Plastic Bags Get Trashed In Haleiwa

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Kokua Hawaii Foundation, the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, local business owners and the community have banded together to phase out plastic bags in Haleiwa.

The Kokua staff was concerned with the health and waste issues synonymous with the use of plastic and Styrofoam products and decided to take action starting close to home.

“We looked at Haleiwa as a great town to start with because it has so many local business owners, and it has a small-town feel, and we’re right on the ocean - so they can feel the effects on the marine life,“explained Katie Pere, the foundation’s director of greening and events. “We felt like it was a great place to start, in our own neighborhood.”

More than 35 stakeholders have joined the plastic purge, including the Growing Keiki, a store that specializes in children’s clothes, toys and other products.“Our goal is to inspire people to make lifestyle changes,” said owner Lee Roy.“That will have a big impact on our environment.”

Roy doesn’t stop at offering biodegradable bags for purchase, she also gives them away to customers sporting their own reusable bags and gives 10 percent discount on any purchase from her store.“I try to stand behind what we’re doing,” she said, noting how she herself shops with a canvas bag.

The price for selling reusable or environmentally friendly bags - as opposed to just giving them away - is exorbitant, however, so many Haleiwa merchants have come together to control costs. “A lot of issues come up, with businesses, on price (of the non-plastic containers),“said Johnson.“The nice thing about Haleiwa is that some business are going in together and buying bigger bulk orders so their price goes down.

“No one has said to me, ‘this is a stupid idea,’” she added. “Everybody knows we gotta change. The oceans are full of plastic, and we’ve got to make some lifestyle changes in order to save this beautiful island environment, especially for us with our landfills being full.”

Johnson said she and her staff were to make rounds to distribute tote bags and persuade more merchants and shoppers to join their coalition.

Pere added that Kokua Hawaii has made reusable tote bags, with a logo designed by local artist Heather Brown, for community and businesses that join the cause.

“The bag’s really colorful and fun,” said Johnson, executive director and founder of Kokua. Stores that join receive 25 free bags and a sign alerting patrons of the store’s support for the campaign against plastic. Consumers who sign up also receive a free bag, Johnson said, in the hopes it will curtail their use of single-use plastic bags.

Plastic can be harmful to people, as well as animals and the ecosystem.

Evidence shows that several types of plastic containers can release toxins into the food inside. “That’s something that a lot of people have no idea about,” said Pere. “And people in Hawaii get all these take-out containers all the time and don’t realize that toxins are leaking into their food.”

According to an Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy newsletter, Bisphenol, DEHA and styrene can leak into food via commonly used plastics. All have negative effects on the body after prolonged exposure. IATP also strongly cautions against microwaving food in plastic containers, because the heat will release the toxins. Further,ceramic and glass make better replacements for Tupperware.

For more information, go to “http://www.kokuafoundation.org/”