'Agents' take on illegal dumping
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
KAILUA — The city will arm 1,000 Kama'aina Kids afterschool-care students with cameras as part of its effort to stop illegal dumping on O'ahu and promote earth-friendly activities throughout the year.
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
About 30 students from Enchanted Lake Elementary School were the first to receive the cameras during a swearing-in ceremony yesterday as Earth Protection Agents, who pledge to care for the Earth and report any dumping violations to a new city hot line.
Third-grader Brandi Paulos (with red wristband) was among 30 students at Enchanted Lake Elementary School who were sworn in as Earth Protection Agents to protect the environment and help stop illegal dumping. The students also received cameras to take photos of illegal dump sites and turn them in to the city.
The cameras and the ceremony are part of a city campaign islandwide to educate the public and mobilize communities against illegal dumping during April, which is Earth Month. The campaign features television, radio and print ads, islandwide events and other outreach that will coincide with Earth Day, April 22.
Students who took the pledge said they're doing it because they want a clean environment when they grow up and they want to protect the sea animals that suffer when pollution runs into the water. But they said it isn't easy to get residents to stop and until they do, others will have to pick up their trash.
"We can just go in there and pick up," said Chelden Wong, a fifth-grader who had taken the pledge. "It's not fair but it's right."
Becoming an agent isn't easy. Students will have to commit to training, take part in at least one environmental activity such as a cleanup, create or participate in an educational activity, help educate others and use common sense in their daily lives when it comes to litter and pollution.
Brendon Oshita, a sixth-grader, said he and other EPA students will stencil storm drains at various locations in Kailua to warn people that anything they toss down the drain will end up in the ocean.
He and the other students will receive a T-shirt, a certificate and an identification card with a telephone number on the back to call if they witness illegal dumping.
"I will look for people polluting and call if they're dumping illegally," said Oshita, who said taking care of the environment is fun. "I would recommend this to my friends because it makes people feel better, and when you grow up you can teach your children."
The Earth Protection Agent program, which has about 700 agents, is part of the Protect The Planet organization, which strives to make caring for the Earth part of everyday life. Last year it formed a partnership with Kama'aina Kids, which holds an islandwide fund-raiser and cleanup during April called "Cash For Trash — Opala for Kala."
For the first time this year, the city will provide cameras to agents to help fight illegal dumping. Students will take photos of illegal dump sites and turn the pictures in to the city, which will record the information and take appropriate action, said Suzanne Jones, city recycling coordinator.
The program is educating the children and encouraging them to take responsibility for their environment, Jones said.
Mayor Jeremy Harris, who swore in the EPA students, said getting the students involved helps ensure environmental protection in two ways. Children influence their parents, and develop environmental ethics at an early age, Harris said.
"Teaching children the right and wrong of environmental matters has far-reaching effects," he said. "Not only because they take that learning throughout their lives, but they affect their parents a great deal."
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
