San Francisco’s wintry summer

Mark Twain said, ” the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” Wise words to travel by. I’ve decided to pass on a summer trip and go in February instead.

Rainy Season Kicks Off in Hawaii

Obama may be our president-elect, but he and others in line with him at the Mart can still learn a thing or two about sustainable living–like how not to be dragged into the mud by their reliance on unsustainable energy. This isn’t rocket science, just one decision: use alternatives to fossil fuels.

Hurricane Gustav, Some New Orleans Residents Won’t Evacuate

Hurricane Gustav is on track to hit southern Louisiana by Monday evening.  Residents are already being evacuated by state and local authorities. But not everyone is leaving.
At least one man — the father of my dear friend, Arthur, who left New Orleans after Katrina and moved to Boston to start his life over — refuses [...]

A Rare Glimpse into Life on Niihau, Hawaii’s Forbidden Island

I sat with Ilei under the shade of a palm tree. We talked more about life on Niihau and the struggles facing this small pocket of Hawaiian people. I came to understand how much she loves what the shells represent: her family, her history, her culture. I felt a deep gratitude for the time she spent with me, a curious but ignorant outsider. It was a rare window into another way of being on this planet.

Pictures of Snow on Haleakala Maui

A photographer with the Maui News, Matthew Thayer, had access to Haleakala National Park this past week when the road was closed. He took some amazing pictures of the January-February 2008 snowstorm on Maui.

It really snowed in Maui: View of Maalaea Bay from snow-capped Haleakala
(Photo courtesy of Matthew Thayer)
Iced-over endangered native [...]