One month in, the trash plucked from the ocean had piled up—sopping fishing nets covered in plastic that had choked Hawaii’s coral reefs. The cleanup crews knew their task was far from over. “It’s a lot of work, a lot of long days,” said Kevin O’Brien, founder of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project. “But we do it because we’re trying to protect a place we love.” When they finished last week, three shipping containers were heaped with fished from the waters of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a hub for biodiversity and home to sacred cultural and historical sites. In total, 97,295 pounds, or about 48.6 tons, of marine debris were removed, about 86,000 of which came from a single reef.
“That’s equal to about the weight of a commercial commuter airliner,” O’Brien said.
This occasional newsletter highlights events and stories about innovation in sustainable development for rural, remote and island regions. We want to change the discourse to demonstrate how islandness can be a driver for innovation.
