This isn't an event on a particular day in the near future, but rather some good old information that all of us should be aware of. Whether or not you live in Hawai'i surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, or some other coastal region on the planet, the ocean is vital to all living things. Please check out the rest of this poster that was created by the design team at MastersDegree.net.

http://www.mastersdegree.net/explore-the-ocean/

The Surfrider Foundation's Hawaii Chapters will be hosting beach cleanups and special events in celebration of the 8th Annual International Surfing Day (ISD) on Wednesday, June 20. Observed globally on June 20th International Surfing Day celebrates the sport of surfing and helps raise awareness about issues facing our oceans, waves and beaches. Here are the dates, times and places of Surfrider's cleanups and events in Hawaii:

1. Maui Chapter: Sat., 6/16, Launiupoko Beach, Lahaina, 8:30am
2. Hilo Chapter: Sat., 6/16, Bayfront, Hilo, 10:00am
3. Oahu Chapter: Sun., 6/17, Diamond Head Lookout, Honolulu, 10:00-12:00; after-party for volunteers sponsored by Barefoot Wines at Tiki's Grill, 12:00-2:00pm.
4. Kona Kai Ea Chapter: Sun., 6/17, Kupuna St., Kailua-Kona, 10:00am
5. Kauai Chapter: Sat., 6/23, Kealia Beach Park, Kapa'a, 9:00am

"Surfrider's Hawaii Chapters host beach cleanups throughout the year, but these events on International Surfing Day are usually our biggest and best," says Stuart Coleman, the Hawaii Coordinator. "It's a great day to celebrate surfing and help clean up our beach playgrounds. And thanks to our sponsors, most events will feature food and prizes."

SPY Optic will be donating new sunglasses to each chapter for one lucky member who joins Surfrider at these events. Whole Foods' Kahala store will also be offering 5% of its sales on Wed., 6/20, ISD, to the Oahu Chapter as part of their Community Support Day. 11-Time World Champion surfers Kelly Slater and 4-Time Women's World Champ Stephanie Gilmore will be this year's International Surfing Day Ambassadors. Supporters and fans can follow Kelly on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KellySlater) and Twitter (@KellySlater), and Stephanie (@steph_gilmore) on Twitter as they update fans on what they are doing for International Surfing Day and how supporters can get involved with local events.

To learn more about these International Surfing Day events, visit www.intlsurfingday.com or check out the websites of each chapter:

www.surfrider.org/oahu
www.surfrider.org/maui
www.surfrider.org/kauai
www.surfrider.org/kona

What: Volunteer Appreciation Party and Awards
When: June 2, 2012
Where: JJ Dolan's, 1147 Bethel Street, Downtown Honolulu
Time: 4:00 to 7:00 PM
Other: JJ is sponsoring us with the three "P's."PIZZA, PASTA, & PINTS! Bring some cash for extras and tips. See you all there.
Parking: Bethel Street Parking Garage just past King Street on the left and street parking.

RSVP by FRIDAY JUNE 1
Click on the link and fill out the form

Click Here for form

Thank You all for everything you have done and hope to see you Saturday!

Jen and the Manoa Team

Now in its sixth year, the award winning UH Manoa KIDS FIRST! Film Festival presented by Outreach College returns with another summer of quality family fun. KIDS FIRST! gives young people the excitement and thrill of attending a film festival just for them, at an affordable price for the entire family-free. The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival 2012 screens on Sundays, June 3, 10 & 24 and July 8 & 15 at 3:00 pm in the UH Manoa Art Auditorium (parking is free on Sundays).

The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, a project of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media, partners each year with over 150 venues nationwide, reaching an audience of more than one million people, making it the largest kids film festival in the world. Curated locally by UH Manoa's Outreach College to appeal to Hawai'i audiences, KIDS FIRST! films are age-appropriate groupings of films that entertain through a balance of animation and live action, plus varied themes from different cultures. To add to the festivities, door prizes are awarded at all screenings.

This summer's line-up includes films with broad appeal for toddlers, tweens, teens, and grown-ups too. Programs include feature-length films as well as award-winning shorts. Here are the highlights:

June 3: Animated short about a boy who wants to be a dog with the full-length family film, Miss Minoes, about a cat who turns into a girl. Based on the children's book by Annie M.G. Schmidt, the film was hugely popular when released in 2001 in the Netherlands (this newly released version is dubbed in English), received international awards, and was designated a New York Times Critics' Pick.

June 10: From auteur director Yoichi Sai, based on a true story, feature film Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog will have its U.S. premiere in mid-May, 2012.

June 24: Six short films for ages 3-7, including international favorites Hello Kitty and Babar, films from the U.K. and Australia, and a couple of ecology-minded puppets.

July 8: Award-winning short animated and live-action films for ages 5-12 from Here (locally and mainland produced), There (from Australia, Canada, Vietnam, Iran and Italy) & Beyond (outer space).

July 15: Following instincts or following dreams, the subjects of Ride of the Mergansers and Circus Dreams are highly entertaining and inspiring. Circus Dreams features aerial performer and contortionist Thula Martin from Pahoa, Hawai'i.

For complete information, visit www.summer.hawaii.edu or call 956-9883.

Senator Pohai Ryan and Representative Cynthia Thielen, in collaboration with the American Society of Interior Designers are hosting the first annual Windward Green Expo on Saturday, May 12 at the Ko'olau Ballrooms in Kane'ohe from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. The event is geared toward promoting awareness and appreciation for green building practices, and educating people about the difference between the two most popular green building programs: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the National Green Building Standard (NGBS).

The expo will be an invaluable resource for homeowners and construction/design professionals alike who would like expand their knowledge in the current sustainable construction practices, technologies, construction materials and certifications as well as financing options available to the homeowners wishing to implement these sustainable strategies into their new construction or renovation projects. In addition to the green construction products and technologies that will be exhibited during the event, the agenda for the day includes six mini workshops on residential and commercial sustainable building design and construction, solar energy, landscaping and green building certification programs.

Tickets for the seminar series, which includes lunch, are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For workshop tickets, call (808) 263-8891 or visit www.wgbexpo.com.

http://www.wgbexpo.com/

The seventh annual Hawai'i Book and Music Festival is this weekend, May 5 & 6 at Honolulu Hale from 10:00 am till 5:00 pm. It's a ton of family fun with great deals on books of all genres and live music, dance and story performers, over 500 presenters over the weekend. With food and plenty of activities for the kids, free admission and free parking, make sure and stop by the festival.

http://www.hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org/

Three O'ahu public school students were chosen as the winners of Hawaiian Electric Company's 2012 Sustainable Gift Contest for their unique, hand-made graduation gifts using recycled, natural, compost-friendly or locally made materials. Entries from 29 finalists were featured at the company's Grow Hawaiian Festival, and winners in three grade categories were selected based on votes from festival attendees. Entries were judged on Originality, Creativity and Gift Appeal. Each student won an Apple iPad 2 for their personal use and $100 for their classroom.

The three winners are: Ashley Kate Zadel, a fifth grade student at Hickam Elementary School, for her sea glass charms made of, "sea glass washed out by the ocean and brought back in to shore;" Joshua Chun, a Niu Valley Middle School eighth grade student, for his one-of-a-kind, "I Remember that T-Shirt Wallet" fabricated from an old school t-shirt; Tran Dinh, a senior at Roosevelt High School, for her "Live High on the Hog ...SAVE THE GREEN!" micro piggy bank constructed of plastic bottles, newspaper, cardboard, bottle caps and recycled printed paper.

You have cordially been invited to cast your vote for the top sustainable gifts designed by O'ahu public school students in grades K-12 during Hawaiian Electric Company's fifth annual Grow Hawaiian Festival on April 28, 2012 at Bishop Museum.

Students were asked to create a hand-made gift using recycled, natural, compost-friendly or locally made materials. Entries submitted also included a short essay on why a graduate would appreciate their gift and the value of giving a sustainable gift at graduation. Twenty-nine finalists will be featured at the Grow Hawaiian Festival where attendees will be able to vote for their favorites based on originality, creativity and gift appeal. The entries with the highest number of votes in three grade categories-K-5, 6-8 and 9-12-will be selected as the winners.

Voting will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at noon. The three winners will be announced at 1:00 p.m. on the event stage and will each receive an Apple iPad 2 for their personal use and $100 for their classroom.

Held in honor of Earth Day, Hawaiian Electric's Grow Hawaiian Festival is a free, family-friendly event that celebrates Hawaii's native plants and culture. For more information, call 543-7511 or visit http://growhawaiian.heco.com.

Come check out Mark Cunningham's bodysurfing flick Come Hell or High Water on Thursday, April 26 at 9:00 pm at Jimmy Buffett's and support Keep the Country Country.

Mint Events Hawaii is hosting a unique film event in recognition of Earth Week and the two-year anniversary of the BP oil spill. Created by Green Planet Productions, the producers of the 2009 film Fuel, their recent film, The Big Fix, takes a look at the aftermath following the spill in the Gulf of Mexico and reiterates the importance of reducing our dependance on foreign oil.

The Big Fix is showing at Fresh Cafe on Wednesday, April 25 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Tickets are available for $8 at www.ticketleap.com or $10 (cash only) at the door. Check out the trailer to the www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg_fpr6XBFM.

http://www.minthawaii.com/

Are you and your children members of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii? If so, lucky you! Because the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii has partnered with the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation to promote ocean sports and safety this Earth Day weekend. On Saturday, April 21 the 11th annual Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation Ocean Sports and Fitness Day will provide a unique opportunity for Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii (BGCH) youngsters to spend the day learning about beach and water sports and health and fitness. Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation the event is free for BGCH youth.

The event will be held at Kailua and Kalama Beaches where the kids will participate in three expert clinics: Surfing, bodyboarding and stand-up paddling with the Hawaiian Island Creations and Volcom's Men's Surf Teams; Canoe paddling and ocean safety with Fossil Canoes and Aloha Lifesaving; Volleyball with Aloha Beach Volleyball. The instructional clinics run from 9:00 to 11:30 am and 125 additional adult volunteers will come ready to supervise 250 energetic club members on the beach for the day. Volcom has provided a significant donation to purchase rash guards for all the youth and volunteers.

After the clinics, club members will clean the beaches to celebrate National Earth Day at both Kailua and Kalama Beaches, followed by lunch from Duke's Waikiki restaurant and Jamba Juice.

Some say every day is Earth Day, very true, but this Sunday, April 22 is both Earth Day and Kailua Day. Mu'umu'u Heaven is kicking off the celebration early with their biggest ever Earth Day Sale beginning Friday, April 20. All Mu'umu'u Heaven items will be marked down with discounts ranging from 20 to 70 percent off on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All items will be tagged with 30, 50 or 70 percent OFF to make it easier to find your next piece of Heaven. Unmarked Mu'umu'u Heaven items will be 20 percent off.

Not sure you're willing to brave the parking situation in Kailua, you can also shop from home on Mu'umu'u Heaven's ever-evolving web store. Just enter SHOPATHOME during the checkout (Step 3) and you'll get 20 percent off your web store purchase online. Click the link below to check out the apparel.

http://www.muumuuheaven.com/main/catalog/apparel.php

Pacific Corporate Solutions is hosting a free Earth Day electronic waste recycling event on Saturday, April 21 from 8:00 am till 3:00 pm at three locations on O'ahu. Drop off computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, servers and telecom equipment at Central Middle School in the back parking lot along Vineyard and the Pali Highway, at Kahala Mall in the Kilauea Avenue parking lot, or at Kapolei Shopping Center's Safeway parking lot along Farrington Highway. There are no quantity limits and a portion of the proceeds from this ewaste recycling event will go to the Aloha United Way in support of their programs.

http://www.pacificcorporatesolutions.com/

Take the whole family to the Grow Hawaiian Festival at Bishop Museum on Saturday, April 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Presented by Hawaiian Electric Company, the free event will highlight Hawai'i's cultural heritage, native plants, and sustainable lifestyles.

Several well-known artisans will demonstrate traditional Hawaiian crafts. You and your children can learn how to make lei, weave lau hala, sew Hawaiian quilts, prepare poi, create block prints, beat kapa, carve implements, and tie net carriers and fishnets. Be sure to see the special presentation at 11:00 a.m. by Sig Zane, well-known artist and cultural practitioner, who will explain the cultural significance of Hawaiian plants and will talk about the inspiration for his print designs. His popular apparel will be available for purchase at the festival marketplace.

At the marketplace you will be able to purchase native plants and ask the O'ahu Master Gardeners your questions about gardening. The marketplace will feature a variety of vendors showcasing their local products, including living floral arrangements, handmade soaps, Hawaiian coffee, books, and feather jewelry.

Pick up practical information on conservation, clean energy, and electrical safety and participate in activities and games with prizes that make learning fun for everyone. Be sure to look for the eco-friendly graduation gifts made by O'ahu students and vote for your favorite.

And of course, no event would be complete without good food, hula, and music. So relax on the lawn, have a bite to eat, and enjoy hula by Na Pualei O Likolehua, dance by Kapolei High School's Polynesian Club, and music by Hiikua and Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole.

Admission is free for kama'aina and military families with ID and includes access to all of Bishop Museum's exhibits.

http://growhawaiian.heco.com

The highly_anticipated opening of Whole Foods Market's Kailua store will bring shoppers a taste of the company's celebrated selection of fresh, organic and local products, starting Wednesday, April 18. Whole Foods Market's second O'ahu location and third Hawai'i store will open its doors at 9:00 a.m. with its traditional bread breaking ceremony as well as tastings, promotions, giveaways and more.

In keeping with its commitment to support the communities in which it works, Whole Foods Market's Kailua store has also announced that it will partner with Paepae o He'eia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the ancient Hawaiian He'eia fishpond, located in He'eia, Ko'olaupoko, O'ahu, for its first Community Support Day on Wednesday, April 25. Established by a group of young Hawaiians, Paepae o He'eia works to implement values and concepts from the model of a traditional fishpond to provide physical, intellectual and spiritual sustenance for the community. Whole Foods Kailua will donate five percent of that day's net sales to Paepae o He'eia, which will use the donation to kick off its Adopt-a-Kuapa campaign, a fundraising campaign challenging local businesses to "adopt" a section of the ancient wall to help in its restoration.

www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/kailua

Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, a non-profit organization with the mission of "Inspiring local communities to care for their coastlines through hands-on beach clean ups of the Hawaiian Islands," is calling for volunteers of all ages to help with a large-scale clean up of the coastal area from Makapu'u to Kaupo Bay on Sunday, April 22. With the recent strong trade winds also came a large amount of marine debris washing upon the shoreline, therefore this stunning location needs our kokua. The Makapu'u event is being held in celebration of Earth Day, and it also marks Sustainable Coastlines' one-year anniversary.

Volunteers are asked to report at Makapu'u at 9:30 am, where they will be organized into teams and assigned specific zones to clean. Quantifying sheets will be used to categorize the type and amount of rubbish, which is then reported to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and other agencies. All materials, including gloves, trash bags, sunscreen, and water, will be provided.

Following the clean up, participants are invited to Sea Life Park's Makapu'u Meadows from noon to 5:00 pm, where the special volunteers' entry fee of $5 gets them entrance to the event and all Sea Life Park exhibits. Doors are also open to the general public at $15 adult admission and $10 junior admission (ages 3 -12) with an empty Coca Cola product to be recycled (one person per recycled item, other restrictions apply).

Live music sets the stage for an afternoon of family fun and education, featuring a variety of nonprofit booths, educational displays, and several guest speakers including Carey Morishige, Pacific Islands regional coordinator of the NOAA Marine Debris program. Activities include games, art, and face painting for keiki and raffle prizes like surfing lessons, clothing, and handboards. Entertainment is provided by a variety of musical acts, with a special appearance by the Grammy-award winning Honoka'a Jazz Band, scheduled at noon to kickstart the festivities. Mike Love & Paula Fuga play mid-day, delivering acoustic roots reggae with 'aina-centric lyrics and smooth melodies.

www.sustainablecoastlineshawaii.org

The second Saturday of the month is approaching, and so is Second Saturday at the Garden on April 14, at the U.H. Urban Garden Center in Pearl City. Come down from 9:00 am till noon to take part in this month's free event, How To Start a Vegetable Garden. There will be free ongoing demonstrations about trellising, planting, preparing, composting, and best planting times. Food safety specialist will be on hand to answer questions at 10:00 am. Also enjoy garden tours, ask a Master Gardener a plant question, stroll the gardens or buy some herbs at the plant sale. The event is free and no registration is required.

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ougc

From story telling and rock wall climbing to worms and robotics, Leeward Community College's 4th annual Ka Mole o Na Pua Festival offers a diverse slate of engaging activities in celebration of sustainability. Presented on Saturday, April 14 from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm in the campus courtyards, the festival features cooking demos, entertainment, local vendors, a variety of food, keiki crafts, Hawaiian games, and hands-on educational activities for young children. The festival is free with ample free parking. Mats, lawn chairs and coolers are welcomed.

New additions to the festival this year include a "Create A Mural" living artwork, a 70-foot long mural that will be created throughout the day by all the children attending the festival and exhibited in Leeward's Foyer Art Gallery during Earth Week; Wai'anae Seariders Robotics; Hawaii State Science Olympiad activities; a CFL light bulb exchange, just bring in old style incandescent bulbs and exchange them for energy saving CFLs for free; and Aloha Aina Recycling, offering "drive through recycling" and accepting a variety of items and e-waste like scrap metal, non-freon appliances, HI-5 beverage containers, used cooking oil, cellular phones, printer cartridges, DVDs, CDs, Blu Ray, games, newspaper, phone books, magazines, plastic bags/bottle caps, used eye glasses, hearing aids, batteries, computers, monitors, printers, clothes toys, and golf balls.

The festival has non-stop entertainment from Ewa Elementary School Choir, the Leeward Jazz Ensemble, the Leeward Choir, Ashley K. Simpson, Iroquois Point Band, and Manana Elementary School Choir. Special guests include contemporary jazz artist Starr Kalahiki and Latin salsa with Espiritu Libre. There will also be a vegetarian cooking class by "Mama T" from Down to Earth and book sales from Bess Press and Na Mea Native Books.

Ka Mole o Na Pua Festival is the kick off event of Earth Week celebration at the College. The name Ka Mole, Hawaiian for the main root of a plant, illustrates the relationship between kupuna and keiki. As the main root nurtures the plant, the intent of the Festival is to educate and engage young people in taking care of our environment.

http://kamoleonapua.weebly.com/

In celebration of Earth Month, the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services presents the 5th Annual Mauka to Makai Environmental Expo, Saturday, April 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Waikiki Aquarium. The free expo will include hands-on educational displays, water pollution prevention games and ocean-related arts and crafts for the keiki. School children release moi into the ocean at 11:30 a.m. as the highlight of the event. The first 500 families to visit all booths receive a free native Hawaiian plant, courtesy of HECO, and a free tote bag for everyone as long as supplies last. There will also be drawings for great prizes. The Mauka to Makai theme represents the importance of keeping O'ahu's streams and stormwater runoff free of pollution, from the mountaintops to the ocean. Free parking and shuttle service at Waikiki Elementary School begins at 8:45 a.m.

It's game day! Come down to ING Direct Cafe in Waikiki on Saturday, April 7 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm for the GBO Green Business Owner board game tournament. GBO Hawaii is like a sustainably-minded Monopoly. You're an investor and you're looking to make money, but at the same time, you're also looking to have a positive impact: you invest in sustainable businesses in the game like car sharing services, geothermal plants, wind farms, and farmers' markets. In doing so, you help create green collar jobs and help the state of Hawai'i become energy independent, grow more of its own food, and produce less waste. It's easy to learn and no experience is necessary. The best triple bottom line return on investment wins!

There will be prizes, including BC Burritos, a month's worth of organic, farm-fresh food from O'ahu Fresh, gift certificates to Soul de Cuba and Hard Rock Cafe, and energy efficient implements like LED light bulbs. There will be instruction and a short Q&A beforehand. Contact Scott Cooney for any questions: scott@greenbusinessowner.com.

http://gbohawaii.com/

Last month, hundreds of people came out to support the Kokua Hawai'i Foundation by purchasing tickets to Jack Johnson's upcoming Hawaiian Islands tour. Lines went around the block in downtown Honolulu at the Hawaii Theatre and tickets sold out in less than an hour on Kaua'i and the Big Island, where Jack has never performed before. If you weren't one of the lucky few to purchase tickets to these sold out shows, you still have a chance to get your tickets and meet Jack himself by bidding at the Best of Kokua Benefit Auction.

The Best of Kokua Festival Benefit Auction starts today on eBay and runs until April 9th. Visit www.kokuafestival.com/best/auction for all the details. There are some amazing auction items including:

-A beautiful Gibson Les Paul wooden guitar made of sustainable FSC certified wood and autographed by Kokua Festival musicians including Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder, Willie Nelson, Ben Harper, Taj Mahal and more.

-A Hawaiian handcrafted Pono ukulele autographed by Hawaii's own Jack Johnson, John Cruz and Paula Fuga.

-A limited edition collection of all Kokua Festival Posters, framed and autographed by the musicians who performed at the Kokua Festival each year.

-A Jack Johnson autographed To The Sea Biofoam Surfboard custom made by Cobalt Surfboards in Encinitas, California by renowned shaper Brian Szymanski!

-Exclusive VIP concert ticket packages to each of Jack Johnson's sold out Hawaiian Islands shows with John Cruz and Paula Fuga (see show dates below). Packages include 4 premium seats, a gift bag with a Hawaiian Islands tour t-shirt, an autographed tour poster and a meet & greet with Jack!

-April 19th - Kauai - Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center
-April 21st & 22nd - Oahu - Hawaii Theatre
-April 25th & 26th - Maui - Castle Theatre
-April 28th & 29th - Big Island - Kahilu Theatre

All auction packages will include an autographed copy of the new Jack Johnson & Friends - Best of Kokua album to be released on April 17th by Brushfire Records. The album features a 13-track compilation of live performances from the Kokua Festival including onstage collaborations with legendary musicians Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Dave Mathews, Ziggy and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and more. All proceeds from the new album, Hawaiian Islands tour and Best of Kokua Benefit Auction will go to support the Kokua Hawai'i Foundation, so let the bidding begin!

http://kokuafestival.com/best/auction
http://kokuahawaiifoundation.org
http://jackjohnsonmusic.com

The Surfrider Foundation's Hawaii chapters have been instrumental in ocean and coastline awareness, conservation and policy that benefit the natural ecosystem and ocean enthusiasts. The nonprofit's Leilei Joy Shih and Stuart Coleman recently took part in a television show called "Giving Aloha" speaking to the Surfrider Foundation's work in Hawai'i. The show originally aired last week, but there will be additional airings periodically on the station. Local public TV station Olelo helped out with the filming and editing.

View Giving Aloha: Ep. - 7 Surfrider Foundation.

Hawaii Energy, the conservation and efficiency program for Hawaii, Honolulu and Maui counties, has teamed up with Leeward Community College (Leeward CC) and University of Hawaii West Oahu for the 10th Annual Leeward Career, College and Job Fair taking place April 4, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the Pearl City campus. Through Hawaii Energy's sponsorship, this year's event will focus on "Clean Energy Connections," which are clean energy career and training opportunities for attendees and participants. As part of its sponsorship, Hawaii Energy is encouraging residents and employers from all sectors to mark their calendars and participate in the event.

The job fair will provide a venue for employers and career programs to distribute information while also giving attendees the opportunity to explore and ask questions in a welcoming environment. Event organizers are anticipating participation from more than 70 employers and 30 college programs, and attendance of nearly 2,000 job seekers. The purpose of the job fair is to provide access to college programs and employment opportunities from local businesses for both students and the general public.

"Conservation and efficiency are no longer just buzzwords reserved for environmentalists, they are now a growing part of business vernacular," stated Hawaii Energy Transformational Outreach Specialist Malama Minn. "The individuals and businesses that will play a critical role in shaping our future are those that understand conservation and efficiency. I applaud the University of Hawaii System for taking a leadership role in bringing employers and employees together under this theme, because they are providing those that participate in the job fair with a definite advantage in the marketplace."

The clean energy sector in Hawaii, which conservation and efficiency are a major component of, is a major growth area. To put this into perspective, the State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' Hawaii Green Jobs Initiative identifies 11,145 current positions related to the clean energy sector and projects a 26 percent increase in 2012. With this, Hawaii ranks third in the nation in clean energy job growth.

"As we celebrate our 10th year, we are keeping an eye on the future, and that future is clean energy," stated Sandy Hoshino, Job Prep Coordinator at Leeward Community College. "We envision a day when a majority of the jobs in Hawaii, no matter the task, will be influenced by the conscious use and conservation of energy in some form or fashion. That's why, for the first time ever, we are partnering with Hawaii Energy to help employers and employees make that clean energy connection."

To capture a majority of these and other upcoming job opportunities locally, Hawaii residents should plan on attending the 10th Annual Career, College and Job Fair. For more information regarding the job fair, residents and employers are encouraged to visit www.leeward.hawaii.edu/jobs-events.

Sustainable Coastlines Hosts Oceandig, a Kewalo Beach Clean Up and After Party

Honolulu-Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii is organizing a family-focused beach clean up event at Kewalo Basin Park with the intention of removing marine debris and educating participants on ways they can reduce environmental impact on the ocean. All ages are invited to join in.

Scheduled for March 31st, the cleanup runs from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., with pot-luck style pa'ina including raffles, games and prizes. All materials, including gloves, trash bags and water, will be provided.

Later in the afternoon, participants and community members are invited to Fresh CafÈ in Kaka'ako to celebrate the collective efforts to date and discuss future strategies for minimizing ocean pollution. Running from 6 p.m. on, the event will feature live music, a cash bar, silent auction, and support from sponsors like Styrophobia and Method Cleaning Products. Guest speakers include world record-breaking adventurer, author and motivational speaker Dave Cornthwaite, Pangaea Explorations Program Director Emily Penn, and NOAA Japan Tsunami Debris specialist Ruth Yenger.

As with other Sustainable Coastlines events, the rubbish collected at Kewalo Beach will be quantified and much of it recycled or repurposed for art, jewelry, product packaging and other uses. The statistics from the clean up will be reported to NOAA and other agencies to aid in the formulation of debris prevention strategies.

Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission of "Inspiring local communities to care for their coastlines through hands-on beach clean ups of the Hawaiian Islands." With help from more than 1500 volunteers throughout O'ahu in 2011, the team has fostered the collection of 15,000 pounds of waste to date.

For more information visit www.sustainablecoastlineshawaii.org, search Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii on Facebook or follow @Coasthuggers on Twitter

On Wednesday, March 28 at 5:30 pm at the ING DIRECT cafÈ in Waikiki, Stuart Coleman, Surfrider Foundation Hawaii Chapters Coordinator, speaks about the organization's Rise Above Plastics Campaign as part of the HCA's free lecture series.

Coleman, in coordination with the Oahu Chapter, is working to educate people about the environmental dangers of plastic marine debris and the foundations efforts to reduce the proliferation of single-use plastic bottles and bags. It is estimated that in the North Pacific Gyre, 100 million tons of plastic swirl in a vortex of "toxic soup." There is so much plastic in the water that in some areas it outnumbers zooplankton by more than six to one! This plastic ends up in the stomachs of fish, birds and all kinds of marine life. In fact, one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die globally each year due to ingestion of or entanglement in plastics. Although these petroleum-based products never biodegrade, they do begin to photo-degrade into smaller pieces, and then fish feed on the toxic micro-plastics. This is not only a tragic environmental hazard, but it also poses a dramatic human health issue as humans consume these contaminated fish.

View complete PDF Click Here

To RSVP email Lyn Howe at seedproject@kohalacenter.org

To RSVP email tristan.r.walker@gmail.com

It's Second Saturday at the Garden at the U.H. Urban Garden Center in Pearl City. April features Propagation. Attend free ongoing demonstrations about seed sowing and propagation by cuttings, garden tours, ask a plant question, stroll the gardens and grab some fresh herbs for sale. The gardening event is from 9:00 am until noon. There is a workshop on grafting fruit trees from 9:30 am till 11 am for a $10 fee. Pre-registration is required to attend the workshop. Call 453-6050 or 453-6055 or visit www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ougc for more information and directions.

www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ougc

On Wednesday, February 29 at 5:30 pm at the ING DIRECT cafe in Waikiki, hear Dr. Pao-Shin Chu, state climatologist and professor at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, speak about how the precipitation extremes are changing in relation to overall climate change in her free lecture as part of the HCA's free lecture series, "Precipitation Extremes In The Hawaiian Islands Under A Changing Climate."

Trends of climate change indices related to extreme precipitation events in the Hawaiian Islands are investigated using daily observational records over the last 60 years. These indices include daily precipitation intensity, total number of days with daily precipitation greater than one inch, consecutive 5-day precipitation amounts, and consecutive dry days. The upward trends of drought conditions are predominant on all the major islands and the results suggest a tendency for increased frequency of heavy precipitation events but a decrease in precipitation intensity for the southern shoreline of O'ahu during the next 30 years (2011-2040).

The Pegge Hopper Gallery in Chinatown is presenting a recycle art show titles Second Chances: Refuse to Reuse. The show features Justin Barnes, Rona Bennett, Mark Chai, Gaye Chan, Lynn Cook, Beverly Creamer, Barbara Davis, Dorothy Faison, Jon Hamblin, Jennifer Hodis, Pegge Hopper, Jackie Lau, Katherine Killebrew, Russell Lowrey, Darren Matthews, Deb Mascia, Loreen Matsushima, Mariko Merritt, S. Kay Mura, Nicole Naone, Aaron Padilla, Vincent Ricafort, Fred Roster, Suze Salm, Ipo Santos-Bear, Ali Stewart-Ito, Nancy Taylor, Linda Yamamoto, Roy Venters, Lori Uyehara, Eric Walden, Jackie Walden, Pat Wassel and others. The opening reception is scheduled for Wednesday, February 29 from 5:00 till 7:00 pm.

http://peggehopper.com

The UH Urban Garden Center and the Master Gardener program are hosting their Annual Plant Sale, featuring the Honolulu Rose Society and CTHAR's Agriculture & Environmental Awareness Day, on Saturday, February 11 from 9 am till noon. It's Second Saturday at the garden and this year's plant sale includes fruit trees, herbs, ornamentals and roses, just in time for Valentine's Day. The Honolulu Rose Society will also be hosting the grand opening of the UGC Rose Garden.

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ougc/

The Sierra Club invites you for a day of service in the great outdoors.

Whether it's your New Years resolution or you just like getting dirty, joining a day of service with the Sierra Club gets you all of the following and then some: A dirty, sweaty, rugged workout mixed with a rewarding experience full of laughs, jokes awards, new friends and the simple gratification you get when you give back.

The Sierra Club is conducting the Manoa Falls Trail Restoration Project, in collaboration with the state's Na Ala Hele Trail Access System (click here for more info) February through December 2012. They are looking for up to 25 volunteers per work day to join the fun.

Work Dates as follow:

February 4 & 26
March 4 & 17
April 14 & 22

To sign up, just send a email to restoremanoa@gmail.com with your first and last name , email address, contact phone number and the work date(s) you want to volunteer on. We will contact you to confirm the week before your date to GET DIRTY! If you are bringing friends, then send us all of the same information for them too.

See you in the trails!

Check out the trailer at Ingredients Trailer

A beach cleanup of the James Campbell Wildlife Refuge, which was hosted by Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, The Kokua Foundation and Plastic Free Hawaii on Martin Luther King Day, January 16, is a testament to the power of community programs, volunteers and the results they can achieve. Residents of Kahuku, La'ie, the North Shore, Hau'ula, Punalu'u and other communities, 247 volunteers to be exact, came out to show their support for this special stretch of coastline and collected 3,762 pounds of marine debris. Access to this restricted area was provided by Dave Ellis and the Wildlife Refuge to assist in creating a usable habitat for the endemic wildlife, which includes monk seals, green sea turtles, migratory birds, and other fauna and flora.

According to the environmental group Product Stewardship Institute, 410,000 tons of phone books find their way to landfills or incinerators, costing taxpayers about $60 million each year in management costs. As part of continuing efforts to minimize environmental impacts from large-scale printing, Hagadone is hosting its first-ever telephone-book recycling contest for O'ahu schools. Open to any school on O'ahu, the contest will feature a first place prize of $2,500 for the school that donates the most phone books. Second place will collect $1,000. The contest ends on February 29th, 2012. Schools must register online for the contest at www.HagadonePrinting.com/PhonebookContest. For more information about the contest, or for schools to register, please contact Ed Kobayashi, at EdK@HagadonePrinting.com or call (808) 852-6334.

The highly anticipated World Premiere of Ingredients Hawaii-Part One will take place February 4th, 2012 at the Mamiya Theater on the grounds of St. Louis High School. The public is invited to take advantage of this rare opportunity to intermingle with a variety of community activists instrumental in creating Oahu's new local food movement. The VIP reception and World Premiere of the one-hour film begins at 5:30 pm and includes a pre-show reception featuring locally sourced bites from the stars of the film.

Chef Ed Kenney of Town Restaurant, Chef Mark Noguchi of He'eia Pier and Sweet Home Waimanalo will partner with farmers also featured in the film to provide attendees with a taste of what the film is all about. Locally inspired cocktails will also be served and farmers and organizations featured in the film will be on-hand to answer questions and educate guests on the work they are doing in their community. An after film discussion on the future of sustainable agriculture in Hawaii will be facilitated by the interns of MA'O Organic Farms. The cost of the VIP premiere and reception is $45. The second screening of Ingredients Hawaii will air at 9:00pm for $10 pre-sale or $12 at the door. Discounted tickets of $5 for the second screening are available at the door for all students with a valid student ID.

Ingredients Hawaii-Part One illustrates Oahu's emerging local food community as an alternative to imported and processed foods. The film tells the story of the ways in which the people of Hawaii are reclaiming their agriculture and local food traditions in light of an uncertain food future.

The films Stars: Ed Kenney, the interns of Ma'o Farms, Mark Noguchi & Jay Maddock. Featuring: the Ahupua'a of Ko'olaupoko, Sweet Home Waimanalo & Farm Roof, Waikiki School, Aloha Harvest & Foodscapes Hawaii.

Become part of the possibility which serves as a model of culturally-based food production that we can share with the world. To purchase tickets to the event and for more information visit www.ingredientshawaii.com.

The Humane Society of the United States and The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust are teaming up with the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement to combat poaching and designated wildlife-related crimes by sponsoring a toll-free, confidential reward tip line, 1-855-DLNR-TIP. The statewide tip line allows citizens to confidentially report information about poaching crimes to law enforcement. The HSUS will offer $2,500 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for specific, predetermined cases. The first case under this new reward program and tip line involves three monk seals killed on Moloka'i and a fourth monk seal found killed on Kaua'i. Necropsies performed on three of the four seals confirmed the deaths were suspicious. The fourth case is pending additional information. Anyone with information about these cases is asked to call the confidential reward tip line.

Along with The HSUS's $2,500 reward offering, the Conservation Council for Hawai'i, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Marine Conservation Institute are collectively offering $2,500 for each incident. A generous anonymous local donor has offered to match these rewards, bringing the reward total up to $30,000, or $10,000 per seal.

"We are pleased to support the critical work of DOCARE by funding a reward program and tip line for information on illegal wildlife-related offenses," said Inga Gibson, Hawai'i state director for The HSUS. "We must be a voice for these innocent animal victims and encourage anyone with information to please call the confidential tip line."

Wildlife officials estimate that tens of millions of animals are poached annually nationwide, but less than 5 percent of poached animals come to the attention of law enforcement. Wildlife officials report that poachers often commit other crimes as well.

"We thank The HSUS for their sponsorship of this new program to help protect Hawaii's precious wildlife," said Randy Awo, DOCARE chief. "Our hope is that the reward program will deter future wildlife crimes and also encourage the community to become more involved in protecting our environment and reporting wildlife offenses."

http://www.humanesociety.org/about/state/hawaii.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is focusing its efforts on ecosystem management to protect our islands' fresh water resources and has produced a half-hour television special illustrating the importance of watershed protection and restoration. "The Rain Follows the Forest" features Jason Scott Lee as he sets out on a journey to learn about sustainable life in our island home. Through interesting conversations, he learns about Hawai'i's fragile fresh water supply and discovers connections to our upland forest environment, and shares ways in which we all can contribute to protecting our watersheds.

Tune-in on Thursday January 19 at 6:30 p.m. on KGMB and join Jason Scott Lee as he learns about our watersheds and how they provide nearly all of our fresh water in Hawai'i. The PSA also airs: KGMB Thursday 1/19/2012 6:30 pm; KGMB Sunday 1/22/2012 at 4:30 pm; KHNL Thursday 1/26/2012 at 6:30 pm; KHNL Saturday 1/28/2012 at 6:00 pm; and throughout February on "Outside Hawai'i" on OC16.

DLNR has also launched a Facebook page, which has been following the production of the television special: www.facebook.com/HawaiiDLNR.

A coalition of sustainability and environmental groups will converge at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa's Campus Center Ballroom on Tuesday, January 17 from 11:30 am until 2:00 pm to launch the Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off. Keynote speaker Captain Charles Moore, the founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation who discovered the North Pacific Garbage Patch, will be talking about his new book Plastic Ocean and his research about the growing amount of plastic marine pollution in the Garbage Patch and the world's oceans.

Sustainable UH is hosting the event in conjunction with the KYA Sustainability Studio, the Surfrider Foundation, the UHM Sustainability Corps, the Kokua Hawaii Foundation and the Ecology Club. These and other organizations are coordinating to develop partnerships, recruit members, and share upcoming activities, projects and campaigns. Students and members of the community will learn about new sustainability initiatives launched by UHM students, faculty, and administration.

Building on Capt. Moore's talk about the environmental and human health hazards of marine plastic pollution, the coalition unwraps a new initiative to join the Rise Above Plastics (RAP) Campaign and make UHM a plastic bag-free campus. The RAP Coalition is working to pass a statewide bill to reduce single-use plastic and paper bags and encourage the use of reusable bags, bottles and containers.

In conjunction with the Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off, Capt. Charlie Moore and co-author Cassandra Phillips will also be signing books and giving free public talks at Bookends in Kailua on Monday, January 16 at 6:00 pm; Kahuku High School on Tuesday, January 17 at 8:15 am; and Indigo Restaurant on Tuesday, January 17 at 6:00 pm.

Celebrate and support the launch of an energy efficiency program for Hawai'i's students on Thursday, January 12 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at ARTS at Mark's Garage. Hosted by author Shanah Trevenna, the fundraiser is the launch of the Hawaii Student Energy Ambassador Development (SEAD) program, which is designed to empower Hawai'i's students to create a bright energy future. All proceeds from this event will bring energy handbooks, training, and equipment to Hawaii's high schools across the islands.

The fundraiser ticket price is $20 and each donation will provide a copy of Surfing Tsunamis of Change: A Handbook for Change Agents to a Hawai'i high school library or to a student energy ambassador. Enjoy live music from the Intire Project, complimentary local cocktails, and an assortment of locally sourced pupu. To register for the event or make a donation to the SEAD program, go to http://hawaiisead.com.

The 2012 Forces for Good Symposium is this Saturday, January 7 from Noon till 5:00 pm at the Hawai'i State Capitol. Attendees to this important event will learn about the exciting new watershed protection program and other important initiatives for the upcoming legislative session. Marjorie Zeigler, from the Conservation Council for Hawai'i, will be moderating one of the sessions, Protecting Hawai'i's Watersheds, from 3:45 to 5:00 pm in room 309. The guest speakers are Guy Kaulukukui, DLNR; Christy Martin, CGAPS, and Mark Fox, TNCH. Water is wealth and what better way to protect the people's wealth than to protect our watersheds, ceded lands, and habitat for unique Hawaiian species.

www.sierraclubhawaii.com/forgood