HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0349.778 2006-2008 Murashige, Laura
From: Donald Wessels [dfwJr@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 2:51 AM
Subject: PunalutuSJustthe@Beginninghi.us L("~ ]u` p']rl .gyp !'r
Aloha, Hawaii County Councilpersons
~~1:-._.
The fight to save Punalu'u must be just the beginning of a much broader battle. Why is it
true that every living system on our planet is in decline? There is something
fundamentally wrong with the way we are doing business. We are trampling the Earth's life
into submission. It seems that our priority is the extraction of wealth often at expense
to the people and the land on which we depend. The modern suburban style housing
developments built on Hawaii Island make lots of profits while leaving a powerfully
disruptive ecological foot print upon the land. Modern housing development should acutely
the suburban adulteration of the land for the benefit of making profit.
The primary mission, by law, of housing developers is their short term profit. Concern for
the people and land we all depend on is secondary to the legal purpose of modern business.
Our choice, as Hawaii County Citizens, should NOT be how to minimize the devastation of
development. Our choice MUST be how can we legally ensure that developers are accountable
to the enrichment our communities into perpetuity. The care of community must sit as the
primary legal authority that all businesses should held accountable to.
The short sighted drive for immediate return on investment is the economic engine that is
eating up and laying waste to the Hawaiian Islands and the World. The modern developer'-s
primary job isn't to work for us, our families, or the land we live on they exist to
maximize profit. The pursuit of profit must take a back seat to the habitability of our
communities. The 150 acres of Punal'uu needs to be conserved for the people of Ka'u and
should be the first step of many toward making legal that the making profits is
subordinate to serving the people of County of Hawaii.
Conservation Laws like Resolution 169-07 saves the the land so we and our children have a
prosperous future. The authority to govern is given to you, the members Hawaii County
Council, by the citizens of this County. The rightful authority of how to use the
resources of this island also resides with the citizens of this County, not to those who
stand to profit from its exploitation. We must redefine the legal purpose of all business
to reflect the just and rightful authority of the citizens to govern their communities and
the resources it contains.
Ultimately it all comes down to values. We all want and need money but do we value
maximized profit over the well-being of our communities? We must charter businesses that
serve people as its primary purpose and ethic. The ethic of making profit can motivate one
to excel and drive us to powerful technological innovations. But, the over-riding desire
for wealth can also drive one to rationalize and ignore any damage one does to the Earth's
communities. The "profit as the only reason for doing business" model we have now not only
doesn't work it is destructive. If we are going to transition to a sustainable society
businesses must, by the force of law, meet the needs of local communities first over its
own profit or it simple should not to be allowed to do business.
Take Care,
Donald Wessels
Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici.
"By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe." ~ ~ » 8
- Faust as quoted in V for Vendetta - 1
~ •f
Ref. Tos_,.~„~---Q~
Ref. Date Jl1L
9~---_
Don't get soaked. Take a quick peak at the forecast with the Yahoo! Search weather
shortcut.
1