Think B.I.G.
Think B.I.G. (Big Island Green) is a local coalition working to improve the Big Island’s resiliency, equity, and sustainability. This year showed why that matters: back-to-back Kona low storms in March brought Hawaiʻi’s worst flooding in 20 years, Hurricane Lala cut power to nearly a fifth of the Big Island in August, and Hurricane Lowell knocked out power to almost all of Kauaʻi in September.
We are focused on strategic initiatives that can spur significant change in the time-scale required
We have seen how vulnerable our island is to the crises that come our way: major tsunamis last century, the 2008 financial crisis, the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, the pandemic, the Ukraine war, and now the 2026 oil shock. This year alone brought back-to-back Kona low storms that flooded Kaʻū and South Kona in March, Hurricane Lala, which cut power to nearly a fifth of the island in August, and Hurricane Lowell, which left almost all of Kauaʻi in the dark in September.
Our mission is to dramatically improve our resilience to whatever crises come our way in the future, and to do so in a way that also improves equity (fairness for all) and sustainability. The result will be better resiliency but also more livable, enjoyable communities. We pursue targeted initiatives in renewable energy, local agriculture, waste management, parks and recreation, and education.
Our mission & strategy →Free tools to measure, plan and act
Built by Think B.I.G. volunteers from public data. Score your resilience, plan a food forest, think through a crisis, and see how much clean power Hawaiʻi throws away.
The Big Island’s power, by the numbers
How much of our electricity is renewable, where it comes from, what the oil-linked fuel charge is doing to your bill, and where we could be by 2045.
Where Big Island electricity comes from
Weaning our cars off oil
About 1 in 25 passenger vehicles in Hawaiʻi is now electric: 42,919 EVs as of September 2026, up 9.7% in a year. Every EV charged on renewable power is fuel we no longer have to ship in.
Our sister organization, the Hawaiʻi EV Association, works hard on weaning our transportation systems from oil.
1 in 25 cars is electric
Our Focus
Localize Everything: the more of our energy, food and materials we make here, the better we weather what comes.
Renewable Energy
Renewable electricity from solar, wind, small hydro and, if done right, geothermal, plus green transportation: EVs, clean buses, bikeshare and ride sharing. The Big Island could easily produce all of its power needs locally.
Local Agriculture
We have water and warmth provided by the ʻāina, yet we import most of our food. Our Prep, Set & Forget food forests and Food Abundance Team put staple crops in the ground, household by household.
Preparedness
Practical tools for households and communities to measure their self-reliance, plan for disruption, and keep water, food and power flowing when the boats or the wires stop.
Waste Management
A small island, even when it’s called the Big Island, has limited room for waste. We should reduce, reuse, recycle and upcycle, and fix our broken recycling and solid waste systems.
Parks & Trails
Parks and trails are part of resiliency, human health and a healthy environment. We work to improve existing parks and trails and add new ones, including routes that double as evacuation routes.
Policy & Advocacy
Data-grounded briefs, testimony and proposals, from the Strategic Food Reserve to Smart Imports, that turn good ideas into law at the County and the Legislature.
Energy and Food Security After Federal Funding Cuts
Think B.I.G. hosted a panel on how Hawaiʻi can keep its food and energy security on track despite the loss of crucial federal support for programs that improve resilience and self-sufficiency.
Panel: Albie Miles (University of Hawaiʻi), Sarah Freeman (County of Hawaiʻi), Heather Kimball (Hawaiʻi County Council), Noel Morin (clean energy and transportation advocate). Moderated by Jeannette Gurung (WOCAN); hosted by Tam Hunt.
All events & recordings →Lower your bill. Prepare your household.
Games for kids, ages 5 to 12
Island fast facts plus seven games: power the island, plant a food forest, sort waste, store water, stock a pantry, pack a storm kit and test your island smarts. Win every badge to become a Resilience Ranger. Great for classrooms and sustainability fairs.
“Small world, Big Island”— local saying
A better future is possible.
Get news on events, new tools and policy fights that matter for the Big Island. A few emails a year, never sold or shared.
Our mission is to improve resiliency, equity, and sustainability in our island home.