Our mission of creating a model of sustainable living for Kauai is possible through research, development and application of the best-known ways to survive, live and thrive using both ancient and modern methods. The strategy is blending indigenous wisdom and modern technology in a simple, practical way that virtually anyone may benefit from.
One way to accomplish this is through a process of exploring, discovering and sharing beauty, wisdom, mystery or anything practical or esoteric that is of interest or importance. This may be done through any one or more of the following mediums: writing, photography, digital video, music, poetry, storytelling, wilderness adventure and outdoor education. These mediums are used to research, develop and implement each and all of the goals and objectives below.
1.0 Indigenous Heritage and Cultural Preservation- specifically Polynesian heritage and culture along with Native American Apache and Lakota Sioux blended with the best of other eastern and western disicplines, philosophies and ways of life that work.
2.0 Home Design / Construction / Maintenance- hexagon bamboo huts with a grass roof is one design of many that is being developed. The State of Hawaii has approved bamboo now as an official building material. The basic principle is to use what the land has to offer rather than being so dependent upon other places, people and resources. Open-air designs are preferred with wood heat for cold or wet days. Homes have one or more solar and wind power generators with one or more methods of using water fuel for transportation, heat, cooking, and electricity.
3.0 Food Production, Harvest & Distribution- simply having a garden and/or building garden beds for others are substantial contributions to the Island, so is planting coconut and other trees. Community garden and composting systems are essential. There is also forest husbandry including the art and science of select-cutting trees for a healthier forest. Daily and weekly markets are promoted along with exports of certain food and other resouces that may be readily grown and shared on a larger scale yet not to the detriment of local land or people.
4.0 Promoting & Supporting Local Business- Video production is one simple, yet dynamic and powerful way to promote any art, craft, business, idea, organization or cause. Music, photos, video and a message are combined and presented via DVD, email, web pages, in-person or at the local movie theaters. You may learn how to use one or more of these to promote and support your business or that of someone you know.
Another method involves revolutionizing the way private and company meetings are held. A camera is used in-house during meetings to glean the best questions and answers from staff, employees, board members, consultants or customers. Inter-active DVDs are created of the best material for implementation and reflection. Clips are also available via email and website interfaces for review, reflection, inspiration and application.
Television and web advertising used to be expensive and difficult. Now the many forms of media may be used to present the best of what businesses have to offer and this can be made readily available to the local and global community through TV, cable, newspaper, DVD and the internet along with other outlets.
6.0 Renewable Technology: Solar / Wind / Water / Transportation / Communication- the objective is to know which ones work, how to implement them, documenting and publishing the results and encouraging others to benefit from "free" or more efficient use of personal and community resources. "There are cars on the road burning water." New solar technology is five times more powerful and efficient. There are little water propellers that provide continuous power. There are also advanced forms of communication and higher education that are significantly more advanced than those spoon-fed to the masses. One of these is known as the "Coconut Wireless" which is a blend of intuition and cooperation with Nature. It's just a matter of finding out how you can apply some or all of these and how best to let others know that this is available. The more people that know about it the more available and inexpensive they become. Much of this is up to you more than it is up to government or corporations. They will and must follow your lead.
5.0 Career Development: Education / Training / Placement / Multi-media- involve hands-on instruction and field experience for Survival, Holistic Health, and Sustainable Development of human and natural resources. Specific areas of career opportunity include the Healing Arts / Martial Arts / Multi-media Production / Marketing / Education / Ecology / Business Management / Outdoor Education for Kids / Wilderness Guiding / Cultural Attache / Administration / Documentary Producer / Global Travel & Independent Filmmaking
7.0 Outdoor Education: Skills / Travel / Activities / Documentary / Guiding- "Nature is the best teacher." / "In wildness is the preservation of the world." / "The clearest path into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." / "The beaten path is for the beaten man."
Daily and weekly outings are provdied to children of all ages. Basic and Advanced Survival are taught along with ancient ways of honoring the land, animals, plants and trees. Activities include exploring known and unknown regions of urban, rural and remote wilderness environments, documenting highlights and broadcasting amateur and professional presentations of the sights, sounds and things to do along with anything else important or interesting. The goal is to provide training and experience for people, especially kids, to be able live, work and play in nature in a way that is beneficial to each individual and to the natural world. Some examples are picking up garbage, maintaining trails, mapping, planting trees, landcrafting, and wildcrafting. There is also training for learning to communicate and cooperate with the forces and beings of spirit and nature: talking to animals, plants and trees, the Earth, water, wind and fire, the sun, the moon, stars and Akua- a Hawaiian name for the Creator.
8.0 Waste Management: Composting / Recycling / Manufacturing- this involves everyone dealing with their own waste and/or making sure that others are taking care of your waste and theirs in a way that is beneficial instead of detrimental. Research "Solar Aquatics" which is a State of Alaska approved greenhouse that is able to process a community's human sewage and purify it to the state of drinking water. There is also the burying of organic waste in such a way that turns it back into furtile soil yet does not attract animals: pigs, dogs, cats, etc. Realize that most or all products have a usefulness. "One person's garbage is another's treasure." Find useful places for regularly consumed items. Utilize current recycling systems and research better ones. Apply them. There is also the Hydromex System which can handled up to 200 tons per day of any kind of waste (sewage, metal, glass, paper, wood, even hazardous material) and turn it into more than 800 different useful products.
9.0 Weekly documentary production series featuring highlights of the above- this is "da kineTV" which is a way for the average person to be empowered, to have their voice heard, to be able to express their ideas and concerns and have something done about it. Education is key and video is one powerful form of communication and education for virtually any application. This weekly series inspires people to tap into their creativity and have an outlet for it that can earn them money or at least promote and support whatever it is that they want or need. Short productions are immediately presented and/or uploaded to the world-wide web; and feature-length productions may be presented on DVD or broadcast on local, state, or national TV. Using a combination of video, computers and telecommunications technology is a form of higher education when it dramatically improves enthusiams levels in students and yields accellerated learning that is many degrees faster and better retained than conventional academics.
10.0 A working model that may be shared with other sovereign nations and individuals- this is where you come in. A model of sovereignty or sustainability depends upon you and whether or not you are able to benefit from any or all of the above in such a way that is holistic including simple, effective, ecological sound, inexpensive and/or profitable. This includes feeling like you are doing your part. If you are simply enjoying life, that is enough. If you are helping others, that makes a difference. If there is anything that you want or need, just ask. Ask the Source. Ask yourself. Ask others. Or Contact Us... the Kauai Center for Sustainable Living. There is always something that we can do. And there is always something that you can do. Engage the flow.
