Sustainable Initiatives by Andrea Dean

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:

In this podcast I interview Tom Baldwin. Tom and his wife Shannon Casey own Uluwehi Farm, a permaculture farm in North Kohala on the Big Island. Tom talks about what permaculture is and how it helps farms and homesteads to be more productive. Tom just got back from a trip to Australia where he sat at the feet of the permaculture master- Bill Mollison, the founder of the permaculture system. Tom will be sharing that new knowledge and his permaculture farm experience in January when he is co-teaching a Permaculture Design Certification course with Craig Elevitch and Nik Bertulis, the course starts Jan 5th. If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

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:

In this podcast I interview Suzanne Case, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii. I spoke to Suzanne Case about The Nature Conservancy's work with native forests and coral reefs as well as their focus on climate change and how it is all connected. Walking their talk, The Nature Conservancy, as a "green business" has just remodeled an historic building on Oahu according to LEED standards. The building was the first existing building in Hawaii to be remodeled and receive LEED certification. If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

In this podcast I interview Guy Kaulukukui, Director of the Kohala Center’s Food Self-Reliance Program. Guy has been tasked with developing a "critical path" to food self-reliance for Hawaii Island- mapping a strategy for how the island will decrease food imports and the increase consumption of local food. Guy Kaulukukui, who has a Ph.D. in economics education is uniquely suited to this complex task of how to transition from a import economy to a locally-based economy. Guy feels that it is important to increase the demand side of the food equation by reinforcing the message of eating locally produced food as well as working on increasing efficiency on farms to decrease the costs of local produce to the public. If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

Not everyone understands what a business coach is and the best way to use one. But instead of me telling the story- I have interviewed one of my green business clients, Forrest Arnold from HawaiiGreenRealty.com. If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

In this podcast I interview Zach Mermel about the Transition Town Movement in Hawaii. The Transition Town Movement came out of the Permaculture Community. Rob Hopkins was teaching permaculture in Kinsale, Ireland and he challenged his students to think about a future that was post peak oil by creating an energy descent action plan. This document was the origin of what has now become the Transition Towns movement. As Rob Hopkins writes in The Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience, “It is one thing to campaign against climate change and quite another to paint a compelling and engaging vision of a post-carbon world in such a way as to enthuse others to embark on a journey towards it.” There are no official Transition Town communities here in Hawaii yet, but there are discussions afoot and communities who are beginning to discuss how to become transition towns. There is an online social network http://transitionhawaii.ning.com/ where you can join the Hawaii conversation and learn more about the Transition Town movement. Zach Mermel started the social networking site transitionhawaii.ning.com and has gone through the Transition Town training. Read about the 12 Key Steps to embarking on your transition journey. If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

In this podcast I interview Susan Cox, also known as Green Power Girl. Susan is an environmental educator and activist and the creator of Green Power Girl and the other Green Power Heros- Buddy Biomass, Jah Wind Power, Mercury Man, Marina del Ray and others. Susan transforms herself into the Green Power Girl and does energy and environmental education in the schools- she is currently in three states and is building her capacity to expand her reach nationwide. The Green Power Girl education includes an assembly program, activities, and resources for teachers. Susan has also created the Green Power Hero Universe Card Game. There is an animated version of Green Power Girl and her origin story which Susan shows to students (and below). If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

In this podcast I interview Sarah Brooks, Senior Sustainability Advisor from The Natural Step organization, which is based in Ontario, Canada. The Natural Step framework is being used all over the world by large and small companies and communities to plan for sustainability. Sarah Brooks and her colleague Mike Purcell were brought to the Big Island by The Hawaii County Resource Center and The Kohala Center to train about 30 Hawaii Island residents in how to apply the Natural Step framework in sustainability planning in their companies, organizations, and communities. If you are interested in learning more about how The Natural Step can enhance your business, community and the environment- please register for my free webinar. I am also happy to come talk story with you at your place of business. If you are an itunes user, you can subscribe to my podcast through itunes and receive automatic weekly updates. Or you can listen below:

In this podcast I interview Josh Tickell, Director of the film FUEL. FUEL is a film about our national addiction to oil and the influence fossil fuel has on our health, our economy and our foreign policy. Josh Tickell uses his story to tell our story. The film has appearances by Sheryl Crow, Woody Harrelson, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Bill Clinton and others. The film lays out the problems and the solutions- highlighting the fossil fuel alternatives that will hopefully play a larger role in fueling our nation. FUEL Winner of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for Best Documentary and Josh Tickell was just named a United Nation Goodwill Ambassador. The Hawaii premeire of FUEL is on Friday, June 26th at the Blaisdell Center Concert Hall. For tickets and info go to gemhawaii.com or ticketmaster.com. You can subscribe to the podcast with itunes or listen or download below.