Kimberly Burnett
Changing climate conditions threaten groundwater recharge. The potential benefits of conserving it are substantial.
By Kim Burnett and Christopher Wada Results from a recent statistical exercise suggest that by the end of the 21st century, Hawaii will likely see a 5-10% reduction in precipitation during the wet season and a 5% increase during the dry season (Timm and Diaz 2009). Given that approximately 70% of normal precipitation falls during […]
Read MorePublication: Optimal groundwater management when recharge is declining: a method for valuing the recharge benefits of watershed conservation
Demand for water will continue to increase as per capita income rises and the population grows, and climate change can exacerbate the problem through changes in precipitation patterns and quantities, evapotranspiration, and land cover—all of which directly or indirectly affect the amount of water that ultimately infiltrates back into groundwater aquifers. We develop a dynamic […]
Read MoreUHERO 101.8: Are All Tax Credits Created Equal?
By Kimberly Burnett and James Jones The intention of well-designed tax credit programs is to incentivize individuals or organizations to invest or participate in a commodity or service that will increase the greater good (by, for example, stimulating the economy and/or reducing environmental damage), but that they might not invest in without this additional benefit. […]
Read MoreUHERO 101.7: School’s Out, Unemployment Up?
By Kimberly Burnett and James Jones Last week’s Star Advertiser reported that Honolulu’s unemployment rate increased from May’s 4.0% to 4.7% in June. Is the local labor market in free-fall? Not exactly. When students graduate or are released for summer break, many of them start searching for employment. Suddenly the labor market is flooded with thousands […]
Read MoreUHERO 101.6: Recession Dating
By Kimberly Burnett While the U.S. economy has been out of the last recession since the summer of 2009, a new poll found that a majority of people (54%) thinks the country is still there. How are these things measured, and who decides when a recession starts and ends? The National Bureau of Economic Research […]
Read MoreUHERO 101.5: Much Ado about Student Loans
By Kimberly Burnett and James Jones How will college students around the country be affected by the latest policy change regarding interest rates on student loans? Rates on subsidized Stafford loans, which account for about 25% of all federal student loans, increased from 3.4% to 6.8% for new loans beginning this week. How big of […]
Read MoreThe Challenges of EV Efficiency In Hawaii
Earlier this month, U.S. Department of Energy launched a website that calculates “the cost of fueling a vehicle with electricity compared to a similar vehicle that runs on gasoline”. The mission of this gadget is to encourage consumers to switch to electric cars by: • bringing greater transparency to vehicle operating costs • helping drivers determine how […]
Read MoreUHERO 101.4: Record Visitors, Flat Spending
Last year is often described as a banner year for the Hawaii tourism industry. With record visitor arrivals close to 8 million, it is easy to come to the conclusion that tourism is stronger than ever in the state. Is the number of tourists in a destination the primary indicator to measure success of the […]
Read MoreUHERO 101.3: Can the Median Household afford the Median Home on Oahu?
With recent months of record low interest rates and a strengthening economy, individuals and families in Hawaii are increasingly looking into becoming homeowners. How realistic is this possibility? Do families have enough for the down payment, and will the median household income qualify for a loan? How will a monthly mortgage payment compare to the […]
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