We broke our record! 1,548 Volunteers came out to celebrate Earth day with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and team KBA! Waimanalo Beach is one of the most beautiful places on the Hawaiian Islands but is also a target for marine plastics that blow to shore with the onshore trade winds. Armed with micro-plastic sand sifters, gloves and an iron clad determiniation, community members came out and showed how much we care about Hawaii.

“Nearly every piece of plastic still exists on Earth, regardless of whether it’s been recycled, broken down into microscopic bits or discarded in the ocean.*”

Marine debris come from two places. Land and Sea. The stuff that comes from land is from all of us. Everytime you use a plastic cup, straw or water bottle, it has a chance of ending up the ocean. Even when you put it in a recycle bin, there’s risk of it blowing out of a truck, landfill or ship, taking it to be processed. It is therefore much better to reduce than to recycle. We are also seeing a lot of decelerate fish gear washing up in Hawaii, discarded or lost at sea. These nets and ropes create an entanglement hazard, killing sea turtles, whales, dolphins and fish. Talk to your local fisherman about being a responsible business.

Doorae Shin, Program Manager at Plastic Free Hawaii, explains that, “the greatest impact you can make is by ‘voting’ with your dollar and being conscious about your habits.” In other words, the choices you make in your everyday life, from purchases at your local retailer to whether to bring a reusable water bottle to work, have an impact on the larger issue.

Shin continues that there are existing efforts to combat the growing problem, such as Honolulu City Council’s recent unanimous vote to pass for Oahu’s ban on plastic bags. Voicing your support of these initiatives to your local representative is a powerful tool for change.

If you would like to learn more about how you can contribute, please e-mail us to join our mailing list.

Kailua Beach Adventures
volunteer@kailuabeachadventures.com