September 11th - Patriot Day

During the 2009 session, Rep. John Mizuno introduced a bill, HB274, proclaiming September 11th as Patriot Day. The bill was signed into law as Act 14. A link to the bill is here. It's message is strong and clear:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

1 SECTION 1. The legislature finds that on September II,
2 2001, more than three thousand people lost their lives after
3 hijacked airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center in New
4 York, the Pentagon in Virginia, and in rural Pennsylvania. The
5 legislature further finds that during the aftermath of these
6 attacks, true heroism was defined by the brave acts of police
7 officers, firefighters, emergency personnel, and ordinary
8 citizens. The purpose of this measure is to honor those who
9 lost their lives on September II, 2001, and to acknowledge the
10 bravery of those who assisted in rescue efforts following the
11 attacks.

12 SECTION 2. Chapter 8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
13 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
14 read as follows:

15 "§8- Patriot Day. September eleventh shall be known and
16 designated as "Patriot Day". This day shall not be construed to
17 be a state holiday."

18 SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

What 9/11 taught us about the environment

As Hawaii struggles with the environmental impact issues surrounding the Hawaii Superferry, and as we approach the 6th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the two events have an interesting nexus. The PBS series NOVA this past week featured a story called "Dimming the Sun" about climate change. In the 3 days following 9/11, when all the planes were grounded, the scientific community saw an unprecedented opportunity -- to measure the temperature of the earth's atmosphere and to determine what impact airplane vapor trails have, if any, on global warming.

The results were significant. From midday 9/11 to midday 9/14, the nights became cooler and the days became warmer by an average overall range of about 2 degrees F, with the assumption of a net warming. They suggest that airplane contrails do have the capability of increasing temperatures to account for a warming trend in the United States, however, there is on-going debate as to whether we should be concerned. The more significant impact of airplanes on our environment is carbon dioxide emissions rather than vapor trails.

Still, the potential impact is being taken seriously, and NOVA reports that the British government is considering requiring planes to fly at lower altitudes (decreasing condensation) over Great Britain, the effect of which will be fewer contrails in the atmosphere.

The point being, Hawaii is currently focused on the environmental impact of the Superferry. Airline carriers have their environmental impacts as well. All might be well considered within a larger context of the scope of our transportation needs, and the environmental impacts of all the various modes of transportation, in our island eco-system.