The Sustainable State — Hawaii

How many places on earth do you potentially have all the energy and resources you need to be self sufficient.  Not many!

Hawaii is on of those places , yet it is completely dependent on all others to exist.  Its primary energy source is imported diesel fuel that powers its generators and produces electricity for a whopping 35 cents per kilowatt/hr.  It is also incredibly vulnerable as it only has 7-10 days supply of fuel on island at any given time.

You would think given all the wind and sun the Islands have, that this state could be a model for reusable energy for the entire country.    Its wind efficiency is incredible blowing on the average day 15 knots between 1pm and 1am. Its solar potential is again a gold mine with 340 days of sun shine between the hours of 8am to 6pm.  The two sources cover over 2/3 of the day.  In addition you have the potential for a great energy storage using water with its natural topography to pump up high during when you have power and run it down in the late night.  Finally, you also have great geothermal potential.

Now when it comes to food, you can grow anything in Hawaii,  but modern large scale mono-crop agriculture has  stripped its land and poisoned its soils.  This can all be redone .  Hawaii can once again grow its own food and raise its own livestock naturally, as it did in the time before Captain Cook set foot on its land.  Hawaii could become a food mecca and model of sustainable agriculture.

The whole of Hawaii could be a model for the world of great stewardship of the land.  The state is close to declaring its intentions under the idea of security.  But, I think it would be better it to declare itself a place to learn how to do it right.

Many states should follow in their path an open the door to private/public endeavors for great stewardship and self sufficiency.