June 23 Meeting: The Rush to Biofuels

Click here to listen.

Life of the Land Hawaii Executive Director Henry Curtis

Notes from June Program—Hawaii Gets the Triple Whammy

Henry Curtis, Executive Director of Life of the Land, spoke about his group’s intervention in the Public Utilities Commission case regarding HECO’s Biofuel’s Contract with Imperium Renewables. They plan to import palm oil from Malaysia, ship it to Seattle for refining in Imperium’s Grays Harbor plant, and then ship it back to Honolulu. Henry spoke about the worldwide food versus fuel debate, which
Imperium called a “silly food versus fuel argument.”

Henry reported that the U.S. gets 1.8% of its electricity from oil, while Hawaii is 78% dependent on oil for electricity. This means that the skyrocketing oil prices produce a triple whammy for Hawaii:

   • Outrageous gas prices
   • Escalating electricity rates AND
   • The rapidly rising cost of food.

We should be encouraging the use of energy resources plentifully available here: sun, ocean waves and wind.

The thick book on the podium is the Life of the Land filing before the DCCA (Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) that Henry mentioned in his talk. A copy may be downloaded here. The Life of the Land website is www.lifeofthelandhawaii.org .

June 23 Program: The Rush to Biofuels

Monday, June 23, 2008

11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Miyama Main Hall, Harris United Methodist Church

Nuuanu Ave. and South Vineyard Blvd.
Ample parking - driveway off Nuuanu Ave.

Agenda:
11:30    Luncheon:  Selection of Pizza, Salad, Dessert from Marilyn, $5.00 Donation

11:45    Welcome, Introductions and Remarks, Larry Geller, President

12:00    Program: “The Rush to Biofuels,” Henry Curtis, Chair, Life of the Land

1:00      Adjourn

Real gasoline has become so expensive that people are thinking before taking the car somewhere. So now we turn corn into booze and put it in our gas tanks. Entrepreneurs are transforming used restaurant oil into diesel fuel that smells like french fries. Algae are supposed to make fuel for us also. Will any of this work? Henry Curtis may explain. If not, I’m going to ask him.

Please try an attend this timely meeting and learn the truth about biofuels.

Older Voters Turning Out in Twice the Numbers as Those Under 30

From this month’s Kokua Council newsletter (join us to get your copy in the mail, or see the right column of this website):

While organizers and the media have made much of record turnout among young voters in recent months, the San Francisco Chronicle reports that older Americans remain the most reliable and consistent group of voters. According to exit polls, at least one-third of all voters in most of the 2008 Presidential primaries have been over age 60, with the number rising to over 40% in states like Massachusetts, Ohio and California. Senior voters have generally turned out in twice the numbers as people under 30. Candidates recognize the importance of the “grey vote” and are expected to campaign hard for this demographic in part because young people have not yet established voting as a habit. Those under 30 are also more likely to face problems with residency requirements when they do go to fill out a ballot—they move much more frequently than seniors and may not have properly updated registration information, and college students must frequently vote by mail when they attend universities out-of-state.

(See: Despite youth hoopla, it's seniors who vote, San Francisco Chronicle, 4/25/2008)