There’s a quiet revolution happening in the dirt, being waged with shovels, patience and purpose. It’s a rebellion against a broken and destructive industrial agriculture system, a reconnection to community and long-term productivity.

As Hawaii struggles to feed and fuel itself, agricultural lands are becoming increasingly critical. In 2008, the legislature passed a law requiring each county to identify and preserve its choicest farm lands.

A recently introduced bill in the state Senate would require businesses in Hawaii to impose a 10 cent fee for single-use bags provided to customers upon checkout. The bill, SB2511, was heard last Thursday, Feb.

In order for Hawaii to reach the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) of 40 percent renewable energy by 2030, big changes must be made. A number of bills proposed this year seek to knock Hawaii Electric Industries (HEI) off of its energy monopolizing pedestal.

Year after year, residents of Honolulu–and cities all over the world–open up their doors to find an unsought pile of wood pulp that has become increasingly obsolete over the years: the yellow pages. A small percentage of people may continue to make use of the phone book (the elderly, people stuck in business waiting rooms and pay phone frequents), but, as internet culture has evolved, so has the way that people get their information.

Hawaii People’s Fund will be holding a workshop entitled “Community Organizing 101” to help clarify goals, strategy and tactics of community organizing. Studio 909, Musicians Hall, 949 Kapiolani Blvd., Sat., 2/18, 9am-1pm, $40.

[Feb. 8: “Game Changer”] Let’s elect Ben.

I am grateful that former Gov. Ben Cayetano is willing to run for Honolulu mayor to address the escalating problems with noisy, ugly, overly expensive–and increasingly unpopular–heavy rail.

You are worried with outward beauty. You don’t want to ruin the aesthetics of the island?

After reading Ben’s interview, I am going to vote for him regardless which way the rail issue ends up. I travel to Bangkok every year and have seen how they did their rail, which makes a lot of sense to me.

I find it very interesting that Cayetano is so determined to kill the rail transit project. Back in the mid-1990s, the state had an oil industry insider as a witness against Big Oil’s fixing of gas prices and appeared to be poised for a big win in the courtroom.

[Feb. 8: “Stop Stalling”] Someone told me once that we have at most three days of food stock on island at any given time, meaning that we have enough food shipped here to feed everyone for three days.

On Feb. 7, I wrote Rep.