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“Sustainability” is about insuring that the needs of everybody in our community are met equitably without compromising the health of our resources and environment, and with a global perspective of the impact of our actions. As an isolated island heavily dependent on overseas resources, sustainability is largely about RELOCALIZATION. Few of us give a second thought to how dependent we are on each ship that brings fuel and food to our shores. The incredible irony is that the original inhabitants of Kaua`i sustained, by some counts, as many as four times the current population, yet were completely self-reliant and maintained a harmonious balance with the `aina (land).
Traditional Hawaiian ways of interacting with and caring for their environment reflect a sustainable resource management ethic based in aloha `aina (love and connection to the land), a value that recognizes that the health of the land and people are inextricably related. The Hawaiian deep respect for the land, water, air, plant and animal life is a cultural value that is often lacking in capitalist societies that are foremost concerned with the economic bottom line. A sustainable future must meld aloha `aina and traditional Hawaiian models of resource management with modern best practice technologies and systems.
Sustainability is not a new idea, but global capitalism has moved us further and further away from its principles. A returned focus on sustainability seeks to ensure that the social, environmental, economic and cultural systems that make up our community are providing a healthy and meaningful life for Kauai’s people, as well as maintaining a society-environment balance. RELOCALIZATION is the way to realize true sustainability.
Learn more about how you can help to relocalize our community! |
