Next month, Melissa Miyashiro ‘10 will be keeping the same Zoom background at clean energy non-profit Blue Planet while changing her title from Managing Director of Strategy and Policy to ‘Executive Director.’ For the past seven years, Melissa has advocated for renewable energy at Blue Planet, and to that end, nothing has changed.
Next month, Melissa Miyashiro ‘10 will be keeping the same Zoom background at clean energy non-profit Blue Planet while changing her title from Managing Director of Strategy and Policy to ‘Executive Director.’ For the past seven years, Melissa has advocated for renewable energy at Blue Planet, and to that end, nothing has changed.
Notably, in 2015, Melissa and Blue Planet advocated for HB 623, a landmark legislative bill signed by Governor Ige that committed Hawaiʻi to a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045. After the enactment of HB 623, other states have followed suit by drafting and passing their own similar legislation.
As it can take years for bills like HB 623 to pass, Melissa believes unyielding advocacy and persuasive writing skills are the key to maintaining the momentum required for important legislation to get past the finish line. Melissa credits her time at the William S. Richardson School of Law (WSRSL) for forming her into the staunch advocate she is today.
Before law school, Melissa earned an Environmental Science Degree then took some time off from school and moved to Hawaii to work as an environmental scientist, thinking she would eventually pursue a PhD in Marine Biology. “I had a fascinating job, but I was restless. I liked the science side of my work but was craving the advocacy component in contributing to the environmental field.”
Although she had no legal background and didn’t know any lawyers, Melissa took a leap of faith and applied to WSRSL after becoming interested in environmental compliance. Unlike most law students, she knew right away the direction she wanted to take in law school. Melissa quickly became involved in the Environmental Law Program (ELP) and her favorite ELP memories include putting together colloquia on environmental law topics as an ELP Research Associate and participating in stream cleanups with the Environmental Law Society. Melissa believes it is the small school atmosphere and constant access to fantastic faculty at the WSRSL that give law students the confidence and edge they need to succeed in the legal field.
Melissa describes Blue Planet as a mission-driven organization; advocacy efforts, in addition to the enactment of HB 623, attest to the sincerity of this description. She credits the group effort of others within and outside the non-profit to the successful enactment of HB 623 and other projects such as Blue Planet’s ‘Climate Crew’ initiative.
The Climate Crew is a cohort-based initiative that brings together motivated, climate conscious high school students that participate in a two-day training program which trains students in grassroot advocacy efforts including presentations to neighborhood boards. Youth advocacy is what Melissa is most excited about, and she looks forward to welcoming the 4th Climate Crew cohort next year.
Disasters attributed to the global warming that has been plaguing our planet alongside the COVID Pandemic are tragic, but Melissa believes such eye-opening events will encourage others to do their part in advocating for our environment and catching up with today’s youth. Melissa recognizes the voices of youth from around the world that don’t want to go back to the status quo in a post-Pandemic world, and instead want to move toward a different industry standard that will redesign energy systems that have systematically left people behind over the years.
The ELP ‘ohana would like to take this opportunity to thank outgoing Executive Director Jeff Mikulina for his extensive contributions to Hawaiʻi and beyond, in addition to congratulating Melissa on her newest endeavor.
AW 10/03/21