The goal of the entire conference is to inform Hawaii Island residents about waste issues, see what concerns the island has, and put forth the idea of County Resolution 356-07.  This resolution seeks to create laws that encourage source separation, keeping organics out of the landfill, a C and D ordinance, take backs, and the modification of local land use rules.  The County Resolution has the potential to also have consequences for violations of these principles of the resolution.  Source separation is the separation of waste items into blue, green, and black bins, so that it is easier to reuse or recycle these items.  The idea of the C and D is that all new building projects will need to have a plan to build with materials that are 50% recycled and or reused, and show the receipts for the materials that are bought.  Take backs is the requirement that companies that produce products that are not organic, especially products that contain toxic components, have a system to collect their products and or leftover components after they become refuse.  For example, mercury batteries need to be taken back by the companies that make them because in landfills the mercury in them leaches into the soil.  In order for pharmacists to participate in take backs, they need to make arrangements with manufacturers. Other concerns included thoughts that the current payback of 5 cents for returning a can or bottle was out of date for the times.  Currently, the County has been looking into a plastic bag ban at local business, though Zero Waste would like to see further changes. 
       The discards produced by the County of Hawaii are estimated to amount to 210,000 tons a year in 2006.  This amount of waste is worth over $14,000,000. This waste is classified into the 12 market commodities of reused materials, textiles, polymers, metals, glass, paper, putrescibles(protein wastes, meatscraps, food), plant debris, soils, ceramics, and chemicals. Reused materials take up 5% of this waste, while textiles are 3%; polymers are 11%; metals are 7%; glass is 3%; paper is 26%; putrescibles are 15%; soils are 7%, ceramics are 5%, and chemicals are 1%.  According to Anthony that fact that many of these materials are not put back on the market is a waste of money and materials, since many of these materials are worth about $80 a ton.  Many countries like Guatemala and Mexico now have BTU recycling programs for this very reason.  Coca-Cola is a great endorser of this in these countries, since they understand that throwing away their packaging materials is a significant loss to company profits.  Anthony also commented that “if you recycled everything in Los Angeles, it would be equivalent to taking all the CO2 out of the atmosphere.”
       After he showed his evidence graphs of the amount and cost of waste production, Anthony opened the room up for audience discussion.  The first person mentioned that he builds houses with recycled materials, does not use trash bags, and thought that using recycled building materials in building houses encourages people to recycle.  The second person felt that infrastructure is important for encouraging change in recycling practices and the barriers to this were people’s mindsets.  The other people who created discussion are featured below. 
       The next audience member thought that the current government is a barrier and it is not easy to do the right thing.  He also heard rumors that at recycling facilities the materials go through one door and out the other, and wondered how stuff is recycled in Hawaii and what to do with motor oil and batteries.  One of the hosts told him that the recycling materials are shipped to Oregon.  Lastly, he thought that there should be an easier way to recycle.  The fourth speaker worked for the planning department, which he said was into engaging the community in planning and coming up with new ways to help the environment. 
       The fifth person worked for a company that looks at environmental solutions.  This person had seen many current recycling issues like that of gasoline prices making recycling expensive and Costco bringing products with packaging that greatly increases its weight. Decentralization in the form of more support sites could help reduce the cost of recycling.  They also thought that education was important, especially in regards to greenwaste and composting because composting could greatly reduce Hawaii’s waste, since it is our largest waste contribution.  
       More people voiced their concerns after these intitial speakers. 
       Kerry from Puna spoke next.  He also believed that education was important, especially on packaging.  He thinks that if we keep treating people like idiots, they will continue to act like idiots.  Then a person from Kea’au, who works from KRC, said that permaculture awareness should be more widespread and greenwaste better processed.  This person witnessed recyclables just being thrown out of KRC and thought this due to a lack of enforcement of illegal activities. 
       Another audience member worked for educational groups, in which she makes crafts with students out of recycled materials.  The eighth person to speak was from Osaka, Japan.  She was interested in nature, which is why she attended the conference, and thinks we need study Hawaiian culture for inspiration.  Liz from Bob Jacobson’s office spoke.  She thought that the city and country need to walk their talk and thinks we can do it, as far as recycling goes. 
       Another audience member worked with Hurricane Iniki and thinks that greenwaste composting needs to happen because as a farmer, he can use as much composted mulch as possible.  He is now using mulch and his own wood chips for fertilizer.  Another person thought that composting is a really good idea because mulch is the richest soil, but wood pellets need be removed from mulch.  Also biosolids need to be removed from greenwaste.  Lastly, he thought that the education on these topics has already been done and loving your aina is your responsibility. 
       The next person also thought that infrastructure is needed.  Another audience member was concerned with the recycling of electronics, since small businesses currently need to pay to recycle them.  A Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group PA was concerned with a lack of representation at these conferences of certain groups and felt that this related to the lack of discussion of class issues. 
       The next person would like to see more recycle bins in the community and would like many people to participate in the Malama Aina Fair in Mooheau Park.  This fair will feature more than fifty vendors called villages.  Other community events that people can get involved include the Veteran’s Day Fair and, Black and White Night.  The Deputy Director of Environmental Management thought that the Zerowaste resolution will be important for the highways. 
       The next person worked for Recycle Reuse at Amoco.  She thought Hawaii needs a curbside recycling program.  At one point, when she lived in Chicago, the city of Chicago charged for garbage pickup and gave offsets for recycling.  She observed many people still paying for their garbage.  The next person was interested in helping people become more sustainable.  Another member of the audience visited local beaches to pick up waste with his school.  The next person who spoke worked for Segways and said that there is a divorcement of cost from throwing things away, like in its effect on the environment.  They also thought that people should work to instill an understanding of this.  As a former educator, he thought that education is never finished and, that enforcement and engineering is important. The last person in this community discussion of recycling concerns said that they thought that packaging is at the core of waste.  For instance, building materials can be a problem because so much arrives on pallets.
       Once all the audience members in the room had their say, the hosts closed with a few more comments.  James stated that glass is infinitely reusable and able to be sterilized.  She also thought that the barriers in the community to recycling were that of having too much styrene, which is not easily recyclable.  James also thought that what we need is more public discourse, rather than great deal of banning.  Anthony then asked the audience, if they agreed with the ideas behind the Zerowaste County Council Resolution, which most people did with a few concerns and or ideas thrown in.  For instance, one audience member thought that small businesses could work together to distribute materials, like e-waste.  Another audience member commented to this that they already have people recycling e-waste here on the island, but the problem is that small businesses have to be charged for it.  Another person was frustrated with the fact that durable shipping pallets are not recyclable and another stated that a barrier to recycling was that you cannot use recycled wood for recycling purposes. 
       Recycle Hawaii was founded in 1998 as a volunteer organization and was established as a non-profit organization in the late 90s.  The organization is currently working with Island Naturals in Pahoa, as a location for greenwaste deposition.  This collaboration is part of many grants Recycle Hawaii received for establishing greenwaste locations.  Recycle Hawaii also has a rent-a-bin program for events that other groups put on.
       For more information, you can contact the following websites;
        http://www.zerowaste.org
       http://www.ecocycle.org
       http://www.grrn.org