01. Photographer pick: Jedd Wasson

Jedd is a photographer who is “an ocean enthusiast attempting to capture the beauty of our oceans.” He has shot extensively in the Hawaiian water, as well as the Bahamas, California, the Cook Islands, Florida, and Mexico. Many of his photographs are of sharks and turtles. His photos can be seen at instagram.com/jeddspix and jeddspix.com.

 

The only mammal native to Hawaii is the Hawaiian Hoary Bat, all others were introduced by humans. Photo by Jedd Wasson

02. Article pick: Hawaii Needs To ‘Double Down’ On Biosecurity, Experts Say

This article in Honolulu Civil Beat gives an interesting look at the invasive species issue in Hawaii. It states that for every dollar spent on biosecurity, which is making sure that invasive species do not enter Hawaii, the state is saving up to $8,000 on the economic impact they bring. It is a hotly contested issue in the Hawaii government, as there isn’t enough funding for it and there are some species that are technically invasive, such as pigs, that people don’t consider pests. However, it is estimated that the list of animals, insects and diseases that devastate Hawaii’s crops and environment could end up costing the state $3 billion, which is a magnitude more than what it would cost to prevent that.

Hawaii has been called the “endangered species capital of the world” as it is home to over 400 threatened and endangered species. Photo by Jason Carnegie, Unsplash

03. Book pick: Living on the Shores of Hawaii: Natural Hazards, the Environment, and Our Communities

This book by Charles H. Fletcher, Robynne Boyd, William J. Neal and Virginia Tice tackles the environmental issues in Hawaii and possible solutions to them. The book deals with the historical causes of the modern-day environmental issues, and looks towards the future and how sustainable it is. This book was published by University of Hawaii Press. Fletcher is professor at the University of Hawaii, Boyd is a journalist and freelance science writer, Neal is professor of geology at Grand Valley State University, and Tice is a human rights lawyer in Iraq.

04. Video pick: The Amazing BIOGEOGRAPHY of Hawaii

 

This video by YouTuber Atlas Pro goes in-depth on the wildlife of Hawaii and how it’s changed since humans have colonized the island, first by the Polynesians about a thousand years ago and then by the English during the 18th century. It also discusses how geography made Hawaii such a unique environment. Since it’s in the middle of the ocean, for most of its history the Hawaiian Islands' only land animals were birds, which led to some fascinating evolutionary processes. It also covers what humans have done to the environment, and all the species that have gone extinct because of us. This video is nearly 50 minutes long, and one of the best works from Atlas Pro, who has many great videos.

05. Quote of the Week

“Hawaii is not a state of mind, but a state of grace.”

           — Paul Theroux