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Developing Kaua‘i’s sustainability
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| Sustain Kauai founders Jason and Channon Donovan take a look at part of the 40 acres that will become Secret Beach Estates, a sustainable development with five homes. Photos by Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island |
by Blake Jones - The Garden Island
As founders of Kaua‘i’s first environmentally friendly real estate company, Jason Donovan and his wife, Channon, are trying to live the greenest life possible. From the hemp shirts on their backs to the business cards printed on recycled paper and imbedded with seeds, the couple have made a commitment to be kind to Mother Earth.
This philosophy has driven both their life and career choices.
Sustain Kauai, just a few months old, is a marriage of the two — a way for the Donovans to make a living and a difference.
The earth-conscious company is currently focused on a 40-acre project abutting the cliffs above Secret Beach in Kilauea. Called Secret Beach Estates, the unimproved land will eventually be home to five environmentally friendly homes. Shared features such as solar power and a community farm are intended to make the development as independent as possible.
“The idea is to be self-sufficient in case the ships stop coming,” Donovan said.
According to the pair, they’d like the project to provide an example for how things can be done. Of course, the land’s price tag all but excludes the average homebuyer, as these properties will and have sold for millions.
But under the Sustain Kauai umbrella is a wealth of knowledge and networking that can be applied to homes of all sizes.
“Any property can be greened,” Channon Donovan said.
The Donovans, their business partner Bill Gillette and broker Chad Beal are happy to consult with “anyone who will listen” about making sustainable improvements. In addition, Sustain Kauai is interested in working with large land buyers to create affordable green housing.
The estates are merely a starting point for the couple, who have their hands in many pots. They donate a portion of their income to local nonprofits such as Save Our Seas and Malama Kaua‘i, which share their philosophy of sustainability.
Donovan is also a partner of Kauai Springs, which bottles water sourced from the Kahili Mountain.
While they don’t claim to be experts, the couple are certainly learning as they go — especially in regards to county permitting of projects. For example, Donovan said there are no water use restrictions on new hotel projects.
“What’s to stop them from taking all the island’s water for the pool and golf course,” he said.
The Donovans defy critics’ claims that “green” land development is an oxymoron, saying they are working with a system that will move forward with or without conscientious business owners.
“It’s happening, so let’s do it the right way,” Donovan said.
About six years ago, after concluding that his printing and graphic design company was damaging to the environment, Donovan sold the Florida business and the two embarked on a search for a more sustainable lifestyle.
They settled on Kaua‘i and the couple, now married and expecting, decided to try their hand at real estate.
They jumped into the industry but did not find it all that rewarding.
“If we’re going to be selling land, let’s at least do it responsibly,”
While attending “green” conferences all over the country and in Vancouver, Canada, they realized that there was a great demand from green builders and contractors to construct LEED-certified homes and implement more sustainable initiatives.
Now they hope to influence home owners and buyers to take the steps they can — to use non-toxic paints, buy an organic mattress, install solar or wind power generators, create a roof garden or a water catching system.
“Why not (be sustainable) when you have all this wind and sun,” Donovan said.
Sustain Kauai is a green branch of Kauai Tropical Properties. For more information, visit www.sustainkauai.com or call 826-1616
This philosophy has driven both their life and career choices.
Sustain Kauai, just a few months old, is a marriage of the two — a way for the Donovans to make a living and a difference.
The earth-conscious company is currently focused on a 40-acre project abutting the cliffs above Secret Beach in Kilauea. Called Secret Beach Estates, the unimproved land will eventually be home to five environmentally friendly homes. Shared features such as solar power and a community farm are intended to make the development as independent as possible.
“The idea is to be self-sufficient in case the ships stop coming,” Donovan said.
According to the pair, they’d like the project to provide an example for how things can be done. Of course, the land’s price tag all but excludes the average homebuyer, as these properties will and have sold for millions.
But under the Sustain Kauai umbrella is a wealth of knowledge and networking that can be applied to homes of all sizes.
“Any property can be greened,” Channon Donovan said.
The Donovans, their business partner Bill Gillette and broker Chad Beal are happy to consult with “anyone who will listen” about making sustainable improvements. In addition, Sustain Kauai is interested in working with large land buyers to create affordable green housing.
The estates are merely a starting point for the couple, who have their hands in many pots. They donate a portion of their income to local nonprofits such as Save Our Seas and Malama Kaua‘i, which share their philosophy of sustainability.
Donovan is also a partner of Kauai Springs, which bottles water sourced from the Kahili Mountain.
While they don’t claim to be experts, the couple are certainly learning as they go — especially in regards to county permitting of projects. For example, Donovan said there are no water use restrictions on new hotel projects.
“What’s to stop them from taking all the island’s water for the pool and golf course,” he said.
The Donovans defy critics’ claims that “green” land development is an oxymoron, saying they are working with a system that will move forward with or without conscientious business owners.
“It’s happening, so let’s do it the right way,” Donovan said.
About six years ago, after concluding that his printing and graphic design company was damaging to the environment, Donovan sold the Florida business and the two embarked on a search for a more sustainable lifestyle.
They settled on Kaua‘i and the couple, now married and expecting, decided to try their hand at real estate.
They jumped into the industry but did not find it all that rewarding.
“If we’re going to be selling land, let’s at least do it responsibly,”
While attending “green” conferences all over the country and in Vancouver, Canada, they realized that there was a great demand from green builders and contractors to construct LEED-certified homes and implement more sustainable initiatives.
Now they hope to influence home owners and buyers to take the steps they can — to use non-toxic paints, buy an organic mattress, install solar or wind power generators, create a roof garden or a water catching system.
“Why not (be sustainable) when you have all this wind and sun,” Donovan said.
Sustain Kauai is a green branch of Kauai Tropical Properties. For more information, visit www.sustainkauai.com or call 826-1616
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earthlore wrote on Feb 23, 2009 3:08 PM:
A woman (an employee) rushed out onto the porch area of the shop, waved her forefinger at us, and shouted, "Uh-uh! You can't park here! Paying customers only!". I called back that we did, indeed, intend to come into her store to shop, she crossed her arms and just looked at us like we were gutter slime.
I wanted to leave immediately, but my girlfriend decided to go in to talk to the owner (who was there). They were completely unapologetic, ("Well, you can shop if you want"), and stared hard at her the entire time she was in the store (which wasn't long, I can assure you).
I don't know what possessed them to treat us this way. We are not hippies or thugs - just tourists carrying around a pocket full of cash looking for someplace to spend it. Maybe it was because we are too young to fit their demographic (I am in my early 30's, and my girlfriend is in her 20's), or possibly because she was wearing an "Obama '08" t-shirt (political differences?), but the way we were treated by the employees and ownership of this business was nothing short of deplorable.
I own a retail business in Michigan myself, and never in a thousand years would I behave this way toward any customer - even if I didn't think they were planning on buying anything. Perhaps this is a luxury you get from doing business on a tourist island - that you can mistreat anybody you feel like, knowing that they will be a thousand miles away in a few days.
This singular experience served to ruin the last couple hours of our vacation, and cast a dark note on the entire trip. I do not, as a practice, write negatively of any business... but we were extremely upset by this. "