Driven by the Hawaiian concept of “kuleana,” or stewardship, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is making significant strides in environmental sustainability on the North Shore of Oahu.
“In ancient Hawaii, there was no ownership of land,” said Brigham Young University–Hawaii President John S. K. Kauwe III, who grew up skin diving off Hawaii’s beaches. “You were given ‘kuleana,’ [which] came with both a stewardship and a responsibility to use the land to bless the lives of others.”
“It’s so well aligned with the gospel directive that we have to be righteous stewards of the natural world that comes from our Savior Jesus Christ,” he said. “It’s very well aligned with the needs of this university and the culture of ancient Hawaii.”
BYU-Hawaii is located on the North Shore, an isolated area, which limits its environmental resources. Therefore, the school is embracing the kuleana spirit by implementing sustainable practices. The Laie Temple and the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) are doing the same. This is a collaborative effort.
“We have a partnership together. And we share information. We share data,” said Greg Maples, vice president of PCC food services. “We are working together to try to reduce that footprint right here on this side of the island.”
The hope for these Church-owned properties is to be energy-independent in 2026.
“Our phase one is already done, and that’s about a third of our campus needs for electrical,” said Kevin Schlag, BYU–Hawaii vice president of operations.
“My vision for BYU–Hawaii into the future is that we will be on the leading edge of the strategies and solutions that will make Hawaii and all of Asia and the Pacific a much healthier and brighter and better place for future generations,” President Kauwe said. “It’s at the forefront of our minds to ensure that this university and this community, obviously the Laie Hawaii Temple, that all of those things can persist in a way that blesses the lives of our families and our communities for many generations.”
Read more about the Church’s sustainability efforts in Hawaii here.