Happy New Year!

We hope your holiday season was filled with fun, family and friends. It’s the start of a new year and Kokua Hawai’i Foundation is excited about the events, projects and programs we are working on for 2012. We ask that you please consider the environment in your New Year Resolutions. May you have a peaceful and healthy “green” year!

If you aren’t already, we invite you to become a Kokua Hawaii Foundation member.

Thank you for your support!

In the first semester of the 2011-2012 school year the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation has reached thousands through our programs:

• AINA In Schools: 12 elementary schools participate in ‘AINA In Schools. This semester 1,985 students participated in garden lessons and clubs, while nearly 1,300 took part in nutrition lessons. 287 parent and community volunteers supported the program by giving 2,483 hours. In addition to garden and nutrition lessons, four ‘AINA IS schools have salad bars, and four ‘AINA IS schools participate in a fresh fruit and vegetable snack program. 160 students visited farms on field trips and two waste audits took place at one ‘AINA IS school cafeteria. All that from August to December!
• Environmental Education Field Trip Assistance Program: In the Fall of 2011, 3,247 students at 31 schools participated in field trips supported by Kokua Hawai’i Foundation. Field trip sites included Tin Roof Ranch, Ka’ala Farms, Waikalua Loko Fishpond, Lyon Arboretum, Ku’u Home Kulaiwi, and many others.
• Environmental Education Mini-Grants: 3,404 students and 22 schools have received assistance for environmental education supplies, curricula, and workshops. Mini-grants this semester have funded waste audits, aquaponics, gardening and agriculture projects on school campuses throughout HawaiÊ»i.
• Kokua Earth Action Projects (KEAP): During the 2011-2012 school year, 2,539 students from 13 schools will participate in student-led environmental service learning projects. KEAP project titles include “Go Green, Be Plastic Free,” “Turn It Off,” and “From Field to Table.”
• 3R’s School Recycling: 32,500 students at 45 participating schools reduce, reuse, and recycle on campus. Several of these schools have started composting and vermicomposting food and green waste on campus and have conducted waste audits on their school campuses.
• Plastic Free Hawaii & Plastic Free Schools: 100 educators attended this fall’s Service Learning Teacher Institute “Can You Be Plastic Free? Schools Reducing Single-use Plastic for Hawai’i's Health,” over 300 students and families have attended screenings of the film “Bag It,” and hundreds of volunteers have participated in Beach Cleanups at Hale’iwa, Kahuku, Kailua &  La’ie beaches giving 1,100 hours to keeping our beaches plastic-free! To get involved contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

FREE Screening of “Truck Farm”

Sunset Beach ‘AINA Family Night presents a FREE screening of the award winning documentary “Truck Farm” on Friday, January 6 from 5:00 p.m. -  8:00 p.m. at Sunset Beach Elementary School Cafeteria. There will be family friendly activities, food, door prizes, and a “real-life truck farm” from Windward Nazarene School. Meet the filmmakers Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis. PLUS, “Truck Farm” composer, Simon Beins will be playing music following the film! 

Click here for more information.

Plastic Free Hawai’i January Events

Kokua Hawai’i Foundation’s Plastic Free Hawai’i and Plastic Free Schools programs are pleased to announce a series of events to promote the publication of “Plastic Ocean” a new book by Captain Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. Captain Moore will be on O’ahu January 16 & 17 and will be appearing at multiple locations speaking at schools, bookstores and more to share his findings about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and his quest to save the oceans. 

Below is a full listing of Plastic Free events happening in conjunction with Captain Moore’s visit:

Monday, January 16

• 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  Kōkua Hawai’i Foundation & Sustainable Coastlines Hawai’i Beach Cleanup at Kahuku Beach—James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge. Community invited! Please check in at Kahuku High School’s main entrance at 9:00 a.m.
• 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Captain Charles Moore at Bookends in Kailua “Plastic Ocean” book signing & reception. Open to the public.

Tuesday, January 17

• 8:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Captain Charles Moore will speak at Kahuku High School, Choir Room. Community invited!
• 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m Captain Charles Moore will be the keynote speaker at the Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off event at UH Mānoa Campus Center Ballroom. Sustainable UH is hosting the event in conjunction with the KYA Sustainability Studio, Sustainable UH, the Surfrider Foundation, UH Manoa Sustainability Corps, UH Ecology Club and the Kōkua Hawai’i Foundation. Open to the public.
• 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Joel Paschal, founder of Sea of Change and one of the two Algalita scientists who sailed the JUNKraft from California to Hawai’i in 2008 will speak at the BYU-Hawai’i Campus, Aloha Center Ballroom. Community invited!
• 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Captain Charles Moore at Indigo Restaurant “Plastic Ocean” book signing & reception co-sponsored by Surfrider Foundation. Open to the public.

If your school is interested in becoming a Plastic Free School or hosting a FREE screening of the film “Bag It” contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Spring 2012 ‘AINA IS Garden Party & Docent Training Dates

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AINA In Schools Garden Party volunteers will work alongside school families to harvest and prepare the school gardens for the spring garden lessons. Garden Party Projects may include: loosening and amending the garden bed soil, mulching the perimeters of garden beds, weeding, creating garden artwork, watering and more. The general public and volunteer groups are invited. Please RSVP to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Spring Garden Party Dates:
Kainalu Elementary School
Saturday, January 14
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Kailua

Ala Wai Elementary School
Saturday, January 21
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Honolulu

Sunset Beach Elementary School
Saturday, January 28
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
North Shore

Waialae Public Charter School
Saturday, January 28
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Honolulu

Ahuimanu Elementary School
Monday, January 30
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Kane’ohe

‘Aikahi Elementary School
Saturday, February 4
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Kailua

Waikiki Elementary School
Saturday, February 4
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Honolulu

Spring Nutrition Docents Training Dates:
Windward Nutrition Docent Training
Monday, January 9
9:30a.m - 12:30 p.m.

Honolulu Nutrition Docent Training
Wednesday, January 11
9:30a.m - 12:30 p.m.

North Shore Nutrition Docent Training
Friday, January 13
9:30a.m - 12:30 p.m.

Spring Garden Docents Training Dates:
Windward Garden Docent Training
Tuesday, February 7
9:00a.m - 12:00 p.m.

Honolulu Garden Docent Training
Wednesday, February 8
9:00a.m - 12:00 p.m.

North Shore Garden Docent Training
Thursday, February 9
9:00a.m - 12:00 p.m.

Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  to learn more about the trainings or to become a ‘AINA In Schools volunteer. ‘AINA In Schools is a program of the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation and seeks to connect children to their land, waters and food to grow a healthier Hawai’i.