 We're back. We're live. I'm Jay Fidel. This is Think Tech Hawaii and our show right now is Community Matters and we're talking with Blue Planet Foundation about its Waypoint report, which is very important. Melissa Miyashiro from Blue Planet joins us. She's chief of staff there. Blue Planet Foundation, am I right? And I'm happy to have you here, Melissa, so we can explore your Waypoint report. Welcome to the show. Thanks so much, Jay. I'm delighted to be with you today. So let's talk about the report. I mean, here we are in COVID. We are at an inflection point, at least. Our cases are spiking. Last time I looked, it was over 200 on a given day. Wow, that is just mind boggling. And our economy, of course, is going to follow that number and it's going to further decline. We're stuck in what's going to be a lockdown for a while, or at least a need for a lockdown for a while. Tourism industry is on its back. And people don't know what's going to happen or what to do. And so what a great time to look at reimagining the state, not just a diversified industry in the state, but reimagining the whole state. It's like, this is a wonderful time to be here because the creative possibilities are so enormous and the stakes are so high. So on that basis, with that in mind, you guys have decided to write a Waypoint report. I'm interested in how you got the name Waypoint, by the way. So can you talk about the background and the work involved in writing a Waypoint report for the state of Hawaii at Blue Planet? Yeah. Thanks so much, Jay. You really hit the nail on the head in our thinking about putting together this report and wanting to contribute to solutions for Hawaii. So Blue Planet, we work on trying to solve climate change right here from Hawaii. That's already a daunting challenge in and of itself. So when the COVID pandemic hit and has really upended all aspects of our daily lives and our economy, we wanted to really take a look and kind of use this moment to reflect on not only our climate mission, but just making sure that our communities thrive as a whole. And how do we move forward given this new reality? So we wanted to put some thought and time into thinking about what does the journey look like ahead? So we've made some progress as a state and Hawaii is recognized as a global leader on clean energy. So how do we leverage that global leadership position into building a just sustainable and resilient future? So that was just kind of the framing. I just want to emphasize one thing you said that is, you know, up to this point and from the beginning, Blue Planet has been involved in environment, which is, you know, it's that's its middle name kind of. And then you go from there to energy because energy and environment are linked for sure. But this is different. You've gone beyond that. You've gone, you know, further, further altruism, further community service. This is a notable expansion of your contribution to the community. And I just want to emphasize that it's very important that you do environment, but it's also right now critically important that you do whatever you can and then and that includes reimagining the state. Good for you. Thank you. Yeah. I mean, for us, it was really a matter of kind of connecting the dots. So a lot of the work that we do on clean energy and sustainability is so interconnected with all these other pieces. And I'm sure you felt the same with this COVID-19 pandemic. We're starting to see that all of these issues are really interconnected and we as humanity are interconnected. We are globally interdependent. So, so all of those things were converging for us. And we really wanted to put some time into compiling a set of ideas and kind of action pathways that we can pursue to address some of these challenges in parallel. Yeah. So, okay, so you make a decision. You want to go further. You want to make a contribution. You want to wrap your various initiatives and, you know, philosophical notions together into this report. What is step one? How did you start that up? Who did you talk to? Who did you, you know, bring in on the thought process? Yeah. So, we reached out to some of our kind of initial allies and stakeholders working on this issue. And then also kind of looked back at the work that Blue Planet has done over the past several years and since we were established as a nonprofit, really launching in 2008, and looking at, okay, what are some of the things that are in our wheelhouse and what are some of the things that, you know, we can put out there and kind of contribute to the conversation that will take us even farther. So, what we're really intending here is for this to be a starting point for this dialogue. So, we're really seeking feedback from the community so that we're really shaping this recovery together. So, you know, we mentioned in the Waypoints report that this isn't intended to be, you know, a comprehensive blueprint and this is the precise solution that Hawaii needs, but we really wanted to, you know, kind of create some energy around innovative thinking about how we move forward on economic recovery, how we move forward on decarbonizing our economy because as devastating as COVID has been, it doesn't make our climate challenge disappear. So, we really have to be thinking about moving forward on these things in parallel. So, this is the starting point where we're putting these ideas out there with humility and really want to build a conversation, certainly now and then leading up to the legislative session next year and beyond. So, this is meant to be evolving and to have longevity. You know, a footnote to that. I take your point about the connection between environment and COVID and actually I think it goes two ways. The one way is as obvious as if you reduce human activity on the planet, you have a lower rate of carbon emissions and therefore climate change moves a little more slowly. That's already demonstrated. We know that. We know that and it's a lesson of some import because it proves up a few things. It proves up human activity has a direct effect on climate change both ways. That's a remarkable kind of confirmation. The other thing is that we live in a world of viruses, of bacteria, of antigens of all kinds. They are with us. They have been with us forever for hundreds of thousands of years. When we get a little too close, when we get a little too crowded, when we get a little too disrespectful of mother nature, then they pop up on us. But they are always with us. I mean you know that the Black plague appeared in the sixth century and again in the 14th century and in fact in Hawaii we had bubonic plague which was a variation on that theme in the 19th century. These things are going to continue to happen and it's kind of an irresistible even seductive notion that the way humankind lives can either increase the amount of these plagues or decrease the amount of these plagues. So my point is that I believe and we believe here that it works two ways. COVID affects climate change and climate change affects COVID and we have to treat them together and I'm so glad you see that. You see that connection. I think we all need to see that connection. We have to make a world where we're kinder and it's kinder to us. Yeah, that's exactly right Jay. That's exactly right. And I think some of the connections that you mentioned you know science has established those connections but I think people are really starting to feel them and appreciate them now in new ways and that you know that as devastating as this time is we do have hope that what we're learning in this moment is creating momentum to do things differently going forward. So Hawaii is a laboratory. I think you've always seen it that way. Hawaii is a place where you know we are more than most places respectfully of the environment. More than most places we can hopefully get people to support the notion of being environmentally conscious. And so it's not just that we find solutions here for ourselves that maybe we show the world our special ability to reimagine our relationship with nature and also help other people elsewhere reimagine our collective relationship. But the question I suppose I'd like to ask you is what does that include? You talk about initiatives that already exist. Initiatives that Blue Planet has worked on over the years and now you're sort of bundling them together in a sort of more cohesive way on this whole notion of waypoint. What are they? Can you list some so we can get a handle on what you're recommending? Yeah, absolutely. So just to give a maybe a better overview of what we have outlined in report. So we have identified 50 actions that Hawaii can take that really play in this intersection of economic growth, creating jobs, ensuring affordable access to affordable energy, and then also accelerating our transition to 100% clean energy. So we're looking at things that intersect those different ideas. So we've got 50 actions and then they're spread across seven categories. And those are shifting our economy. So that's looking at things like carbon pricing, which is a really exciting conversation that we could probably have a three hour show about. But also within that shifting economy section is I think what's on many people's minds is our reliance on tourism and really how vulnerable that's leaving us. So we've identified some actions for really positioning our tourism sector to transform in a way that sustainable both economically and environmentally. So those are things like just to give you a sampling of some of the actions we've listed, a carbon offset program to offset air travel emissions that could be used to fund energy efficiency retrofits in our local community. And then also ensuring that we're positioning Hawaii as the clean energy islands of the world because we do have success stories there. And the world needs more inspiration on climate change right now. So can we increase the number of rental cars that are electric and the number of tour buses that are electric? So yeah, so that's the first section. There are six others ranging from really focusing on the cost of energy and energy efficiency, clean transportation. And then also just around our built infrastructure. So not only from the buildings that we live in, are they safe? Are they healthy? But also our communities, are our communities built for cars or are they built for people? So we offer waypoints on each of those subjects. I love the term waypoint. It really it bespeaks of inflection point, right? We are and we are long away on a journey and we have to take stock because it's an inflection point. But let me ask you this way. What comes to mind on this to hear that is that bottom line is we don't have enough money to do the kinds of things that arguably would be necessary to return to some level of normalcy. Hate to use that term. It's an inappropriate term. But the way we enjoyed our comforts before. And our hotel industry is on its back and a lot of jobs are gone, a lot of the service industry job. We had to show a couple hours ago about restaurants there and deep trouble. A lot of businesses are going to fail. They are failing right now and people aren't going to have money. We don't have a population in general that has a lot of money at the bank and they're going to get hungry and query. Where's the food going to come from? Where's the cash for basic things? Pay the rent. Where is it going to come from? These are crisis points. And so I would like to hear you say that the kind of initiatives that you are advancing in the Waypoint report will actually help us solve these overpowering economic problems. Will they? We believe that they will. And I'm really glad that you brought up that point, Jay, because it's something that is really important to us at Poo Planet. If you're looking at just living the living situation in Hawaii, even before the pandemic, Hawaii was already a very high cost of living location. And many young people in Hawaii were moving out of state for better opportunities and higher pay and all kinds of things. And even, I'm sure you're familiar with the Aloha United Ways Alice report that showed even before the pandemic, nearly half of Hawaii residents are already living paycheck to paycheck. So that's the situation we were in, free pandemic. And now things are much more stark and it's not really clear when we might come out of that. So it is a really daunting challenge of how do we make sure that we're really focusing on these affordability issues that have lingered for years and years. So these aren't new issues. They're just really amplified because of the COVID pandemic. So how do we make meaningful change on that while we decarbonize our economy? And from Blue Planet's perspective, those two things don't have to be mutually exclusive. So we can move forward in addressing that. And we do try to identify some specific actions and waypoints that we think will help us get there. So one is really focusing on and really understanding the importance of energy efficiency. So there's so many things that we can be doing from an energy efficiency standpoint that can lower monthly financial burdens for our folks. A lot of the discussion around particularly affordable housing is really focused on the upfront costs. So that's really where the conversation stays and is dominated. But what's often overlooked are what are the month-to-month expenses and how can we bring those down with energy efficiency projects? So things like even just increasing disclosures on energy efficiency. So when you're renting an apartment and the landlord has chosen to pass on the utility costs to you, can you at least have some knowledge about what those utility costs are so that you can choose what option would be best for your economic situation? Well, you know it seems to me we're talking about Singapore before about how smart it was and somehow the government keeps coming up with creative solutions to every problem. And of course they have similar problems there as we have here around COVID. But it strikes me that if you have a clean slate or a reimagination slate and you want to adopt these new ideas or ideas we should have adopted before, as the case may be, you can connect them up to things that will have a beneficial effect on the economy. And that's what it sounds like you're doing. And that would really be swell instead of just going down the road and doing it because we always did it this way, not really changing anything, getting stuck in issues that we should be reinventing but we haven't reinvented. And I feel that the report or any comprehensive look at where we are can and should do that. It sounds like you're on the right path. We really need to do that or we will lose our people to the mainland or to a kind of a lower standard of living, a lower standard of intellectual life, a lower standard of community and in the process losing all those aloha things. Oh, this is very trouble. We have to preserve that. So you're in the right place to do it. So do you have traction on this? I mean, do you have champions out there who call you up every morning and say, Melissa, great. We love this. We're going to help you in every way. You have that. We have received a lot of encouraging feedback about the report and folks just expressing that they were really looking for some action items and things that are tangible. And of the 50 actions, some are things that you could go out right away and execute and others are a little bit longer term kind of policy and systemic changes that need to happen. So, you know, I think there's a little something for everybody. But as I mentioned, this is really something that, you know, we just released it a few weeks ago, but we wanted to be something that we're referring back to and having conversations and talking to lawmakers and talking to other leaders who are tasked with really shaping our recovery efforts. You know, what are the pieces that feel tangible right now that we can just move forward right away? What are some of the things that, you know, we need to do a little bit more research on together as a community to define the specific, you know, for example, bill language that would be considered for next legislative session. So, yeah, I think people are excited about rebuilding differently and seizing this momentum. And I think this really yearning for change that we're feeling in so many different aspects of our society right now. Yeah, and it has to be dynamic, doesn't it? In other words, we know this is, you know, I always say the only thing that's unchangeable is change. We're going to have a lot of changes. We're in the middle of the most transformational time ever, not only here but everywhere. And so the question really is how are you going to handle that? You wrote the report, it's in black and white. You know, I suppose I can go on your website and get one, right? Can I do that? And I can read it. Where would I go to get a copy of the Waypoint report? Where is it? We have the full report available online at WaypointHawaii.org. And then there's also a link to our BluePlanetFoundation.org website. So we have the text of the report all on the web, and then you can also download the PDF version. That's something that you want to have in kind of book form that's available too. And I think, you know, by, so the actions, we've identified an action, but then comes the work of implementing the action, right? So if it's a policy idea that we want to work with stakeholders on, then it's coming together and hashing out the bill language or, you know, speaking with lawmakers and understanding what they're hearing from their constituents and what their priorities are going into the session. So yeah, this is kind of a framework. And what we get really excited about is bringing these ideas and these actions to life. That's our favorite thing. It's a conversation. And as the community changes and the world changes, and it is certainly, the plan would change. So there'd be version two and three and four and whatever have. But the thing I wanted to ask you is just, it strikes me that if you want to advance a plan like this, of course, you have to go to the legislators and the public officials who you would call on, you know, to implement some of its recommendations. But you also want to go to the public because those legislators and officials are sensitive to what the public thinks. So it's a conversation among both sides of that equation, isn't it? You have to convince both of them that these are worthy steps, right? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, policy in a vacuum doesn't really get too far. So all of this work is about people, even in, you know, environmental work and climate work. It ultimately is about people. So it should be shaped by people and should be designed with people in mind. So am I right to think that most, but not all of the steps you're suggesting are legislative steps or are there other kinds of steps that you hope to achieve that are not necessarily, you know, incorporated in legislation? Yeah, I mean, a lot of, a big focus of our work at Blue Planet is, of course, driving change through policy, you know, but not all of them are necessarily policy focused efforts or not, certainly not necessarily only for the state legislature. So some of these proposals are more kind of county level action. So thinking about some of the, you know, permitting challenges that have faced the renewable energy industry. So some of those things that we can can work at a departmental level maybe within the counties. Yeah, so there's things from from all different angles. Okay, you know, I hope you'll come back with us, Melissa, and, and as it goes by and, you know, and rejoin us to report on how the report is doing and how, you know, it is comporting with changes in the community. But, you know, I do want to take a couple of minutes here at the end of the show and put some flesh on the bone, so to speak, and let you do your picture show and describe the process and what happened, what has happened, what is happening at Blue Planet Foundation by way of some of the graphics that you've given us. So can we do that now? Yeah. Okay, here's a picture of bicycles, bicycles, what is that? Yeah, so this is our team on one of our beaky to lunch days. So of course, this is when we were working in the office and we're all working from home. But definitely within waypoints, we have several actions devoted to, you know, how can we rebuild and reconfigure public spaces so that they're not designed for cars, but they're designed for people. And not just, you know, it's great to have less traffic, but we need to get people out of cars and encouraging them to use other modes as well. So this is a team in action. You bet. Okay. What's that? Yeah, this is our Education Director Griff Juergens in a classroom talking to students about climate change and things that they can do at home in their community to be a part of the solution. A lot of our work at Blue Planet is focused on youth and really equipping them with the tools that they need to succeed in the clean energy future. Okay. And that's this picture of youth now. Oh, somebody at a table looks like Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio, that's what it is. Yeah, this is just, I mean, continue. This is great, you know, the conversation. We love to have conversations about these things at Blue Planet. So we're always open to talking to stakeholders, to the public, to you, Jay, about these important issues because we need everybody to be engaged in these conversations. Absolutely. Okay, what's this? Oh, it looks like the Capitol. Yeah, I talked about our policy work. That is a big focus for Blue Planet. And we do believe that, you know, individual actions are important, but there are some some large systemic challenges that we need to work on. And we do, we do that at the Capitol. Yes, absolutely. Okay. This is the last one. There's more. No, that's it. Okay, well, Melissa, we're about out of time, but I do want to ask you one last question. If you wanted to say something in order to leave a takeaway message with anyone watching this video, take a minute or two and tell us what you would want them to remember about the waypoint report and the way and the way forward. We design waypoints and picked that name because we really see this as a journey. So this is something that we are going to be a journey that we're going to be going on together and we want people to shape this as a community. And this is especially important because in the coming months and years, the pull of the status quo and kind of the allure of going back to business as usual is going to be really strong. So we need to be deliberate and forward thinking if we really do want to seize this opportunity to rebuild in a sustainable, just and resilient way. It's a tremendous opportunity for Hawaii. And thank you very much for undertaking the work, the report and the implementation of these initiatives. Melissa Miyashiro, Chief of Staff of Blue Planet Foundation, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you so much, Jay. Aloha.