Robin McCann

We've all heard the saying "take a a walk on the wild side". I would like to suggest a bus tour of Oahu 's trashy side of life. The second is more fun, much more interesting and very educational.

You can view the trashy side of Oahu by taking a Tour de Trash. Tour de Trash is an award-winning free educational program offered by the City of Honolulu . 2009 makes the eleventh consecutive year that the tour is being offered to the public. There are are a total of six unique bus tours thoughout the year.

The first Tour de Trash for 2009 will be held on January 15. Tour de Trash (#1) will feature a visit to the Sheraton Waikiki (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) demonstrating Work Place Recycling. The tours allow participants to see and learn about opala (waste/trash) processing and successful recycling programs instituted by various island businesses.

To learn more about the Tour de Trash program, the sites the tours will be visiting and about Oahu's outstanding efforts to reduce waste visit the Honolulu 's Department of Environmental Services website page: http://www.opala.org/solid_waste/Tour_de_Trash.htm#schedule.

To register for a tour, call 768-3200. Tours de Trash are quite popular and fill up very quickly, so be sure to register now for this tour or for one of the later in the year. Special group tours are also offered for organizations, groups, and educators.

While we are on the subject of opala, be sure you Christmas tree does not become part of the problem, but is part of the solution. You can "chip-in" on January 10th. The Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and Sandy Johnson of Nanakuli have joined forces to offer free tree recycling. Sandy will be chipping Christmas trees into mulch at the Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sandy is donating his time and his chipping machine in the Aloha Spirit to help reduce, reuse and recycle.

Bring a bag along with the tree and you can take some free mulch home with you. By the way, it is not required to bring a tree to take advantage of the free mulch give-away. Mulching benefits include water conservation, minimizing weeds, warding off insects and cats. As the mulch breaks down into compost it also adds nutrients to the soil.

Be sure your tree is bare and that the stand has been removed. Trees with decorations, tinsel or flocking cannot be chipped.

If you have questions regarding the Christmas tree recycling, please call Desiree Hikuroa at 697-3599 or you can email her at dhikuroa@wcchc.com.

The Aloha Spirit means much more than just friendly kisses given while bestowing leis around some one's neck. The Aloha Spirit is community, taking care of one another and our environment. Taking care of our environment includes how we deal with our trash.

Aloha,

Robin

There is a new "gift under the tree" for homeowners and home buyers in Hawaii this Christmas. Hawaii state officials have announced that an agreement has been made with Countrywide Financial Corporation and parent company Bank of America which may help many distressed homeowners losing their homes.

The Gift For Home Owners:

Countrywide Financial was one of the main sources of loans for home buyers with subprime loans and pay-option adjustables. Loan modification terms will be worked out, when possible, with each individual homeowner.

Loan modifications may take the form of any one or combination of various aspects, which may include: a reduction in principal balances, adjustable rates converted to fixed rates or the present interest rate may be frozen or waiver of late fees. In addition, for those who are able to pay off their mortgage under the loan modification plan or refinance their home may have the prepayment penalty waived. This agreement is not a resolution for all homeowners, but will be based on each person's personal finances. It is hoped that as many as 2,400 island homeowners will be able to benefit from the loan modifications.

Foreclosure proceedings will be postponed for eligible homeowners currently in the foreclosure process or behind in payments while qualification is being determined.

The foreclosure rate in Hawaii is much lower than the national average, but the foreclosure rate has risen and doubled in the month of August. The rise in foreclosures is contributed to mortgages being reset, economic woes and rising unemployment. The rate of foreclosures is estimated to be 1 household in 1,272. The national average is 1 household in 488.

The agreement between state official and Countrywide took immediate affect. If your home loan was financed by Countrywide and you are having difficulty making payments or your home is in the foreclosure process, contact your lender without delay.

The Gift For Home Buyers:

For home buyers, your gift comes in the form a the lowest mortgage interest rate in history! In the past two weeks, interest rates have fallen almost a full percent; from 6% to 5.17%.

Lower interest rates not only benefit home buyers with lower house payments, it also gives you more buying power. A quarter of a percent gives a home buyer an approximate increased buying power of $5,000. Since the rate has dropped by almost three quarters of a percent, you can now buy more home for the same payment as a few weeks ago. Combined with the great home prices currently being offered, this is an excellent opportunity for those who wish to buy a home.

Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka everyone!

Robin

I am taking a break from the Christmas holiday news to provide valuable information to victims of our recent floods here on the Island of Oahu . We experienced storms last Thursday and Saturday which brought heavy rains (four inches of rain per hour) along with high winds. The rains produced flooding in several areas on the island.

The State of Hawaii, along with city agencies and emergency organizations, have set up information centers providing services and assistance for flood and wind damaged victims. The centers will be open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. today, tomorrow and Friday. On Saturday, the information centers will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Governor Linda Lingle has declared a state disaster emergency, enabling the National Guard to join with the City of Honolulu 's crews for cleanup purposes.

Damages caused by the storm is estimated to be $1.6 million but that figure may rise as detailed reports arrive and insurance claims are filed. Unfortunately a few homes were damaged beyond repair. It is estimated that 160 homes were damaged with another 34 homes badly damaged or destroyed. Many roads are closed until repairs can be completed or the chance of land/rock slides has subsided. More rain is on the way, so please drive carefully in areas proned to landslides.

The City of Honolulu is asking faith-based organizations, community groups, service clubs and local businesses that would like to help with floor recovery or to assist flood victims to contact Havinne Okamura at 733.4300 extension 556 or email Havinne at hokamura@scd.hawaii.gov.

Resources for Flood Victims:
Honolulu storm damage hot line: 768.4385. Calls will be taken between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Disaster Information Centers For Wednesday (12/17):

• Wai'anae - Makaha Resort and Golf Club, 84-626 Makaha Valley Road .
• Hale'iwa - Hale'iwa Shingon Mission, 66-469 Pa'ala'a Road.
• La'ie - Brigham Young University Hawai'i , Aloha Center, 55-220 Kulanui St. , Rooms 155 and 156.

Please check your local news stations or the Honolulu Advisor for the locations which are still to be determined.

• Thursday locations in Wai'anae, Hale'iwa and Waipahu are to be determined.
• Friday locations in Windward O'ahu and Waipahu are to be determined.
• Saturday locations, to be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will be announced for Windward and La'ie locations.

A favorite Christmas tradition on our island home of Oahu is the Honolulu City Lights celebration.

Ku'u Home ~ Our Home. is the theme for this year's Honolulu City Lights celebration. The theme was chosen to honor the diverse cultures of our island, our history and the Spirit of Aloha.

2008 marks the 24th year for Honolulu City Lights celebration. A lone 50' tree standing in front of our Honolulu Hale (Hawaiian for City Hall) was the beginning of this treasured tradition. The Honolulu City Lights now is made up of lighted displays, buildings and trees which runs through our downtown, Capitol District, Civic Center and Chinatown areas, with the traditional 50' lighted tree as the focal point.

The Honolulu City Lights is a wonderful sight to behold day or night but to get the full impact of its beauty, seeing it at night with all the lights aglow is the best time. You will want to bring a camera along to capture the memories.

Whether you have been naughty or nice you will want to visit Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele (Mr. and Mrs. Clause). Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele are easy to find in front of the Honolulu Hale in their bright traditional garb, island style. Two new displays this year are located in Bishop Street area. The Bank of Hawaii is decorated with a beautiful lei of crown-flowers along with swags which feature local musical instruments, adorning the building. Across the street, the First Hawaiian Bank has placed a display of three trees featuring a forest look combined with tapa (a Hawaiian cloth).

There are so many wonderful displays that I cannot mention them all here, you will need to go and see them yourself. If you are not an islander and are reading this blog, the Honolulu City Lights will be on display until January 1, so you still have time to jet over and see it for yourself, or you can plan a trip for next year, although the displays may be a little different as they change from year to year.

There are several ways that you can enjoy touring the Honolulu City of Lights, you can take a leisurely stroll, drive your car, ride a bike or take a tour on a fire truck or on a trolley. Unfortunately, if you have not already purchased tickets for the trolley tour, you will have to wait for next year, as the tickets are sold out. Fire truck tours are available until December 28 (no tours on the 24th and 25th) between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tours begin and end at the Mission Houses Museum .

The Spirit of Aloha is demonstrated in a very special way this year as the Honolulu City Lights celebration has gone green! Many of the displays have been recycled by sprucing them up and changing them up a bit. All the lights on the Honolulu Hale grounds are twinkling LED lights, which save up to 85% in energy usage.

The Honolulu City Lights celebration is totally supported by Honolulu city employees, local businesses and Friends of Honolulu City Lights, a non-profit organization, another demonstation of the Spirit of Aloha. Friends of Honolulu City Lights help to raise funds through various fund raisers including the sale of commemorative Christmas ornaments and T-shirts.

Fire Truck Tour: Mission Houses Museum, 555 S. King Street, Fare: $7, Keiki (children) 2 and under: $3. Reserversations are recommended. Contact: 590.2100

Visit the City of Honolulu website to view Honolulu City of Lights photos.

Hawaii is the 50th and the last state to join the Union, but Hawaii will be the first state to feature Electric Car Stations statewide.

The Governor has announced that Better Place , a Palo Alto , CA based firm, will be building the electric car stations. Governor Lingle stated in a press conference "Today is a part of the execution of our energy independence and our getting off the addiction to oil."

Hawaii has set a goal to reduce its need for oil usage by 70% over the next twenty years. The electric car stations will be a big step towards meeting that goal.

Better Place will build the electric car recharging stations and rechargeable batteries. The stations are expected to be ready for market by 2011. Charging stations would be placed on downtown streets, in neighborhoods and in parking lots statewide by 2012. Between 50,000 - 100,00 stations are planned.

The power for the electric stations will be purchased from Hawaii Electric, but will also be green energy, generated by wind power. The recharging stations would be charged at night when the demand for wind-powered energy on the islands is at its lowest.

Nissan and Renault motor companies have already agreed to build Electric cars for the stations. The Big Three have plans to build electric cars and increase its hybrid cars production as well.

Electric cars are expected to cost about the same as internal combustion vehicles when purchased, but over time will bring savings to their owners not only in fuel costs but in maintenance costs as well. Electric cars use only half the parts of internal combustion cars.

Better Place chose Hawaii as its first state for implementation because of its' contained environment. Hawaii was very open to the place because fossil fuel accounts for about 90% of the islands' energy needs and about 33% of that is used for transportation.

Better Place will be building the stations and the State of Hawaii is not expected to contribute to building the network. However, the State of Hawaii is considering offering incentives to encourage its' people to buy electric cars.

The state especially wants to encourage the rental car companies to switch over to electric fuel. Hawaii says "Aloha" to over five million people who visit the islands every year. As you can imagine this means there are a lot of rental cars on the road.

Because Honolulu has the privilege of hosting many of these visitors to the islands the benefits of the electric car will be greatly appreciated here.

This is Robin saying Aloha (hello) to a greener world and to a greener Hawaii and Aloha (good-bye) to you. See you next week!