HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0410.001 2002-2004 Nov. 18, 2003 Jay West, Peak Creations
P.O. Box 6239, Kamuela, Hi 96743
Ph: 885-7812, Fax 885-8457
County of Hawaii Environmental Committee artglass@gte.net
& Legislative Solid Waste Task Force
I've lived on this island for 19 years and I'm here today to talk honestly about a small part of my
experiences with our "Solid Waste Problem". This didn't have to become a problem if the
issues was addressed and a flexible working plan developed was actually worked on. I'm not
here to blame anyone, I'm here so we can move forward on a common goal. Much too much to
cover in this short time and I'm sure many people here will not like to hear what I say, how-
ever... here goes.
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What works? ~O~`-"" ~
Counn.
Using our resources. p ' '
1. By working cooperatively with the human resources that have feel that put the good of the
entire county and the environment ahead of personal gain.
Examples: Current county administration -mayor, council members and our new Environmental
Managemental Department.
2. Kea'au Recycleing & Reuse Center -works better than any project in the past because it was
not a government operated project.
3. Information -Use our community organizations to get the information out to the people on
what it really does cost to dispose of waste. How the Three R's can helpwith the the quality of
your life.
What doesn't work?
1. In the past, financial resources have, I feel, been used for a bandaid fix, not for long term
solutions
Examples:
Solid Waste Management plan, revised recently with some of the same solutions as was
in the first plan 12 years, however were not taken action on. Now the new plan is being
worked, however the financial resources are not there and I don't know how much flexibility
is in the plan when new (technological) opportunities arise.
Kea'au Recycling & Reuse Center: Too much of funding was used on administration of
the project. Various reasons for this, mainly I feel the requirement of numerous reporting
required by the stream of various managers of the funding. I don't want this as a pattern of
funding projects.
2. By limiting zoning, thus not allowing new businesses to establish themselves and create new,
sustainable jobs. Basically there are conflicts with state regulations and cou~mm demos. 4 IDS'
Ref. To: P?~ae~?p
Ref. Dote ~~~r 1 6
3. Not allowing entrepreneurs to be part of the "players".
Example: I am a subcontractor at the KRRC.
I went for this project as a way to prove to the higher ups that there are new sustainable
jobs that can be found in through recycling. I had planned on developing workshops for indi-
viduals interested in starting and growing businesses that utilized recycled materials and pro-
duced value-added products on this island. Recycling of the discarded waste -which in manu-
facturing, we call resources or raw materials. New cottage industries could be cooperatively
developed and marketed in a cooperative thus saving entrepreneurs duplication of capitaliza-
tion.
However during the proposal period my vision was sized down "lightened" to include
workshops for all ages and "fun" way to re-use recycled materials and what i call fluff projects
- an art show, and producing art for the site.
By the end of this project I will have been paid $3000 over the 9 month period of the
contract. However the value of my contract was almost 3 times that amount when you include
my in-kind donation of services. I am not complaining about the small amount of fund I
received, I wanted to be involved in this project for the good of the whole -and the only way I
felt I could was to be a subcontractor. It didn't seem a community member could be "included"
unless they were "on the payroll".
I hope my goal was accomplished in showing higher-up the value of, not only the
recycled materials that are being now being diverted and paid a diversion credit for, but the
materials that are not currently being diverted in general. The re-use of items for value added
products.
Thank you for this opportunity to come before you and honestly voice my opinions.
Show examples of 100% recycled glass tiles made from window glass, novelty items such as
flattened beer bottle embellished with Hawaiian tattoo design.
Hilo, Hawaii News, Sports, & Information Thursday June 19, 2003
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Artist sees development of new industries through recycling
(KEN HUPP - 67AM KPUA NEWS) A recyclables artist is
a
promoting the reuse of discarded materials to create new
industries and stimulate economic development. Jay West, an
artist in residence at the Kea'au Recycling and Reuse Center
said creating new products out of discarded materials
promotes pride in ownership, develops marketable skills and
reduces the amount of refuse in county landfills. During an
appearance on KPUA's Big Island Business Forum, West said
opportunities abound for the creation of low tech cottage
industries that can begin in people's homes and grow into
something bigger.
"I feel that manufacturing on the Big Island is possible, that we have all the materials that we
call resources," West said. "We are diverting resources from the land fill, and we can do manu-
facturing on the island with the materials that are already here."
West said something as basic as empty bottles can be
broken up into mosaics to produce business signs
'I worth as much as $5,000. She also cited custom cards
made out of recycled paper as another example of
value added products. The Big Island's first solid waste
convenience center opened in March. The goal of the nine-
month E-P-A funded program is to divert five-hundred fifty
tons, or twenty-five percent of the waste stream currently
being disposed of at the Kea'au facility.
See related recycling story from "Focus on the economy".
Recycling Center Making "Trashformation" areality
Cat sculpture created from scrap metal by West
http://www. kpua. neVn ews. php? id=184