From school cafeterias to national conferences and international stages, Mālama ʻĀina Compostables students have found their voices — and they are using them to drive real, lasting systems change for a Zero Waste Hawaiʻi and beyond.
Empowering youth to become leaders in sustainability and Zero Waste is at the heart of Recycle Hawaiʻi’s REO Program. For many of these students, the program has been their first real introduction to public speaking, policy engagement, and systems-level thinking. What they have accomplished in that short time is nothing short of remarkable. Through their work, Mālama ʻĀina Compostables students have grown from cafeteria monitors into recognized advocates on the island, statewide, nationally, and internationally — carrying a message that is urgent, credible, and deeply rooted in lived experience.
Their advocacy has taken them to some of the most respected stages in the sustainability movement, including the National Recycling Congress, the Bioneers Conference, and the Race to Zero Conference, as well as numerous events across Hawaiʻi Island. One of their most impactful moments came when students provided public testimony in support of Hawaiʻi County Bill 83, the landmark legislation banning single-use plastics in food serviceware island-wide. Their testimony was not abstract — it was backed by a proven, operational model of compostable food waste diversion and in-vessel composting that they themselves designed, built, and run. That real-world credibility gave their advocacy weight that few others could match, and their demonstration of Ho’ohuli’s feasibility helped make the case for expanding in-vessel composting technology as a scalable solution for diverting food waste and compostable serviceware from landfills across the county.
Beyond food systems, students have brought widespread awareness to the impacts of marine debris and plastic pollution through community beach cleanups and social media campaigns. As they move into Year Three, they are taking that work further — looking to hold plastic producers accountable for the damage their products cause to local ecosystems and advocating for producer responsibility as a core component of a just and sustainable waste system.
In partnership with the Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management, students are also launching a six-month digital waste diversion campaign in Kaʻū. Using real-world data from landfill tickets and transfer station diversion records, the campaign will measure whether targeted digital outreach can meaningfully shift community behavior toward more sustainable and Zero Waste lifestyles — a first-of-its-kind data-driven advocacy effort led entirely by youth.
Perhaps most powerfully, this program has become an incubator for young people finding their voice. Many of these students had never spoken publicly before joining the REO Program. Today, they are testifying before county councils, presenting at national conferences, and helping lead a growing international movement.
- Presented at the National Recycling Congress, Bioneers Conference, and Race to Zero Conference, bringing Hawaiʻi’s youth-led Zero Waste model to national and international audiences
- Testified in support of Hawaiʻi County Bill 83, the landmark ban on single-use plastics in food serviceware, backed by their own operational composting model
- Demonstrated in-vessel composting feasibility through Ho’ohuli, helping advance county-level composting infrastructure expansion
- Organized beach cleanups and social media campaigns raising awareness around marine debris and plastic pollution impacts on local ecosystems
- Pursuing producer accountability for plastic pollution affecting Hawaiʻi’s environment and communities
- Partnering with Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management on a six-month data-driven digital waste diversion campaign in Kaʻū
- Founded and helped grow the Zero Waste Youth Alliance, now including ambassadors from all Hawaiian islands, across the U.S., and internationally including youth in Brazil
- Hosting an International Zero Waste Youth Convergence during Earth Day week in April, bringing together students, legislative leaders, and policymakers from around the world
The student advocacy work of Mālama ʻĀina Compostables has catalyzed something far larger than any single event or piece of legislation. It has seeded the Zero Waste Youth Alliance — a growing coalition of young leaders from every Hawaiian island, across the continental United States, and as far as Brazil — united around reducing plastic consumption, advancing compostable food systems, and advocating for a more sustainable planet. In Year Three, that coalition comes together in person during Earth Day week for an International Zero Waste Youth Convergence, where students will stand alongside legislators and policymakers to showcase their work and push for the systemic change their generation demands. What began as a group of students sorting cafeteria trays has become a movement — and it is growing every day.
Support Mālama ʻĀina Compostables and help amplify the voices of the next generation of Zero Waste leaders.
