Hōkūleʻa Update | August 2, 2015

Crew spent the day on excursions to various parts of the island. First stop was a trip to the Bali Green School.  It’s Sunday here so the kids weren’t in School but the campus was still full with activity. Founder John Hardy was extremely captivating in his tour of the school as he showed the crew around his campus made almost entirely out of bamboo, including a 30-meter bridge that spans a river.  The crown jewel of the whole place is the heart of the school, a 3-story bamboo structure. This building, which took 3 months to construct and another three months to add the finishing touches, is the epitome of “green.” There are skylights that allow the light to enter and the soft Bali breeze flows through the building as there are no walls to block it.  The technical feats that they are using to push the envelope on sustainability are truly inspiring as they are melding old with new; the solar panels that were donated to help power the school are held up on bamboo stands, giving off a jurassic park like aura.  The “vortex,” a stainless steel wheel in the middle of the river for hydro power, is about as innovative as you can get.  It took 10 years to get the clearances to install the item but it looks like it will help tremendously in getting the school off the grid. While getting off the grid is an important goal to have, the way at which the kids who attend think about their role in the future that is shaped by this schools staff and teachers is more important to just about everyone involved. Because, according to John, the green leaders will reshape the planet, one school at a time.

Please help keep us sailing for future generations. All contributions make a difference for our voyage. Mahalo nui loa!