Tab in Hawaii

Some of you may know that my grandparents have lived in Hawaii my entire life. I've flown over to Kauai every year to visit for as long as I can remember. Last year we lost my Tutu (grandmother in Hawaiian) so the visits are now more frequent and less vacation like. This trip I'm working on the yard. The tropical plants just run ramped over here so someone has to constantly trim trees and plants back and that's me this year.

There is so much rubbish to dispose of and yet there isn't a really good system for composting or recycling over here. I came in to do some checking online and it seems that quite a bit of the recycling is voluntary. It doesn't appear that the green trend has reached over here yet.

One program I did find seems really great and could probably work anywhere in the world. Kauai Recycling for the Arts (KRA) is a non-profit educational organization. Check them out at http://www.kauaiglass.org/

Kauai Recycling for the Arts was created to help educate our community about the importance of recycling in a fun and exciting way – through the use of ART! Kauai Recycling for the Arts will be turning yesterday's trash into tomorrow’s treasures! Kauai’s only landfill will reach capacity in 2009.The landfill crisis that faces the residents of Kauai is closing in on us quickly. It is a known fact that by the year 2009 Kauai’s only landfill located in Kekaha will have reached capacity. Each of us who have the privilege of living as well as visiting this beautiful island bears the responsibility of participating in alternative solutions to burying and dumping our trash on our island paradise. We are Kauai’s first hot glass recycling facility. A team consisting of local artists, educators and environmentalists generously donated their time working with the County of Kauai and Allison Fraley, County of Kauai’s Recycling Coordinator to create Kauai’s first hot glass recycling facility. The hot glass studio is located at the Kauai Resource Center at 3460 Ahukini Rd. in Lihue, just past the airport. In February 2004, Kauai Recycling for the Arts, a nonprofit educational organization was awarded the contract to operate the glass studio.

What do we do?Kauai Recycling for the Arts offers programs that demonstrate the exciting techniques of transforming glass bottles, that you usually throw in your trash can, into a hot molten liquid that KRA artisans then form into art. We offer the community beautiful products that also help to reduce landfill waste. After seeing this process once, we are sure that you will never look at your trash the same way again! You can help too!We invite everyone to participate in this exciting innovative project by taking a workshop, volunteering, or becoming a supporting member of KRA! Your kokua (help) is appreciated!

Ma halo,
Tab