestions are welcome.