Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. With as much dependence as Hawaii currently has on oil, and with the limits of oil production being reached, we in Hawaii are acutely feeling the pinch of the decline in resource that we have become dependent upon, and more than any other state in the union. The cost of on O'ahu is triple that of the average cost of energy on the mainland, still more expensive on neighbor islands, and the relative cost is expected to rise with increased global demand for oil.
Given these high costs, Hawaii is especially in need of progressive energy policies. Luckily, it is also in a uniquely advantageous position to take advantage of energy production from renewable sources, as well as to conserve the energy it does produce. Measures like these in Hawaii will be more economically effective than on the mainland. Moreover, as a place globally renowned for its natural beauty, and one where much of our our economy depends on it, we have a duty to set and live by the best possible example vis-à-vis clean energy.
Excitingly, Hawaii is a paradise not only for its ecology, but also for renewable energy. It has it all, including sources for geothermal, solar power, wind power and hydro-electric energy. It is the only state that could hope to meet its energy needs purely through renewable resources. What remains is the tremendous task of getting off the oil and onto green power. The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative has set a roadmap to achieve 70% clean energy production by the year 2030, and we should all hope and pray that they succeed.
Conserving energy in Hawaii is another vital need, and it must begin with personal choices. Best of all, it can begin immediately, and some of us already take it very seriously. As Professor Philip Johnson observed in an interview with Jay Griffin from the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, "we all as citizens have to move to a new place with respect to our relationship to energy and our relationship to the utilities." I think we can best do this by keeping mindful of the choices we make, and having a sense of personal accountability for our habits of energy consumption. Regardless of the energy costs, we always have the choice whether to leave on the lights after leaving the room. It's up to the individual to do make choices that will be helpful to the environment as well as economical.
Conceptually, saving the planet is quite simple and commonsensical. We can sleep without air conditioning, most nights. The weather in Hawaii is perfect, which means blasting the AC at night, when it's cool and your body temp drops in your sleep, is wasteful, wouldn't you agree? By the same kind of reasoning, whenever possible, able-bodied townies should have and ride bicycles, or at least take the bus. In general, we should avoid driving as much as we can. To facilitate us, the state and federal government should increase their funding for public transportation alternatives.
As people of the free world, we have the power to build the kind of society we envision. A large part of it is up to us. Let's push for a brighter, greener future, and make the preservation of Hawaii's natural beauty our legacy.
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