Malama O Puna will host the seventh annual Sustainability Expo from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Leilani Estates Community Association pavilion at 13-3441 Moku St., Pahoa.
Malama O Puna will host the seventh annual Sustainability Expo from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Leilani Estates Community Association pavilion at 13-3441 Moku St., Pahoa.
“It has been seven years now that Malama O Puna has been putting on sustainability expos, and the fact that there are always new and different displays speaks to the creativity and diligence of the exhibitors,” said a spokesman for the coordinating committee.
“This year’s Expo will host an array of resources, products and inspirations for those of us who want to increase the sustainability of our homesteads.”
Here are some of the participants:
l Stone Cold will exhibit a new improved solar refrigerator;
l Pacific Biodiesel will feature farming projects throughout the state that will support future biodiesel production as well as its logistics program, “Restaurants & Renewables”;
l Paradise Nectar will offer bee-related products and information about hive management, with a live hive on exhibit;
l Just Tom’s friendly fluffy chickens not only ride bikes but also star in slide shows and chicken mini-movies;
l Russell Ruderman will have a brochure on sustainability, “Ten Ways to be more sustainable, and why,” a clean-elections petition and info on the politics of sustainability.
The event is free to the public. The facility has ample paved parking, restrooms and a playground for the kids. For more info, email malamaopuna@yahoo.com.
— Lehua Lena Nursery will be selling plants for food, home gardens and ecological landscaping;
— Dean Cail will not only sell palms, but he will donate a very large one to the winner of a $1 raffle donation to benefit Malama O Puna;
— Malama O Puna will have more than one exhibit: one will inform about the red mangrove removal project at Alula Bay and sign up volunteers (a great excuse to go to the beach on the Kona side), and the other will provide information about GMOs and sell edible and medicinal plants;
— Pahoa Feed & Fertilizer will also be selling plants for the sustainable garden, and
— Master Gardeners will answer garden questions, have free literature, and show how to make fruit fly traps.
There will be other exhibits, as well, covering various elements of sustainability such as agriculture (plants and animals), cultural and traditional practices, education, home energy systems, energy conservation, green jobs and right livelihood, herbal and traditional medicine, recycling and solid waste, green building practices, transportation, water (agricultural, potable, conservation, catchment) and other topics of interest.
There will also be several presentations during the course of the day.
“Exhibitors are still signing up. All the ideas and products on display will be affordable and most will be DIY (do it yourself) from inexpensive materials,” said the Expo spokesman. “Great ideas and interesting discussions will keep attendees fully engaged.”