Sustainability Articles
A Woman Who Means Business
As we celebrate Women’s History Month and Agriculture Week, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is happy to introduce a remarkable individual who embodies resilience, leadership, and a passion for community impact. Tambara Garrick, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for...
O’o Farm: A Real Find!
For the past 30 years, Maui resident Louis Coulombe has built a reputation for Lahaina’s beachfront restaurant, Pacific’o on the Beach. While there are no words for the amount of loss and tragedy that continues to unfold in Lahaina, few people on island are aware of...
Common Ground Collective
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Common Ground Collective (CGC) strives to transform Maui into a bountiful and productive island that benefits both the environment and the people who live here, in extraordinary ways. Their administrative staff is a passionate...
We Are Here For You
If you are a community member or a fire victim with a disability, Kelea Foundation is available to provide support. “We are here for you,” said Kelea founder Jenn Gladwin. “Kelea is a Maui-based non-profit, working with the County of Maui and numerous organizations...
Maui Food Hub
Sustainability on Maui is vital for the island’s future, and sustainability is exactly the goal of the Maui Food Hub (MFH). As a welcome online platform and non-profit organization, MFH connects local Maui farmers and their produce with the community, making it...
Maui Relief and Volunteer Center
The County of Maui Volunteer Center joins with over 100 nonprofits to mobilize volunteers for those affected by the Maui wildfires. Many people are searching for ways to assist the community right now. Below is a short list of some of the current opportunities within...
E Hana Kākou – Let’s Work Together
MEDB stands with our community in shock and profound grief at the enormity of the catastrophe on Maui’s West Side and Upcountry. Like so many on our island, we have been personally touched with loss and trauma that too many others have shared. The eyes of the...
4-H @ Maui AgFest
Providing everything the community has come to expect from it, the popular Maui County Farm Bureau Maui AgFest & 4-H Livestock Fair was held in June 2023. The event, to raise awareness about Maui agriculture, brought together ag industry and supporters to share...
Hawaiian Electric & Hawaii Gas Talk Story
In a featured talk, “Sharing Our Visions, Opportunities and Challenges in the Energy Industry”, at the 2023 Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC), Shelee Kimura, President and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, and Alicia Moy, President and CEO of Hawaii Gas, discussed Hawaii’s...
HEC Points To Hawaii’s Future
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the 2023 Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC), recently held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, was presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) with the support of the County of Maui Office of Economic Development. Experts...
Hawaii Energy Conference returns to the MACC
The annual Hawaii Energy Conference returns to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, May 24 - 25. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the conference is presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and will feature a mix of keynote speakers, panel discussions,...
Conquer Change and Cultivate Results!
In March, MEDB's Women in Business Seminar Series celebrated Women’s History Month with guest speaker Angela Garmon, an award-winning business owner and philanthropist. The founder and CEO of ARG Coaching & Consulting Group LLC, a strategic change management...
Restoring Sandalwood Mountain
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Maui and the Kwock Hing Society in Kula, the annual effort to re-establish the fragrant sandalwood trees in Kula has become an earnest community project for this team. Their tree-planting project was a huge success this year. During the...
AG Internship Showcase
Through the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) STEMworks™ Ag Business & Technology Internship program, students in grades 9-12 and college undergraduates have the opportunity to gain experience in multiple industries within the agriculture sector of the...
Go Slow, Whales Below
November marked Ho‘i Koholā, ‘welcome back whales month’, and the traditional start of the 2022-2023 whale season in Hawaii. Humpback whales are generally seen in Maui waters from November into May each year, with the peak season running from January through March....
Celestial Navigation @ Emer-gen
A distinguished line-up of speakers and mentors joined the 5th annual EMER-GEN Program presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) at the 2022 Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference. A joint initiative of AMOS and the Space...
Feeding Hope One Meal at a Time
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we are reminded of the grassroots community project started to reduce hunger during Covid-19 and beyond. Co-founded by Brad Kukral and Steven Calkins, the Hungry Homeless Heroes Hawaii (HHHH) uses quality excess food to fill...
A Conversation With Shelee Kimura
At the 2022 Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC), Jacqui Hoover, Executive Director at Hawaii Island Economic Development Board and HEC Program co-chair, interviewed Shelee Kimura, the newly appointed President and Chief Executive Officer for Hawaiian Electric. Born and...
Celebrating AG On Maui
Warren K. Watanabe, Executive Director of Maui County Farm Bureau (MCFB), was especially delighted at the 2022 Maui AgFest and 4-H Livestock Fair. Maui’s signature agricultural festival representing the island’s farming and ranching industries was held at War Memorial...
Conversations With Nature
A Maui resident for nearly 30 years, Helen Kordyl is well-known for her underwater photography as well as her nature photos. With a BA in visual arts, she has an impressive list of competitive photography. Eight of her images received honorable mention in the...
Our Planet, Our Future
Zoe Mounts, Seabury Hall freshman, was recently honored at the 2022 Blue Planet Foundation Student Energy Summit on Oahu for her work on climate awareness. Mounts dedicated a six- month solo research project to Climate Change Awareness culminating in the production of...
Electrification and Energy Efficiency
Caroline Carl, newly appointed Executive Director of Hawaii Energy, gave a Spotlight Talk at the 2022 Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC). The event brought together experts on energy policy, strategies, leadership and innovation to help Hawaii reach its goal of...
2022 Hawaii Energy Conference: The Push to Electrification
The 9th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC), presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, explored the theme “Electrification: Where are we now? What does the future hold?” The two-day...
9th Hawaii Energy Conference – May 10 & 12
The 9th Annual Hawaii Energy Conference revisits the challenges of electrifying the grid and transportation – current successes, potential pitfalls, and future opportunities. There is no doubt that the push to Electrification will affect our way of...
Protecting Hawaii’s Wildlife
Since 1996, Hawaii Wildlife Fund (HWF) has actively protected native wildlife. The nonprofit is dedicated to the conservation of Hawaii’s marine wildlife including monk seals, turtles, and dolphins, as well as cleaning the marine debris off our beaches. “Our mission...
A Single Source of Energy
Clifford Nae’ole, Hawaiian cultural advisor for The Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua, provided the cultural opening at the 8th annual Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC). This year, the HEC explored the theme Energy Transition in Hawaii: Focus on Investments in People and Projects....
ENERGY ON MOLOKAI
The 8th annual Hawaii Energy Conference explored the energy transition in Hawaii with a focus on investments in people and projects.. The 2021 theme provided discussions on how to invest responsibly while designing energy projects that are resilient, financially...
Investing Respectfully in Hawaii
The 8th Hawaii Energy Conference (HEC) explored the energy transition in Hawaii with a focus on investment in people and projects. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, the annual...
Maui Bees
In 2008, Mark and Leah Damon, owners of Maui Bees Incorporated in Kula, combined their shared passion for bees and wholesome organically grown food to create a joint farming venture, including a farm stand to offer their grown-on-Maui products. The Damons’...
Governor Ariyoshi Ponders Hawaii’s Future
Nisei Veterans Memorial Center recently welcomed former Governor George Ariyoshi, Hawaii’s longest-serving governor, to its ‘Afternoon with the Author’ Zoom series. In Ariyoshi’s newest book, Hawaii’s Future, he talks about leadership on Maui, the importance of...
Maui Rotarians Clean Ridge-to-Reef
Every year the Rotary Clubs in Hawaii have held ‘Rotarians-at-Work Day’ to coincide with the week of Earth Day. This year, Maui Rotarians, alongside community partners and volunteers, joined to pick up plastics and trash throughout the island. “Our goal was to pick up...
Adaptability Fund Assists Aloha House
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) is administering the Adaptability Fund, a program to help local small businesses recover and survive the impacts from COVID-19. Funded by the federal CARES Act, and as proposed by the MauiCARES Task Force, the County has...
New Maui EV Partnerships
Three new electric-vehicle (EV) fast-charging stations are now open to the public at the Queen Kaahumanu Center in Central Maui, Pi'ilani Village Shopping Center in South Maui and Lahaina Aquatic Center in West Maui. Owned and operated by Hawaiian Electric, the...
MNHCoC Talk Story: Hālau Perseverance
The Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce (MNHCoC) presented a virtual talk-story session about Hālau Perseverance. MNHCoC’s mission is to promote and sustain Hawaiian culture, nurture a strong community of Hawaiian values, and enhance opportunities for success in...
Growing Beauty, Love and Peace
The Sacred Garden, an upcountry Maui treasure, is an extraordinarily peaceful experience. Operated by the nonprofit Divine Nature Alliance and free to the public, the Garden serves as a place of rejuvenation, education, and inspiration for the community. Upon...
AMOS Expands Globally
The 21st, and first virtual, Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference and EMER-GEN® program, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), helped foster important dialogue and international collaboration on the space...
PBS Hawai’i Presents the World Premiere of Hawaiiana
On Thursday August 27 at 9:00 pm, PBS Hawai'i will present the world premiere of Hawaiiana, a new documentary about the late Winona Kapuailohiamanonokalani Desha Beamer, or Aunty Nona as she was fondly called. Credited with coining the term Hawaiiana as early as 1949,...
Rotary Supports COVID-19 Projects
Rotary International District 5000 announced the award of $31,000 in grants to Hawaii Rotary clubs to support COVID-19 relief projects. The Hawaii District 5000 funds come from dues and donations from club members across the islands. Funds that were budgeted this year...
BBBS Adapts to COVID-19
Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS), the program that makes a big difference by matching children facing adversity with older role models in one-to-one relationships, is adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. While bringing people together in person to go out and share...
Hawaiian Electric Helping Hawaii Food Bank and United Way
More than 33,000 pounds of food are being distributed by the Maui Food Bank to Moloka‘i residents in need through a $20,000 contribution from the Hawaiian Electric Industries Charitable Foundation (HEICF). HEI is the parent company of Hawaiian Electric, which supplies...
IGED 2020: Sparks for the Future
In February, Maui intermediate schoolgirls attended Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED). Sponsored by Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks™ (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program, IGED is part of National Engineers Week, and marks...
Electric Vehicle Charging Update
Maui Electric Company has informed the Public Utilities Commission of its intent to move forward with the ownership and operation of four electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging sites in the existing EVohana network on Maui. The EVohana sites, temporarily owned and...
Renewable Energy Forum
The first community forum on 100% Renewable Energy: What Will Maui Look Like? took place recently at the Cameron Center in Kahului. Coming on the heels of the 2019 Hawaii Energy Conference and Exhibition, the standing-room only event, presented by Maui Electric...
Preserving the Kalaupapa’s Peninsula
Molokai High School senior, Cameryn Rae Kahalewai won numerous awards, including first place overall in the senior division at the 60th Maui County Regional Science & Engineering Fair held at the Maui Beach Hotel. Kahalewai’s project, “The Effect of Soil Type,...
Affordable Housing Survey to Evaluate Demand
An affordable housing survey focusing on the West Maui community has just begun circulation to help define the extent of the need for affordable workforce housing upon which the West Maui economy depends. The initiative for the survey came from the community itself,...
Used Car, High Mileage
First-place Maui County Regional Science & Engineering Fair Junior Division winners Holden Suzuki and Wilson Chau, Maui Waena Intermediate School STEMworks™ 6th graders, used the scientific method of photometric observations in their award-winning project, “Used...
The Powerhouse: Conserve Energy, Reduce Costs
Mark Ware and Shauna Ault of Ohm Energy Technologies, Inc., exhibitors at the 2018 Maui Energy Conference, provide the technical acumen and business management for their family-run company. “Maui called us several years ago, prompting us to create a business that...
Shoreline Water Testing Powered by Volunteers
A volunteer-based water quality testing program known as Hui O Ka Wai Ola, Association of the Living Waters, recently began expanding its testing from West Maui to South Maui shoreline locations. The project informs residents about how clean the water is at their...
Maui’s Future Farmers
M’Chelle Aguinaldo, a senior at Lahainaluna High School, was elected and is serving as Secretary of the Hawai’i Chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) for 2017-2018. A student-led national organization, FFA is committed to fostering projects that increase...
Feed My Sheep Sustains Body, Mind & Spirit
Maui Economic Development Board applauds the community service of Feed My Sheep (FMS). Serving with integrity and sincerity, this nonprofit makes an immediate impact on the lives of the less fortunate. Bringing positive hope, the many FMS volunteers lift the morale of...
Maui Green & Beautiful
Maui Green & Beautiful (MG&B) is an environmental non-profit that cares for the ‘Ᾱina through preservation, protection, and education. Originally known as the Maui Outdoor Circle, in 2014 it reorganized as MG&B. “Our education curriculum includes proper...
Fairmont Kea Lani Resort Helps “Clean the World”
The Fairmont Kea Lani Resort, venue for Maui Economic Development Board’s annual Ke Alahele Fundraiser, is committed to responsible tourism practices and sustainable hotel management. “Our Sustainability Team, created in 2001, is comprised of leaders and colleagues...
Rural Energy for America Program: REAP-ing What You Sow
Are you a farmer, rancher, or small business owner interested in saving money on your energy bills? Do you lack the money necessary to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements that will lower your business’s energy costs? If you answered “yes” to...
Maui’s renewable energy future
The 2016 Maui Energy Conference, presented by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), focused on the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative’s 100% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), its implications for Hawaii’s energy...
Hawaii and California students collaborate on energy issue
For the first time, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) Women In Technology (WIT) Project is presenting a student collaboration opportunity between Hawaii and California. Kamali’i Elementary School, Lokelani Intermediate and Kihei Charter High School on Maui,...
2016 Maui Energy Conference: Gateway to 100% renewable energy in Hawaii
The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, Maui County and Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) are hosting the third annual Maui Energy Conference, March 16-18 2016 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Energy experts and stakeholders from across the U.S. and...
Educating for energy prosperity
Since 2009, the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Women In Technology program (WIT) has trained 459 educators through the energy science curriculum of its Island Energy Inquiry (IEI) initiative. In that time it has expanded from Maui across the state, reaching at...
USDA certified organic farm community grows under the rainbow
Imagine a place where the community reflects what is important and precious in each member. Imagine a place where the meaningful work that each individual contributes to the community is healing and inspirational. La‘a Kea Farm on Baldwin Avenue in Pa‘ia is that...
Mama’s Fish House funds sustainable food source
Mama’s Fish House, family-owned by Floyd and “Mama” Doris Christenson, has been buying fish directly from Maui fisherman for over 40 years. These local fishermen, representing a way of life, culture and tradition in Hawai’i, consistently deliver the freshest and...
Maui leading in renewable energy solutions
More than 30 percent of Maui’s energy needs, on average, are being met by renewable energy sources such as wind and rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, and the trend continues to rise, making Maui a national and global leader in the adoption of renewable energy. This...
Green Building Helps Maui LEED the Way
A passion for the outdoors inspired John Bendon to create a company that helps others achieve milestones in energy efficiency and environmental design. Bendon, a 1996 Seabury Hall graduate, serves as the founding principal of Green Building Hawaii. “Ultimately, the...
Join us for the 2nd Maui Energy Conference & Exhibition
Experts from across the nation will present the latest trends in the electric utility industry, as well as the public policy influencing customer choices. Sessions will address issues about advancing toward grid modernization, consumer protection, and engaging...
Your input is needed on Maui’s energy future
Only 11 days remaining! Share your priorities and values about energy on Maui – today and in the future – as part of a project called “MPowerMaui: An Energy Conversation”. Sign up and participate in small group sessions during the month of February. These 90-minute...
MEDB seeking community input on Maui’s energy future
Join the conversation! Share your priorities and values about energy on Maui – today and in the future – as part of a project called “MPowerMaui: An Energy Conversation”. Sign up and participate in small group sessions during the month of February. These 90-minute...
4-H Club finds fun, skills in coral reef monitoring
A coral reef monitoring project sounded like it could be fun for the Wailuku Roselani Na Hokulani 4-H Club. Member Kaitlyn Yamada says it was fun, but more importantly she and her fellow 4-Hers were able to master their skills in Google Earth applications as well the...
Conference looks at how consumers view energy
With island consumers paying more than double the national average per kilowatt hour for electricity, the second Maui Energy Conference + Exhibition comes at a time when Hawaii is seeing a revolutionary shift to renewable energy resources. The conference, presented by...
Pilot project volunteers learn to be energy efficient
Maui Smart Grid volunteers wrapped up their participation in a pilot project that led many to become more energy efficient. “I really wanted to get a good handle on my family’s energy use and bring down, if possible, our electricity bills. I got that by participating...
Artwork needed to jump-start charging station designs
Maui County students in kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to submit art designs to beautify the island’s JUMPSmartMaui Fast-Charger stations. “This is a chance for Maui’s talented students to shine and jump-start their creative juices by coming up with some...
Couple sets native tree planting roots on Maui
After planting trees in every state across the country, Joe Imhoff and Sara Tekula returned to their roots on Maui, giving life to a newborn son, and their fledgling nonprofit, Plant a Wish. The husband-and-wife team was first featured in Focus Maui Nui three years...
Maui Brewing Co. manufactures, builds locally
A new brewery is nearing completion in Kihei. Owned and operated by husband and wife, Garrett and Melanie Marrero, Maui Brewing Co.’s newest venture represents a response to their business’ growing demand. The Marreros founded their company almost 10 years ago and...
Youth Alliance learns about ocean safety, overfishing
Baldwin High School student Chelsea Kau got up close and personal with marine life on a recent Maui Youth Alliance excursion to visit the Waihee Beach Park with Department of Land and Natural Resources staff and learn about ocean safety. The best part of the visit...
Haiku chef concocts locally sourced pies, hummus
Haiku resident John Cadman’s career as a hotel sous chef, a school cafeteria manager and now the owner of a locally sourced food business has always focused on healthy alternatives. “I just felt like it was my destiny,” Cadman said, referring to his newest venture as...
Maui Food Technology Center’s 1st Annual Supply and Service Expo
On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, Maui Food Technology Center will hold their 1st Annual Supply and Service Expo at the Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani from 10 am to 3 pm. This is the perfect opportunity for new or existing food producers wanting...
Molokai group restores fishponds, nurtures youth
Ka Honua Momona means “abundant Earth,” and a Molokai nonprofit of that name is reawakening the fertile Friendly Isle through the restoration of ancient Hawaiian fishponds on the island’s south shore. “Molokai was once known as the breadbasket of the islands due to...
Youth Alliance learns about energy efficiency
With the goal of exploring Maui’s infrastructure needs, the Youth Alliance launched this school year by focusing their time and talk on energy and electricity. “I would like to spark creativity in the students to come up with innovative solutions to current and future...
Youth Alliance Learns About Seed Corn Research
Members of the Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance visited Monsanto Co.’s Maui operations recently, getting a close-up look at the company’s high-tech operations to grow seed corn to make a dent in world hunger. Both Racieli Andrada, 16, a junior at Maui High School, and...
Youth Alliance: Raising Awareness About Hunger on Maui
Hunger and the holidays were on the minds of Focus Maui Nui Youth Alliance members as they sorted hundreds of donated canned goods at the Maui Food Bank. With Christmas only a few days away, about 15 high school students volunteered their time to learn about hunger in...
Hale Kau Kau: 20 Years of Serving the Community
Every day of the year, volunteers dish out food at Hale Kau Kau, the island’s only daily soup kitchen. The volunteer force is an integral part of the nonprofit’s mission to feed the hungry and the homeless, according to its Executive Director, Monsignor Terry...
Practicing Environmental Sustainability at Kaimanu Botanical Garden
Tucked away in the hot, arid hills above Kihei is a model organic oasis which Nick Oosterveen and his wife Diane have been cultivating since 1987 called Kaimanu Botanical Garden. With generations of agriculture knowledge passed down through his family and a passionate...
Lighting the Way to Conserve Maui’s Energy
Qualifying nonprofits and small businesses can help save the environment, and save money too, by acting fast to accept a free offer by enrolling in a new energy initiative. The first shipment of energy-saving LED lamps gets distributed this week to participants in the...
Lessons on Growing Food and Sustainability in our Schools
The Maui School Garden Network that Lehn Huff created and coordinates as a community volunteer supports project-based learning for students of all ages across the County. It also serves to promote valuable information on nutrition and growing food locally. The Network...
A Helping Hand for the Maui Food Bank
When it comes to meeting human needs–a priority value expressed by our community through the Focus Maui Nui process–Harlan Hughes is one volunteer whose outstanding example has benefitted the Maui Food Bank and the thousands who receive its help each month. Harlan...
Maui’s Bus System: A Home-Grown Success Story
For many of Maui’s residents, it’s hard now to remember what life was like before the current public bus system got off the ground in 2004. That was shortly after the initial Focus Maui Nui civic engagement process had identified addressing infrastructure challenges...
Life Lessons In Sustainability
It’s lunchtime, and 18 middle- and high-school students are enjoying the sandwiches they made together on the shaded lanai at Hui Malama Learning Center in Wailuku. The discussion is about local sources of food, the benefits of buying Mauigrown produce. It’s...
Maui Nui's First Export
In 1790, Capt. John Kendrick of Boston set out to trade Pacific Northwest seal and otter fur in China. He stopped in Hawai'i to replenish his ship with wood, water and salt. Sailing offshore he smelled a familiar odor emanating from a cooking fire. It was sandalwood,...
Precious Water
Water conservation is something we all can practice. Except for the air we breath, water is the single most important element in our lives. It is too precious to waste. Here are some simple suggestions to help you save hundreds, even thousands, of gallons per...