DOW’s Make a Splash earns 2023 Hawaii Green Business Award
LIHUE – The Department of Water (DOW) earned a 2023 Hawaii Green Business Award, receiving a Governor’s Commendation for its environmentally–friendly and sustainable practices during the 2023 Make a Splash with Project WET water education festival. DOW attended the ceremony virtually on June 28, 2024, hosted by Governor Josh Green, M.D., the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and its Hawaii Green Business Program (HGBP) partners.
A recent news release issued by the Hawai’i State Energy Office stated that 2023 HGBP awards was the “largest-ever cohort of Hawai`i businesses and events for energy efficiency and sustainable business practices.”
"We strive to incorporate environmentally friendly practices in our programs and utilize the Hawaii Green Business Program checklist as one of the guidelines during the planning stages of this event”, said Jonell Kaohelauli’i, DOW’s Information and Education Specialist and Make a Splash Festival Coordinator. “Incorporating sustainable practices may require extra work but the rewards are worth it. Our efforts have allowed us to reuse approximately 90% of our activity supplies each year, saving us time and minimizing additional expenses.”
DOW’s highlighted efforts included retrieving paper from old binder reports to repurpose as survey hand-outs, eliminating single-use plastic at the event, repurposing materials and adapting event logistics to meet event needs to decrease trash waste, switching activity supplies to reusable items, encouraging participants to bring their own water bottles and promoting the use of bus transportation and/or carpooling.
Additionally, the event is held in an open-air setting at the County of Kaua`i’s, Vidinha Stadium Soccer Field and does not require electricity.
For more information about DOW’s Make a Splash water education festival, call the Department of Water at 808-245-5455. For more information on the DEDBT’s Hawaii Green Business Program, visit www.greenbusiness.hawaii.gov .
###
 Photo 1: Governor Josh Green, M.D. (center) reacts to the announcements of the award recipients during the Hawaii Green Business Program awards ceremony held at the Hawaii State Capitol on June 28, 2024.
 Photo 2: A collage of some of the materials that were repurposed and recycled for the Make a Splash festival.
- Top: Old map holders were used as class escort sign holders.
- Bottom left: Recycled resealable bags were saved from older shipments and reused for organizing supplies.
- Bottom right: Recycled boxes and packing materials. Boxes saved from office equipment orders during the year are recycled to use at the event. The used packing materials are saved and reused for future mailing tasks.
 Photo 3: No bottled water served here! Students stop by the water refill station to fill-up their reusable water bottles at the Kaua’i Department of Water's Make a Splash Festival in Sept. 2023. DOW won a 2023 Hawaii Green Business Award for their sustainable efforts implemented at the event.
|
