HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0064.104 2010-2012 ti med+ ". ...�
County Council
Mai ke kai mai ke ola
From the ocean comes life
In April of last year I standup paddled across the channels that link together the
islands of Hawaii. I was part of a team, Destination 3 Degrees, and myself and
another paddler set out from the Big Island and finished at Niihau. So why did we
paddle nearly 300 miles, across some of the most dangerous channels in the world?
Well, for one thing, it was a challenge and an adventure, and I love that. But the most
important reason why, was because we wanted to raise awareness for the issue of
plastic contamination in our ocean. The sad reality is that while we live on islands,
surrounded by this beautiful ocean, very few people realize the trouble our marine
environment is facing. The world today has become dependent on plastic. The
plastic products we are using in our society are eventually making their way into
our ocean, ending up in the bellies of fish and birds, wrapped around monk seals
and turtles and tangled on the flukes of whales. Debris washes ashore and litters our
beaches and while it is unsightly, it goes far beyond that. It is becoming a hazard to
our health and the health of our marine mammals and environment. Many of the
plastics that are found in the ocean and scattered on the shoreline are from plastic
bags. Plastic bags that have most likely been used once and thrown away.
We use plastic in our everyday lives and while it would be nearly impossible to
completely abolish all plastic products, we can start somewhere. Over the past few
years, cities and towns have begun to step up to this problem by passing laws that
aim to reduce the use of plastic bags. While it does not solve the problem, it is a
start. Creating a similar bill in the county of Hawaii is our opportunity to step up and
protect the marine environment that surrounds this island we all share. This is our
chance to make a difference and take care of the ocean that has blessed us.
I urge you to think profoundly about this bill. Set your politics and differences aside
and think of what that big blue expanse out there means to you. Think of how crucial
it has been to the history of Hawaii, the joys and the life it has given and ask yourself
if you could live without it.
As Jacques Cousteau once said, people protect what they love. I love the ocean and I
will do what I need to protect it and keep it clean, beautiful and plastic -free for
generations to come. I hope you will do the same.
Thank you,
Jenny Kalmbach
February 1, 2011
To be read at public testimony
Comm. No. �.�v
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