The Unsustainable Burden of Waste and Energy Consumption
By Lauren Ballesteros-Watanabe, Chapter Organizer | Reading time: 7.5 minutes
In an era of growing instability and environmental degradation, excessive energy use and material consumption are straining our finite lands and natural resources. Island communities, in particular, face heightened risks— on Oʻahu, for example, excessive waste generation has led to plans for a landfill above an aquifer, while large-scale energy projects threaten ecological and socioeconomic balance. As we work to manage waste and transition to clean energy , we must also focus on increasing energy efficiency, advocating for circular policies, and implementing sustainable reuse practices. The urgency to “right-size” our systems has never been greater.
Hawaiʻi’s reliance on imported resources is a fundamental vulnerability. Nearly 90% of our food and around 60% of our energy (except for Kauaʻi) come from external sources, leaving our communities exposed to supply chain disruptions, price fluctuations, and geopolitical instability. Meanwhile, an estimated 26% of food available in Hawaiʻi is wasted, much of it ending up in landfills like Waimānalo Gulch, whose impending closure in 2028 has forced Honolulu to consider siting a new landfill on Wahiawa agricultural lands that sit over an aquifer —a move that risks contaminating a precious water source with leachate runoff. Waste is not just an environmental concern; it is an existential one.
Further, excessive energy consumption and inefficiency are driving the expansion of large-scale energy projects, particularly on Oʻahu. If poorly planned, these projects can disrupt local ecosystems and place a disproportionate burden on rural communities, which have relatively low energy demands, to produce energy for the rest of the island. This underscores the need not only to meet rising energy demands responsibly but, more importantly, to work toward radically reducing them. Energy efficiency, waste reduction, and community-based solutions are essential for building systems that respect our ecological limits.
A Circular Approach: Lessons from Abroad
Rather than continuing on a path of relentless consumption and waste, adopting place-based circular policies that promote efficiency, reuse, self-sufficience, and aloha ʻāina is fundamental to curbing emissions and creating systems in balance with our finite resources. Costa Rica provides a strong example of how a national commitment to sustainability can align waste reduction with economic resilience. By implementing policies to phase out single-use plastics, expand composting initiatives, and integrate waste reduction into tourism policies, Costa Rica has significantly reduced its landfill burden while supporting local economies. In Hawaiʻi, where tourism is consistently prioritized as our “main economic generator” and a major contributor to waste, adopting similar policies can create a sustainable balance between industry and environmental stewardship.
Though not technically an island nation, Denmark is an archipelago, with its capital, Copenhagen, on an island; which offers a compelling model for a decentralized and democratic energy system. The country has prioritized small-scale, distributed renewable energy projects, including community-owned wind farms, rooftop solar, and small-scall biomass energy systems. Their approach, which seeks to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050, highlights how integrating efficiency with decentralization can lead to a more sustainable and resilient energy grid.
Denmark's energy policy actively promotes local participation and ownership in renewable energy projects, fostering a sense of community involvement and enhancing public support for the transition to renewable energy sources. Several key initiatives illustrate this approach:
Community Ownership Requirements: The Danish Renewable Energy Act mandates that new wind projects offer at least 20% ownership to local citizens. This policy ensures that communities directly benefit from renewable energy developments, increasing local acceptance and support.
Cooperatives: Denmark has been pursuing wind turbine cooperatives since the 1970s. A study from 2019 estimated that 52% of the existing installed wind capacity in Denmark in December 2016 was owned through some kind of citizen ownership model.
Middelgrunden Public-Private Partnership: A notable example is the Middelgrunden Offshore Wind Farm in operation for decades, which is 50% owned by a cooperative of 10,000 local investors and 50% by the municipal utility company. It is often touted as a model that drives a sense of place-based community in energy.
Policy Framework Supporting Citizen Involvement: Denmark's comprehensive policy framework encourages citizen involvement in renewable energy projects. Measures such as offering tax exemptions for individuals generating their own electricity or investing in local cooperatives have been implemented to promote local participation.
Note that these initiatives are shared to demonstrate how Denmark's energy policy effectively encourages local participation and is not a particular statement on the benefits of wind energy.
Building Resilient Systems for Island Communities
For island communities like Hawaiʻi, where land and resources are finite, circular policies are essential. While managing waste is necessary, we must also focus on systemic changes that reduce waste at the source, rather than relying on reactive strategies like trash burning as “waste to energy,” which can reinforce unsustainable consumption. Expanding food rescue programs, investing in community composting, and supporting local farmers who can turn organic waste into regenerative soil are key steps in this transition. These measures not only reduce landfill impact but also strengthen food security and local economies. Several proposals are advancing that could address waste management, clean energy, and resource efficiency in Hawaiʻi. One critical effort focuses on exploring the recycling and reuse of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. While EVs play a vital role in reducing fossil fuel dependence and moving toward a net-negative carbon footprint by 2045, the lithium-ion batteries that power them present significant challenges. Safe storage, transportation, and disposal remain complex, particularly on islands with limited recycling infrastructure. As EV adoption grows, proactive planning and innovative recycling solutions will be essential to prevent hazardous waste issues and create economic opportunities in local industries.
Another initiative aims to establish statewide goals for solid waste reduction and organic waste diversion. By setting benchmarks and initially targeting large-scale food waste generators, Hawaiʻi can build the necessary infrastructure for a broader transition, with the ultimate goal of banning organic waste from landfills by 2035. Diverting food waste for composting supports local farmers with high-quality soil amendments, reduces reliance on imported fertilizers, and fosters small and mid-scale composting businesses—strengthening Hawaiʻi’s agricultural resilience and circular economy.
Ensuring equitable access to clean energy is also a priority. With high demand for financial assistance through the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority, additional funding mechanisms are needed to support underserved ratepayers. While recent federal investments provide solar financing for low-income households, many moderate-income families, nonprofits, and small businesses remain without access to critical energy efficiency upgrades. Expanding financial assistance for these groups will help ensure that the benefits of clean energy transition reach all Hawaiʻi residents, not just a select few.
Ultimately, a truly sustainable future requires more than just waste management and energy production—it demands a shift toward efficiency, reuse, and community-driven solutions. Retrofitting homes with energy-efficient appliances, supporting distributed solar microgrids, and strengthening public transportation infrastructure are all necessary steps in reducing overall energy consumption. As Hawaiʻi moves toward its Clean Energy Initiative goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045, prioritizing community-led solutions over corporate-controlled developments will be key to ensuring that sustainability efforts serve local interests and foster long-term resilience.
A Call for Systemic Change: Doing More of What Works
The current trajectory of rising waste and energy consumption is unsustainable. Rather than simply accommodating these demands, we must focus on reducing them through efficiency, reuse, and circular economic policies. Countries like Costa Rica and Denmark demonstrate how national policies can successfully integrate waste reduction, energy decentralization, and environmental protection while fostering economic resilience.
Locally, the stakes are particularly high. With limited land and resources, we must shift toward a future where waste is minimized, energy use is more efficient, and policies align with our ecological limits. By managing resources thoughtfully, we can build a truly sustainable system—one that protects our land, water, and communities for generations to come.
Waste Reduction
Hawaiʻi already has several initiatives that promote sustainability and resource efficiency. Programs like Reuse Hawaiʻi help divert materials from landfills by salvaging and redistributing construction and household items. Regional composting efforts, supported by both public and private sectors, are expanding to reduce organic waste and enrich local soils. Community-supported agriculture (CSA) boxes provide another way to minimize food waste by connecting consumers directly with local farms.
Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island is launching the Aloha ʻĀina program, a transformative initiative to reduce waste in East Hawaiʻi schools by transitioning from disposable to reusable foodware in cafeterias. The program integrates waste audits, educational toolkits, and hands-on workshops to teach students, staff, and families about waste prevention, local food systems, and traditional Hawaiian land stewardship. By combining indigenous knowledge with practical solutions, Aloha ʻĀina fosters a culture of environmental responsibility, empowering schools to lead the way in mālama ʻāina and building a more resilient, sustainable future for Hawaiʻi.
Looking ahead, there is still room to grow. Establishing broad based education efforts, food rescue and delivery services, similar to Imperfect Foods, could help reduce food waste while increasing access to fresh local produce. On an industrial scale, advancing solar panel and lithium-ion battery recycling—an issue currently under discussion in legislative proposals—would ensure that Hawaiʻi’s clean energy transition does not create new waste challenges. Supporting and expanding these initiatives will be key to building a truly circular and sustainable system.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency remains the most immediate and practical solution to our energy challenges. Efficiency measures provide immediate benefits by reducing energy consumption and lowering costs for households and businesses, regardless of the energy source, while the transition to clean energy moves forward
Programs like ENERGY STAR have already saved US families and businesses over $500 billion since 1992. In Hawai‘i, where energy costs are among the highest in the nation, efficiency plays an even more critical role. Lower energy consumption translates directly into reduced utility bills, increased economic resilience, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions—critical benefits for an island state on the frontlines of climate change.
Prioritizing energy efficiency is essential for Hawai‘i’s economic stability and environmental protection. By reducing costs for households and businesses, efficiency allows communities to reinvest in growth while supporting a cleaner, more resilient energy system. With strong state-level commitment, Hawai‘i can lead by example, demonstrating how innovation and efficiency can drive meaningful, sustainable change.
Recent developments offer hope for transformative change. In June 2023, the state reached a settlement in the landmark case Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HIDOT), where the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional rights of Hawaiʻi’s youth to a life-sustaining climate which held HIDOT accountable to overhauling the state’s transportation system to achieve net-negative emissions by 2045. Additionally, in late January, the Green administration issued an executive order to accelerate renewable energy development, moving the deadline for 100% renewable portfolio standards from 2045 to 2035 for neighbor islands, setting a goal of 50,000 distributed renewable energy installations by 2030, and streamlining permitting processes to reduce energy costs. These actions are critical, but we must also secure green financing at the state level to ensure federal instability does not jeopardize our clean economy goals or the future of our society.
Final Thoughts
Change is not only possible—it is necessary and already happening. Around the world, communities are proving that sustainable, just systems are within reach when we advocate for policies and practices that reflect our values. From Costa Rica’s circular waste economy to Denmark’s locally driven renewable energy initiatives, to local examples of what’s achievable when environmental stewardship is prioritized over reckless consumption. Here in Hawaiʻi, we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to do the same. By reducing waste at its source, increasing energy efficiency, and centering community-driven solutions, we can transform our systems to work in harmony with our the natural resource we depend on and cherish and depend. Shifts don’t happen overnight, but they truly begin with each of us, not just adapting our lifestyles but demanding bold action; embracing the possibilities of a future where resources are managed with care and justice.