Save Water! 9 Things You Can Do At Home

Water is one of nature’s most precious resource. Without it, nothing could survive. Many individuals don’t know much about water except it comes out of the kitchen sink or garden hose at home. We at Hawaiian Organic Noni would like to take the lead spreading the word regarding water conservation. Enjoy reading what we’ve learned about this amazing resource we can’t live without!

Fun Water Facts:

• Without water, the earth would look like the moon.
• All living things need water to live. People can survive up to a month without food, but only a few days (week at most) without water. An individual is recommended to drink six to eight glasses of water each day!
• Our bodies are 70% water (of that percentage, 90% is the composition of our lungs)
• Some of our favorite foods are up to 80% water (Ex. Apples, Pineapples, Corn)
• Less than 2% of the global water supply is freshwater. Only 1% is drinkable.
• On average, a person needs 5-13 gallons of water per day for basic needs.

Click here to read more!

What Polynesian Culture Has to Teach Us About Sustainability

Today we want to draw your attention to a group that’s doing some really amazing work to spread the word about sustainability, world peace, and Polynesian culture: The Hokulea Polynesian Voyaging Society. This organization is midway through a worldwide voyage across the world’s oceans.

The catch? They’re making the voyage in traditional-style Polynesian voyaging canoes, and are navigating using only traditional Polynesian wayfinding methods. That means no GPS — not even compasses! So far they’re right on track. You can check out their route by clicking here. They’ve travelled from Hawaii, between Australia and Indonesia, around the coast of Africa, up South America, and are currently making their way up the North American coast. They plan to reach New York by the first week of June, in time for UN World Oceans Day.

We have long been inspired by the tremendous wisdom behind this group’s sustainability ethic, as well as by what we’ve learned of Polynesian society from the ethnobotanists who have come to talk to us about the traditional uses of noni. We’d love to share some of this knowledge with you, in the hopes that it inspires you to live just a little bit more with Planet Earth in mind!

Live With an Island Mindset

A big part of the intent of the Worldwide Voyage is collecting, sharing, and spreading wisdom about our planet, particularly with regards to sustainability. According to their website, “Living on an island chain teaches us that our natural world is a gift with limits and that we must carefully steward this gift if we are to survive together.”

This is very similar to the ethic of organic agriculture, which is obviously very important to us as certified organic farmers. We’ve seen it proven season after season how critical it is to protect and replenish the earth’s fertility and resources, which we do using mulch, compost, vermiculture, and our no-till system.

Earth is not a closed system, and there are many renewable resources available to us, but only if we respect their limits. We must replenish what we use and conserve where we can. Polynesian islanders understood this, simply because their world was literally an island. Polluting their resources or depleting the soil simply wasn’t an option.

It’s Possible to Modify the Land Responsibly

Many environmentalists today get so caught up in conservation that they see any modification to the land as a negative. But it’s possible to modify the land so it’s productive, diverse, and self-sustaining, while still reaping some benefits for us as humans.

This is the goal of real organic farming. We want to develop systems that are good for humans, but which also benefit the land. The Polynesian settlers brought noni saplings and seeds with them when they came to Hawaii, and the hardy tree has happily taken up residence here, providing habitat for many animals and a good food source for others.

Read how to let your foods heal you in the original blog here!

In what ways do you try to “live like an islander” in terms of sustainability? Let us know in the comments!

Easy Ways You Can Do Your Part For Sustainability

Earth Day is tomorrow, and to celebrate we’ve been sharing lots of information about sustainability and organic farming on the blog this month. Today we turn it back around to you. What can you do to preserve and protect our beautiful, bountiful, endangered planet?

Here are just a few ideas:

Eat More Plants

There are countless reasons why all of us should be eating less meat, particularly less meat raised in our modern industrial agricultural system. First of all, those animals are mightily abused, kept in cramped quarters, fed substandard feed, and weaned inhumanely early.

In addition, new research from the journal PNAS shows that a huge worldwide dietary shift to a vegetarian or vegan diet would save millions of lives by 2050. Doing so would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60-70%, as well as save up to $1 trillion annually in terms of healthcare and lost productivity.

If you’re interested in reducing your meat consumption, check out our tips to incorporate more plants into your diet.

Grow a Plant or Two

One of the most fun ways to increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables is to grow them yourself. It’s possible to start gardening no matter how little space you have. Even apartment-dwellers can grow potted plants on balconies or windowsills.

Start small with a few herbs, then expand to a couple of your favorite fruits and veggies. For even your most small-scale efforts, make sure to adhere to organic principles and focus on improving the quality of your soil. That will ensure the most nutritious fruits and vegetables for you and your family.Click here for some tips to get your organic garden started!

Get Composting

As we mentioned, soil fertility is key to producing maximally-nutritious food. That’s why we prioritize composting and other methods of returning nutrients to the soil so heavily on our farm. You can read more about the importance of soil fertility here.

Getting started with composting yourself isn’t hard, but it takes some preparation and willingness to change your habits. As with any project, start small with just one small compost bin. You might even want to try vermicomposting (composting with worms) if you want to generate compost more quickly! The key to making good potent compost is oxygen. Turning your compost every other day injects oxygen and promotes good bacterium to make the best compost.

Add Sustainability to Your Social Feeds

Be honest — how much time do you spend each day on social media? For most of us, it’s a lot more than we’re totally comfortable with! One way you can make that time more productive is by being intentional about who you follow on social media.

If you fill your news feeds with organizations, thought leaders, and brands who post about sustainability, organics, and natural health, you’re likely to make more of those healthy, green choices in your day-to-day life. We recommend the Cornucopia Institute in particular, but there are lots of other great sites like Rodale’s Organic Life and Mother Earth News. Of course, you can also follow us!

Learn about the last thing you can do in our original article!

What are you doing this Earth Day to make your lifestyle more sustainable? Let us know in the comments!