Today, the Hawaii Supreme Court started the hearing for the Thirty Meter Telescope. This hearing should determine the fate of the telescope that has garnered the state so much attention over the past few months. Everyone was talking about it through our prolific use of hashtag activism with #StopTMT etched in signs and stamped across our bodies. Celebrities and supporters plastered their endorsements across their Instagram profiles and Twitter feeds.

Where is that same fervor now?

TMT is not without its controversy, as both sides of the issue pose compelling arguments about the project. What's is more concerning to me, however, is the sporadic and inconsistent approach towards the natural resources in the islands. The different islands have varying issues regarding the land, whether it’s the crops grown on them, the ownership of one by a very rich man, or just managing to survive on them.

Brown Water, Sewage, and Drains

The state's population is growing, but not without its share of problems. With the extremely active hurricane season, we're only "now" uncovering some of the effects of the city's delay in addressing our infrastructure. Drone videos are showing the spills into Kailua, and Waikiki closed down because of a sewage spill. Officials say that some of the storm drainage behavior is expected and everything is working as it should.

Of course, this wouldn't be the first time that it's happened around the Waikiki area. In 2006, 48 million gallons of sewage pumped into the Ala Wai. In 2013, The intersection of McCully and Kapiolani overflowed and spilled a more palatable amount of 5,000 gallons, "possibly" contaminating the Ala Wai. I mean after all, there were no water samples submitted, just "visual observations." There were previously contingency plans to truck excess sewage to Kailua because the current setup at Sand Island wasn't enough.

Let’s not forget that the Sierra Club had originally tried to sue in 2004, much before the Ala Wai catastrophe. The state and the EPA reached a settlement agreement concerning the upgrade of our sewage system in 2010. The plan is expected to continue until 2035, although there is some optimism around the timeline being accelerated; Mayor Kirk Caldwell reported we were ahead of schedule last year.

Walkable City

As many of us live and work in downtown Honolulu, there is no missing the constant murmuring of projects in the Kakaako district. Once full of warehouses, it's quickly undergoing an urban restoration. Kamehameha Schools has allotted 29 acres of land for low income housing and other business ventures to encourage the already growing activity in this part of the city. The condos are a different story, as many of the luxury condominiums have been sold, and excited buyers are just waiting for their products. Many of the developers are looking to finish their buildings in the next couple years.

With all the development, we should be excited for the future of the state right? Hawaii, the most isolated place on the planet, is the perfect meeting point for the East and West. Oahu, The Gathering Place, has a population of about 1,000,000 people and we see anywhere from 650,000 to just under 900,000 a month. The island hosts so many people, that we really should be excited at the growth we're cultivating and the impact that our developing city should see even now.

Homelessness

A constant source of controversy and discussion in the community is the homeless population present on Oahu. We've enacted the sit-lie bans in Waikiki and downtown Honolulu. With talks to expand these bans, we will only further push these already displaced people into suburban neighborhoods. Some people have taken a different approach and offered repurposed school buses as a solution in Sand Island.

Hostility and perhaps even a fear of homeless people exist. Senator Tom Brower was attacked in Kakaako, which further taints the image of the homeless population to the public. Yet, he was known most for destroying homeless encampments back in 2013. Many of the homeless population is mentally ill and may even have addiction problems. Even if some individuals don't have the previously mentioned issues, they have children to support. While there is more attention given to the downtown population, we shouldn't forget about the populations in other places, like Nanakuli and Wahiawa.

In May, an infographic circulated the web about the minimum wage needed to live in Hawaii: $31.61. Compare that to the current $7.75 minimum wage, with gradual increases annually. The cost of living has become too much for some families, who have opted to move to the mainland. And those who can't? They continue the grind.

What does this mean?

Even with the passionate discourse around Mauna Kea, the same energy isn't applied equally to land on the island on which we live and work. Land is a limited inelastic resource, and more so in the islands. For that reason, we should think more critically about how we decide to use this gift.

The benefits of development can best be defined by their effects on what already exists. If we encourage population growth at a rate that cannot be sustained by current infrastructure, we risk putting our natural resources at risk; whether it is the land itself, fresh water availability, the ocean. While any system is best tested against real life application, it should challenge us to improve. The sewage system upgrades are certainly a start, but is it enough?

In Honolulu, the rising cost of housing and living poses a constant hurdle. Some families are living paycheck to paycheck, while working two jobs in town. Others have members who work one job with 2.5 hour commute each way, rebelling against the cost of living while spending their quality of life. The movement towards becoming a walkable city is certainly an improvement, and with the allotment of KS property to affordable housing, one can hope this is enough as we await the arrival of the rail system.

But what about the homeless population? While some perceive their existence to be burdensome, some families are only a paycheck away from the same. The stigma against homelessness is so strong that we forget the spirit of aloha and sometimes compassion.

The construction of the condos in downtown Honolulu certainly may be a reflection of the growing metropolis that Honolulu aspires to be. I often wonder, however, if the continued construction is only a bubble that we continue to invest in. In the worst case, we continue to use more land and more resources until the bubble bursts, and we've removed the richness of the land by planting our greed. The same people drawn to the island for its beauty and pleasant weather are moving away as the land is no longer valuable. Those of us who can afford to leave certainly will, but what of the rest of us? Is the growth that we're experiencing a true reflection of the island's potential and is it a sustainable way to solidify our presence in the Pacific?

While the TMT decision may be some time away, the benefits to me seem more sustainable. The educational benefits of TMT for scientists, hobbyists, and students are innumerable. They're the ones who can help us further improve the land that we live in and contribute to the growth in our islands.

I'm fully aware of the fact that many cry foul, saying that the culture is not being preserved or protected, and to this I ask, “What defines the culture?” Why can't a place of learning simultaneously be a center of culture? By treating Hawaiian traditions and culture as relics of the past, we are digging its graves. Education has ubiquitous value, so why can't a place of science and learning also be a place that celebrates the cultural impact and achievement? In 2014, TMT announced a partnership with the Pauahi Foundation, to help students on the island interested in STEM further their education. Certainly it can do more.

Some may argue about the indigenous flora that call its home Mauna Kea. It's hard to argue this one. Then again, it's also hard to maintain the argument when the Kaiwi Coast had development looming above it until last week. Is some land more sacred than others? Isn't it our responsibility to make sure that we treat our resources with respect, use what we need, and counsel others who may have struggles in doing the same? Is the land that we work and play on less important than the one that stands as the cornerstone for the birth of the Hawaiian people?

Think about that while we continue to solidify the presence and cultural impact of our island home. We should work to be proactive instead of reactive, and challenge decisions. Picking and choosing our battles is easy, but if all land is valuable, is that approach enough to be reasonable?

We can also argue about the unfair and subversive ways things are done, but if we aren't invested from the beginning, is it fair? We are as responsible to the due process of any system, regardless of our opinion, and more so when it isn't one that we share. At the end of the day, we should hold each other accountable because our experience on the island is affected by each of us.

As the hearings continue on, we must keep the following in mind: there should always be a willingness to compromise. Compromise is often a hard pill to swallow, as everyone loses in a compromise. Our dissenting opinions should be an asset, but it's only proving to be a hindrance to further growth. There's so much more we can gain from challenging each other to be better and using our past as motivation to improve.

Let's get comfortable with being uncomfortable, so that we can gain more from the diversity of our opinions, instead of losing out on everything in the battle.