By Jasmine Buerano
The results are in, and the Kaimukī Cleanup Festival + Night Market was an overwhelming success! With the collective efforts of over 600 volunteers and support from 40+ community partner organizations and vendors, we achieved remarkable milestones that go beyond just numbers. Throughout the day, here were some of the things that stood out the most.
The heart of the event lies in the incredible teamwork that resulted in the removal of over 2000 pounds of debris from 141 acres of land in Kaimukī. To put this into perspective, that's equivalent to cleaning up approximately 141 football fields! The community came together, united by a common goal – to protect and care for the places we love. Even the smallest acts of kindness to a place that brings so much life to our community is worth doing.
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Beyond cleaning up, the event embraced the opportunity to contribute positively to the local ecosystem through an upstream, proactive solution – restoring native plants to Pālolo Stream. Teaming up with Jon Watase and St. Louis School, over 150+ native plants were planted along the banks of Pālolo Stream.
Adding native plants back to the edges of Pālolo Stream provides the building blocks for a biodiverse ecosystem.
Education, or (re)Learning as we like to call it, played a crucial role in the event's success. In the lead-up to the festival, the (Re)Learning team engaged with over 220 students through six educational presentations. In these sessions, our team worked with students throughout Kaimukī, focusing on raising awareness about the importance of environmental conservation, instilling a sense of kuleana (responsibility) and stewardship in the younger generation. Through our (re)Learning Program, we are able to work with our community and take actionable steps towards a world of inspired people, clean beaches, and healthy coastlines.
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The success of the Kaimukī Cleanup Festival + Night Market reinforces a simple yet profound truth – the impact of individuals collectively working towards a common goal. It highlights the power of community participation and the positive change that can occur when people come together around a shared mission or goal. Whether through civic action, lending a helping hand, or supporting local businesses, every effort contributes to inspiring communities all around the world to care for coastlines.
Looking Ahead: North Shore Cleanup, December 2nd, 2023
If you missed the Kaimukī Cleanup Festival, minor! Join us for our last large-scale cleanup of the year on North Shore of O’ahu. Our Kahuku Beach Cleanup is happening on December 2nd, 2023, with a pau hana, live music, food trucks, and games to follow at the Kahuku Sugar Mill. We will also be revealing a brand new project we’ve been working on.
Register here today!
