On Thursday February 25, ELP hosted a lunchtime colloquium to discuss environmental advocacy at the legislature from the perspective of the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, the Surfrider Foundation- Oahu Chapter, and former Honolulu City Council member and founding Assistant Dean of the University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law, Leigh-Wai Doo. Although the range of topics varied greatly, one message rang clearly through the panelists’ voices: in order to affect change you must take a stand and speak for what you believe in.

Rafael Bergstrom began the event with an overview of how to get involved at the legislature. He urged audience members to sign up for an account with the legislature’s website in order to submit testimony and comments. Currently, the Surfrider Foundation Hawaii Chapter is continuing its Rise Above Plastics Coalition, Ocean Friendly Gardens Initiative, and community activism for the protection and health of our oceans an
beaches. To learn more about the Surfrider Foundation, please click here.

Marti Townsend, ELP alum and executive director of the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, spoke on behalf of her organization. Sierra Club is currently supporting efforts to restore the public’s water to East Maui streams, divest Hawai‘i from dependency on fossil fuels, and ensure that U.S. Navy cleans up and closes down its leaky fuel storage tanks in Red Hill. To learn more about the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, please click here.

Leigh-Wai Doo shared an inspiring message about legislation that would help protect traditional resources such as the native Hawaiian sandalwood tree, iliahi, and subsistence fishing along the north east coast of
Moloka‘i. Doo has been working tirelessly with other concerned individuals to promote these bills at the legislature. Although the bills did not pass through their hearings at the legislature this session, Doo is hopeful that with enough education and public support it is still possible in the future to pass legislation that will protect these precious resources.

For more information about the legislature, pending bills, or to submit testimony, please visit capitol.hawaii.gov.