KCA BI MONTHLY MEETING REPORT: RECYCLING IN SOUTH MAUI

7/17/19 #kihei 

Tuesday, July 16, 2019, was the time to ask, ” if you could not reduce (or refuse), and you could not reuse, what is the best course for recycling?” at the Kihei Community Association bi-monthly meeting.

There were forty-five concerned citizens in attendance. The KCA membership and other Kihei residents listened to the presentation from the County Administration’s Department of Environmental Management. The topics were the use of recycled water and the management of recycling of other products.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new Department  Director, Eric Nakagawa, addressed the”liquid” side of the Department’s recycling activity. Water recycling was his field of expertise for many years before his promotion to director of the department earlier this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director Naragawa used poster boards to explain how the water recycling system works in the South Maui area between “the ‘Suda Store and Ahiki.” He addressed using some the recycled R-1 product for irrigation with about 25% in the winter when demand is low, and 50 % in the summer. The rest goes down the injection wells in Kihei.

He answered a series of questions from the audience before the meeting moved onward toward the next segment on solid waste.

The discussion on solid waste centered on resident and visitor actions at the drop off center on Welakahao Street, in Kihei. This part was co-facilitated by recycling specialist Cecile Powell and Tamara Farnsworth, Division Manager at Environmental Protection and Sustainability, County of Maui.

After a short introduction, Powell and Farnsworth distributed refrigerator magnets advising what could and could not be recycled, so all attendees had a handy reference when sorting materials to take home. Afterward, they asked for questions. Wow, were there questions! — from a wide variety of the audience.

It has been a while since we recall so many attendees asking questions and making suggestions. 

Manager Farnsworth was observed taking notes on some of the raised issues, which made for a positive impression. 

The two women were admirable in their handling of the presentation. As they were wrapping up the discussion, they gave another gift to attendees: fabric shopping bags made from recycled materials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next General Membership Meeting: September 17, Disaster Preparedness

The Kihei Community Association will hold its general membership meeting on Tuesday, September 17, at 6:30 pm at Saint Theresa Church, which is at the corner of Lipoa and South Kihei Road. The Association holds six public meetings, which are open to all of Kihei’s residents regardless of membership status, on the third Tuesday of every other month, beginning with January. All meetings are free but the KCA does request non-perishable food donations for the Maui Food Bank.

Volunteers and Memberships

We always receive requests to discuss more concerns than is possible within six general membership meetings per year.  The number of meetings we hold could increase, and therefore we could cover more matters, but that depends on active membership. If we had a lot more volunteers we could possibly cover additional issues which concern the Kihei community. 

What, you are still not a member? NOW is the time to join to take advantage of the limited-time 40% discount of membership from $25 to only $15. Join now by visiting the welcome table at check-in at any meeting, or join online on the KCA website. “Mo’ members, mo’ betta community”. If we have no members, we would have no association. Then who is going to do all this stuff?