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Carroll talks about government contracts with friends. Who is getting the contracts, and how many cost overruns are approved after contracts are issued? He also talks about the rhinoceros beetle, an invasive species that is killing our palm trees, and how green waste is handled by the city.
But first up are kids talking about the hippos, Louise and Rosey, at the Honolulu Zoo. They are very concerned about the death of Rosey and the care of Louise, so they decided to draw pictures and write letters to Mayor Caldwell. The kids call in and talk about how they feel about the hippos. Carroll talks about the Necropsy Report for Rosey that, although inconclusive, notes Rosey was "recently exposed to construction noise adjacent to sleeping quarters and exhibit. Recently the animal had decreased food consumption and a change in behavior." Sounds like she was stressed out. See last week's show for more info.
Regarding contracts, Carroll talks about misinformation and backroom dealings he is finding when asking questions and requesting documents. The city has a contract with Hawaiian Earth Products to take green waste collected curbside. A recent StarAdvertiser article noted the city is not delivering enough trash to HPower meet the 80,000
tons promised them, so the city will likely pay a two million dollar difference for the shortfall. HPower also takes green waste, but most green waste must go to Hawaiian Earth Products due to Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, Section 9-1.7. So basically, the city indicates they may be faced with paying both Hawaiian Earth Products to take green waste, and HPower for doing nothing.
Furthermore, Hawaiian Earth Products cannot use all the green waste they receive, and they are stockpiling huge
amounts of mulch. Why are we paying a company to take green waste they cannot use when it can be used by HPower to generate electricity?
Now, the city is going to charge the U.S. Department of Agriculture (also taxpayers' money), for dumping green waste from palm trees known to be infested with coconut rhinoceros beetles. Mulch from the trees already cut down is piling up. Not only that, the mulch may be a breeding ground for the beetles, thus spreading the problem. Trees
are dying at an alarming rate and it appears there is not enough effort to eradicate the beetles. What will Hawaii be like without palm trees? Apparently green waste and green dollar waste are similar problems.
LINK HERE TO MORE PICTURES
Finally, Carroll reads a poem he wrote about the loss of butterflies. Link here to his poem and picture.
Follow: Carroll Cox, Rosey the Hippo, Louise the Hippo, Honolulu Zoo, zoo construction, Mayor Caldwell, rhinoceros coconut beetle, palm tree mulch, HPower, Hawaiian Earth Products, Menehue Magic.
