Hawaii | The Canary Report

A tropical depression, MSC style

Posted by Susie

Aug 102009

I’m not exactly sure when I realized I was in trouble.

Post by Susie.

There’s nothing like a hurricane barreling in your direction to cause havoc with just about everything. No matter how many times the weather service tells you Hurricane Felicia is expected to weaken before land fall, you still have to plan for the worst. You still have to take a look in the food pantry to be sure you’ve plenty of provisions. You still have to worry about your employment if the Internet cable goes out. You still have to wonder about how sturdy the chicken pen and how delicate the spinach starts. You still have to wonder how much wind it would take to whip that tree limb into the electric line. Forty miles per hour? Sixty? How much wind would be too much? How much rain would cause a flood?

To reduce some risk, we spent all day Sunday trimming branches, clearing out ditches, securing potted plants, scrubbing water containers, planning for possible evacuation.

But disaster came anyway, for a different reason. It happened in the front garden when we were trimming back the bamboo from the Internet cable, my husband way up at the top of a wooden ladder lopping shoots, and I hauling off the bundles to the mulch pile. About an hour into the job, our neighbors decided to do their laundry. Only someone with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity understands what this means. Only someone with MCS could understand that a neighbor doing laundry can cause a disaster.

I’m not exactly sure when I realized I was in trouble. Certainly the odor was a clue, that sickening stench of laundry detergent chemicals causing my brain to lurch backwards and my eyes to burn. But exactly how long was it before I actually started to crash? Oh, I remember. It was when the same neighbors started up the BBQ. Yep, that was it, the lighter fluid, hitting my lungs and my brain and my muscles as I lugged a bundle of cut bamboo up the hill. Instantly, it was no longer a hurricane I worried about, it was my own tropical depression.

I barely made it through the rest of the chores, collapsing into bed by 7 o’clock and sleeping for a couple of hours before having enough energy for dinner. I was so sick! Horrible, horrible feeling. Brain not working, body not working, all joy of life gone.

I woke this morning groggy but better. My eyes were still a mess, but I managed to shake off the rest of the aches and pains by the time I started on today’s writing assignments. This evening, Civil Defense is saying Hurricane Felicia is now a tropical storm, quickly deteriorating into a tropical depression herself. She’s wandered north of the Big Island, and will dump some rain on a few of the other islands, but no major problems are expected. As it turned out, she made less problems in my life than my neighbor’s washing machine.

Hawaii’s roadsides routinely sprayed with herbicide

Posted by Susie

Jul 092009

People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity have reported experiencing dizziness, brain fog, asthma attacks or neurological problems that make it difficult to walk and talk after exposure to roadside herbicides.

Honolulu Weekly reports on The last Roundup: Herbicides are more than just a headache for Hawaii residents.

Reporter Joan Conrow takes a look at the problem of roadside spraying here in Hawaii, using as one of her primary sources a woman with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

This is a well researched report and Conrow does a good job explaining the problems associated with the ubiquitous use of Roundup herbicide on virtually all our roadways. It can be a nightmare for people with MCS. Not your vision of paradise, is it?

Diane Koerner travels with an oxygen tank in the trunk of her car, all the windows rolled up and the air conditioning on recirculate. The Big Island resident, who suffers from severe Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, takes such precautions because smelling the herbicide Roundup can leave her with a debilitating migraine. And given that chemicals are used to suppress vegetation along nearly every mile of roadway in the Islands, an unpleasant chance encounter is not an unlikely risk.

Koerner is not alone. Other persons with MCS have reported experiencing dizziness, brain fog, asthma attacks or neurological problems that make it difficult to walk and talk after exposure to roadside herbicides. And even those who haven’t been diagnosed with MCS complain of headaches and flu-like symptoms after traveling in areas that have been sprayed. Still others worry about the impact of weed-suppression chemicals on children, pets and the environment.

Link to full report.

Photo credit, a roadside on Kauai that’s been sprayed with Roundup. Virtually all county and state roadsides in Hawaii are lined with an ugly, dead strip of foliage that’s been sprayed with Roundup. As soon as it starts to rebound, workers come along and spray it again. The spraying is done from trucks without much thought to the way the wind is blowing. During application, where the truck moves slowly along the shoulder as the spray is applied, it’s not unusual for the herbicide mist to be floating or blowing all over the road onto and into passing vehicles.

Toxic vog envelopes the island and my brain

Posted by Susie

Apr 202009

When Mother Nature messes with the air

I live on the island of Hawaii, which has a real life active volcano. The current volcanic “event” has been the longest in recorded history, starting back in 1983. Last year, when this photo from space was taken, the emissions, what we call vog, got very toxic with high levels of sulfur dioxide. It knocked me on my arse. I was having trouble breathing, my eyes burned, and the most disturbing thing was that it kicked my Multiple Chemical Sensitivity into high gear so that I couldn’t tolerate anything at any amount without getting sick– the slightest perfume, car exhaust, fumes from new furniture, paint, carpets, the air in stores and supermarkets– I couldn’t handle any of it. But I wasn’t the only one affected; people all over the island have been getting sick, and many agricultural crops have been completely lost near the volcanic region. Many farmers have gone bankrupt.

A perfect place to stay in Hawaii: Dragonfly Ranch

Posted by Susie

Feb 062009

I stayed here once many years ago. It was magical! What I remember most is taking a shower outside in the garden in the middle of a huge thunderstorm– it was FABULOUS. Now I see the owner has made it even more beautiful.

If you’re looking for a place to stay on the Kona side of the island, I highly recommend Dragonfly Ranch!

On the Kona Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island, the Dragonfly Ranch:

HEALING ARTS RETREAT is a legendary eco-spa that hosts romantic honeymoons, B & B guests and workshops featuring Healthy Pleasures and good FUN: world class diving; respectful snorkleling with friendly dolphin; labyrinth meditation walk; organic garden/food preparation; flower essences for soul development. An authentic Hawaiian double-hulled canoe trip can be arranged.

This legendary luxuriously rustic “treehouse” offers unique indoor/outdoor lodging near the ancient “Place of Sanctuary” called the Pu’uhonua O Honaunau Historical National Park. Here, where Aloha abounds, time is slow and easy.

At the Dragonfly, those looking for a taste of the “real” Hawaii feel at home and welcome.

Dragonfly Ranch website.

Victory gardens are back in vogue

Posted by Susie

Jan 172009

In a fractured economic climate, a new victory-garden movement has captured the attention of people who want to lessen their reliance on mass-produced or imported food.

I am one of those people! But I’m not as motivated by the tough economic times as I am by wanting to be more self reliant and in control of what I eat.

We already have thriving banana, breadfruit, avocado, lime and mango trees (oh, that’s the last of the cherry tomatoes at left), but as I wrote on Winter Solstice, we are currently building a fenced-in veggie garden with four raised beds. We’ve designed it so there’s room for a couple of chairs in the center aisle, so we can kick back and relax when we need a break from planting and weeding.

I can’t wait to finish the construction! I want to grow chard, kale, cherry tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and green beans to start. And we are planning on some potted orange trees for aesthetics, just to give it a cozy feeling while I sit and sip tea, admiring the fruits of our labor.

Any other canaries out there who grow their own food?

SFGATE reports about the new interest in backyard gardens:

The desire to grow food, however, crosses economic lines. Some people are struggling financially, but others prefer lettuce over lawns. Do-it-yourself types are eager for healthful food close at hand. And people see how much better food that they grow tastes.

“Even super-rich people who can afford to send people to any store anywhere – they even want gardens,” Williams said.

Christy Wilhelmi, who teaches gardening at Santa Monica College, says that growing your own food is the shortest path possible from field to table, eliminating the need to transport crops, sometimes thousands of miles.

Behind her house, she gardens in eight raised beds, growing asparagus, strawberries, tomatoes and more. She would like to add chickens to eat kitchen scraps and garden pests, and provide eggs.

“It’s very cyclical,” said Charlie Nardozzi, senior horticulturist with the National Gardening Association in South Burlington, Vt.

After World War II, gardening became a hobby in the 1950s and ’60s. But with the “back to the land” movement of the 1970s, growing food again had serious purpose. That declined in the 1980s and ’90s but has surged again.

Seed companies have reported running out of some vegetables, and demand is higher than it’s been in years, he said.

At W. Atlee Burpee & Co., sales of seeds for vegetables and herbs rose 40 percent in 2008, compared with 2007. A spokeswoman cited spikes in food and gas prices, as well as worries about food safety and interest in organic food.

Link to full story at SFGATE

Beautiful Mauna Kea this week

Posted by Susie

Dec 312008

Here is Mauna Kea blanketed in snow.

Link to beautiufully done video by Tim O. Bryan at Big Island Video News– give you a good idea of my island home, the beauty and the danger.

VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

Officials watching Hawaii’s air quality tonight

Posted by Susie

Dec 312008

Hilo Medical Center’s emergency department gearing up for holiday

I think this report on extra air testing and a prepared hospital is supposed to make people like me with respiratory problems feel safer, but it doesn’t! It just gets me more worried about what the night will bring.

Right now my neighbors are erecting tents for a big party. So my health over the next 12 hours depends solely on the weather: if it rains as forecasted, the firecracker maniacs will be deterred, and if the wind is blowing the smoke away from my house, then I might be okay no matter if it rains or not. Last year was very difficult. It’s not just problems with my breathing and how the toxic smoke makes me feel (sick), but my eyes become so horribly irritated that I can’t read or watch TV or do anything but sit here and endure it.

And no matter what the officials say, staying indoors with air filters does nothing to keep the toxic smoke from entering our homes. In Hawaii our homes are like sieves, they are not sealed in any way, shape or form. What is outside is inside, and inside our bodies.

No one wants to ring in the New Year with a trip to the emergency room.

But Hilo Medical Center’s emergency department staff is taking extra steps to prepare for a possible influx of people with respiratory conditions from smoke caused by fireworks, said Reggie Agliam, nursing supervisor for Hilo Medical Center.

The hospital is also ready for any burns or fireworks-related injuries that might occur, he added.

As far as increased emergency department activity on New Year’s, Agliam said, “last year wasn’t too bad,” but added the hospital would rather be safe than sorry.

The state Department of Health will be monitoring Hawaii’s clean air quality throughout the state during New Year’s Eve and comparing it with national ambient air quality standards. The heavy use of fireworks during the annual holiday celebration can significantly increase the amount of particulates in the air, especially on Oahu, according to the department.

“We are going to be measuring particles in the air. Smoke is made out of particles,” said Lisa Young, environmental health specialist for the Department of Health. The smoke caused by fireworks can aggravate conditions such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Young said the same monitoring stations that test for vog on the Big Island are being used to record fireworks-related smoke levels. The department will be monitoring particles from smoke in Hilo, Kona, Pahala and Mountain View, Young said.

The department is encouraging the public, especially people with respiratory conditions, as well as young children and the elderly, to be properly informed and prepared for the upcoming New Year’s firework celebration.

According to the department, people who suffer from respiratory conditions may want to take certain precautionary measures during fireworks celebrations, including: staying indoors and closing windows and doors, avoiding people with colds and other lung infections, making sure air conditioners or air purifiers are working properly and filters are changed, avoiding smoking or second-hand smoke and washing hands often and thoroughly.

The department also recommends people make sure they have an adequate supply of medication on hand, as directed by a physician, and that people contact a physician if they need more medication or want to get clear instructions of what to do if health conditions suddenly worsen.

While the suggestions are intended for those with existing conditions, they are also useful for healthy people during high air pollution episodes, including times of high particulates dust, fireworks smoke and volcanic haze, according to the department.

Take care, dear canaries, wherever you are: Stay safe out there!

Link to story by Terri Henderson at The Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Photo by kolix

Volcano Garden Arts

Posted by Susie

Dec 032008

Volcano Garden Arts, photos and vid by moi, Susie.

On Sunday, I went south to Volcano Village for the annual art tour held on the weekend after Thanksgiving. Volcano is a beautiful little village, close to the active volcano, that over the years has grown into an incredible artist community. The annual art tour is set up so you can walk or drive to several homes in succession and view the artwork, visit with the artists, and purchase things if you like.

The weather was perfect, but the vog (volcanic emissions) was very bad, so my husband and I did a combination of walking and driving so I could catch by breath. It wasn’t the best environment for a person with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, but I was willing to risk not feeling well because we have so much fun visiting people’s homes, enjoying the art and looking at the beautiful gardens.

Ira Ono

Our favorite stop each year is at artist Ira Ono‘s place, Volcano Garden Arts, where he has a large gallery filled with not only his fabulous creations but also many other local artists’ work. Ira is the most gracious host you could imagine, and it’s been fun watching him grow his business and his gardens over the years. He has a brand new art studio, a cafe, living quarters and B & B, and our favorite part: a beautiful garden filled with eclectic art of Asian to whimsy. Everywhere you look, there is something fun and beautiful to see.

I took almost 100 photos and made this video to share Volcano Art Gardens with you. The mask on the tree trunk at 1:33 is Ira’s work.

Thanks, Leslie, for inspiring me to make videos like this!

Snow on Mauna Kea

Posted by Susie

Oct 262008

Mountaintop briefly dusted in snow for first time this season

I woke to a fresh chill to the air this morning, brought on by the first snow fall on Mauna Kea yesterday. Yes, it snows in Hawaii! Isn’t it beautiful?

This photo is taken by my good friend William Ing, photog at our local paper the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

Whenever it snows up Mauna Kea, the night wind brings fresh, crisp air down the slope all the way to the sea. Even though it’s already melted, the air is crisp and clean today. You can imagine how much I love that!

Waking up to clean air is such a blessing, made even more special today because it’s my birthday. So not only do I feel grateful for clean air today, but also for making it to 52 years of age!

Yep, it’s a beautiful day.

This evening’s walk

Posted by Susie

Sep 292008

This is the park where I walk most evenings. We go at the very end of the day just as it gets dark. It’s a county park about a mile from my home–it’s an old baseball field chock full of history in our community from the days when sugar was king and every plantation community had a baseball team. The oldtimers tell some great stories!

My newest fascination is with the bats that join us in the evening just as it darkens too much to see well. How I wish I could catch them on film! They dart and flutter catching bugs way up high. They are my new favorite animal.

Anyway, here are three snaps: one of the park when we first arrived, then one toward the ocean (the direction we call makai), and one toward the mountain (mauka) as darkness fell. I should go get some photos in the full light one day so you can see how much prettier it is than these show!