HONOLULU, HAWAII – Kanu Hawai‘i is organizing a consumer “Carrotmob” to support the efforts of Kale’s Natural Foods to reduce waste and promote recycling at the Hawaii Kai Shopping Center. The goal is to raise $1,600 for the recycling facilities. These efforts are part of Kanu Hawai‘i’s No Waste Challenge, a campaign spanning the December holiday season, which aims to divert 50,000 pounds of trash away from Hawai‘i’s landfills.
What: Carrotmob Hawaii at Kale’s Natural Foods
When: Sat., Dec. 10, 2011
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Kale’s Natural Foods
Hawaii Kai Shopping Center
377 Keahole Street # A1
Honolulu, HI 96825
This Carrotmob is on the heels of Hawaii’s first Carrotmob on November 19th, organized by KYA Sustainability Studios. The event successfully raised funds towards the energy efficiency retrofitting of The Wine Stop in Moiliili.
Carrotmob is an innovative way to support local businesses through consumer purchasing power. The name comes from the idiom “carrot or stick”. A large group of people (mob) spends money (carrot) to influence positive changes within a business, opposed to a boycott (stick). Businesses use the extra revenues generated to achieve their sustainability-related objectives.
Kale’s will allocate 20 percent of their December 10th profits toward the creation of storefront recycling bins, the set up of cardboard recycling for the store/deli, and for the purchasing of dine-in dishware for Kale’s to reduce business waste.
“We have always been waste-conscious at Kale’s,” said Jennifer Meleana Hee, a baker at Kale’s. “We never offered plastic bags at checkout, we donate expired groceries to the Hawaii Food Bank, and use food scraps for soup stock and to feed our cook’s chickens.
“We are inspired by Kanu Hawai‘i’s No Waste Challenge. And we want to go a step further.”
Customers participating in Carrotmob this weekend between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. will be treated to free music by Mango Season; free energy-saving giveaways from Hawaii Energy; free sustainable local coupon books from HonuGuide. Everyone who makes a purchase will be entered to win two (2) free Bokashi composting buckets from Each One Teach One Farms.
To join the No Waste Challenge, make a commitment to reduce waste at www.kanuhawaii.org/waste.
Founded in 2007, Kanu Hawai‘i is a nonprofit organization with a mission to encourage and support environmental, economic and social change. Its 14,000 members make individual commitments as simple as I will take shorter showers or I will buy local. To make a commitment and help grow the movement, go to www.kanuhawaii.org.
Submitted by Barbra Pleadwell