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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 17, 2007

Planting many seeds to grow better future

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Are you worried about the future of Hawai'i? Will you commit to a change that is your own small part to making Hawai'i better?

Weighty questions for a Saturday morning, perhaps. But think about it a bit this weekend — and longer.

A group of Hawai'i citizens — mostly in their 20s and 30s — have been doing just that for the past three years and have organized into their own nonprofit, Kanu Hawai'i.

Their goal is to chart the vision for a better tomorrow for Hawai'i, build momentum by getting people to buy in and then measure the change.

That change, they believe, starts with individual commitments. Use less water. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Walk, carpool or ride the bus to work at least one day a week. Mentor a high school student.

Each of those changes has an impact — gallons of water saved, a child more interested in learning. And, as more people sign up, the impact grows.

Kanu also encourages advocacy for a better environmental, economic, educational and civic future for Hawai'i. In other words, working for a future that will mean our children can make good lives for themselves here. Policy changes will take longer, but grassroots campaigns can change policy eventually.

Perhaps this weekend, each member of your family can make a commitment to an individual change — and help make an impact on Hawai'i. Now that's power.