These two areas — imported fuel and food — offer new large import substitution markets for local production. Today, Hawai'i imports 90 percent of its oil — about $3 billion annually and about 70 percent of its food — about $3 billion annually. Some of this $6 billion in cash outflow could be redirected internally. Any part of $6 billion redirected internally would provide a huge internal market opportunity for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of local entrepreneurs. Every dollar of this $6 billion that could be internally invested in local fuel and food production and local sales would multiply through the local economy at least two times. There's considerable incentive to overcome the barriers and make this happen.

If Hawai'i could reduce fuel and food imports by $1 billion over the next 10 to 20 years, we would reduce our vulnerability, contribute to our own economic diversification and lessen our impact, albeit small, on the U.S. and international oil demands. We would not only become part of the global solution, but also make Hawai'i more self-reliant.

There are few places more vulnerable right now than Hawai'i, with more than 90 percent dependency on imported oil and 70 percent dependency on imported food. Hawai'i is one of the few places that could significantly reduce these vital imports by local renewable energy development and increased locally grown food production.