GOING GREEN—Waimea resident Doug Teeple (right), who has not been to a gas station in more than two years, shares his e-Ghia with students.  Teeple, a systems software engineer at Canada France Hawaii Telescope, converted his gas-powered car to full electric.  He was one of several workshop presenters during the Second Annual Student Congress on Sustainability held June 11-14 at Hawaii Preparatory Academy. HPA and The Kohala Center sponsored the free event, which was attended by about 80 students and teachers from Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island.
This year’s Congress featured speakers Henk Rogers (founder of Blue Planet Foundation), Captain Charles Moore, (founder of Algalita Marine Research Foundation who discovered the Eastern Pacific Gyre—a trash dump twice the size of Texas between California and Hawaii)), and Alex Frost (County of Hawaii Research and Development), plus hands-on workshops, a full-day excursion, and time for students to discuss and exchange ideas. Representatives from The Natural Step, a nonprofit global organization whose mission is to promote real change toward a sustainable world, were at the conference to work with the students.
Students attended six workshops ranging from agriculture, compostable products, reefs and oceans, hydrogen cells, electric cars, to biofuels, and energy audits. Delegates also  visited island farms featuring aquaponics and hydroponics.
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