Detective Damon Sets Pace For Energy Cuts

Damon Suehiro, 7, and his little brother Brennan stand in their Maunawili yard to show off the Energy Conservation Kit Damon won in Hawaiian Electric Co.'s Energy Detective Guide energy pledge drawing this fall. Photo from HECO.

A Maunawili Cub Scout is well on his way to being a sleuth for power, and Hawaiian Electric Co. recognized his potential when it made him the fall winner of its Energy Conservation Kit.

The kind of power 7-year-old Damon Suehiro seeks is the leaking, wasteful kind. Inspired by green buildings and lessons at his school, the Punahou second-grader completed detective work around the Suehiro home and made recommendations to parents Garrett and Christine: Install photovoltaic panels on both house and horse barn.

They did, and it did. The family’s monthly bill of $450 has been slashed to $16, thanks to Detective Damon.

According to mom Christine, he’s an energy manufacturer in his own right. “Damon loves to be active, loves to learn and likes to be out and about.”

He also has a budding promotional streak. Attached to his entry in HECO’s energy pledge contest and drawing was this note: “Please, I would like to win.”

Damon, whom HECO calls “our most energy-conscious winner so far,” will be sharing the contents of his prized kit with fellow scouts in Pack 1, Den 18. He may now be puzzling, meanwhile, over how to cut energy output from those twinkling Christmas lights.