styrophobia challenge

in the land of plate lunches, the styrofoam clamshell is a familiar sight and one that makes me feel just a little guilty each and every time the remnants of a meal-on-the-go disappears down the trash hatch. last year, a much needed alternative finally arrived in the islands via styrophobia which stocks eco-friendly packaging products like sugar cane plates and utensils made from corn starch.

it may sound a little sci-fi but, lucky for us, these sustainable alternatives just may be the 21st century's answer to petroleum based plastics. bioplastics and its friends not only reduce our reliance on oil, but, unlike its counterpart, these products are designed with the cradle to cradle philosophy and when added to a compost pile will decompose back to mother nature in a few month's time.

[as you may know, old school plastic is not biodegradable and, if it's not recycled or diverted to a hermetically sealed landfill, will somehow find its way to our oceans where it photodegrades into little plastic pellets with devastating consequences not too far from hawaii. these pieces of plastic are ingested by ocean life and eventually make their way up the food chain to you and me. plastic: the gift that keeps on giving.

kidding aside, it's really disturbing when you stop and think about it so take a few minutes to watch this video and see where all this floating plastic ends up. one visit to the pacific garbage patch and you really will think twice before walking past stray rubbish again.]

a growing number of local restaurants are making the switch so show them a little love and patronize eco-conscious establishments who are helping us reduce our environmental footprint by keeping more waste out of landfills and keeping our 'aina and beaches free of pollution.

fyi - styrophobia's website seems to cater more to businesses, however retail packs which are perfect for greening your next party or picnic are now available at a handful of island stockists. even better, styrophobia has committed to donating at least 5% of profits to sustainability programs.

learn more about how styrophobia came to be here.

kanu hawaii

with the eco chic wahine event set for tonight at ward warehouse (fyi - still time to rsvp), it seems like the perfect time to introduce you to kanu hawaii, a social networking group for kama'aina committed to returning the islands to a more sustainable way of life.

whether you are a lifelong treehugger or new to greening your world, you probably share the same concerns as the founding members of kanu who were alarmed by the growing disconnection from the island values that were the foundation for generations of islanders. and so, a local social movement was born with the belief that individual actions truly can make a difference.

members are encouraged to make commitments to change their ways via simple steps like "i will recycle my batteries" to "i will take my next vacation in hawaii". kanu then measures the impact of all these little changes to illustrate how together we can make the islands and the world a better place for everyone.

and, while you can't disown your family for refusing to recycle ("too humbug" is the refrain given by most everyone in my family of a certain age), you can surround yourself with like-minded peeps via a little island style activism courtesy of kanu (next volunteer sign-up: aloha 'aina earth day on the windward side).

you can learn more about kanu during eco chic wahine or click over to their website and join the movement!

ship to hawaii

frequent online shoppers know that shipping to the islands can be a frustrating experience from jacked up shipping rates to pad a company's bottom line to the exclusion of one million potential customers by some mainland businesses who simply refuse to ship to hawaii. shopping local is, of course, the best way to go but that's not always possible so when you simply must hit the internet click over to ship to hawaii which just may become your favorite online buddy.

an annual membership fee (from $20 for the average jane & joe to $150 for a big business) combined with an additional shipping fee gets you access to the company's california warehouse which will receive your order, bundle it up with the goodies of other savvy kama'aina, and dispatches all the packages via air freight to hawaii twice a week (ocean freight is also available for heavier items).

patience is a must and, while door to door delivery is available to the neighbor islands, oahu residents will have to drop by the courier office near the airport to pick up their package.

an online shipping calculator lets you estimate the potential cost savings so if a business offers reasonable s/h this is not always the ideal way to go, however ship to hawaii does open up the tantalizing prospect of all those free shipping offers that are typically restricted to the 48 states.

learn what inspired this brilliant idea over at midweek and remember to read all the fine print before you sign up.

{via smart magazine}

p.s. outrageous shipping charges are not the exclusive domain of the mainland to hawaii route and has been known to afflict orders going in the opposite direction across the pacific (ex: a recent order cost $2 to ship from hi to ca but the company charged me $8 - yikes!) so here's a little unsolicited advice to hi biz owners - get a scale (it is a business expense, after all), sign up for click-n-ship postage, stock up on flat rate boxes from usps, and make a note that packages under 13 ounces can be sent via first class mail.

studies show that i am not the only one who has abandoned many a shopping cart after being presented with excessive s/h fees at checkout. in fact, you may be surprised to learn that 6 out of 10 shoppers ditch their cart prior to completing their purchase. the number one reason? high shipping rates.

ginger 13 summer 2008

hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! if you didn't make it to the sample sale last friday, at least you can console yourself with peeks from ginger 13's summer 08 collection. jewelry designer cindy yokoyama always brings the unexpected to her work and continues to reimagine island inspired materials into whimsical but wearable designs.

follow the lead of the official summer 08 look which dares you to layer pieces and rock a gypsy pirate look à la stevie nicks this season. too bold? simply pick your favorite design to add a more subdued bohemian element to your wardrobe.

a few pieces for your consideration:

large leaf * royalty fan * sliced limpet * hemp eagle

sliced limpet butterfly * single stone * rock candy * crossweave skull

take a peek at the entire collection over in the online shop or click over to the stockist list to locate one of the many neighborhood boutiques popping up from hawaii to nyc.

merriman's culinary & farm tour

the official arrival of summer seems to be a good time to reinstate the saturday travel post which went on an unintended holiday of its own sometime last year. if you have checked airfares to/from hawaii lately, it will come as no surprise that fewer travelers will be taking to the (un)friendly skies this summer and opting for the budget-friendly staycation (vacations close to home, natch).

lucky for us, hawaii's to-do list has something for everyone so whether you are on island 24/7, returning home for a visit, or just looking to get the most bang for your buck on your hawaii getaway, stop by every saturday to discover a little off the beaten path inspiration for your next round of wanderings around the islands.

if summer plans will be taking you to the big island and good eats are your fancy vacation splurge, book a behind-the-scenes peek and follow your meal from farm to table with merriman's culinary & farm tour. after an afternoon spent touring two of merriman's favorite local purveyors, the ranchlands of kahua & the organic honopua farm, the culinary excursion winds down with a four course dinner at the acclaimed restaurant, one of the original vanguards of hawaii regional cuisine.

• when: mon - thu, 2:30p to 7:30p
• tix: $155 (dinner included)
• fyi: reservations required; ages 8 & up

learn more over at the star-bulletin.