The document discusses several issues related to sustainability including the harmful effects of plastic, overfishing, and benefits of recycling. Regarding plastic, it notes that marine life frequently dies from ingesting or getting tangled in plastic which does not fully biodegrade. Overfishing can lead to declines in species abundance and size along with ecosystem changes. Recycling saves energy and resources while reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The group visited local stores and fisheries to discuss sustainability concerns and identify both constructive and deconstructive practices, then suggested solutions like promoting sustainable options and indigenous species.

2.  Harmful effects of plastic bags
◦ Marine conservation groups estimate that more than a million
seabirds & 100,000 mammals & sea turtles die globally each year by
getting tangled in or ingesting plastics.
◦ Plastic DOES NOT completely biodegrade because no naturally
occurring organisms can break it down.
◦ Estimates for the total quantity of plastic at sea exceed 100 million
tons with only 20% from ocean sources (like lost or tossed fishing
gear) & 80% from land based sources.
Sustainable World Coalition
Sustainability Facts:

3.  Direct Effects:
 Decline In
◦ Abundance
◦ Size
◦ Reproductive output
 Changes In:
◦ Sex ratios
◦ Behavior and Distribution
Sustainability Facts: Overfishing

4.  Eco-System Effects
 Changes In:
 Tropic Structure
 Predator/Prey Dynamics
 Habitat
 Has led to
◦ Reduced abundance, size, and sex in key species
◦ Loss of ecosystem function
 Loss of top-down control by predators
 Loss of herbivores leads to algal overgrowth
Sustainability Facts: Overfishing

5.  Benefits of Recycling
◦ Recycling saves energy.
◦ Recycling prevents pollution caused by the manufacturing of products.
◦ Recycling decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global
climate change.
◦ Recycling helps sustain the environment for future generations.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Sustainability Facts

6. ◦ To communicate to big island businesses about
sustainability.
◦ To learn about the cultural business stand point of some of
their decisions that do not support sustainability.
◦ To provide awareness and stress the importance of local
business’s doing their part in reducing their ecological foot
print.
Group Purpose

7. Our purpose was to provide awareness to local
businesses not to label or pass judgment.
For this purpose we have chosen to keep the
names of the businesses we visited private.
Mahalo.
Confidentiality

8. CONCERNS
◦ The use of plastic bags
◦ Selling locally grown produce
◦ Promotion of sustainability
◦ Recycling habits
◦ Setting the example for sustainability
Local Health Food Stores

9.  CONSTRUCTIVE PRACTICES
◦ Three local health food stores were visited
◦ All of them endorsed selling local produce
◦ All of them sell & promote reusable bags and provide
purchase discounts when you bring them in.
◦ All three stores recycle there boxes for customers to use
instead of using bags
◦ All three stores promote sustainability awareness through
community action
Local Health Food Stores “talk
story” continued…

10.  DECONSTRUCTIVE PRACTICES
The local vegetarian store sells organic food, buys locally, and sells
less meat. According to the Sustainability World Sourcebook these
are all ways to create a sustainable future with our daily actions.
◦ When you sign up for their rewards card they give you a free reusable bag;
however, the same store also makes plastic bags available for customer use.
◦ The assistant manager at this store claimed that the plastic bags that they use are
biodegradable within five years. However, this is controversial.
◦ The assistant manager reported that they choose to use these particular plastic
bags instead of paper bags because the CEO feels that although paper bags
biodegrade faster, it uses more resources to make them (for example, trees).
◦ The email address of the CEO was given to us for further information.
Local health Food Stores “talk
story” continued…

11.  SOLUTIONS
◦ Communicate the customer wants for health, sustainability, and
the community to the store managers and/or owners.
◦ Suggest using paper bags rather than plastic and ask customers
to periodically make a small donation to plant trees in order to
support the use of paper bags.
◦ Commend the variety of sustainable practices already used by the
stores and thankfully encourage them to expand on these eco-
friendly exercises.
Local Health Food stores “talk
story” continued…

12. Local Grocery Stores & Fish
Mongers “talk story”…
CONCERNS:
• Promotion of local species/fish versus non-indigenous
species/fish…
• Rules and Regulation standards…
• Utilizing of local commercial fishermen …
• Sustainable and responsible fishing techniques…
• Education and promotion of non-native species…
(Toau, Taape, and Gorilla Ogo) for consumption

13.  CONSTRUCTIVE PRACTICES
◦ All three stores promoted and sold local fish whenever
possible…
◦ One particular fishery actively participated in employing
private, local, commercial fishermen…
◦ (Walls contained pictures of local fisherman and their
boats)
◦ All fisheries agreed that localism and the promotion of
indigenous species was important for Hawaii
Local Grocery Stores & Fish
Mongers “talk story” continued…

14.  DECONSTRUCTIVE PRACTICES
◦ Observed numerous undersized fish in two of the
establishments…
◦ Policies in place that make change at the local level very
difficult…
◦ General attitude that waters surrounding Hawai’i are a
‘right’ and not a ‘privilege’…
◦ Fish by-catch due to nets are always going to happen
unless ‘hand line-fishing’ practices become the industry
norm…
Local Grocery Stores & Fish
Mongers “talk story” continued…

15.  Solutions:
◦ Following the rules and regulations recommended
by the Hawaii DNLR and reporting those that do
not…
◦ Educate and promote the eating of invasive
fish/species, such as Toau, Taape, and Gorilla Ogo,
as a substitute to over-consumed ‘native’ fish…
◦ Get involved!!! Consumers and the general public
need to express their desire to see more
sustainable practices…
◦ Talk to your local managers and demand
responsibility (In a respectful manner of course)
Local Grocery Stores & Fish
Mongers “talk story” continued…

16.  CONCERNS:
◦ The use of plastic bags
◦ Importing of non local produce
◦ Promotion of sustainability
◦ Recycling habits
◦ Setting an example as a local “small town” store for
mainland chain stores.
Local neighborhood stores

17.  CONSTRUCTIVE PRACTICES
◦ Three stores were visited
◦ All preferred to buy local meat
◦ All stores reused there cardboard or recycled them
◦ All stores sold local produce (papaya’s, pineapples,
tomatoes etc…) that they bought from local
residents/farmers.
◦ All stores agreed that supporting local farmers is
important for Hawaii.
Local neighborhood stores “talk
story”

18.  DECONSTRUCTIVE PRACTICES
◦ Two out of the three stores did not carry any type of alternative bagging but
plastic.
◦ One store openly said that they are not for the plastic ban law. The owner
explained that plastic bags are cheaper, easier to store, and more convenient for
the consumer.
◦ Although these stores prefer to buy locally one store owner explained that he buys
beef from the mainland when he wants beef that is grain fed. He states that there
are not any grain fed cattle in the islands. He explained that grain fed meat have
more fat which give the meat its flavor.
◦ None of these stores sold reusable bags.
◦ All stores showed a lack of awareness of sustainable practices and employees
seem to be unsure of where there products came from.
◦ There was little to no promotion of sustainability(such as emphasizing that their
produce is locally grown, offering alternative methods of bagging such as card
board boxes or paper bags, offering rewards for using a reusable bag etc…
Local neighborhood stores “talk
story” continued…

19.  Solutions
 Be vocal, communicate to store owners and merchandisers what
“we” as customers want. We need to voice what we want to see
more or less of in stores, so that merchandisers don’t make the
decisions for us.
 Ask questions, by asking questions about products and produce
we are urging store staff to be more knowledable & responsible
for what they are carrying.
 Show appreciation for the sustainable practices stores already
have in play. By expressing appreciation businesses may be
more likely to keep up or take on more sustainable methods.
 Share alternative solutions to local business’s. If you have a
more sustainable solution share it.
Local neighborhood stores “talk
story” continued…

20. We are committed to continue to educate ourselves,
friends, and families about practicing
environmentally sustainable actions and to
support and fight for laws that promote
sustainability.
Chenoa, Samuel, & Rebekah

21. Sustainable World Coalition. (2010), Sustainable World Sourcebook. Berkeley, CA:
Sustainable World Coalition.
United States Environmental Protection Agency: Recycling. (April 14, 2011). Retrieved
from http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/recycle.htm
Friedlander, A. Overfishing on Caribbean and Pacific Coral Reefs and Potential Solutions
[PDF Document] Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Website:
http://www.coralreef.gov/meeting20/Presentations/overfishing2008.pdf
Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources. (2011).
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/index.html
References: