As someone who has worked for many years in a non profit at Pa`ia Bay I am strongly against the selling of these boards. Tourists often leave them with us. We dispose of them immediately to keep the styrofoam out of the ocean, where it is surely heading within hours. How can we disallow single use plastic this coming January and continue the sale of these environmentally irresponsible products?
From: Francine Aarona <mopsaarona@gmail.com>
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 11:34 PM
To: "Alice L. Lee" <Alice.Lee@mauicounty.us>, Gabe Johnson <Gabe.Johnson@mauicounty.us>, Kelly King <Kelly.King@mauicounty.us>, Michael Molina <Mike.Molina@mauicounty.us>, "Shane M. Sinenci" <Shane.Sinenci@mauicounty.us>, "Tamara A. Paltin" <Tamara.Paltin@mauicounty.us>, Yukilei Sugimura <Yukilei.Sugimura@mauicounty.us>
Subject: All agenda items
Aloha Chair King, VC Sinenci and committee members,
I am in favor of all agenda items that is before you. (Care-48), (Care-34) and (Care -20).
Covid made many of us aware of our climate change and taking care of our environment. Living on the shore line, I witnessed so many plastic items on our beach lefted by residents and visitors. Plastic items wash up on our shore and become very harmful to our well being. I am in support of the proposed resolution to reduce the production of plastic products.
I am also in support of prohibiting the sale and rental of Disposable Bodyboards. What ever happen to body surfing. Growing up on the shoreline in Pa’ia met waves almost everyday. Tutu would sit on the bench and watch us body surf (with our body🙈). There were times when I thought I wasn’t going to surface. We had to prove to tutu that we could handle those waves before going down to Sandy’s (Pa’ia Bay). They need to think of other methods. Just make smaller surf boogie boards. The men made wood boards before, it worked.
I am in total support of restricting the sale of foam coolers. Our families take pride in the coolers they purchase especially when it comes to keeping something cold for a long time. It should be banned. There are a lot of collapsible coolers that our tourist could purchase and take home.
Mahalo for allowing me to share my mana’o on the items that are before you. Take care and Ke Akua’s Blessings.
It is our responsibility to protect the island and oceans as much as we can. Please stop selling throw away garbage for tourists or islanders alike. Especially styrofoam. We have gotten rid of it on the island for food togos and look at what an amazing impact that has had!
Let’s move to coolers and boogie boards next.
It will be super easy for some local to start a rental business for sustainable solutions for tourists. It is a win-win.
This is just as important as styrofoam food containers which clearly Maui was in favor of. The landfill is only so big and steps need to be taken to limit the amount of unnecessary stuff that’s in them!
I am in support of this bill to help protect our island home. Remember this is an island with finite space and resources. We can't send our trash anywhere and plastic is one of those products that will just last forever! Please help keep Hawaii safe and healthy.
Please help make laws that protect this land. We can’t take back neglectful actions and the effects they have on all living things, especially here in our home.
Aloha
I am a Maui County Ocean Safety Officer II (lifeguard) currently stationed at Kamaole Beach Park II, previously stationed at Oneloa, Big Beach, Makena, before the state withdrew funding and the towers there were closed.
Thank you for this bill. I support this bill.
If you have never seen an inexperienced person take one of these ridiculous products and try to catch a shore breaking wave (and almost all of our county beaches are essentially shore breaking; Makena and Flemmings are just the worst), then you may not be aware how quickly these boards are reduced to thousands of bits of garbage. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched, not sure of the extent of my official authority to stop them from doing what I know is coming, while they poke tako (slam the nose of the board into the shallow bottom) on their first ride, snapping the thing in two and sending hundreds of little white and blue pellets to churn in the waves. Now the thing has an open gash and the pellets are just hemorrhaging into the water, and even tho it might not be our place I’ll call them out of the water, explaining that they’re just littering and being an oceanic ecological hazard.
Now they have to throw it away. Great for the landfill! I wish I had pictures of all the dead boards (not just the ABC plain styrofoam ones and those with the easily torn nylon covers with turtles and dolphins printed on them, but also the only marginally better Costco boards) left piled by the park trash cans at the end of every day. I’m ready for a ban on all boards not sold in a surf shop.
The average visitor cares nothing for the garbage issues they leave behind them when they leave. We can and should care. This bill is a good step in the right direction.
The concept of a “disposable” bodyboard is outrageous at this time of ocean pollution and dying reefs.
We. Won’t. Have. Any. Fish. Left. If. The. Reef. Is. Not. Protected.
I want to be able to show my children and grandchildren fish in the water.
Define "disposable" please. Does that simply mean visitors will leave them behind when they return to their home?!?. Then what? The keiki 'o ka Aina gotta find a land fill disposal site for um. Not good for the environment, try think!!
Disclaimer I am not a current resident. Aloha
I have been an Asset and Property Manager for 18 years of my 20 years on Maui and have ran apartments, hotels and condominiums. Close to 2500 hundred units all told. I have seen these foam boogie boards purchased and abandoned at an alarming rate. At the last position I had for a vacation rental agency in South Maui, we disposed of about 50 a month. For all 5 years I worked there. More recently I’ve seen them filling up the trash bins, or left on lanais, at the Wailea condo property I manage. I am concerned for our community and for the unnecessary burden on our disposal facilities. I am shocked at the number of boards I see leaving Costco on a regular basis knowing where thy will end up.
Our shore breaks are dangerous and, if you are serious about wanting your kids to boogey board, they should have some ocean experience first. And if they do, our local stores like Foam Company and Hi Tech can sell the tourists a nice one, with a board bag to carry it home.
I have been an Asset and Property Manager for 18 years of my 20 years on Maui and have ran apartments, hotels and condominiums. Close to 2500 hundred units all told. I have seen these foam boogie boards purchased and abandoned at an alarming rate. At the last position I had for a vacation rental agency in South Maui, we disposed of about 50 a month. For all 5 years I worked there. More recently I’ve seen them filling up the trash bins, or left on lanais, at the Wailea condo property I manage. I am concerned for our community and for the unnecessary burden on our disposal facilities. I am shocked at the number of boards I see leaving Costco on a regular basis knowing where thy will end up.
Our shore breaks are dangerous and, if you are serious about wanting your kids to boogey board, they should have some ocean experience first. And if they do, our local stores like Foam Company and Hi Tech can sell the tourists a nice one, with a board bag to carry it home.
members of the committee:
i am in support of this ban. a quick online search turns up beginner kickboards of substantial quality that sell for $25. the cheap, weak styrofoam type breaks apart into tiny pieces when the fabric cover deteriorates from UV exposure. these pieces are eaten by birds and fish, obstructing digestion and nutrient absorption. the fact that this item is here indicates that a problem exists with these boards.
thank you.
la’a poepoe, island of molokai
I'm for an outright ban.
As an almost daily ocean user, either snorkeling or paddling, I see these abandoned boards all the time. Tourists aren't going to bother taking them home and just leave them on the beach, possibly thinking they're doing something nice for the person who didn't think to buy one.
To the tourists who say they don't have the money to buy and transport a hard board I say
1) rent a real board from one of numerous commercial outfits on the island. A number of them will even deliver them to the customer at the beach they're at. This option would support and encourage local entrepreneurs.
or
2) learn to body surf.
If the Council refuses to ban them (like they failed to add any penalty of the continuing sale of the already outlawed coral-killing sunscreens), then I suggest there be a required $20 refundable deposit on ever board sold and the board must be redeemed by the store that sold it. Boards will be marked with an indelible mark by the seller for ID purposes.
Love thy mother!
If we stop selling hopefully they’ll stop producing them.
We must be more responsible with disposable items, living in an island. Reusable is the only way to go!
As someone who has worked for many years in a non profit at Pa`ia Bay I am strongly against the selling of these boards. Tourists often leave them with us. We dispose of them immediately to keep the styrofoam out of the ocean, where it is surely heading within hours. How can we disallow single use plastic this coming January and continue the sale of these environmentally irresponsible products?
From: Francine Aarona <mopsaarona@gmail.com>
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 11:34 PM
To: "Alice L. Lee" <Alice.Lee@mauicounty.us>, Gabe Johnson <Gabe.Johnson@mauicounty.us>, Kelly King <Kelly.King@mauicounty.us>, Michael Molina <Mike.Molina@mauicounty.us>, "Shane M. Sinenci" <Shane.Sinenci@mauicounty.us>, "Tamara A. Paltin" <Tamara.Paltin@mauicounty.us>, Yukilei Sugimura <Yukilei.Sugimura@mauicounty.us>
Subject: All agenda items
Aloha Chair King, VC Sinenci and committee members,
I am in favor of all agenda items that is before you. (Care-48), (Care-34) and (Care -20).
Covid made many of us aware of our climate change and taking care of our environment. Living on the shore line, I witnessed so many plastic items on our beach lefted by residents and visitors. Plastic items wash up on our shore and become very harmful to our well being. I am in support of the proposed resolution to reduce the production of plastic products.
I am also in support of prohibiting the sale and rental of Disposable Bodyboards. What ever happen to body surfing. Growing up on the shoreline in Pa’ia met waves almost everyday. Tutu would sit on the bench and watch us body surf (with our body🙈). There were times when I thought I wasn’t going to surface. We had to prove to tutu that we could handle those waves before going down to Sandy’s (Pa’ia Bay). They need to think of other methods. Just make smaller surf boogie boards. The men made wood boards before, it worked.
I am in total support of restricting the sale of foam coolers. Our families take pride in the coolers they purchase especially when it comes to keeping something cold for a long time. It should be banned. There are a lot of collapsible coolers that our tourist could purchase and take home.
Mahalo for allowing me to share my mana’o on the items that are before you. Take care and Ke Akua’s Blessings.
Aunty Mopsy (Francine Aarona)
On behalf of Hui o Kuapā 501c3,on the island of MOlokaʻi ,we support this bill , PROHIBITING THE SALE AND RENTAL OF DISPOSABLE BODYBOARDS.
This has got to stop.
It is our responsibility to protect the island and oceans as much as we can. Please stop selling throw away garbage for tourists or islanders alike. Especially styrofoam. We have gotten rid of it on the island for food togos and look at what an amazing impact that has had!
Let’s move to coolers and boogie boards next.
It will be super easy for some local to start a rental business for sustainable solutions for tourists. It is a win-win.
This is just as important as styrofoam food containers which clearly Maui was in favor of. The landfill is only so big and steps need to be taken to limit the amount of unnecessary stuff that’s in them!
I am in support of this bill to help protect our island home. Remember this is an island with finite space and resources. We can't send our trash anywhere and plastic is one of those products that will just last forever! Please help keep Hawaii safe and healthy.
Please say no to the disposable body boards!
Malama pono,
Ellie Leialoha
Please help make laws that protect this land. We can’t take back neglectful actions and the effects they have on all living things, especially here in our home.
Aloha
I am a Maui County Ocean Safety Officer II (lifeguard) currently stationed at Kamaole Beach Park II, previously stationed at Oneloa, Big Beach, Makena, before the state withdrew funding and the towers there were closed.
Thank you for this bill. I support this bill.
If you have never seen an inexperienced person take one of these ridiculous products and try to catch a shore breaking wave (and almost all of our county beaches are essentially shore breaking; Makena and Flemmings are just the worst), then you may not be aware how quickly these boards are reduced to thousands of bits of garbage. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched, not sure of the extent of my official authority to stop them from doing what I know is coming, while they poke tako (slam the nose of the board into the shallow bottom) on their first ride, snapping the thing in two and sending hundreds of little white and blue pellets to churn in the waves. Now the thing has an open gash and the pellets are just hemorrhaging into the water, and even tho it might not be our place I’ll call them out of the water, explaining that they’re just littering and being an oceanic ecological hazard.
Now they have to throw it away. Great for the landfill! I wish I had pictures of all the dead boards (not just the ABC plain styrofoam ones and those with the easily torn nylon covers with turtles and dolphins printed on them, but also the only marginally better Costco boards) left piled by the park trash cans at the end of every day. I’m ready for a ban on all boards not sold in a surf shop.
The average visitor cares nothing for the garbage issues they leave behind them when they leave. We can and should care. This bill is a good step in the right direction.
Mahalo
Jim Hernandez
Maui
I support a ban on the sale or rental of disposable body boards. I see tons of them in the dumpster at the resorts I work in.
The concept of a “disposable” bodyboard is outrageous at this time of ocean pollution and dying reefs.
We. Won’t. Have. Any. Fish. Left. If. The. Reef. Is. Not. Protected.
I want to be able to show my children and grandchildren fish in the water.
Define "disposable" please. Does that simply mean visitors will leave them behind when they return to their home?!?. Then what? The keiki 'o ka Aina gotta find a land fill disposal site for um. Not good for the environment, try think!!
Disclaimer I am not a current resident. Aloha
I have been an Asset and Property Manager for 18 years of my 20 years on Maui and have ran apartments, hotels and condominiums. Close to 2500 hundred units all told. I have seen these foam boogie boards purchased and abandoned at an alarming rate. At the last position I had for a vacation rental agency in South Maui, we disposed of about 50 a month. For all 5 years I worked there. More recently I’ve seen them filling up the trash bins, or left on lanais, at the Wailea condo property I manage. I am concerned for our community and for the unnecessary burden on our disposal facilities. I am shocked at the number of boards I see leaving Costco on a regular basis knowing where thy will end up.
Our shore breaks are dangerous and, if you are serious about wanting your kids to boogey board, they should have some ocean experience first. And if they do, our local stores like Foam Company and Hi Tech can sell the tourists a nice one, with a board bag to carry it home.
I have been an Asset and Property Manager for 18 years of my 20 years on Maui and have ran apartments, hotels and condominiums. Close to 2500 hundred units all told. I have seen these foam boogie boards purchased and abandoned at an alarming rate. At the last position I had for a vacation rental agency in South Maui, we disposed of about 50 a month. For all 5 years I worked there. More recently I’ve seen them filling up the trash bins, or left on lanais, at the Wailea condo property I manage. I am concerned for our community and for the unnecessary burden on our disposal facilities. I am shocked at the number of boards I see leaving Costco on a regular basis knowing where thy will end up.
Our shore breaks are dangerous and, if you are serious about wanting your kids to boogey board, they should have some ocean experience first. And if they do, our local stores like Foam Company and Hi Tech can sell the tourists a nice one, with a board bag to carry it home.
members of the committee:
i am in support of this ban. a quick online search turns up beginner kickboards of substantial quality that sell for $25. the cheap, weak styrofoam type breaks apart into tiny pieces when the fabric cover deteriorates from UV exposure. these pieces are eaten by birds and fish, obstructing digestion and nutrient absorption. the fact that this item is here indicates that a problem exists with these boards.
thank you.
la’a poepoe, island of molokai
I'm for an outright ban.
As an almost daily ocean user, either snorkeling or paddling, I see these abandoned boards all the time. Tourists aren't going to bother taking them home and just leave them on the beach, possibly thinking they're doing something nice for the person who didn't think to buy one.
To the tourists who say they don't have the money to buy and transport a hard board I say
1) rent a real board from one of numerous commercial outfits on the island. A number of them will even deliver them to the customer at the beach they're at. This option would support and encourage local entrepreneurs.
or
2) learn to body surf.
If the Council refuses to ban them (like they failed to add any penalty of the continuing sale of the already outlawed coral-killing sunscreens), then I suggest there be a required $20 refundable deposit on ever board sold and the board must be redeemed by the store that sold it. Boards will be marked with an indelible mark by the seller for ID purposes.
-Marty Martins
Kīhei
It it ridiculous that these products are sold here. Ban them immediately.