What's New
About Earth Month
On April 22, 1970, Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson and 20 million people across America gathered on the first Earth Day to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Through the combined efforts of government agencies, grassroots organizations and residents like you, what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a world-wide campaign to protect our global environment.
The City and County of Honolulu Storm Water (SWQ) Branch of the Department of Environmental Services's Earth Month Theme - the mauka to makai connection - be an everyday clean water hero is a call to action conducted with the hope that our keiki will teach their families what they learn in school, take personal responsibility for minimizing polluted runoff, and continue to manage the runoff as adults. Because our keiki will ultimately be the decision-makers for the neighborhood, teaching personal responsibility for minimizing polluted runoff early on can only benefit the neighborhood in later years.
The ultimate goal of this outreach effort is to encourage people to change behaviors that will minimize urban runoff. In order to reach this overarching goal, our educational initiatives will accomplish the following:
- address public perceptions and attitudes regarding the urban runoff and storm water quality. Improve understanding why storm water program exists
- increase public awareness about urban runoff and its impact on the City and County of Honolulu's resources
- educate the public about land-based pollutant sources and what can be done to minimize urban runoff problems
- encourage participation in City and County of Honolulu storm water pollution prevention activities that embody ecosystem-based stewardship, with focus on partnering, a sense of place, civic responsibility and environmental stewardship
- achieve greater compliance of regulatory requirements through individual action
SWQ and its public education and outreach watershed partners will strive to make Earth Month 2011 relevant for the local community with hands-on activities designed to develop a greater sense of place and an ethics of environmental stewardship that follows the children home. The following are ideas and values that these themes represent:
Sense of Place
- Local streams are unique and inspiring
- Getting to know your streams, wetlands, and the ocean will help you to appreciate it and should lead you to want to care for it
- Individually and as a whole, people are a part of the web of life, affecting and being affected by other living things
- Each of us is a part of our "home" ecosystem. These same "sense of place" attitudes should be transferred to our home ecosystem, and include the ahupuaa concept.
Civic Responsibility and Environmental Stewardship
- We have a civic responsibility for protecting and caring for our streams, wetlands, and the ocean
- Protecting and caring means learning about urban runoff problems and getting involved
- Our lifestyle and daily habits can be adjusted to minimize pollutants to our streams, wetlands, and the ocean. It is important to realize that behavioral change will not happen overnight. Patience and persistence is important on your part
Storm Water and Sanitary Sewer System
Laws and ordinances
You may already include many water protection practices in your daily routine. Perhaps you'll find new ideas to try today. Working together we can make a difference. Start by getting involved!
Highlights
Mauka to Makai Expo and Field Days on Saturday, April 9, 2011
Mauka to Makai Clean Water Expo (ITS FREE)
Jump on a bus shuttle to the Waikiki Aquarium for the 2011 Earth Month Mauka to Makai Clean Water Expo from 9-2pm, co-sponsored by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services Storm Water Quality Branch and State of Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch, Polluted Runoff Program. You are welcome to observe the moi (fish) release next to the Waikiki Natatorium sponsored by the Waikiki Aquarium, 11-11:30 am. Highlights: First 500 families will receive a free native plant, Apoha the oopu and friends, "The Journey Home" English-Hawaiian pollution prevention activity book, water sampling station, over 20 agencies and organizations will provide hands-on earth friendly activities, random drawing for a standup paddle board, annual family pass to the Waikiki Aquarium, and more. Click here for a poster.
Mauka to Makai Cleanups
City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services is sponsoring the Mauka to Makai Adopt-A-Stream/Adopt-A-Block cleanups in Kaneohe, Kailua, Waimanalo, Manoa, Palolo, Makiki, Pearl Harbor Basin (5th Annual Pearl Harbor Bike Path cleanup), Nanakuli, Maili and Waianae, in a collaborative effort with various education and outreach partners in priority TDML watersheds. A total of 5000 volunteers are needed to remove litter in the streams, cutback streambank vegetation along the stream banks, amend soil with compost to improve drainage and allow soil to absorb moisture more effectively in storm water improvement demonstration projects, and weed between cleanups. Work tasks will be assigned based on physical abilities.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Manoa Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup at Kolomono Ditch
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
8:30 - 11am
Meet at Kolomono Ditch
UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Barry, 956-0885
Manoa Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup, Woodlawn Drive to Kahaloa Drive
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
10am-Noon
Meet at the Woodlawn Bridge
Malama O Manoa, George, 988-5069
Manoa Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup, Koali Road
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
10am-Noon
Meet at the University of Hawaii Law School parking lot
University of Hawaii Environmental Law Society, Kumau, 554-4102
Palolo Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
8:30-11am
Meet at the Chaminade University bridge near Waialae Avenue
Chaminade University, Phil, 735-4711
Makiki Adopt-A-Block Cleanup
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
8:30-11am
Meet at 1001 Wilder Avenue
Wild About Wilder, Weylin, 538-3466
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Regional Visitor Center
Fort DeRussy Beach Cleanup
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
9-10 am
Meet at the Pacific Regional Visitor Center, Battery Randolph, Fort DeRussy, above the Army Museum
Angela Jones, 438-2815
Kalihi Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup
Total Volunteer Needed: 25
8:30 -11 am
Meet at the Kalihi Waena Elementary School parking lot
Barbara Natale, 536-6999 or Chana Dudoit, 282-9449
Saturday, April 16, 2011
5th Annual Pearl Harbor Bike Path Cleanup
Total Volunteers Needed: 300
8:30 - 11 am
Meet at Kapakahi Stream on Waipahu Depot road, scross the HPD Training Academy OR Puuloa Natural Springs near HECO Waiau
Storm Water Quality Branch at stormwaterhonolulu@gmail.com or 768-3300
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Kawa Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
8:30 - 11 am
Meet at Castle High Auditorium
Storm Water Quality Branch at stormwaterhonolulu@gmail.com or 768-3300
Kahawai Adopt-A-Stream Cleanup
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
8:30 - 11 am
Meet at Kahawai Stream near Weinberg Village on Kalanianaole High
Storm Water Quality Branch at stormwaterhonolulu@gmail.com or 768-3300
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Ulehawa Adopt-A-Block (updated)
Total Volunteers Needed: 25
8:30 - 11am
Meet at the Kaiser permanente Nanaikeola Clinic,
87-2116 Farrington Highway
Storm Water Quality Branch at stormwaterhonolulu@gmail.com or 768-3300
Maili Adopt-A-Block
Total Volunteers Needed: 20
8:30 - 11 am
Meet at Mailiili Stream across Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, 86-260 Farrington Highway
Alex Rapez, 351-7961
Kaupuni Adopt-A-Stream
Total Volunteers Needed: 50
8:30 - 11am
Meet at Waianae Boys and Girls Club, 165 Plantation Road
Storm Water Quality Branch at stormwaterhonolulu@gmail.com or 768-3300
Volunteer Quick Links
Donations Needed (refreshments, ice, fruit, or snack bars)
Please contact the City's Storm Water Quality Branch at stormwaterhonolulu@gmail.com or 768-3300.
2011 Earth Month Clean Water Teen Video Contest
Partners on storm water public education and outreach efforts for Earth Month 2011
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Environmental Services
Storm Water Quality Branch
www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Emergency Management, www.oahuDEM.org
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Emergecy Services, http://www.honolulu.gov/esd/
Honolulu Police Department, http://www.honolulupd.org/
Honolulu Board of Water Supply, www.hbws.org
Castle High School
Campbell High School
Farrington High School
Holomua Elementary School
Iolani School
Kamehameha Middle School
Kapolei High School
King Intermediate School
Leilehua High School
Mililani High School
Punahou School
Roosevelt High School
St Andrew's Priory School
Stevenson Intermediate School
Waipahu High School
Waianae High School
Waianae Middle School
Washington Middle School
State of Hawaii Department of Education
MS4 Program
State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, http://hawaii.gov/dhhl
State of Hawaii Department of Health, Environmental Health Administration
Clean Water Branch, Polluted Runoff Control Program
hawaii.gov/health/environmental/water
State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar, www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/cwrm, http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw
State of Hawaii Department of Transportation,
Highways Division, Oahu District, MS4 Program
www.stormwaterhawaii.com
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Waikiki Aquarium www.waquarium.org
University of Hawaii at Manoa
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, www.hawaii.edu/himbz
University of Hawaii at Manoa
William S. Richardson School of Law
Environmental Law Society, http://www.law.hawaii.edu/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Pacific Southwest/Region 9
www.epa.gov/region09
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Pacific Regional Visitor Center
www.poh.usace.army.mil
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
www.hi.nrcs.usda.gov
Oahu Resource Conservation & Development, http://www.oahurcd.org/
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Marine Debris Program, National Weather Service , Hawaiian Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Pacific Services Center, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
www.marinedebris.noaa.gov, http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/, http://www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/welcome.html, www.csc.noaa.gov/psc, www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/welcome.html
U.S. Navy
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
http://www.cnic.navy.mil/PearlHarbor-Hickam/index.htm
Waikiki Improvement Association, www.waikikiimprovement.com
Ala Wai Watershed Association, www.alawai.org
Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, http://www.bgch.com/
Hawaii Nature Center, http://www.hawaiinaturecenter.org/
Hawaii Job Corps , http://hawaii.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx
Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association, http://www.hawaiihotels.org/
Hawaiian Electric Company, www.heco.com/portal/site/heco
Huakailani School for Girls, http://huakailani.com/
HonBlue, http://www.honblue.com/
Hui Ku Maoli Ola and Papahana Kualoa, http://www.hawaiiannativeplants.com/
Hui o Koolaupoko, www.huihawaii.org/
Kaala View Baptist Church
Kamehameha Middle School, kapalama.ksbe.edu/middle
Kanu Hawaii, www.kanuhawaii.org
Kaumakapili Church
KAUPA - Kalihi Ahupua'a Ulu Pono Ahahui, http://www.kaupa4kalihi.org/
Lions Club, http://pearlcityhi.lionwap.org/
Lyon Arboretum, www.hawaii.edu/lyonarboretum/index.php
Malama Hawaii, www.malamahawaii.org
Malama Maunalua, http://malamamaunalua.org/
Malama o Manoa,http://www.malamaomanoa.org/
Pride in Moiliili
Reef Watch Waikiki, www.reefwatchwaikiki.org
Do you know what you're doing to celebrate Earth Month 2011 in April? Whether lending a helping hand to Mother Nature or getting out to volunteer in your community, Earth Month 2011 is a perfect opportunity to get started in making your impact year-round.
Here's a round-up of Earth Month 2011-inspired resources, events, and celebrations sponsored by the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services.
- In honor of Earth Month, the Department of Environmental Services sponsors a teen video contest that will benefit storm water quality education and outreach. To get you in the spirit, check our 2007 winning video of our Earth Month Teen Video contest, "Help Keep Our Waters Clean", click here. For more information, click here.
- In recognition of Earth Month, the Department of Environmental Services will present two Good Neighbor Awards to a community leader and a business leader who are engaging in environmental stewardship, not just today, but every day, at the Earth Month Mauka to Makai Expo on Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 10:30 am at the Waikiki Aquarium.
- "The Journey Home": Make a pledge to be an everyday clean water hero! We have a few dates open for our 2012 walk and read events that includes walking the neighborhood to learn more about impact to the storm drainage system, reading "The Journey Home" activity book, making a pledge to adopt simple pollution prevention practices in the book, and promoting these practices to friends and family. For more information, go to www.cleanwaterhonolulu.com, click on contact us, and select need information.
- Too busy to get out and do something? No worries. If you've got a few minutes to spare, then you're set! Check out our Clean Water Hero brochure for simple pollution prevention source control tips you can do in your neitghborhood now, click here.
- The Hawaii Backyard Conservation Booklet is another great resource with handy tips to protect the environment, help wildlife, and in many cases, make your area more attractive and enjoyable! Click here.
Previous Earth Month Events
