Recycle Hawai`i - The Kohala Center

Keeping It Green
Fall 2012, Volume III, No. 4
Message from the Executive Director
Recycle Hawai`i's 20th Anniversary celebration
is scheduled for Saturday, November 17 from
6:30 -10:30pm at the Hilo Elks Lodge. This is
one of many America Recycles Day - Hawai`i
Recycles Day events taking place in November.
Paul J. Buklarewicz Our event will feature dance music by the highenergy, Bump City, with their soulful salsa/funk/
Motown and R&B. Recycle Hawai`i members who renew their
membership between October 15 and November 15 will receive
a ticket to this exciting fundraising event that will also include a
silent auction, pot luck pupus and a no-host bar. Tickets are $15 in
advance and $20 at the door. You do not want to miss this!
Elections at last July’s annual meeting resulted in immediate past
Board President, Jay West, taking over the RH Treasurer position,
with Scot Sanderson elected President, Jenna Long, Vice President,
and Terri Markovich, Secretary. James Goodloe, Wiley Knight,
and Diane Wolking continue as Board Directors.
Recycle Hawai`i welcomes new staff member, Marisol Favela, who
has taken over the Hawi Recycle and Reuse Center as its Recycling
and Reuse Coordinator at the Kaauhuhu transfer station.
Organizers of the 19th Annual KWXX Ho`olaule`a in Downtown
Hilo enlisted Recycle Hawai`i’s help in managing the waste stream
for this annual event, which draws as many as 20,000 participants
over a six-hour period. With zero waste the goal, Kristine Kubat,
Jordan Silva, Keana Okuda and a cadre of volunteers from
Americorps and the University of Hawai`i at Hilo collected and
sorted discards that would otherwise have gone to the landfill.
The flow of trash proved to be overwhelming with the crew
managing to collect about 25% of what was generated during the
night. However, with the support of Chris and Kathy Leonard,
the County Department of Public Works and thousands of
appreciative attendees, the team managed to process 2,000
gallons of materials. Of the total amount collected, 98% was
diverted from the landfill. This high diversion rate was made
possible only because Mr. K’s Recycling and Redemption Center
accepted #6 plastics, including Styrofoam.
A publication of Recycle Hawai`i
Kristine called the experience “crazy,” but by the following week she
was already coming up with ideas on how to collect more of the waste
stream next time around. According to Kristine: “At the end of the
night, Kathy Leonard [of KWXX] said she was grateful and wanted
to do it again. So we raised awareness and opened a door. Once you’re
on the path to zero waste, there’s really no turning back.”
This effort comes on the heels of Zero Waste Orientation Week at UH
Hilo also managed by Kristine, with help from Jordan (who comes to
Recycle Hawai`i through Arc of Hilo’s Teens in Transition program) and
Dr. Cam Muir, (who also manned a sort station at the ho`olaule`a). All
the events held for incoming freshman were staged as zero waste events.
Over the course of the week, virtually all of the discards were collected
at these nine gatherings with an average of 99.3% diversion rate. To stay
updated about Recycle Hawai`i’s ongoing zero waste initiatives, be sure
to read Kristine’s “Waste Not” column in the Big Island Chronicle.
Artist Ira Ono, founder and juror of the annual Trash Art Show,
presided over the show’s 24th opening on October 5 at the East Hawai`i
Cultural Center. The show highlights an array of fabulous works of art
made from recycled materials and is open every day except Sundays
through October 24. This year’s Recycle Hawai`i “Tutu Hana Hou
(Jo Diotalevi)” Award was presented to Dennis Taniguchi for “Shishi
Mai” – a one-man lion dance costume. The piece is reminiscent of
the multi-person lion dance costume made of recycled materials by
former RH North Hawai`i Educator, the late Jo Diotalevi. Jo’s Shishi
Mai was featured in North Hawai`i parades, most recently at the 100th
Anniversary of the Honoka`a Hongwanji Buddhist temple in 2009.
Since 2007, the Grousbeck Family Foundation (GFF) has been
supporting Recycle Hawai`i programs with a series of grants. For the
2012/13 fiscal year, GFF contributed $15,000 towards “hands-on”
recycling programs which will benefit programs such as our Do-ItYourself Used Motor Oil Program, Construction & Demolition (C&D)
recycling at the Kea`au Recycle and Reuse Center, and Zero Waste
activities at island-wide community events. Mahalo to the Grousbeck
Family Foundation for their continued support of RH programs!
I hope to see you at the Recycle Hawai`i 20th Anniversary celebration
on November 17. There will be opportunities to share stories of the
early days when RH was an all-volunteer grassroots organization
pioneering recycling and sustainable living efforts for Hawai`i Island.
Also In This Issue...
In The News... pg 2
Events & Presentations... pg 2
Hawai`i Island School Gardens Network... pg 3 Koa’s Corner... pg 4
Recycle Hawai`i is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization serving the people of Hawai`i.
We currently offer free public recycling educational services on behalf of the County of Hawai`i,
the State Department of Health and our Recycle Hawai`i contributors.
Our mission is to promote resource awareness and recycling enterprises in Hawai`i.
To achieve this, we educate the community about sound resource management and
recycling opportunities for a more environmentally sustainable future.
Staf f /B oa rd
In The News
Events/Presentations
Board of Directors
President: Scot Sanderson
Vice President: Jenna Long
Secretary: Terri R. Markovich
Treasurer: Jay West
James Goodloe
Wiley Knight
Diane Wolking
Recycle Hawai`i Staff
Executive Director:
Paul J. Buklarewicz
Education Director:
Howard Shapiro
DIY-Used Motor Oil Program
Project Manager: Kristine Kubat
Hawi Recycling & Reuse
Coordinator: Marisol Favela
Kea`au Recycling & Reuse Staff
Project Manager: Travis Olson
Mabel Andrade, Mike Backus,
Martin Gross & Ted Navarro
Pāhoa Recycling & Reuse
Coordinators: Mike Hamini,
Rachel Keehne
Waimea Recycling & Reuse
Coordinators: Joey Rogers
& Darlene Woolford
Newsletter
Editor: Howard Shapiro
Layout & Graphic Design:
Christina Strong
Contributors: Paul J. Buklarewicz
& Howard Shapiro
Photography: Paul J. Buklarewicz,
& The Kohala Center
Koa Illustration: Bolo
Zero Waste School Initiative
Composting Workshops
Hawi: Sat., October 13, 10 AM – 12 PM
Montessori Education Center of Hawai`i
Keeping It Green is published four
times each year by Recycle Hawai`i,
PO Box 4847, Hilo, HI 96720.
It features the work of RH staff
members, County of Hawai`i
contributors and members of the
Island of Hawai`i community at
large. Announcements of events are
published as space allows.
Contents copyrighted 2012 by
Recycle Hawai`i or by individual
contributors as noted. No portion of
this publication may be reproduced
without the express written consent
of the copyright owner.
The Zero Waste School Initiative is a program
sponsored by Recycle Hawai`i that highlights
zero waste events and activities at schools and
in the community in Hawai`i.
The objective of the program is to encourage
and recognize “zero waste projects” that are
being sponsored by schools throughout the
state. This recognition can help motivate
others to create events, activities, and projects
that incorporate the concept of zero waste
not only for specific events, but also as part
of the school’s ongoing commitment to
environmental protection.
The Zero Waste International Alliance has
defined zero waste as:
“A goal that is ethical, economical,
efficient and visionary, to guide people in
changing their lifestyles and practices to
emulate sustainable natural cycles, where
all discarded materials are designed to
become resources for others to use.
Zero Waste means designing and
managing products and processes to
systematically avoid and eliminate
the volume and toxicity of waste and
materials, conserve and recover all
resources, and not burn or bury them.
Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate
all discharges to land, water or air that
are a threat to planetary, human, animal
or plant health.”
Waimea: Sat., November 17, 10 AM –12 PM
Waimea Nature Park
Pāhoa: Sat., December 15, 10 AM – 12 PM
Pahoa Feed & Fertilizer
Hilo: Sat., December 15, 2 PM – 4 PM
Church of the Holy Apostles
For more information please contact
Ann Hassler at 937-1100 or
[email protected]
Artists & the Environment
October 24
Pahoa Elementary
Bonnie Kim
October 31
Kona Pacific Charter School
& Kealakehe Elementary
Sahra Indio
November 1
Innovations Charter School
& Holualoa Elementary
Kumu Hula Keala Ching
November 15
America Recycles Day Concert
Palace Theater, Hilo
November 15
Zero Waste Cafeteria Day
Statewide in Hawai`i
On America Recycles Day, November 15,
2012, Recycle Hawai`i is encouraging schools
in Hawai`i` to participate in the “Zero Waste
Ongoing
Cafeteria Day”. This project highlights for
students and teachers the amount of materials Drop off or pick up good condition, reusable,
that they can save from going into the landfill
freecycled items at the following
by practicing some simple and responsible
recycling/reuse centers:
environmental practices. This is also an
Kea`au Recycling and Reuse Center
opportunity to teach students how much food
Open daily, 9 AM - 5 PM
is thrown in the trash at their school each day.
Hawi Recycling & Reuse Center
If your school would like more information,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
please contact us at 808.985.8725 or
12 PM - 6 PM (5 PM winter months)
[email protected].
Pāhoa Recycling & Reuse Center
Daily 9:00 AM - 4 PM
Waimea Recycling & Reuse Center
Open daily, 9 AM - 4:30 PM
Recycle Hawai`i
PO Box 4847 • Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 329-2886 or (808) 961-2676
[email protected] • www.recyclehawaii.org
Hawai`i Island School Garden Network
Recycle Hawai`i supports organizations that not only promote
recycling and resource awareness, but also sustainability. The
Kohala Center is one of these organizations.
Making laulau
and implementation of gardening and agricultural programs.
Their work includes identification of funding opportunities and
local agricultural resources, volunteer development, curriculum
development and professional development for their “Garden
Leaders”. Networking opportunities and events bring this
important work to the community.
They are currently implementing a garden based nutrition
education program called Eat-Think-Grow. The Hawai`i Island
Beacon Community’s Healthy Eating and Active Living Initiative
award has allowed HISGN the opportunity to partner with
Kaiser Nutritionist and Dietician Vivienne Aronowitz, MPH,
RD to present nutritional information at workshops for garden
educators and class teachers, family nutrition nights and school
food festivals. HISGN has also compiled garden based nutrition
curriculum resources. These events and resources will be available
in both East and West Hawai`i and the public is invited to attend
the Food Festivals.
Created in 2001, The Kohala Center focuses its work on four
major areas of interest: ocean sciences, environmental studies,
alternative energy and global health. By fostering a respectful
approach to the engagement of Hawai`i Island’s cultural and
natural environments, they hope to inspire science by integrating
science with culture and community. They see Hawai`i as a living
classroom that highlights the value of Hawaiian culture and
science in the contemporary world. Furthermore they see the
land itself, as a valuable intellectual asset not just a resource to
develop commercially. The Kohala Center wishes to sustain the
natural environment, strengthen the social fabric and develop the
economy of Hawai`i Island
They work with many organizations on Hawai`i Island and have
developed relationships with prominent organizations such as
the Kamehameha Schools, the Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation,
and Na Kala`i Wa`a Moku o Hawai`i.
A program that The Kohala Center sponsors that Recycle Hawai`i
supports is The Hawai`i Island School Garden Network. The goal
of the Hawai`i Island School Garden Network (HISGN) is to help
Hawai`i Island schools build gardening and agricultural programs
that will significantly contribute to the increased consumption
of locally produced food by involving students, their school
communities and their family networks in food production.
Student planting
HISGN began work in September 2007. Currently, they work with
over 60 public, charter, and private schools in assisting “Garden
Leaders”, as well as school faculty and administration, in the creation
Taro from garden
Another current HISGN program is Ku `Aina Pa, a year long
garden teacher certification program. This new School Learning
Garden Teacher Training Program has been created for Hawai`i’s
teachers under a USDA/SPECA “Ag in the Classroom K-12”
grant. The 2012 cadre of 30 teachers has been chosen and they
represent every area of Hawai`i Island. They are from Elementary,
Middle, and High Schools public/private/charter. There are 10
teams of 2 teachers from each school, and 10 individual teachers.
They will be able to establish a School Learning Garden Program
that will integrate core curriculum/STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math) with hands-on garden based learning.
School garden programs create hands-on living laboratories for
students to deepen their understanding of the sciences and nutrition,
incorporating social studies, language arts and math into meaningful
learning activities in an outdoor setting. HISGN welcomes public
contributions to their program in the form of funding, shared
resources and volunteer time at one of their programs.
For more information on HISGN, please go to http://
kohalacenter.org/HISGN/about.html or contact Nancy
Redfeather at [email protected] or Donna Mitts at
[email protected].
Keeping It Green Hawai`i
Koa’s Corner
Keeping It Green Hawai`i is a program that highlights
projects and activities of schools, organizations, businesses,
and government agencies that promote recycling, resource
awareness, and sustainable practices in Hawai`i.
I’ve noticed in my presentations at schools
in Hawai`i a growing awareness about a
number of environmental issues that we
are facing. When I first began working with
Recycle Hawai`i about 10 years ago very
few students knew the 3 R’s: Reduce • Reuse
• Recycle and even less recycled materials
at home or in school. This wasn’t the
students’ fault because there were very few
recycling opportunities and environmental
education and service learning were not
priorities at schools in Hawai`i. Recently
there has been much talk about ‘going
‘Koa’
green’
and the word sustainability is heard
RH’s Recycling Mascot
in many conversations. This is a good thing
because awareness begins with discussions
about issues and then action hopefully follows.
The objective of the program is to recognize the positive “green
projects” that are being implemented across our state. This
recognition can help motivate others to create events, activities,
and projects that care for our environment and address local
and global issues such as the energy crisis, climate change, the
loss of natural habitats, and the preservation and perpetuation
of the cultures of indigenous people.
Those being nominated for the Keeping It Green Hawai`i
Award must meet three of the following criteria:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Practice the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle
Protect our native Hawaiian forest
Promote organic farming
Develop alternative energy
Support sustainable industry and green building practices
Implement energy and resource conservation practices
Create open space “greenways”
Support youth programs implementing service learning
projects designed to protect our natural resources
• Educate our community about climate change
and envision solutions
• Honor and respect native Hawaiian gathering rights
and cultural practices
Deadline to receive nominations is October 31, 2012.
To make a nomination or for more information, please
contact us at [email protected]
Each of us individually can do our part by recycling, cutting down
on our energy use, supporting Hawai`i farmers by buying locally
grown food and by participating in beautification projects in our
community. However, imagine if earth-friendly practices were
promoted and implemented at our schools, hotels, businesses and
government agencies in Hawai`i. What a great impact that would
have in protecting our beautiful environment. Economically these
practices would produce less trash which would reduce taxes paid
for solid waste disposal, less energy use would cut costs on products
made in Hawai`i and help to reduce the amount of oil we have to ship
to Hawai`i from far distant places and producing locally grown food
would give us a supply of healthy products made in our own backyard.
I recently received an e-mail sharing information about possible
bills that may be introduced at the 2013 Hawai`i legislative session.
They concern implementing pilot programs at the Department of
Education for recycling and composting at schools as well as the
use of renewable energy. I was so excited about these bills that I
sent information about them to teachers and principals at schools
in Hawai`i.
The feedback that I received in return e-mail was terrific. Perhaps the
most touching of all these e-mails was from a nine year old student
at a school on O`ahu. She said, “I’m writing this e-mail to tell you
why I think two bills (renewable energy and reducing trash waste
at schools) are important. These bills are important to me because
they can help schools like mine be environmentally friendly. At a
Student Council meeting, I learned that Mahatma Ghandi said, “Be
the change you want to see in the world.” By writing this letter to
support these bills, I am trying to be a part of this change.”
I think that if we follow the example of that student by taking action
and being the change that we want to see, we will create a home here
in Hawai`i and a world that will be sustainable for many generations.
Become a member of Recycle Hawai`i
Become a member of Recycle Hawai`i and receive a free Recycle Hawai`i tote bag
with your paid membership or contribution.
Other Contributors
Sponsoring Contributor
Individual Contributor
Friend - $50 • Donor - $100
Non-Profit - $50
Student / Senior - $10
Patron - $250
Corporate - $100
Individual - $20 • Family - $30
Go to www.recyclehawaii.org now and become a supportive member of our recycling community!