3 federal agencies prevail in EPA’s Green Challenge
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named three federal agencies in Hawaii as winners of its Federal Green Challenge program.
The EPA announced the award April 22.
The U.S. Postal Service Honolulu Processing and Distribution Center achieved a 70.7 percent recycling rate, increasing the amount recycled by 400 tons in the past year, a news release said.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Honolulu office decreased car commuting by its staff by more than 5 percent. It created a tracking tool to analyze the transportation methods of its staff members.
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, in conjunction with the University of Hawaii at Hilo, developed an employee survey to ascertain energy knowledge, views and habits. As a result, informational signs and stickers were put up and energy meters were added to some equipment.
» Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii recently honored volunteers from school mentoring programs on Oahu.
Sherman Quarles received the Big Brother of the Year award in front of more than 200 of his fellow Coast Guard members during a monthly meeting. Ashlei Poziembo was given her award in front of classmates, family and her Little Brother and Little Sister during an assembly at ‘Iolani School.
As a high school senior, Poziembo also earned a $500 scholarship provided in partnership with Aloha Shoyu and Bottling Co. She has been a volunteer Big Sister with the Big Brothers Big Sisters school mentoring program for three years.
Quarles is an adult volunteer who has been a Big Brother with the school mentoring program since 2008.
In July, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii began serving children in all four counties with the unification of the formerly independent Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies of Honolulu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii island.
» Twenty high school students from Hawaii were in Phoenix from May 12-17 to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a global science competition for students in grades 9-12. More than 1,500 high school students from more than 70 countries, regions and territories participate annually in the fair, showcasing independent research as they compete for more than $3 million.
Reid Toshio Kealii Akana, from Kamehameha Schools Kapalama, won $1,500 in the Plant Science category for his project, "Isolation of Leukemia-Specific Cytotoxic Compounds from Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)." Receiving an honorable mention from Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society and The Society of Exploration Geophysicists were Charlyn Castro Manuyag and Fely Marie Gregorio Magaoay, Waipahu High School students, with their project, "The Effects of Temperature on the Index of Refraction of Water."
More than 4,200 Hawaii students participate in school, district and the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair during the school year.
