Big Island Foam Ban

Over the last year, Surfrider's Kona and Hilo Chapters worked with a coalition of groups to pass a ban on all EPS foam food products.  With the growth of the Ocean Friendly Restaurants program and Foam-Free Hawaii, many local businesses sent in testimony in support of Bill 13.  Sarah Rafferty, the Kona Chapter's OFR Coordinator, started a petition to support the bill and gathered over 7000 signatures, and Sufrider HQ sent out an Action Alert across Hawaii and the country.  Megan Lamson of the Hawaii Wildlife Fund helped keep the Coalition informed of the legislative process and upcoming hearings.  Council Members began to see that there was wide support for the legislation.  When Maui County passed their own foam ban earlier in the summer, this gave even more momentum to the movement.  On Sept. 20th, Council Members voted to pass the bill, and Mayor Kim signed it into law. Now, the Hawaii Chapters are trying to pass a ban on Oahu and Kauai in an effort to make Hawaii the first state to ban foam!