Life is Good!

This is not Mom but this is where she will be 24 hours from now. Yep, Mom and Dad are leaving me again so they can go lay on the beach in Hawaii. What is wrong with them? Why can't they stay home and lay in bed with me?

I know that Mom and Dad need a vacation, especially with everything that's gone on this autumn. Mom thought that the doctors would not let Dad fly all the way to Hawaii (10 hours) but he got the okay again this morning. I wonder what Mom would have done if Dad couldn't go. I think she would still go because she loves Hawaii. Dad or no Dad, Mom will be on that airplane tomorrow heading to the Big Island come hell or high water!

Of course Mom and Dad can't just stay at any old hotel when they're on vacation. Nope. They are staying at the Mauna Lani Resort which just so happens to have been named the only US property in North America honored as one of the world's Top Luxury Eco-Friendly Beach Destinations by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Mom is green even when she's on vacation!

Mom has shown me pictures of the Mauna Lani and it looks amazing. The Mauna Lani's solar energy innovations are second to none. They generate the most solar electric power of any luxury resort in the world. They also won the award because they have a green sea turtle (honu) program. Conde Nast calls it an ecotourism attraction but Mom calls it brilliant. The resort was also selected as one of only ten golf resorts in the world for the first ever Green Gold Award as a leader in environmental stewardship by Golf Magazine. Dad is definitely going to golf there.

"Since opening 26 years ago, Mauna Lani has been at the forefront of environmental stewardship in the resort industry," said Brian Butterworth, General Manager. "As we continue to add new amenities and programs, we always do so with an eye toward remaining true to the Hawaiian practice of malama 'aina, or responsible stewardship of the land. Preserving Hawaii's resources, environment and culture is an important aspect of the resort experience at Mauna Lani and it resonates with our guests who are inspired to come back year after year." Kudos to them!

Back to the solar electric power. The resort's photovoltaic system covers three acres and provides operating power and supplies the majority of the resort's daytime water pumping power requirements. But what is the savings of this system you ask? They estimate that over the 25-year lifetime of the system, the solar generated electricity will reduce emissions of CO2 by almost 12,000 tons. That's awesome!

But it's not just solar power that makes this resort green. Their catering team has created a menu of eco-friendly options and their unique sustainable menu incorporates all products within a radius of 100 miles of the hotel. This means you can eat like a locavore even on vacation.

I already told you the golf course was green and not just in terms of color. The greens are made from a drought-resistant grass that requires considerably less fertilizer and herbicides. This makes it more eco-friendly both for the golfers and for the environment. Despite the bad rap that golf courses get for using too much water, chemicals, etc., there are ways to design and operate them that makes them green for all.

I mentioned that Mom thinks the green sea turtle program is brilliant and that's not just because she loves turtles. Since 1989, the Mauna Lani has collaborated with Sea Life Park to raise juvenile honu in its saltwater ponds until they are large enough to be released in the wild. The honu are part of the resort's fishing feeding tour designed to raise awareness of the endangered species. Mom was thrilled the first time she walked into the hotel and saw the honus. They were just little guys and each one had a number painted on its shell. Mom and Dad even got to hold some honus because a famous turtle guy flew over from Oahu to assist in giving the honus checkups. Mom started to talk to the guy about turtles and turtle people she has worked with, and next thing you know Mom is in the middle of the action. It was like a dream come true and definitely something she will never forget.

The little honus are released into the ocean every Fourth of July in what is part of the resort's annual Sea Turtle Independence Day celebration. More than 170 honu have been released into the wild as part of this program and people from all over the islands and all over the world come to the Mauna Lani to be part of the celebration. Mom and Dad just never seem to make it to the celebration because we have our own celebration back here on the mainland. But one of these days I know that Mom is going to break tradition and join the celebration at the Mauna Lani.

Mom is really going to Hawaii to hang out with these guys. She loves the honu almost as much as she loves me. She will spend hours sitting on her little blue beach chair contraption gazing longingly at the honu as they climb out of the water and onto the lava to rest. She will spend the rest of the time swimming with them, amazed at the gracefulness they exhibit. Dad will have to drag her away from the beach to go to sleep, but even while she's asleep she will have one ear to the ocean. The waves will lull her to sleep, dreaming of all the honu swimming just offshore soon to come and visit her again. Ahhh. Paradise found!

Of course I will never be able to go to Hawaii because the flight would kill me. Plus, PetAirways doesn't fly there and I'm not flying in cargo on United! That's okay because our housesitter/pugsitter will be here tomorrow morning and that's when the fun really begins. When the parents are away the pug will play!