Our past events…

Image by Chloe Leis

Making the Big Island Sustainable and Resilient

Recording link: https://youtu.be/sv_6ZQUV7Z8

September 13, 2023

Think BIG hosted a panel discussion to explore how the recently created Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience (OSCER) will lead the island’s journey to a sustainable future. The panel covered the importance of OSCER, its role in the County’s programs and policies, and how it will facilitate decisions and actions necessary for a sustainable future.

Our panelists included:

  • Bethany Morrison - Planner, County of Hawaii

  • Doug Adams - Director, County of Hawaii Research and Development

  • Heather Kimball - County Council Chair, County of Hawaii

  • Noel Morin - Board Member, Think BIG

Think BIG Board Member Tam Hunt, moderated our webinar.

Healthy Soil, Healthy Planet Webinar

February 17, 2023

Think BIG’s Healthy Soil, Healthy Planet webinar was held on February 17, 2023. The event featured a panel of experts who shared their knowledge and perspectives on soil's importance in achieving a sustainable and resilient planet. They discussed healthy soil practices, their benefits, and the various social, economic, and environmental considerations associated with traditional and regenerative agriculture.

Recording link: https://youtu.be/ljwSR61Y330

Our panelists included:

  • Susan Crow, Ph.D., Soil Ecology & Biogeochemistry, Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa

  • Christian Giardina, Research Ecologist, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, USDA Forest Service

  • India Clark, Farm and Community Engagement Coordinator, Oahu Resource Conservation and Development Council

  • Dean Odysseus Yacalis, President, East Hawaii Chapter of Hawaii Farmers Union United

Think BIG Board Member, Jeannette Gurung, moderated our webinar. Heather Kimball, County of Hawaii Council Member and Think BIG Board Member, gave introductory remarks.

Slides and Relevant Information

The following are the presentation slides shared during the webinar:

Information shared in the chat conversation:

Hawaii Island's Clean Transportation Journey Webinar

August 27, 2022

Think BIG and Big Island EV co-hosted a webinar on August 27, 2022, to highlight the progress on Hawaii Island in its transition to a clean transportation future. Speakers included

  • John Andoh – County of Hawaii Mass Transit Administrator.

  • Riley Saito – Energy Specialist for County of Hawaii Research and Development.

  • Robin Shishido – Engineering Program Manager at the Hawaii Department of Transportation

  • Michael Colón – Manager, EoT Policy and Program Development, Hawaiian Electric

  • Heather Kimball – Hawaii County Council member for District 1. She is also a board member of Think Big.

The event kicked off with a keynote by Kathleen Rooney, Director of Transportation Policy and Programs, Ulupono Initiative. She nicely framed the webinar with a talk that emphasized the importance of a strategy that goes beyond the electrification of transportation.

Check out the recording of our webinar here.

Creating a Circular Economy in Hawaii

April 27, 2022

Circularity is a crucial sustainability strategy. It calls for a shift in how we consume and produce 'stuff.' It maximizes our finite resources by extending the utility of products and their component materials for as long as possible. It encourages well-known practices like recycling, upcycling, sharing, and repairing. It demands that products are designed to last.

This approach presents important challenges for our growth-motivated economies where consumers are offered a steady stream of new stuff, many with obsolescence intentionally designed into them to allow for a steady stream of consumption. This, unfortunately, is not sustainable and is contributing to waste, economic woes, and degradation of our environment.

One answer is to transition to a circular economy, one that maximizes resources. This is especially important for Hawaii since most of what we consume is imported and delivered through high-carbon transportation, and most of our waste ends up in landfills.

The event, hosted by Think BIG board member and County Councilmember Heather Kimball, was on April 27, 2022, from 12-130 PM HST.

Think BIG Creating a circular economy in Hawaii webinar

Our panelists included:

  • James Ehrlich, ReGen Villages and Stanford Univ.

  • Heidi Sanborn, National Stewardship Action Council

  • Ikaika Hussey, Hawaii Federated Industries

Here’s a recording of this webinar:

Bamboo and Hemp for Sustainability

December 1, 2021

This was a panel discussion that covered the various opportunities offered by bamboo and hemp. The robust discussion covered many topics - the qualities of these plants, their role in carbon sequestration, and various uses, including as materials for home and building construction.

Our panelists included:

Here’s a recording of this webinar.

Vertical Farming in Hawaii

August 26, 2021

This webinar covered the pros and cons of vertical farming. Speakers included:

  • Blair Richards, Sensei Ag Director of Sales

  • Kerry Kakazu, MetroGrow CEO

  • Nicole Lowen, Hawaii State Representative, District 6, Energy and Environmental Protection Committee Chair

  • Richard Ha, Hawaii Farmer, and Renewable Energy Advocate

Moderated by Heather Kimball, Hawaii County Council Member, District 1, and Think BIG board member.