Community Action and You

Food

• Eliminate food waste.

  • Think about what meals you want to prepare and plan your shopping list in advance.
  • Store fruits and veggies properly so they last longer and eat or freeze items before they go bad.
  • Learn the difference between “sell-by,” “use-by,” “best-by,” and expiration dates.
  • Learn more tips from the EPA.

• Adopt a plant-based diet. Whether your diet is vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or flexitarian, reducing your consumption of meat—especially red and processed meat—is good for your health and the planet.
• If you can, buy and eat local produce. It supports local farmers, keeps money in the local economy, and builds a more resilient local food system.

Disaster Preparedness

• Know your hazards. Make a disaster plan, build a kit, and download the HNL Info for real-time access to City disaster announcements.
• Improve the safety of your home—the Homeowner's Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards - Fourth Edition, is a free resource covering personal disaster resilience and retrofit measures.
• Get free disaster training or Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.

Transportation

• Try walking or biking on short trips instead of driving, or use your HOLO Card to hop on Skyline or one of the City’s electric buses!
• In the market for a new or used car or motorcycle? Drive Electric Hawaiʻi can help you go electric.
• You don't need to own a vehicle to go electric—check out electric scooters, bikes and more; electric bike and moped rebates are now available!

Energy

• Reach out and learn what your school, business or organization is doing on clean energy and see how you can support it.
• Find money-saving tips, resources, and incentives to save energy at home or work with Conserve808.
• Learn how new tax credits, rebate programs and grants made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act can help residents, businesses and nonprofits advance our climate goals and save you money.

Policy

• If you're 18 or older, register to vote. Then use your vote to weigh in on what matters most to you!
• Get to know your City Council representatives. You can call, email, or submit testimony on active bills to let them know what you'd like to see in your community.
• Talk to other local leaders at the next Neighborhood Board meeting in your area.

Equity

• Utilize the Resilience Office's equity toolbox and local resources.
• Advocate for equity in your workplace, school, government, and community.
• Join a community group and find a place to volunteer below.

Trees

• Plant trees in your yard or community and record them.
• Volunteer as a Citizen Forester to inventory existing City street and park trees.
• Care for established trees and plants in your backyard using the Hawaiʻi Backyard Conservation booklet.

Water

• Take advantage of rebates and tips from Board of Water Supply to conserve our limited freshwater resources.
• Get your home, business, and community Flood Ready!
• Build a rain garden, install permeable pavers and surfaces, and plant native plants, which help reduce erosion and often require less water.

Waste

• When buying products, aim for those that avoid plastics; are reusable and long-lasting; and have minimal, eco-friendly or recyclable packaging.
• Dispose of household hazardous waste at collection events and use fewer toxic products to help protect our environment, ʻohana and refuse workers.
• When disposing of goods, first ask yourself if it can be donated, repaired, or if there's existing recycling/disposal programs.

Learn and Engage

• Join the Oʻahu Aloha+ Challenge!
• Visit the Learning Center webpage for keiki resources, to learn about climate impacts in your community, and more.
• Check out City opportunities like Adopt A Park, Clean Water Honolulu, Honolulu Youth Commission, and Neighborhood Boards.
• Attend community events compiled by the Hawaiʻi Climate Commission, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and the City.
• Stay informed! Follow @ResilientOahu on social media and subscribe to the newsletter.