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WASTE Date: May 15, 2023
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To: The Government Operations and External Affairs Committee -`
From: Zero Waste Hawai 'i Island yr
Re: Bill 48, Comm. 279 -�
Position: Strong Support
Honorable Members of the Government Operations and External Affairs Committee,
We are writing in strong support of Bill 48 which would create an Office of Sustainability,
Climate, Equity and Resilience. As the world faces the climate crisis, we must prepare in
Hawai 'i County to face these inevitable challenges, as well as do our part to reduce our
greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon.
As an isolated island, we must develop resilient communities and focus on reducing our
dependence on imported food. We recently experienced our vulnerability to changes in the
global supply chain during the pandemic and we can anticipate as our climate becomes
more unstable, we will be in a dangerous situation if we continue to rely on imported food
from places in the world, such as California, that grows 50% of the nation's fruits and
vegetables and in recent years has been experiencing drought and wildfires, and this year
heavy rains and flooding.
We also must develop better systems on this island to recover our resources. Most of what
we currently landfill in the county are wasted resources that could be reused and recycled.
Improving our materials management systems and reducing the amount of waste
we create is often an overlooked solution to the climate crisis. Department of
Environmental Management is often overburdened with day to day operations to take on
the challenge of developing new systems of materials management, it is our hope that
OSCER will serve as a catalyst for positive changes, enabling us to put in place the
policies and systems necessary to reduce and divert resources from landfilling in the
county. If OSCER is created, we look forward to the potential of collaborating with them
on our current initiative to design and implement a reusable foodware program in Hilo in
partnership with Perpetual.
The passage of Bill 48 and the establishment of OSCER will position Hawai'i County as a
leader in sustainability, climate change adaptation, and community resilience. By taking
proactive measures to protect our environment and promote equity, we can inspire other
jurisdictions and set an example for responsible and forward-thinking governance.
I urge the Government Operations and External Affairs Committee to support Bill 48 and
recommend its passage to the Hawai'i County Council. Let us embrace this opportunity to
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Ref. Date MAY 1 6 2023
safeguard our future, preserve our natural resources, and create a thriving, sustainable
community for generations to come.
Mahalo nui loa,
Jennifer Navarra
Program Director
Zero Waste Hawai 'i Island
Zero Waste Hawai'i Island's mission is to connect diverse Hawaii Island Communities to
support equitable systems redesign and policy change to achieve zero waste.
Zero Waste Hawai' i Island • Hilo, HI 96720
zerowastebigisland@gmail.com