It’s Conservation Week in Hawai’i!
In addition to it’s annual conference, The Hawai’i Conservation Alliance is hosting several events that are free and open to the public. Opportunities include: two art exhibits, a conservation film festival, service trips, and public lectures by navigator Nainoa Thompson and marine biologist Sylvia Earle. Visit HawaiiConservation.org for more info.
Join the ‘AINA IS team of volunteers!
With the support of teachers, school administrators, and parents we’ve just completed a very successful ‘AINA IS two year pilot program with five schools on O’ahu. Five more schools will join in this fall. To support the rapid growth and sustainability of ‘AINA IS we need dedicated community volunteer support:
• Nutrition Docent: Teach nutrition lessons in the school to 2nd, 5th, or 6th graders. (Commitment: Attend 4 trainings and teach 8 classroom lessons per school year)
• Nutrition Lesson Assistant: Assists the nutrition docent with shopping for food, and assists during the lesson with food prep and lesson cart preparation. (Commitment: Assist with 8 classroom lessons per school year, 2 per quarter)
• Garden Lesson Assistant: Assists lead Garden Educators who teach garden lessons in schools. (Commitment: Attend 3 garden lessons per semester for K, 1st, or 5th grades. Once a semester for 4th grade.)
• Garden Party: Help to build and maintain school gardens. Duties can include assembling garden boxes, loosening soil, shoveling mulch, creating garden artwork, watering, and more. (Commitment: Attend “Garden Parties” at the beginning, middle and end of each school year, or as frequently as every week, depending on volunteer’s availability)
• Farm Connections: Do you know a farmer that may be interested in hosting a field trip, speaking to a class, or offering their local produce as a school menu option? Let us know!
There is something for everyone and training is provided! E-mail us at for more information!
July 19th & 20th
11th Annual Summer ArtFest
Hale’iwa Beach Park
Look for Kokua
HaleiwaArtsFestival.org
Plastic Free Hale’iwa Update
The Plastic Free Hale’iwa Coalition now has over 50 members actively using and seeking out alternatives to single-use plastic. Hale’iwa is buzzing with new ideas and its businesses are making positive changes. The Coalition will have countertop displays and customer sign-up cards in the participating coalition businesses by the end of the month. Please look for these displays and support these stores and restaurants!
Come down to the Hale’iwa Arts Festival on July 19th and 20th and check out the Plastic Free Hale’iwa Coalition’s booth. We’ll be sharing information, selling our PFH bags, and signing up individuals and businesses to support the cause. Don’t forget to bring your own reusable bag and water bottle!
Attention Teachers!
Environmental Education Mini-Grants Available!
Does your classroom need a worm bin? Would you like a presentation on eco-footprints from The Green House. Kokua has started a mini-grant program to help Hawai’i public school teachers pay for supplies and trainings for their environmental education initiatives! Applications for this school year are available here.
This has been a great year for Environmental Field Trips!
26 schools participated in Kokua’s Environmental Education Field Trip Assistance Program during the 2007-2008 school year. In all, over 2000 students from Hawai’i’s schools were able to visit locations like Maui Nature Center in Iao Valley, Hawai’i Nature Center in Makiki, Waihe’e Shoreline on Maui and Camp Erdman on O’ahu’s North Shore. Principal Sheldon Oshio, along with the 2nd grade teachers of Waimalu Elementary School shared this about their recent trip to Hawai’i Nature Center, “… this field trip provided a wonderful learning experience for our students as well a first hand look in to the Cycles of Nature. They were given an opportunity to see, hear, and touch nature outside the classroom. Our students now have a better understanding and appreciation of nature’s delicate balance and how they can take an active role in the world around them. This certainly was a memorable field trip for all.�?
We look forward to supporting many more environmental field trips in the upcoming school year!
Why are these field trips so important? View this short video produced by the No Child Left Inside Coalition on the value of experiential environmental education. Check it out and sign on to the coalition today!
All At Once Community
All At Once (www.AllAtOnce.org) is Jack Johnson’s social action network providing information, tools, and motivation to empower individuals to become active in their local and world community. When on www.AllAtOnce.org, members discuss, explore, share, volunteer, and learn about important environmental issues and are rewarded for taking environmental action with free music downloads from Jack Johnson and friends. At Jack Johnson’s concerts, All At Once comes to life in the Village Green. Concert-goers connect with non-profit groups, learn about environmental actions they can take, capture environmental commitment photos, and enter to win a chance to watch Jack’s performance from the stage. Jack Johnson selected over 150 credible local non-profits worldwide to share their message online and in person at each show throughout the tour. Kokua Hawai’i Foundation is proud to be a non-profit partner of the All At Once Community. For a complete list of all non-profit groups and to become an All At Once member, visit www.AllAtOnce.org.
MAKE YOUR EARTH DAY RESOLUTION TODAY
Start a tradition of committing to reduce your eco-footprint every Earth Day and throughout the year. Our partners at Kanu Hawai’i will help us record Earth Day Resolutions year-round here on our website to measure the positive impacts we make together.
Get Outdoors Day – June 14
The first-ever National Get Outdoors Day is June 14 with special events taking place in dozens of communities across the country to raise awareness about the benefits of active time outdoors. Prime goals of the day are reaching first-time visitors to public lands and reconnecting our youth to the great outdoors.
Lets seek out healthy, active outdoor lives, please visit www.getoutdoorsusa.org.
Kids Go Green at the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center
Honolulu, Hawaii – Families will learn simple ways to care for the earth at a special event called “Kids Go Green” at the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center from 10am – 3pm on Saturday, June 14.
Children have an innate connection to nature. At an early age, they are fascinated by shadows from the sun, delighted when splashing in water and curious about animal habitats. Because of their great curiosity about the world, children make excellent stewards of the earth.
In a new play space called “Recycle City,” children will have a chance to be energy detectives by identifying everyday energy wasters and savers. They can practice sorting household recyclables, and even turn trash into treasures by building one-of-a-kind sculptures out of recycled objects. Children will also plant, grow and harvest a pretend vegetable garden free of pesticides and fertilizers.
To inspire families in our community to recycle, the Discovery Center is offering an admission special on June 14. For every person over age two, bring five or more HI5 recyclable items and pay $5 for admission. Visit the Discovery Center’s website.
Big Mahalo to Kokua Festival Attendees, Volunteers, Performers and Supporters!
photo: Brian Bielman
Mahalo nui loa for another amazing year!
2008 Kokua Festival Merchandise
Missed it at the show? The Eco-Friendly 2008 Kokua Festival Merchandise will be available for sale via the Kokua Hawaii Foundation online store starting Monday, April 28th.