Welcome to our first-ever digital Mālama i ka Honua
All good things must come to an end -- so that new good things may grow! Forty-five years ago, the Sierra Club of Hawai’i published its first version of the Mālama i ka Honua, and through its pages we’ve celebrated environmental victories, confronted challenges, educated the community, elected our leaders and shared the stories of our many adventures in these beautiful islands! We’ll continue to do the same, just in a different form. Learn more.
Farming a Food Future with Aunty Deb
We’ve gotten to know Aunty Deb over the years, and in the era of COVID-19, as we all reflect upon Hawaiʻi’s self-sustainability, the impact of our individual and collective actions and the new reality of shaping a different future for the islands, we thought it would be an opportune time to highlight all the hard work she does to feed her community and to defend Hawaiʻi’s precious natural resources.
Back to Our Future: An Equitable and Livable COVID-19 Recovery
Practical Steps Toward a More Circular Economy
By Marti Townsend
As challenging as this historic moment is for so many of us, now is the time to make the greatest changes for the sake of our future. This is a historic moment. Let's make the most of it. Read more.
Feeding Hawaiʻi
By Lauryn Rego
What does it take to feed Hawaiʻi? During COVID-19, the barges never stopped yet food insecurity was faced by many. This has caused many of us to reevaluate what food security means to our communities. Read more.
A Note From The Director
When the history books are printed, the age of COVID-19 will be marked by many things—including transformation. Hawaiʻi is already abuzz with really big ideas on how we can best meet the challenges of this moment to emerge an even better, more resilient and more equitable future. Read more.
Environmentally-Focused Organizations are Crucial for the Revival of Hawaiʻi’s Community
By John Leong
If we start building now, growing our green workforce can inspire our local residents, visitors, and the global community to create a more resilient future in which we can all thrive. Read more.
COVID-19 Can’t Keep Our Trees Down
By Randy Ching
The Mālama Tree Crew might not be able to gather in groups but Randy and a couple of dedicated volunteers have been watering hundreds of trees during quarantine. Read more.
2020 Vote Sierra Club Hawaiʻi Primary Endorsements
We need strong lawmakers in all levels of office fighting to advance environmental and social justice policies. You can help achieve that by supporting our endorsed candidates.
Follow Vote Sierra Club Hawaiʻi:
Don’t forget! 2020 is the first year that the elections will be held by mail-in voting only! Learn more here.
2020 Primary Election Key Dates
July 9: Last day to register to vote (Register here)
July 21: Mail in ballots delivered
August 8: Primary election
Paid for by Vote Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi without the approval of any candidate.
Lobbying Updates
The third part of the 2020 legislative session is still underway and things are changing fast. We are engaging on a handful of environmental and social justice bills that will help in our islands’ COVID-19 recovery.
The session adjourns on July 10. Stay tuned to our Hawaiʻi CapitolWatch website and be sure to subscribe here for updates if you haven’t already.
Sierra Club outings and events remain suspended through August 31 to keep our communities safe.
As public trails and parks are reopened, we remind you to practice safe and legal hiking as you get back outdoors.
Group Quarterly Reports
Nate’s Adventures: Koaʻe ʻula
One of the amazing things to see are koaʻe ʻula—red-tailed tropicbirds—who nest along the rugged Ka Iwi Coast from Hawaiʻi Kai to Makapuʻu. Red-tailed tropicbirds, Phaethon rubricauda, are pelagic seabirds indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands and are found throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Our Executive Committee Needs Climate Warriors
Like You!
Now more than ever, Hawai‘i’s people and environment need your support. Looking for a way to help? Join us at the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i and consider running for a leadership position on the Hawai‘i Chapter or your County Group Executive Committees.
Are you interested or know someone who might be? Review Executive Committee member responsibilities, find more information and submit your nomination below.
More News: Conservation, Volunteer and Staff Updates
Racism is Killing the Planet
By Hop Hopkins
You can’t have climate change without sacrifice zones, and you can’t have sacrifice zones without disposable people, and you can't have disposable people without racism. We’re in this global environmental mess because we have declared parts of our planet to be disposable. Read more.
Youth Organizing for Accountability
By Lauren Ballesteros-Watanabe
Excitingly, as 2020 political campaigns and elections continue to be heavily impacted by COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, youth leaders are using their social media and tech savviness to target their peers and promote voting with values, not political parties.
Read more.
Finding Balance for East Maui Streams
Years continue to go by and East Maui streams continue to run dry and are littered with debris, as the Board of Land and Natural Resources turns a blind eye and authorizes A&B to take damaging amounts of water from the streams. And that’s why we are suing.
Read more.
History of West Maui’s Injection Wells
By Lance D. Collins
For years, Maui community groups have been fighting to stop the needless pollution of West Maui’s nearshore waters from injection wells. With a U.S. Supreme Court ruling now on our side, let’s revisit how we got here and explore what this means for Maui’s waters and beyond. Read more.
Abundance Species
By Sunny Savage
Get outside and form relationships with 5 edible invasive plant species. These are our abundance species and a great way to start learning about foraging, the respectful harvest, and how we can begin land management through stopping further seed dispersal. Read more.