Sustainable Coastlines Waimanalo Beach Clean-Up

Earth Day 2019 was yet another great success as over 1,050 volunteers came out and 4,000 pounds of debris from Bellows to Makapu`u was collected. This annual event was spearheaded by Sustainable Coastlines, an organization founded in 2010 that is committed to keeping our beaches clean.

Several of our staff members members joined the ranks to help facilitate this large-scale event. Matt, Austin, and Ashton helped to outfit guests with beach cleaning supplies including our sand sifters, bags, and gloves.

The day began with a yoga class provided by Core Power Yoga. As our sea kayak guide Ashton pointed out, this Earth Day celebration began with health for our own bodies followed by health for our planet. She noted that seeing local businesses willing to offer their goods and services inspired the community, and similarly was overwhelmed by the number of people who showed up.

As someone who enjoys volunteering, Ashton noted that her favorite part of the day was being able to lead a group of volunteers and supply them with the necessary tools and information. She was also overjoyed to see just how many parents were showing their kids how to take care of our planet at such a young age. As this year’s Earth Day fell so close to the Easter holiday, she noticed how many groups treated the event as a family celebration that positively affected the planet.

For Austin, the biggest takeaway was the feelings of empowerment. He noticed the variety of people who showed up. This included families with small children, friends, and even individuals who were even feeling under the weather. Whether people showed up for the entirety of the event, or made the effort to spend an hour of their Easter Sunday and Earth Day weekend cleaning windward Oahu’s beaches, people made it a priority.

Lastly, Matt, a Kailua Beach Adventures veteran, commented that it was great to see the community show up, collect a massive amount of trash, and reinvigorate a lot of hearts and minds. We are excited to continue in this ongoing partnership and are already looking forward to the next beach clean-up!

Read on for a few fun facts about Earth Day and it's inception!

• Earth Day was born after New York Times’ bestseller Silent Spring was published and shortly after a massive oil spill occurred in California in 1969.

• 20 Million people participated in the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. They participated in the form of loud rallies, peaceful reflections, nature walks, speeches, concerts, and more.

• The senator of Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, spearheaded the Earth Day celebration.

• The secret to Earth Day’s success was the involvement of college students as this helped the movement gain major traction. The date of Earth Day was strategically planned to fall between spring break and final exams.