In November of 2002, Kaua'i Electric, a private for-profit company, was sold to Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC), a non-profit entity with cooperative by-laws. Anyone who purchases energy from KIUC is considered a member, and may participate in a number of ways, including attending board meetings, serving on the board of directors, voting on policies and electing representatives. Remember those ballots that come in your electric bill every Spring?

Because we on Kaua'i buy energy from a cooperative that we belong to, rather than a private company, we have a tremendous opportunity to participate in deciding where we want our energy to come from: declining oil supplies or renewable sources? KIUC's website states, "While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members." You are a member of a democratically run cooperative, and do have a voice. If you are interested in energy sustainability, start participating in our cooperative's conversations about renewables. Visit http://www.kiuc.coop to inform yourself, attend meetings (listed on the SaveKauai calendar), and start paying attention to those election ballots! Apollo Kauai will be holding a candidate forum in early January.