Plastic Free Kailua is a coalition of community members and business owners striving to educate the restaurants, stores, residents, and visitors of Kailua on the environmental and health benefits of going plastic free in order to minimize the plastic consumption and pollution in our islands.
Plastic Free Kailua Goals:
- To minimize the consumption of single-use plastics. Single use items include plastic bags, food take-out containers, styrofoam, plastic utensils, water bottles, etc.
- To promote the human and environmental health benefits of going plastic free.
- To provide a list of cost effective alternatives to single-use plastics: including re-usable bags and bottles, compostable bags and food wares.
- To support and assist local government in passing plastic free legislation.
- To keep the campaign tone positive and looking towards a healthier future, rewarding those that participate without condemning those that do not.
Working together we can make a difference
for our neighborhood, island, and world.
for our neighborhood, island, and world.
Contact us at plasticfreekailua@gmail.com
History
Plastic Free Kailua began as a community building program in September 2010 with the intent grow an educated and impassioned group of local supporters dedicated to reducing single-use plastic consumption one step at a time. We hold monthly meetings and quarterly beach clean-ups. We are nurturing a partnership with Huakailani Elementary School and intend to extend our mission to more local schools. In 2011, we will launch a Coalition of local businesses participating in a single-use plastic reduction program.
Plastic Free Kailua is based on the model provided by the Plastic Free Hawaii initiative organized by the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. Plastic Free Hawaii began as the Plastic Free Hale’iwa Coalition at the end of 2007 when the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, together with two concerned business owners, decided to address the issue of single use plastics in Hale’iwa on the North Shore of Oahu. Currently the Plastic Free Hale’iwa Coalition includes over 50 Hale’iwa business members and hundreds of community supporters in the movement to minimize single use plastics.
The Coalition is founded on a strong sense of community pride, teamwork and positive reinforcement. There are numerous early supporters of the Plastic Free Kailua endeavor including the Castle Foundation, Kaneohe Ranch, and local businesses such as Mu’umu’u Heaven. To launch the Coalition campaign, community coordinators will go door-to-door educating business owners on the issues of single use plastics, providing plastic free sources, and sharing proven strategies that cover costs and insure positive results.
Plastic Free Hawaii is also partnering with non-profit Kanu Hawaii. By asking citizens to join as members, make and uphold commitments, their mission is to live by the island values that shape Hawaii's unique way of life. Second, they are driven by the concept of kuleana or responsibility. Kanu Hawaii privileges island-style activism: to lead by example with humility and perseverance, to persistently ask for change from a position of strength – armed with common values, information, wisdom, and integrity.
In July of 2008, the Kokua Hawaii Foundation partnered with Kanu Hawaii to launch the Plastic Free Commitment campaign as a way to elicit consumer activism. Five plastic free commitments were crafted to allow individuals to pledge their support of the plastic free message. Commitment cards and collection boxes will be placed in Coalition member businesses to further educate and engage customers. By tallying the Plastic Free supporters and their commitments, we can measure our collective impacts.
Throughout 2010-2011, the Kokua Hawaii Foundation will be working with Kanu Hawaii to expand the Plastic Free coalition in Kailua. If you are interested in learning more or bringing Plastic Free to your town please email us at plasticfree@kokuahawaiifoundation.org or visit www.kokuahawaiifoundation.org/plasticfree.
