Posts Tagged ‘Recycling’

Those that argue there is a lot of trash on television will be absolutely right beginning Friday October 23 2009 when ‘Opalavision’ debuts on Oceanic Interactive Channel 332.  The Green Channel will feature three minute episodes/informative messages about recylcing programs on O’ahu.  These episodes features young up-and-coming actors who “will take viewers on journeys about how refuse travels from home to the processing centers or how schools make a difference through recycling projects such as food waste composting with worms.”

Among the episodes:
There’s No Power Like H-POWER
Pimp My Ride, City and County Edition
Henry Kapono’s commitment to recycling
Food For Worms
It’s Cool for Condos
Did you know?

The Green Channel courtesy of Oceanic Time-Warner Cable will be America’s first eco-conciousness networks, intended to provide viewers with a single source of information about about eco-friendly initiatives aimed at preserving Hawaii’s island paradise.

To kick off Opalavision there will be a special Green Aloha Concert this Friday October 23 2009 as part of the Waikiki Sunset on the Beach.  This is another one of those ‘Oh MY Gosh Tax Payer Money Can Be Spent Wisely’ moments courtesy of Mayor Mufi Hanneman.  Yes, the event is Free!  FREE!  Enviromentalist Entertainer Henry Kapono will perform at Queen’s Beach, along with other musicians.  In fact the musical line-up is incredible: comedian Kaleo Pilanca, Sister Robi, Amy Hanaili’i, Jasmine Trias, Slam Poet Kealoa, the Taiko Drums of Kenny Endo, and the precision Drill of the King’s Guards.   

Opalavision will have its big screen debut at the event, an opportunity to get to meet the talented cast of the aforementioned episodes

The Department of Environmental Services a.k.a. the City and County of Honolulu has recently added new neighborhoods to their curbside recycling program.  Luckily my neighborhood Kahaluu was included in the new area and a couple weeks ago I received a new green trash bin, a calendar of new solid waste pick-up days, and instructions on how to use all of my current bins.  I now have 3 bins: gray (only for refuse), blue (only for mixed recyclables like newspaper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, and plastic), and my new green bin (only for green waste like yard trimmings, leaves, grass, etc.).  This curbside recycling system has been trialing in Mililani and Hawaii Kai and now is expanding to numerous other neighborhoods after the trial’s success.

My trash pick-up days are currently Mondays and Thursdays and starting May 4, 2009, Thursdays will include blue and/or green bin recycling.  Starting in June the second gray bin or refuse pick-ups on Thursdays will stop and only blue and/or green bin recycling will commence.  Depending on your trash pick-up days, eventually your second gray bin or refuse pick-up day will stop.  The city says that if you recycle properly by utilizing the blue and green bins households will not need that second gray bin or refuse pick-up.  This is a huge effort on Oahu’s government to divert refuse from the landfills.   Gray bin refuse is processed at the H-POWER waste-to-energy facility.  Green bin waste is composted locally.  Blue bin materials are sorted and shipped to re-manufacturing facilities.

Residents who currently recycle will no longer have to drive to drop off stations to recycle their items.  Also, this new system will get those who have never recycled to start with minimal difficulties resulting in maximum environmental rewards.  This new Opala collection system will take some initial adjustment, but it is easy and convenient for Oahu residents.

For more information about the Opala Curbside Program visit www.opala.org or call 808-768-3200.  The City and County reminds you to, “Don’t Dump on Hawaii.  Sort it Out.”

A few Saturdays ago, I dragged my boyfriend to the Manoa Gardens Elderly Housing Community Center for a “Worm Workshop.” I had recently read an article about how you can recycle all organic materials using earthworms kind of like composting.  I thought that was an amazing concept and wanted to learn more about it.  I then discovered www.WaikikiWorm.com and founder of the Waikiki Worm Company Mindy Jaffe.  Jaffe is the brains behind this grassroots moment to change the world one earthworm at a time and she holds these ”Worm Workshops” around the island to educate the community about recycling with earthworms.

Bright and early Saturday morning about 9 am my boyfriend and I arrived in Manoa and took a seat next to about 15 other curious people.  We are all gathered around tables with soggy cardboard and newspaper stacked in piles.  In front of us was a plastic planter and next to it was a plastic bag with about a handful of worms.  My boyfriend and I looked at each other wide-eyed because we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into.

During the two hour workshop we were loaded with a plethora of knowledge about earthworms and the art of processing organic waste with worms called vermicomposting.  Vermicomposting transforms garbage into a nutrient rich, odorless, pathogen-free, organic soil amendment used for fertilizing plants called vermicast.  Vermicast is often called gardeners gold and can enhance  the health of plants.  This was a hands on demonstration where all of us got to make our own “worm bin” or mini-composting bin to take home with us.  We all created a home for the worms using the wet cardboard and newspaper, placed our ball of worms inside, and even fed them with some old fruits and vegetables donated from Foodland.  By the end our the workshop our worm bin ready for vermicomposting.  We even got to harvest vermicast from a mature worm bin.

Surprisingly, this workshop was fun, educational, and very inspiring.  I have always been into recycling, but this took it to the next level.  Jaffe was a enthusiastic teacher who is passionate about her worms and saving the planet.  She exudes postive energy and is an expert in her unique field.  At one point in the demo she even breaks out in song!

Annually, 50,000 tons of food wastes are generated on Oahu.  One worm ball as big as your fist can eat it’s weight in food wastes a day.  In the big picture mass worm recyclying could potentially divert Oahu’s food waste from local landfills.  Earthworms can eat anything that was once alive including most paper and any fruit of vegetable part that someone may throw away.  I have had my small worm bin for about a month now and my worm colony has been eating all the food wastes that my household has produced.  After 4 months, my worm ball will have doubled in size and I can move up to a bigger bin.  Eventually, I will get “the can of worms,” which is a vermicomposting stacking system that holds a minimum of a pound of earthworms and at capacity can process 3-4 pounds of food wastes a day.

My boyfriend and I are very glad that we went to the worm workshop put on by Jaffe.  It was an inspiring demostration and I want to help her spread the ”worm” about recycling with earthworms.

For more information visit www.WaikikiWorm.com or visit Mindy Jaffe’s new store Waikiki Worm Company located on  1917 S. King Street or call (808) 382-0432.  If you are interested in starting a worm colony I highly recommend attending one of her workshops.  These workshops are necessary if you would like to start your own worm colony and if you have children it is a great place to take them to learn how to help change the planet.

Did you know you could purchase Goodwill?  Simply by shopping at one of Goodwill Industries of Hawai’i’s many stores you are “helping people with employment barriers to reach their full potential and become self-sufficient.”  What’s more is that it is fun to shop at Goodwill Stores for they are a treasure trove of all sorts of items from clothing & accessories to books and furniture and bric-a-brac of every description.  Though there are many Goodwill Stores on O’ahu this article will focus on the store on Beretania Street, between Wong Ho Lane and McDonalds Beretania; 1075 South Beretania Street.

The store is an excellent example of how to find new uses for items that otherwise might be discarded.  For many years the building was host to a BMW auto dealership.  Only now is it obvious how much more sensible it is to utilize the space for the sale of stuff, all sorts of stuff.  The Beretania Goodwill Store is a cool comforting oasis easy walking distance from downtown Honolulu or an easy bus ride away, though there is ample parking behind the building, accessible from Young Street, as well as Wong Ho Lane, an easy turn off of Beretania.  The entire neighborhood is one of the terrific walking neighborhoods of Honolulu with many eateries & stores stretching along Beretania Street from Pensacola to Kalakaua Avenue and beyond, and spilling onto Young Street and King Street.

What is terrific about Goodwill is not simply finding terrific bargains.  Much like people, many items live to serve and much like people many items find themselves cast away/off despite their value, their desire to be of use.  Searching through the clothing racks one is likely to find that quirky one of a kind item that simply suits your personality.  Browsing books & magazines one is likely to find that elusive title reigniting memories & comfort.  Among the bric-a-brac one finds that odd unusual vase or plate that fits perfectly with their unique décor.

Here is a valuable tip: plan ahead.  Wondering what to be or who to be for Halloween? Well, a great place to start is Goodwill — but not at the last moment.  No, it’s best to explore early & often, get a sense of what items are on hand, and you are likely to land that perfect outfit to dazzle & shine on All Hallow’s Eve.

What is more, the fine folks at Goodwill Industries have hit upon a perfect solution for a problem vexing many Hawai’i residents: what to do with recyclable bottles & cans.  Now you can take recyclables to their HI5 Redemption Centers, and then go shop, so much better than lugging a bag of cans to a dirty parking lot, standing in the hot sun until collecting cash & coin.  It is so much more practical recycling in a place that encourages recycling of all sorts.

The Beretania Goodwill Store is open from 9AM to 7PM Monday through Friday, to 6PM on Saturday, and 5:30PM on Sunday.  Their HI5 Redemption Center is open 9AM to 7PM Monday through Friday, to 5PM on Saturday & Sunday.  The phone number is 808-521-1798.

Though I like the Beretania Goodwill Store, it must be said that there are many equally fine Goodwill stores across O’ahu as well as The Big Island of Hawai’i and most of them are now HI5 redemption centers, so suggest you get in the habit of making can & bottle redemption day the day to shop Goodwill.  To find store locations & hours, and to read about the many excellent ways that Goodwill helps the community as well as ways you can help Goodwill check out their website; www.higoodwill.org.