HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0021.151 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fundKorai Smith
8th Grade
Volcano School of Arts & Sciences
Volcano HI, 96785
February 4, 2019
Charter Commission
Hilo HI, 96720
Regarding the 2% land fund program.
Aloha Charter Commision,
Hello, my name is Korai Smith. My parents are Kristin Wolfgang and
David Smith and we live in Volcano, Hawaii. I am an 8th grader at the
Volcano School of Arts and Sciences and I am very lucky to be able to go
to Kawa almost every three weeks. Kawa is currently being protected by a
program called Na Mamo 0 Kawa, they are doing a very good job at
preserving the land there and I fully support what they are doing.
Kawa is a Wahi Pana (Sacred Land) to many students who go to
Volcano School of Arts and Sciences (VSAS) along with most of the
teachers and volunteers who accompany us. I've been going to Kawa for
around 2 years now and I can see the effort and work we have put into
taking care of the land. Most of the invasive species are being taken out
and removed, and we are planting some more of the native plants in their
place. We work every Wednesday with Na Mamo 0 Kawa to make sure the
land is well kept. Kawa is important to me because every time I go there my
soul feels like it is at peace, that a war in my head stops. I and our teachers
don't want this sense of serenity to be taken away. Kawa is a sacred
place meant to keep the land alive, to bring comfort and to provide the
basic necessities of survival.
Comm. No. 21.151
Kawa is a place of hope, a place of chance, and a place of
opportunity. If you take the 2% land fund away that won't be the case. Sure
you may need it to rebuild roads and cars, but what about the land? If you
get rid of all of the trees you will be cutting down most of our oxygen
sources, you will be taking away the animal's homes, Native Species'
homes, you will be taking away Native Species of plants away all together,
and for what? To build cars and major urban areas? We already have a ton
of cars, and tons of buildings and living spaces, but no one is buying them
because of the prices. They're too expensive. You don't have to pay for
oxygen if you keep the trees alive, the nature alive. You won't have to
spend more money making machinery for proper air, you won't have to
spend more money on having to euthanize or facilitate animals, you won't
have to spend more money on buying land if you just keep the 2% land
fund. Is it really that hard for you to understand?
Why is your line of defense "Oh, we already have a little more than
half the island under conservation services, we don't need more. "? That
way of thinking is stupid. Do you realize that, in the long run, you will be
destroying the Island as we know it, or did that small, unimportant fact just
not cross your minds? Don't realize that you are creating more pollution do
destroy the earth? More pollution means more toxic gases in the air, and
news flash, our fresh, clean air comes from the trees you are going to cut
down in order to build those civilizations. Did you also notice that if you
create more pollution, oils and other toxins will go into our oceans? And if
more oils get into the ocean then most of our aquatic life will die? Did you
know that if more toxins get into our ocean we won't have most of our food
sources? Did you know that what you are doing right now will cause our
entire population to die off in a matter of centuries?
In conclusion, you should keep the 2% land fund program. I just
stated a bunch of issues that would occur, and a bunch of issues that can
be avoided. You are helping the environment and potentially saving the
world from further destruction. I am hoping you listen to my reasoning and
don't make a foolish decision that will destroy our Island further.
Sincerely,
Korai Smith