Island of Kauai Asked to Comment on 2050 Hawaii Sustainability Plan

"We need a new Hawai'i Plan-which is the impulse at the heart of efforts such as Hawai'i 2050," said George Ariyoshi, Hawaii's governor, 30 years ago. That plan has finally arrived.

Kauai residents have been asked to provide feedback on the 2050 Hawaii Sustainability Plan which was released last Saturday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on the island of Oahu, home of the state's capital. The 2050 Hawaii Sustainability Summit was broadcast on four different channels that day on public access television, and now the state's officials are looking for the public's comments.

The 2050 Plan focuses on three areas of Hawaii's life: A sustainable economy; a sustainable society; and a sustainable environment. These three areas were created after almost 18 months of research by the 2050 Hawaii Sustainability Plan's task force, and provides suggestions and goals to move Hawaii forward in the next five decades.

According to a state press release, the 2050 Hawaii Sustainability Plan has five main goals:

1) Encourage sustainable living as a daily practice in Hawaii.

2) Diversify Hawaii's economy. Right now, the majority of Hawaii's economy is based on tourism and government.

3) Replenish, preserve and responsibly use Hawaii's natural resources, which is already gaining popularity with the construction of sustainable energy like wind farms and geothermal generators.

4) Preserve the state's Hawaii cultures and values.

5) Keep the Hawaii community strong.

The plan also calls for the creation of a Sustainability Council that would be made up of state and county officials, as well as Hawaii residents.

Now that the draft plan has been released, the state is looking for public comment. After the comments are received, the draft plan will be reviewed and revised, then sent to the Hawaii State Legislature next year.