Earth Day Schedule of Events

Earth Day at KCC

Earth Day at Kauai Community College

April 1, 2013—Kaua`i Community College Celebrates EARTH DAY

 

This year more than one billion people around the globe will participate in Earth Day 2013 on April 22nd.  People of all nationalities and backgrounds will voice their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection.  Ho`ouluwehi—The Sustainable Living Institute of Kaua`i at KCC and ASUH are sponsoring an Earth Day Celebration on Monday, April 22, 2013 11am-4pm at KCC.

v  Sustainability and Health Education

v  Cultural Demonstrations & Performances

v  Open Mic Event

v  Musical Entertainment

v  Prize Drawings

v  Food and Craft Vendors

 For registration forms please visit http://hoouluwehi.blogspot.com/p/earth-day-2012-forms.html
 or email knutzens@hawaii.edu.
 

KCC Aquaponics Project

Ho`ouluwehi Center at Ka`apuni

OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR February 13, 2013

For Release:      Kaua`i Community College Takes One Step Further Towards Sustainable Food Production

Kaua`i Community College has “just done something we’re not aware of anyone else doing within the University of Hawai`i system – connecting a photovoltaic system with a battery back-up system to our Aquaponics Program learning facility,” announced Helen A. Cox, Chancellor.  Why is this important?  It makes the program grid-independent and fully capable of producing its own electricity to operate its entire system.  Installation of the system is near completion and will be unveiled Friday, February 15, 2013, at 9:00 am at the College’s Aquaponics Program site.

The initiative was supported, in part, by a $30,000 grant from the Kaua`i Economic Development Board (KEDB), through funding provided by the Hawai`i Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) via the state’s Act 73 and its Hawai`i Economic Development Task Force.

“We are grateful for the confidence in us and endorsement from KEDB,” said Chancellor Cox.

“KEDB is thrilled to support renewable energy and energy efficiency field training. It is hoped that projects like this will lead to more ‘green jobs’ opportunities here on Kaua`i, said Mattie Yoshioka, KEDB’s President and CEO.

Eric Knutzen, leading Kaua`i CC’s Ho`ouluwehi:  The Sustainable Living Center of Kaua`i, stated that “our students can now gain experience working with an aquaponics food production system which is energy independent.  With the grant from KEDB and partnering with Dm Briggs Electric, photovoltaic installing company, we’ve now diligently brought to fruition an ‘off-grid’ aquaponics system.  Much appreciation to so many, who helped make this happen both administratively and practically.” 

“This is a tremendous advancement for our Kaua`i CC students to gain first-hand, hands-on learning experience with one of the lowest cost, highest efficiency food production methods which, when coupled with PV and batteries, exemplify how the protein and vegetable food needs of so many can be satisfied without the need for on-grid electrical connectivity,” explained Knutzen.

Dylan De Pue of Dm Briggs Electric shared that, “It has been an honor to work with Kaua`i CC in its endeavor to provide these practical learning platforms.  It’s very exciting to be a part of helping in this effort to train Kaua`i CC students in progressive aquaponics food production--now with renewable energy electrical supply!”

Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.   Systems vary in size from small indoor or outdoor units to large commercial units. 

Contact Eric Knutzen, Executive Director, Ho`ouluwehi:  The Sustainable Living Institute of Kaua`i, Kaua`i Community College, 651-6300, 245-8388, knutzens@hawaii.edu.

Sustainability a priority at Kauai Community College