Sustainability

Sources of Marine Plastic Pollution

Wednesday, May 29th, 2024

Community Contributed
Clare Gallagher, PhD Student, Environmental Studies

On a hot summer day in 2022, Jasmine Buerano found herself on a remote coastline of Molokai, hacking away at a 1,000-pound bluish-gray fishing net that smelled like seawater.

Buerano, the storytelling coordinator for the non-profit Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii (SCH), along with 15 other volunteers, couldn’t gawk for long. They were racing the tide.

They tackled the huge net in sections to put into “super sacks,” which would be scooped up by a helicopter the next day. But in addition to consolidating the net and other plastic trash, they had to move the sacks across rocky tidal pools, up a steep embankment, and above the high tide line so that the sacks wouldn’t be taken back out to sea later.…

Eat Local Challenge

Wednesday, November 15th, 2023

Eat Local Challenge

Ho’omakua Farm News Release

Led and inspired by our friends over at @projectlocavore (projectlocavore.com/) and the Facebook Group @ eatlocalmaui we on the Facebook Group @eatlocalmolokai are joining in for the one-week-annual Eat Local Challenge and would love for you to join us from Nov. 12 to 18! This is a community-building initiative, designed to promote awareness of our local food system, the sharing of resources and recipes, getting to know your farmers and neighbors, and taking personal steps towards strengthening our local food future. Let’s begin to break our dependence on imported food by identifying and supporting our local farmers and home-grown value-added products, as we try to eat 100 percent Hawaii grown foods for seven days. …

Sust’ainable Molokai Kicks Off Friday Nite Market

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Sust’ainable Molokai Kicks Off Friday Nite Market

By Maria Angst, Community Reporter 

Following the noteworthy success of the inaugural farmers market in March, Sust’ainable Molokai launched a new series on Friday, Oct. 13: the Friday Nite Market. This market, held in the evening, caters to weekday workers by letting them join after work without disrupting their weekend family time, unlike the traditional morning market.

An open invitation was extended to all local farmers and producers on Molokai, whether they were Sust’ainable Molokai Mobile Market producers or not. Multiple vendors were present with a consistent crowd of about thirty attendees coming in and out throughout the two hours, at 589 Maunaloa Highway. …

Revitalizing Agroforestry

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Hawaii Edible Landscaping News Release 

The public is invited to attend “Revitalizing Hawaii with Agroforestry”, a free evening presentation, on Friday, Oct. 27, 5:30-7:00 p.m., at Lanikeha Community Center in Hoolehua. 

Dave Sansone, owner of Hawaii Edible Landscaping, LLC on Hawaii Island will be sharing how agroforestry practices can help cultivators meet their needs while protecting and revitalizing the health of the land and water. Looking for a Greensboro landcaping contractor? Contact Ground Scapes for expertise in implementing sustainable landscaping practices that nurture both your garden and the environment.

“Agroforestry is a set of sustainable agriculture practices with ancient roots that can increase production, beat the weeds naturally, and improve the soil,” Sansone explains.…

The Small Scale Farm

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Community Contributed 

By Kyle Franks, CTAHR, DHHL Jr Extension Agent

There is momentum building toward small farms as more and more people see the need for locally produced foods and products. With the events of the past three years, supply line weaknesses have been highlighted and these weaknesses, coupled with being an island community, have helped show how we as individuals and as a community are all affected by even the smallest ripples within a centralized supply chain. 

Here in Hawaii, we have the blessing of a year-round growing season, and yet currently Hawaii’s population is hugely dependent on centralized supply chains for 85-90 percent of the population’s food-needs.…

Mahi’ai Moa Project Enters Final Phases

Wednesday, October 4th, 2023

Mahi’ai Moa Project Enters Final Phases

By Maria Angst, Community Reporter 

The Molokai community recently had a great opportunity to increase local poultry production, bolster the island’s economy, and assist farmers and ranchers in achieving their business objectives: the Mahi’ai Moa project. 

This five-month educational program for aspiring farmers focused on commercial broiler chicken production, incorporating a mix of in-person and virtual classes. 

Participants were granted access to informative sessions with J. Ludovico Farm and the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). 

In addition, they received field trips off-island, personalized farm business guidance from specialists, a ready-made market for broiler bird sales, a collaborative farmer-to-farmer support structure, and a generous $4,000 allocation for supplies to kickstart their chicken venture.…

Local Farmers and Producers, Join our Mobile Market Farmers Market!

Friday, September 29th, 2023

Local Farmers and Producers, Join our Mobile Market Farmers Market!

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release 

Sustʻainable Molokai is thrilled to announce our upcoming in-person farmers market, night market style, set to take place on Friday, Oct. 13. Building on the resounding success of our initial farmers market in March, we are responding to the community’s demand for more in-person gatherings that celebrate and support our local farmers and producers.

While we are still finalizing the event’s details and location, one thing is certain: we are extending an open invitation to all local farmers and producers on Molokai, whether they are Mobile Market producers or not, to join our farmers market. No business license is needed!…

Big Changes Coming for Mobile Market

Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release

Sustʻainable Molokai is pleased to announce exciting changes to our Mobile Market schedule, aimed at better serving our valued customers across the island. These changes are set to roll out during the first week of October.

We are thrilled to be adding a new pick-up location, making it easier than ever for our Manaʻe community to access fresh, locally-sourced produce. Starting Oct. 1, you can find us at Kilohana Elementary School every Thursday from 2:30-3:30 p.m., to pick up your orders, right after the buses leave. 

For our Kaunakakai and Hoʻolehua customers, we have expanded our pick-up time windows to offer greater flexibility.…

Podcast Highlights Sustainability on Molokai

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

By Jack Kiyonaga | Editor  

Hawaii Public Radio (HPR) launched a new podcast last month called “O ko makou Hawaii keia: This Is Our Hawaii.” It is HPR’s premiere “digital-first” podcast.

Episode four in the series is called, “On Molokai, sovereignty starts with food” and examines Molokai’s efforts to establish local food and resource sustainability. The episode features interviews with Molokai’s own Todd Yamashita and Malia Akutagawa. 

“Molokai’s story is a vital piece of this podcast because of how the tight-knit community has come together to focus on food sustainability and resource sovereignty — efforts that can be an example to the rest of the state of how Hawaiians and locals can have more of a say in the future of our ʻaina,” said Russell Subiono, host of “This Is Our Hawaii.” …

Kupuna ‘Ai Program

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release

Help us continue to provide fresh, locally grown foods to our island’s kupuna!

We’re thrilled to announce the ongoing pursuit of our Kupuna ‘Ai program, which allows community members to purchase fresh, locally grown food boxes and donate them for delivery to local kupuna in need. We’re collaborating with organizations such as the Molokai Rural Health Community Association, which has active kupuna programs, to deliver weekly community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes containing locally grown foods like kalo pa’a, bananas, papaya, and eggs via the Sustʻainable Molokai Mobile Market completely free of charge to our island’s kupuna. 

The Kupuna ‘Ai program was launched in March and is a way for us to give back to the community and support our kupuna, who have played such a vital role in shaping our island’s culture and history.…