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UH students honored for zero waste event production at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. L to R: Carilyn Shon, Hawaiʻi State Energy Office; Keith Kawaoka, Hawaiʻi State Department of Health; Kristen Jamieson, UH Mānoa student sustainability leader; Elia Bruno, UH Mānoa student sustainability leader; Governor David Ige; Luis P. Salaveria, Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

Several University of Hawaiʻi students led by UH System Student Sustainability Coordinator Kristen Jamieson with support from Nicole Chatterson of KUPU RISE were recognized at the 2016 Hawaiʻi Green Business Program Awards for their work producing the 4th Annual Hawaiʻi Sustainability in Higher Education Summit as a zero waste event. This is the third consecutive year the Hawaiʻi Sustainability in Higher Education Summit has earned this distinction and it was one of only five in the category of Green Events honored in 2016.

Students oversaw the implementation of sustainable and green practices at the 3-day summit, including:

  • A zero waste protocol involving no paper handouts, no plastic bottles or cups and food waste composting through UH Mānoa SOFT Program
  • Reusable mugs, water bottles, utensils and compostable plates
  • Healthy vegetarian cuisine for all meals featuring locally foraged or sourced ingredients by local Chef Jenn Hee of Juicy Brew Cafe
  • Carpooling and room-sharing encouraged for all UH participants
  • Hawaiian cultural learning through opening protocol
  • Service learning project at Ka Papa Loʻi O Kānewai Cultural Garden

“We are very proud of our students for walking the talk and setting an example when it comes to integrating sustainability into our events,” said UH System Office of Sustainability Coordinator Matthew Lynch. “Our hope is that other event organizers across the 10 campuses will follow our students’ lead.”

About the Hawaiʻi Green Business Program Awards

The 2016 Hawaiʻi Green Business Program Awards honored 16 business and 5 events for their innovative work to conserve energy and implement sustainable practices that will protect the environment and help Hawaiʻi meet its clean energy goals. The awards were presented by Governor David Ige and representatives from the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office of the Department of Business Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), the Hawaiʻi Department of Health and the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaiʻi.

About the 4th Annual Hawaiʻi Sustainability in Higher Education Summit

The 4th Annual Hawaiʻi Sustainability in Higher Education Summit was held March 10-12, 2016 and organized by the University of Hawaiʻi System Office of Sustainability. The event brought together more than 150 faculty, staff, students and administrators from across the 10 campus UH System to work on strategic energy management, sustainability curriculum development, formalizing the Statewide Student Sustainability Coalition and campus sustainability planning. The event was sponsored by Hawaiʻi Energy, TRANE Building Advantage, Johnson Controls Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Industries.

Photographs from the summit

More photos from the summit on the UH System Facebook page.

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