The Island of Hawaii, where I experienced a month-long internship during my summer vacation, was totally different from the popular Hawaiian image represented by Honolulu. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HAVO), where I worked, is an island with a richer natural environment than other Hawaiian Islands. The highlight of HAVO is an active volcano with rising fumes and the fierce red of molten lava, which makes people, realize that the earth is alive.
I was assigned to the division of Natural Resources Management, which is in charge of conservation and the management of original natural diversity in the park. I engaged in work such as gathering seeds for planting, exterminating alien species in the park, monitoring rare plants, and protecting sea turtles on the beach. My internship included such precious experiences as watching baby turtles on a moonlit beach making it safely to the sea.

Why has the Island of Hawaii, even though it is a popular sightseeing place, been successful in keeping such beautiful nature? It is because of the Hawaiian people, who take it for granted that we should live in good harmony with nature. For example, many people grow bananas or spinach in their gardens for their own consumption. Green plants are not just a decoration in Hawaii. People’s lives there are dependent on the environment, and so keeping nature as it is means keeping their standard of living. However, here in Japan, people spend their lives apart from nature and cannot feel that environmental concerns are real problems for them. This is especially true of people in urban areas.

I am majoring in physics but have been personally interested in environmental issues for a long time, and have often wondered how I could engage in solving these problems with my academic background. I have taken several courses focusing on environmental issues, but they did not particularly help. The internship program with HAVO, on the other hand, was a really great experience for me.　

I learned in Hawaii that the coexistence of humans and nature will be the key to solving environmental issues. The local people of Hawaii are proud of their island and always have a smile on their face, even though they do not enjoy economic wealth. I will never forget this experience on the Island of Hawaii.