The phrase, “Don’t waste a crisis,” has almost become a cliche, and we use it in reference to many things, especially economic crises. Indeed, when we experience a crisis, we should always learn what we can from it in the hopes of not experiencing it again. Experiencing a medical crisis often leads us to pay greater attention to our health. An economic crisis may lead us to make better decisions about spending and saving.
Arguably one of the crises in the U.S. that has had the longest lasting impact on education was the oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969. Visions of oil-covered birds and dead fish washing up on the shore are sights that we have seen far too often, but that particular oil spill came at a time when a lot of people were beginning to think more about pollution of all kinds, and just a few months later, in April 1970, Earth Day was launched.
The crisis of the Santa Barbara oil spill caught the attention of Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, and, inspired by the civil rights movement of the sixties, he suggested a teach-in at college campuses to direct more attention to the environment and what we might do to protect it. He and his team chose an April date, midway between spring break and finals, to maximize student participation.
That same year, 1970, marked the beginning of a four-year campus in Hilo, so it is no surprise that environmental programs play a major role on our campus and attract a lot of students. The interweaving of the histories of U.S. environmental movements and of UH Hilo can be seen clearly today. This month, for example, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of our master’s program in Tropical Conservation, Biology, and Environmental Science.
TCBES is anchored in our College of Natural and Health Sciences but includes faculty from across campus who mentor and work with cohorts of graduate students. We also have dozens of affiliate faculty from other universities and state, federal and local agencies, all of whom are involved in providing our students with an amazing, hands-on education in environmental sciences. These well-trained graduates then go on to many important roles across our state that help us protect our islands.
It is not just the wealth of faculty with technical expertise that helps this program thrive, but also the abundant, yet fragile, ecosystem of our island, which provides an unmatched learning laboratory. Finally, the strong sense of malama ʻaina that is characteristic of our campus informs students and faculty of the tremendous indigenous science that has been here for generations. The combination of all these elements creates a truly remarkable program.
Of course, TCBES is not our only environmentally centered program: agriculture, biology, marine science, environmental science, geography and many more provide opportunity for students to specialize in environmental issues, and we complement those programs not only with facilities such as ‘Imiloa, but also with events like La Honua (Earth Day).
By the time you read this column, our La Honua celebration, co-hosted with Hawaii Community College, will be in full swing, but for me, the highlight will be on Monday (tomorrow!), when nearly 900 keiki from East Hawaii will be on the Hilo campus.
These K-8th grade students will learn about various conservation and environmental agencies, nonprofits, businesses, as well as UH Hilo and Hawaii CC classes and research programs. They will be introduced to conservation careers and current environmental projects occurring around Hawaii Island. Even though I have been here for nearly five years, this will be my first full La Honua celebration because of the pandemic.
There has been a lot of talk about declining enrollment at UH Hilo and a lower-than-average college-going rate among our young people. But events such as Earth Day inspire a passion in children for careers in science and public policy and have done so since 1970. I am sure we will see some of those same young people who visit our campus tomorrow as students at UH Hilo soon. They could not pick a better institution to learn more about all aspects of our island home!
Bonnie D. Irwin is chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Her column appears monthly in the Tribune-Herald.