Conserve808
Oʻahu’s fresh water supplies are limited, and energy prices are going up – both due to the impacts of imported oil to our island. A growing number of resources are available to help each of us conserve Oʻahu’s precious resources, save money, and switch from imported oil. The cheapest drop of water or kilowatt of energy is one we don’t have to use or import!
We’ve consolidated a few community resources to help you save energy and water, and #Conserve808.
Together, we can create a more affordable, secure and resilient Oʻahu.
Save Water
Check out 7 quick tips to conserve water for residents and property managers from Board of Water Supply (BWS).
Find rebates for water saving devices at your home from BWS.
Find water-saving rebates for your business or restaurant from BWS.
Sign up for WaterSmart® to receive alerts of high water use and leak detection tips.
Reduce outdoor water use with Smart Irrigation Month tips, and check out the Hālawa Xeriscape Garden Open House and Unthirsty Plant Sale August 5.
Learn more about Board of Water Supply’s call to Oʻahu users to decrease water use by 10% due to recent fuel leaks at the Navy’s Red Hill Facility.
In December 2021, the BWS decided to close three of their water sources out of an abundance of caution due to a large fuel spill at the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. It is uncertain when these water sources may reopen. Recent chloride test results indicate that increased pumping at the remaining wells has put stress on our limited water source. Additionally, Oʻahu is currently experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, with more frequent and severe drought risks from climate change, meaning slower recharge of our aquifer and further strain on our freshwater resources. Our society-wide dependence on fossil fuel leaves us perpetually vulnerable to spills, accidents, disasters, and petroleum containment crises, all while exacerbating climate change.
As a result of the spill, BWS is requesting all Oʻahu water users to decrease their water use by 10%. This voluntary approach aims to avoid potential mandatory conservation later this year, and places trust and kuleana on all individuals to contribute. Together, we can strengthen our water security and resilience, and revitalize our life source.
Click here to learn how the City is conserving water in its operations, and click here for an update from the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Save Energy
There is help to pay your bills:
Read about how Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program Energy Crisis Intervention Credit applies to you.
Learn more about rent support for families on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands applicant waiting list, or an undivided interest lessee.
Save on your internet bill spending with the Federal Communication Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program.
For information on additional social services, see the Office of Economic Revitalization’s Resources for Renters.
Rebates and tips to save energy:
Understand your bill & energy-saving options and check out quick tips to save energy from Hawaiʻi Energy.
Find cash rebates for energy-efficient equipment in your home, installations that can quickly pay for themselves, and help you save over time.
Increase savings for your business today with Hawaiʻi Energy’s cash rebates for any industry.
Get rewarded for temporarily reducing your electricity during peak energy times from Hawaiian Electric’s Demand Response program.
Check out Hawaiian Electric’s energy-saving toolkits, calculators, and more.
Homeowners, renters, nonprofits, and small businesses can qualify for low-cost financing for energy-saving devices and clean energy installations today.
Combat your summer cooling costs with smart devices that can help you save energy.
Learn more about the impact of recent disruptions in our oil supplies and energy systems that are driving up local energy prices by 10%.
While Oʻahu is making tremendous progress toward our clean energy future, we are still heavily reliant on oil imports, anchoring us to all the liabilities that result from fossil fuel use. In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent spike in global oil prices, gas prices have skyrocketed and Hawaiian Electric has forecasted a 10% electricity bill increase for Oʻahu customers. Just a few months prior, the Board of Water Supply (BWS) closed three water sources due to Navy fuel leaks, and is now requesting all Oʻahu water users to voluntarily decrease water usage by 10%.
The less oil we consume, the less oil burden our communities carry. A variety of resources are provided here to assist residents and businesses in conservation and in improving affordability in the short and long term. Saving water and energy saves money, aligns with our values, and shows respect for our fragile resources and ʻāina. Simply by cutting waste and conserving, together we can help support a more affordable, secure, and Resilient O'ahu for everyone.
When oil prices rise, it drives up the cost of electricity. On March 10, 2022, Hawaiian Electric forecasted a 10% increase in Oʻahu energy bills, due to volatile world markets. An increase in energy cost will hit those most energy burdened already, which are overly represented by our Native Hawaiian communities according to energy bill data provided by Hawaiian Electric. Hawaiʻi has the highest electricity retail price of any state—triple the U.S. average rate—in part because of Hawaiʻi’s reliance on imported petroleum for electricity generation. It is worth noting that Kauaʻi County is the least impacted in terms of electricity prices, as Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) has made the greatest progress across the islands in converting to renewable energy. But everywhere, including Kauaʻi, has seen prices increase at the gas pump, making now a better time than ever to invest in an electric vehicle, or even better, to walk, bike, or use TheBus.
See the above resources to learn how you can adjust to new sustainable habits and upgrade to energy efficient equipment with rebates and incentives that will save you money.
Switch Off Oil
Learn more about how easy it is to drive electric vehicles, and check out the State’s electric bike and electric moped rebates to see if you’re eligible.
Find out about rebates, incentives and other resources to support your switch to an electric vehicle.
Grab a HOLO or Biki card to more easily take TheBus, Skyline, or bike share.
Go solar with new “Battery Bonus” cash incentives to add energy storage to new or existing solar system.
Find financing to help you pay for solar rooftop PV or water heating.
Find other ways to help your business go green with the Hawaiʻi Green Business program.
Learn how your business can comply with the Disposable Food Ware Ordinance and Plastic Bag Ban.
Oil powers much of our electric system, our cars, and is a product in plastics. Learn more about how reducing our reliance on oil can build a more resilient O'ahu.
Transitioning away from oil toward a self-reliant clean energy future will shield us from the instability of oil markets, lessen the chances of oil disasters, improve affordability, decrease air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and advance Oʻahu’s resiliency.
With oil prices at the highest price since 2008, affordability adds an additional sense of urgency to shift away from oil, on top of the already unequivocal threat of climate change and its driver, fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas pollution. Shifting to clean energy systems means behavioral shifts as well as implementation of energy efficiency initiatives, increased incentives, and new policies.
As we continue progressing toward our goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045, we place special focus on the transportation and stationary energy sectors, which are Oʻahu’s two largest sectors of oil consumption, generating 92% of emissions. Another role oil plays in our daily lives is through plastics. While a very small amount of plastics today are plant-based, the vast majority are derived from oil. Eliminating single-use plastic is the easiest way to kick start plastic waste reduction.
A fossil-fuel free future means a better quality of life for the people we love, while safeguarding the places we love. To achieve this future together, we must foster exceptional collaboration and innovation across residential, commercial, and governmental sectors.
Learn more about our shift to clean energy in the above resources.