Mālama ʻĀina Compostables is taking Zero Waste off the page and into the community — hosting and operating collection events across Hawaiʻi Island that show residents firsthand that keeping valuable materials out of the landfill is not just possible, it’s happening right now.
Over the first two years of the REO program, students from Mālama ʻĀina Compostables were tasked with bringing their Zero Waste message directly to the community through a series of collection events. The goal was clear: build awareness around Zero Waste principles, create meaningful opportunities for community participation in waste diversion, and keep valuable materials out of the landfill. What followed was a growing portfolio of events that has established these youth as capable, credible operators of sustainable materials management systems across Hawaiʻi Island.
To date, the students have successfully hosted or participated in over 10 collection events — either producing them independently or being hired to implement their waste diversion systems at large community gatherings. These events have taken them from school campuses to major island festivals, from county summits to beachside celebrations, giving them real-world experience managing materials at scale while demonstrating to the public that Zero Waste operations are achievable in any setting.
Their collection event services span a wide and growing range of material streams and community offerings, including compostable waste diversion and on-site composting, HI-5 recyclable collection, cardboard diversion and shredding into weed mats, compostable flower pot fabrication as an alternative to plastic pots, e-waste collection, and a refrigerator trade-up program developed in partnership with Hawaiʻi Energy. Each service reflects a commitment to finding practical, community-scale solutions for materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill.
Events where Mālama ʻĀina Compostables has implemented their systems and hosted on-site collection services include:
- Renaissance Fair
- KWXX Ho’olaule’a — Hilo
- Kalo Festival — Pahala
- KKP Area Complex Superintendent’s Summit
- Hawaiʻi Energy Refrigerator Trade-Up
- Hawaiʻi Zero Waste Youth Convergence
- Reggae on the Mauna with Kanaka Fyah
- Local Kaʻū Collection Events
Each event has helped strengthen the students’ operational skills, expand their network of community partners, and demonstrate that youth-led Zero Waste systems can perform at a professional level.
- Hosted or participated in 10+ collection events across Hawaiʻi Island over the first two years of the program
- Operated multi-stream diversion systems including compostables, HI-5 recyclables, cardboard, e-waste, and organic waste composting
- Fabricated compostable flower pots as a hands-on alternative to single-use plastic containers
- Shredded diverted cardboard into weed mats — turning waste into a usable agricultural product
- Partnered with Hawaiʻi Energy on a Refrigerator Trade-Up program, helping community members upgrade to energy-efficient appliances
- Hired to implement waste diversion systems at major community events including KWXX Ho’olaule’a, Kalo Festival, and Reggae on the Mauna
- Presented to youth and school administration at campuses across the island to expand awareness and adoption of waste diversion services
- Launching the Kaʻū Barter & Trade Event Series in Year Three, featuring e-waste collection and a repair cafe
The collection events program has grown steadily with each passing season, and the momentum heading into Year Three is stronger than ever. Mālama ʻĀina Compostables is launching a new Kaʻū Barter & Trade Event Series — a community-centered gathering that will feature e-waste collection, a repair cafe, and opportunities for residents to exchange goods rather than discard them. Alongside this new series, students will continue expanding their presence at community events, presenting their model to schools across the island, and growing the network of partners who share their vision for a Zero Waste Hawaiʻi. What started in a school cafeteria is now a community institution — and it is only getting started.
Support Mālama ʻĀina Compostables and help us bring Zero Waste collection events to more communities across Hawaiʻi Island.
