Tracking equity and impacts of the Green Fees

Our research shows over 220 community groups across Hawaiʻi working to care for and enhance natural resources. They strengthen hazard mitigation and climate change resilience through care of wetlands, coastal reefs and fisheries, entire watersheds. These ʻāina hui provide education to both visitors and residences, while also serving as first responders post disasters and feeding community in all times. Over half of these organizations have no paid staff, volunteer executive directors and very little funding (10-50 K per year), and regular funding to support jobs and staff is their main challenge. Rather then having them all compete each year, with bigger more established groups most likely to be funded, the green fee should guaranty annual funding, ideally enough to support an employee for each ‘āina hui in Hawai‘i. Our team at UH could help with tracking groups and funding impacts, while umbrella organizations on each island could distribute funds annually to smaller groups.