Life of the Land
From dKosopedia
Category: Environmental issues in Hawaii
Life of the Land, is an environmental organization formed in 1970 by activist Tony Hodges. The name of the group is derived from the state motto, Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Āina i ka Pono, the life of the land is preserved in righteousness.
From the Life of the Land website:
- "Life of the Land is a Hawaii-based, Hawaii-focused environmental and community action group. Founded in 1970, the mission of Life of the Land is to preserve and protect the life of the land through sustainable land use and energy policies and to promote open government through research, education, advocacy and, when necessary, litigation. We believe that people are part of the environment. We are known for research, research, research. We cover complex issues such as genetic engineering, climate change, and quality of life issues. LOL is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. We do not attend fundraisers, testify for/against political and/or administrative candidates, nor do we rank candidates. We work on issues not people." [1]
The present Executive Director of Life of the Land is Henry Curtis.
Views on ethanol
From the Letters to the Editor section, Haleakala Times, August 2, 2006:
- Ethanol takes fossil to produce
- Proponents of clean coal talk about the possibility of creating clean coal plants that will cut mercury emissions, eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, and solve all our energy problems. They only need $10 billions of your money to conduct further research.
- Clean coalers limit their analysis to futuristic clean coal power plants. They ignore how the coal gets to the plant, the strip mining, safety of miners, and polluted streams contaminated by mining activity.
- Proponents of ethanol talk about the possibility of creating green fuel that would eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, and solve all our energy problems.
- Ethanol proponents limit their analysis to ethanol power plants. They ignore how the biomass or molasses gets to the plant, the gas-based fertilizers, oil-based pesticides, diesel-powered trucks, and electricity-based irrigation.
- Depending on whether all or just some fossil fuels are accounted for, it takes between three and seven units of fossil fuel to make five units of ethanol (all measured in BTUs). Consumers will get to pay for five units of ethanol and three to seven units of fossil fuel, and reward ethanol companies with bonuses. Politicians will go to all parties and claim it is a win-win for everyone. Mother Nature will feel the heat.
- Brazil is held up as a model of ethanol supremacy. Of 160 countries in the world, Brazil is ranked in the bottom five in terms of income equality. Two-thirds of all families earn minimum wage or less, and one-third earn less than half of that amount.
- The upper 20 percent of society earns 30 times that of the lower 20 percent.
- Brazil has the second highest concentration of land ownership in the world. One percent of the population owns nearly half of the land. Brazil has been plagued by runaway inflation for decades. One 1945 currency unit is worth 100 billion units today. Few environmental or labor laws exist, and enforcement is spotty at best.
- Rocky Mountain Institute and the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) are updating Hawaii’s long-range energy plan. The new report will be called Hawaii Energy Strategy 2007. You are not invited to participate in the ethanol discussions. This discussion is only for insiders who will make money or power out of the ethanol conversion. After they decide, the results will be folded into the final report.
- Henry Curtis
- Executive Director
- Life of the Land Haleakala Times, August 2, 2006
Contact
- Life of the Land
- 76 N. King Street, Suite 203
- Honolulu, HI 96817
- Henry Curtis, Executive Director:
- Phone: 808-533-3454.
- Email: henry@lifeoftheland.net
- Kat Brady, Assistant Executive Director:
- katbrady@hotmail.com
External Links
- Life of the Land
- Waahila Ridge plan zapped -- HECO's plan to string high-voltage power lines there is rejected Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 29, 2002.
- Hoover, Will. Land at Ka'ena Point reclassified Honolulu Advertiser, July 9, 2002.
- Arakawa, Lynda. Help sought on recycling, illegal dumping Honolulu Advertiser, December 16, 2003.
- Pang, Gordon Y. K. Developers call for streamlined land-use process Honolulu Advertiser, January 5, 2005.
- Hao, Sean. HECO sticking to power plant plan Honolulu Advertiser, June 9, 2005.
- Leone, Diana. Isle firm plans new facility for irradiation -- A company official promotes its potential for agriculture exports Honolulu Advertiser, July 27, 2005.
- Kelly, Jack. The Algae Wars -- The biotech industry is poised to expand on the Kona Coast Hawaii Island Journal, August 2005.
- DePledge, Derrick. DLNR ineffective, audit says Honolulu Advertiser, January 6, 2006.
- Blakeman, Karen. Latest energy crisis won't be O'ahu's last Honolulu Advertiser, January 12, 2006.
- Dayton, Kevin. Energy plan touts $6.3B in savings Honolulu Advertiser, January 31, 2006.
- Godvin, Tara. Lingle closely watches energy-bill proceedings Honolulu Advertiser, February 1, 2006.
- Gonser, James. HECO advances plant plans with EIS Honolulu Advertiser, February 7, 2006.
- DePledge, Derrick. Senate kills bill to allow housing on ag lands Honolulu Advertiser, April 6, 2006.
- Dayton, Kevin. Lawmakers defer to utilities agency Honolulu Advertiser, May 4, 2006.
- Curtis, Henry. Plugging in to renewable energy Honolulu Advertiser, May 28, 2006.
- Conrow, Joan. Out of gas -- Ethanol’s promises have been big. Has it failed to deliver? Honolulu Weekly, June 28, 2006.
- Life of Land suggests Hawaii comply with Kyoto Pacific Business News, August 1, 2006.
- Battle over proposed HECO fossil fuel plant begins Disappeared News, August 22, 2006.
- TenBruggencate, Jan. HECO energy plan under fire Honolulu Advertiser, January 8, 2007.