Local thrift stores such as Goodwill and Savers, who reuse items before they hit traditional waste streams, not only further Hawaii’s sustainability initiatives but directly benefit communities both local and abroad.

Saturday June 26th was our latest Adopt-A-Block event in the Iwilei Business District and by far our most successful one yet with 91 volunteers from 10 area companies. We even escaped the rain clouds that arrived in the late morning.

A person’s approach to sustainability is based on priorities. But when presented with an affordable product that will help reduce their environmental impact, more often than not people will use it. Manufacturers are starting to pick up on this and are adapting to consumer demands. We just have to make sure we keep requesting the right things.