Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Tracy Chan The 10 members of the Sustainable Saunders HUB team have spent the last two weeks organizing the last task force community meeting to be held at the Campus Center Ballroom.

Media Credit: Tracy Chan Shanah Trevenna, the student coordinator, hopes to inspire students to become more sustainable at tomorrow's meeting.

For two years now, the Hawai‘i 2050 Sustainability Task Force has held statewide community meetings to gather input on materializing the state's sustainability plan. The final meeting will be held tomorrow at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Sponsored by the Public Policy Center and the Sustainability Council at the university, the Task Force has teamed up with the Sustainable Saunders HUB team (Help Us Bridge) to rejuvenate the attitudes of college students toward sustainability.

"What we are trying to get out of the meeting is a different perspective," said Isao Kaji, a HUB team member who is majoring in holistic medicine. "(Students) felt their voice wasn't listened to. We want to give them a chance to have a voice."

HUB has been meeting every day for the past two weeks after receiving a suggestion by the task force to hold a final, but unscheduled, community meeting on campus. Both felt it was important to get students involved in creating a more sustainable atmosphere to ensure the future success of the state.

"I felt it was important for us to get the views of our university community," said state Senator Jill Tokuda of district 24 - Kāne‘ohe, Kailua and Enchanted Lake. "I think it's important for students to get involved and be engaged in every step of the plan."

Tokuda asked the HUB team to set up one last community meeting before the state sustainability plans becomes finalized when the Legislature convenes in January.

"We were really dedicated to making a unique program that centered creativity and learning and hearing every single person's voice," said Shanah Trevenna, the student sustainability coordinator for Sustainable Saunders who has been working with HUB. "This is for everyone."

Trevenna explained that it was important for the group to hold an informational meeting, but make it something that students would want to attend and actively become involved in.

The festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom with free food provided by Da Spot and free homemade dessert by the 10 HUB team members. They will also be showing Jack Johnson's "Thicker Than Water" surf film.

"It's the last day of school, so it will be a great way to end the semester," Trevenna said, adding that they are striving for a fun atmosphere as opposed to a lecture.

At 11 a.m., the program will begin with an informal talk story centered on sustainability and how students can make positive changes, including a slide show of the state of Hawai‘i. Trevenna said the HUB team members hope to spark creativity and discussion among the attendees, adding that they have several workshops and activities planned.

She said the HUB team, as well as the task force, hope to inspire students to make critical suggestions for the important document paving the way for sustainability.

"We want to make this plan about the people who are actually going to be here in 2050," said Keith Blake, a HUB member who is also majoring in architecture. "I see it as a chance to turn the juggernaut in the direction (the students) want it to go."

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