E Komo Mai to UH Maui College’s Earth Day!
UHMC’s Student ʻOhana for Sustainability (SOS) club is partnering with Maui Huliau Foundation and Hulihia to host their annual Earth Day celebration on the campus Great Lawn and back parking lot on Monday April 22nd from 3-6pm. This free event is open to the public and will be an interactive, education oriented opportunity; including local community-based organizations that are tackling pressing environmental issues across Hawaiʻi. There will be an emphasis on the recent wildfire relief efforts and providing necessary resources for affected individuals. The event will feature food, drinks, entertainment, keiki yard games, and guest speakers, with outreach booths by local nonprofits and government agencies.
"Given the recent Lahaina fire and its impact on our community, hosting an Earth Day event was especially important this year.", said ʻAleʻa Kimokeo, a Student ʻOhana for Sustainability member. "It's a time for us to come together, heal, reflect on the importance of the āina (land), and consider what we, as kanaka (people), can do to protect it. Please come and join us in learning the different kūleana (responsibilities) everyone has to mālama (care) our Earth! As a mahalo from me to you, I’ll leave an ʻōlelo noʻeau (Hawaiian Proverb). He aliʻi ka ʻāina; he kauwā ke kanaka. The land is chief; man is its servant. (Ōlelo Noʻeau #531)"
Over 30 organizations will have outreach tables at the event featuring educational, volunteer, and employment opportunities, which are outlined in the table below.
Event Itinerary
| Time | Main Stage | Activities |
| 2:00pm | Organizations Setup | |
| 3:00pm | Event Start | SOS Sustainability Scavenger Hunt , Maui Nui EV Test Driving in back parking lot |
| 3:10pm | Welcome | |
| 3:30-3:45pm | Guest Speaker: Andy Fox from Retree Hawaii | |
| 3:50-4:05pm | Guest Speaker: Joshua Cooper, Chief of Maui County Office of Innovation and Sustainability | |
| 4:10-4:25pm | Guest Speaker: Duane Sparkman from Treecovery | |
| 4:30-4:45pm | Ukulele Performance: James Kelley | |
| 4:50-5:05pm | Guest Speaker: Douglas Hagan from Climate Change Lobbyists | |
| 5:10-5:25pm | ||
| 5:30-5:45pm | Singing Performance: Remy Romo-Valdez | |
| 6:00 pm | End and Cleanup |
Organizations Attending
CSV Table
| Organization | Affliated Person | Mission Statement |
|---|---|---|
| Art Centered | David Leonhardt | Art Centered supports youth creativity and wellness through the arts. Our community facility provides workshops, events, materials and tools for a broad range of art forms / mediums. Our outreach includes pop up events which encourage and support creative expression through painting, sculpture, dance, music, multimedia and more. |
| CItizens Climate Lobby | Douglas Hagan | Advocacy work |
| Department of Land & Natural Resources - Division of Aquatics | Sierra Ondo | The mission of the Division of Aquatic Resources is to work with the people of Hawai‘i to manage, conserve and restore the state’s unique aquatic resources and ecosystems for present and future generations. |
| East Maui Watershed Partnership | Allison Borell | The overall mission of EMWP is to protect the Watershed from degradation by protecting native forests and their component native species as well as educating the local community about conservation and other issues relating to watershed protection. |
| Hawai'i Association for Marine Education & Research (HAMER) | Cheryl King | Our mission is to conduct sound research to better understand the health and status of our marine resources and how better to preserve them. These findings are communicated to members of the community, empowering them with the knowledge to create effective policies, raise awareness, and ultimately change behavior to ensure our current and future generations prosper from the economic and social benefits provided by healthy and abundant marine resources. |
| HDOT Highways Maui District's Stormwater Management Program | Julia Wicklund | At HDOT, our Environmental Management Section has a mission to support the management of our highways in accordance with our commitments to safeguard the environment and protect the health and safety of our employees, residents, visitors, and communities we serve. One of our responsibilities is to manage the State’s storm drainage system in the Central Maui area and ensure that appropriate control measures and best management practices are in place to safeguard this important system against pollution that can ultimately end up in the ocean. |
| Hui O Wa'a Kaulua | Beth Montalvo | Hui O Waʻa Kaulua is committed to developing and conducting model educational programs using voyaging to excite and challenge students and their communities to learn about, respect, and care for the natural and social environment. It is our vision to have a healthy, productive, safe Hawaiʻi and planet Earth. |
| Maui Nui Makai Network | Tate Keliihoomalu | We are a network of community and partner groups across Maui Nui that care for ecosystems on which Hawai'i's people depend on |
| Pacific Whale Foundation | Susan Frett | Pacific Whale Foundationʻs mission is protecting the ocean through science and advocacy and inspiring environmental stewardship. |
| The Nature Conservancy | Sarah Naone | The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. |
| Vegan Society of Hawaii | Stephen Beidner | Promoting human health, animal rights and protection of the environment. |
| University of Hawaii Marine Option Program | Donna Brown | - |
| Common Ground Collective | Christopher Robinson | Common Ground Collective’s Goals: 1. Create food security while minimizing the use of natural resources and reversing the effects of past environmental degradation. 2. Promote education vertically and horizontally throughout the community to promote healthier lifestyles, thriving natural environments and boost community engagement. 3. Create long lasting economic and educational opportunities available to residents of Maui. 4. Elevate the Kanaka Maoli by providing resources, collaboration of education, and community building. |
| Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project | Emily Severson | Working to locate, protect, and enhance seabird populations and habitats in Maui Nui |
| Hawaiʻi Land Trust | Denby Freeland | Hawaiʻi Land Trust protects the lands that sustain Hawaiʻi, and teaches future generations to do the same. We believe that we share a common destiny with the land, and the well-being of ourselves and our children depends on the health of the land. The future is our kuleana. |
| Kipuka Olowalu | Teje Roy | To perpetuate the tradition and customary practices of kanaka maoli of these Hawai’i Islands and promote opportunities to regain the spiritual connection of malama ‘āina of our ancestors by ensuring these beliefs and customs are passed down to future generations. To foster in longevity an intuitive comprehension of cultural and environmental connectivity through the educational practice of activities that honor Hawai’i's heritage and will strengthen the community for generations to come. |
| Green2Gold/Transition2Sustainability | Prof.Alan Tratner | Helped found Earthday and Global green2gold incubator(1970)...creating a global Transition2SustainbilityCenter for full spectrum Solutions to Climate Change, Green Enterprise and Green Economy, Renewable Energy,Rengenrative everything, water purification and reuse, BioBased Economy, mfg, Building,disasters Emergency response, Resilience etc. |
| The Friends of Haleakala National Park | Mele Stokesberry | The mission of the Friends of Haleakalā National Park (FHNP) is to Promote, Protect and Improve Haleakalā National Park. This is achieved by a combination of fund-raising, education, and volunteerism. This mission is intentionally broad to allow the FHNP to contribute at the intersection of the needs of Haleakalā National Park and the capabilities of the FHNP. |
| ReTree Hawaii | Rob Weltman | All Hawai‘i, let's come together to plant trees across all the islands! - Trees are our best means of sequestering (absorbing) the excess greenhouse gases emitted by our fossil fuel-powered plants, ground vehicles, ships and planes. - Trees provide shade and cool the ground and air around us. - Trees bind and improve the soil, preventing runoff that damages our coral reefs. - Native trees provide habitat for our endangered native insects, birds, bats and other animals. |
| Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project | Rachel Kingsley | Maui Forest Bird Recovery Projectʻs mission is to develop and implement techniques that recover Maui's endangered birds and to restore their habitats through research, development, and application of conservation techniques. |
| Maui Nui EV Association | Rob Weltman | Working to facilitate the transition to electric vehicles on Maui through infrastructure buildout and information |
| Haleakala Conservancy Inc. | Vanessa Pandey | TO INSPIRE PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS TO SUPPORT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT PRESERVE HALEAKALĀ NATIONAL PARK |
| DLNR/DOFAW | Jeff Bagshaw | Our mission is to protect, manage, and restore natural and cultural resources in collaboration with the people of Hawaiʻi. We envision a future with thriving native ecosystems and opportunities for the people of Hawaiʻi to engage with nature. |
| Mauna Kahalawai Watershed Partnership | Kadian Shaw | Our Partnership was established in 1998 through a voluntary alliance of state, county, and private landowners in a concerted effort to reverse the negative trend of forest degradation caused by threats like invasive species, human impacts, and wildfire. Our goal is to protect our forested watersheds, native ecosystems, and freshwater supply through collaborative forest management. We have 11 partners and a full-time staff of 11 men and women plus one intern, all based in Olowalu. |
| Haley & Aldrich | Jake Daxe Pullins | Our vision is to be the company most sought after to integrate technology and human potential to tackle tough issues facing the world. Since our founding in 1957, we have pioneered new services and practices, from the first geotechnical work in complex underground conditions in Boston, to novel approaches for managing today’s emerging contaminants. |
| Maui County Office of Innovation and Sustainability | Joshua Cooper | The Maui County Office of Innovation and Sustainability |
| Circular Hawaiʻi | Leo Nahe Smith | We are a hui of small business owners, nonprofits, community organizers, and individuals who have been meeting regularly to support each of our circular practices in our community. We are heavily influenced by the ahupuaʻa system that abundantly managed ‘āina (land) and resources, did not produce waste, and ensured that the whole of the community was fed. We each have different projects we are working on from the barter/trade app, Exchange Ave, to the starting of a permanent tool library (Share Circle) and community fridge (No Ka Lāhui Community Fridges) on Maui. |
| Maui Green & Beautiful | Elaine Malina | "Caring for the Aina through Preservation, Protection and Education" Maui Green & Beautiful has roots on Maui from the 1950's and was originally affiliated with The Outdoor Circle that started in 1912 to beautify Oahu and the outer islands. (TOC created the strictest state signage laws, ban billboards, planted trees & established parks in Honolulu.) MG&B main focus today is promoting the importance of trees and their benefits.. Trees are the answer to fight climate change and so much more. Planting trees are important but so is taking care of our existing urban forest. Trees need to be pruned correctly not "butchered" (severely pruned) as they are now in parking lots especially in the Kahului & Kihei areas. Trees save energy that buildings use. We are launching our ReShade Maui Campaign & would like UHMaui to be an eventual partner. To honor the beautiful shady parking lot off of Kaahumanu Avenue that the late Tree Expert & Maui College teacher Ernest Rezents planted with his students to provide shade & benefits from these trees. |
| Teran James Young Foundation | Cristina De Leon | Peace and Sustainability We are the Teran James Young Foundation (TJYF) a 501 (c)3 nonprofit established here on Maui. Our mission is to have peace and sustainability in our schools, community and world by promoting Restorative Practices, Nonviolent Communication and healthy environmental practices. |
| Hawaii State Energy Office | Comet Enos-Nakanelua | With the state’s goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2045, the Hawai‘i State Energy Office (HSEO) is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. HSEO is committed to developing and deploying high-impact solutions that will maximize Hawai‘i’s renewable energy resources and improve efficiency and transportation standards. Through effective policies and innovative programs, HSEO has positioned Hawai‘i as a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities, and accelerate economic growth. |
| Maui Economic Development Board | Hannah Trees | Since 1982, the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) has been working with businesses, government, educators, and community leaders to support the development of a robust and balanced economy that benefits the people of Maui County. We support new and established businesses in sectors that help diversify our economy, develop a skilled workforce of residents while working toward economic equity, and bring diverse groups together to find common ground, collaborate, and move our community forward. |
| Malu I Ka 'Ulu The Hawaii Resiliency Project | Naomi Holokai | Mental Health and Resources. Connect. Share. Persevere. The Hawai'i resiliency project |
| DEM/EP& S County of Maui | Gary Shay | Guide and fund environmental initiatives around natural resource protection, sustainability, conservation and restoration. |
| Maui Huliau Foundation | Malia Cahill | Ou mission is to promote environmental literacy and leadership among Maui youth. |
| Save the Wetlands Hui | Alisha Chauhan | Save the Wetlands Hui works to restore and maintain Maui’s wetland ecosystems. |
| Climate Fresk | Jude Merritt | Climate Fresk hopes to educate and therefore empower the population about the causes and effects of climate change through small, puzzle-like interactive workshops. All information comes from the United Nations IPCC report. |
| Uhiwai O Haleakalā | Maeva Tahauri | Uhiwai is dedicated to protecting and restoring the native ecosystems and watersheds of the leeward slopes of Haleakalā. We set out to help improve the quality and quantity of the freshwater resources. Preserving these areas allow us to perpetuate Hawaiian cultural resources and practices, support rural economic opportunities and engage the Maui community in our efforts. |
| State Climate Commission | Melanie Swick | Hawaiʻi’s Climate Commission recognizes the urgency of climate threats and the need to act quickly. It promotes ambitious, climate-neutral, culturally responsive strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation in a manner that is CLEAN, EQUITABLE, & RESILIENT. |
Please sign up for the event and reserve your booth using the form below:
