HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0482.303 2024-2026From:
Lisa Diaz
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Sent:
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 2:24 PM
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To:
Council Testimony, Villegas, Rebecca
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Subject:
Support Bill 83, Draft 2
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Aloha PCENRM
Chair, Rebecca Villegas, Vice Chair, Jenn
Kagiwada,
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and Hawaii
County Council Members:
1 SUPPORT BILL 83, DRAFT 2 AND ASK ALL HAWAI'I
COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO EXPEDIENTLY
APPROVE IT.,
As a 25-yr. Kona HI Public School Natural Science Teacher, I taught 3000+ keiki about
how amazing & fragile our Hawaii environment is,
and the kuleana needed to care for our native species and planet, as humans cannot
survive without nature.
Reducing plastic pollution is essential for our island environment, to
protect our native wildlife and the health of our people, from toxic
Plastic pollution is an enormous threat to our island's ecosystems and to
our health for generations to come.
Annually, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic enter our oceans, breaking down
into microplastics, which contaminate our air, water, soil,
& sand. Micro plastics have been found in human & animal blood, tissues, & organs,
including our brains!
Hawai'i's marine life —turtles, seabirds, marine mammals and fish ingest a high amount
of plastics, which enter both animal & human food chains.
Hawaii can use readily available, affordable, and enviro-responsible
alternatives to eliminate plastic foodware/utensils:
— Bagasse (sugarcane fiber)
Comm. W& V
Bamboo Ref. To: 1
t Ref. Date DEL -d 2025
— PLA plant -based containers
— Fully biodegradable cutlery
— Paper -based compostables
The above compostable products reduce waste, break
down naturally, & improve our overstressed waste
management system.
Many enviro-responsible businesses already use only
these above products. We can also make these
products in Hawaii.
ALL BUSINESSES (restaurants, food trucks, stores,
caterers, take-outs) SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO
UTILIZE NON -PLASTIC
UTENSILS. ALL PLASTIC WARE/UTENSILS SHOULD BE
REMOVED/PROHIBITED FOR SALE IN
STORES/EATERIES, ISLANDWIDE.
Supporting Bill 83 means supporting the health of our reefs, our
communities, and future generations.
He akamai a me ka pono ke hooma/u i
ke ano i
It's smart & righteous to protect our natural
environment & health i
Mahalo Nui Loa, Hawaii County Council
members,
for supporting our 'Aina.
Lisa Diaz
76-223 Haoa St.
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
scidiaz@gmail.com
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