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Service with a Statement Recap

Apr 29, 2009 | By James Koshiba

People said we were crazy to try to rally folks on a Monday morning during the work week.  But yesterday, about 80 of us turned out to work shifts throughout the morning - going door-to-door at the Capitol trading CFLs for incandescent bulbs and checking tire pressure for every car in the Capitol parking lot (including those of our lawmakers).

We were there on behalf of hundreds of others who voiced their opinions on issues and attended advocacy training as part of this Campaign.  

Members came from all over the island, catching the bus from Waimanalo and Hauula, carpooling from UH, and walking in from downtown offices. Many came before the work day started, helping us wrap bulbs in newspaper before the exchange. Some even took vacation in order to stay.

In 4 hours, we checked the tire pressure on 267 cars and swapped more than 550 light bulbs with folks at the Capitol.

What difference did we make? Let's start with some numbers...

The bulbs we swapped will cut electricity use by about 55,000 kilowatt-hours per year - the same amount produced by 190 solar panels or 32 barrels of oil. The new bulbs will also cut carbon emissions by 92,000 lbs per year (because we'll burn less oil for power) and save folks $11,200 in electricity bills.

On top of that, there's the impact of well-inflated tires improving gas mileage. Not every car had under-inflated tires, and even those that did won't all get air as a result of our work. But, if we assume that 100 out of 267 cars get air, the result will be 1,270 gallons of gas saved (60 barrels of oil), 25,000 lbs of greenhouse gas avoided, and another $3,000 in people's pockets.

Add it all up and here's the tally: For local families – $14,000 saved this year. For Hawaii's energy security – gas and electricity that would normally require almost 100 barrels of imported oil. For our climate – 117,000 lbs of carbon emissions prevented – an amount that would take a forest of 3,065 trees to absorb.

Not bad for 4 hours of work.

This was about more than numbers, though. We were trying to define a different kind of activism – one that changes minds and hearts through service – an activism that's about walking our talk, not just making demands. The civil rights movement made its statements through nonviolent protest. We want our movement to do it with demonstrations of kuleana.

We're also trying to build a different relationship with our lawmakers – one of mutual listening and high expectations. We want elected leaders to know, they can expect us to be informed, engaged, and to do our part. In turn, we expect them to listen, consider, and make better policy. This kind of relationship cannot be built on protests, petitions, or testimony at public hearings. We started to build these relationships yesterday.

Speaking of policy, the proposed ban on new fossil fuel plants (one of the issues we were highlighting through our work) is still in question as of this writing. Opponents say it's too much too soon, that the feasibility of creating enough electricity from clean sources is still unknown. My personal opinion is this: When it comes to climate change, the time for caution and half-steps has long since passed. The best scientific minds in the world say that we need to make some bold moves if we're to avoid catastrophe in the next 50 years. Many think it's too late already.

The proposed ban is such a move. It would force all of us to invest seriously in a different energy future. It would spur the development of new alternatives. It would commit us to a different path, starting today - just as Kennedy committed us to a moon landing before its feasibility was certain.

The most important effect of yesterday's work was that it brought us closer to each other. As we got our hands dirty together, there was a feeling of unity, and pride in what we were doing. We conducted ourselves with shared purpose and a spirit of kuleana – the hallmarks of Kanu Hawaii.

I'm grateful to have been a part of this group and the work we did.

Mahalo to all who participated. Onward, imua, with aloha.

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