Our Story

We chose the name Ho'onele 'Ea (refuse plastic or plastic-free) because we wanted a Hawaiian name that describes our mission in a few words. By using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, we are perpetuating and utilizing the Hawaiian that we learn in school and sharing it with the world. ‘Āina is the Hawaiian word for land and literally translates into that which feeds. Taking care of our beautiful land is an essential part of our culture because it is where we came from, and it is something that has provided for our community and people for thousands of years and counting. 

In 6th grade, we had to opportunity to participate in a cleanup at Kamilo, Kaʻū, where we saw a lot of plastic pollution. Kamilo is often nicknamed the "Plastic Beach" because of the plastic covering the shores. We realized how plastic negatively affects our environment and decided to make this a mission: To give back to our communities while making a living doing something we love. 

Why is Ho'onele ʻEa important to us?

Beeswax wraps are a sustainable and reusable alternative to plastic wraps and single-use plastic. Its primary use is for covering and preserving food, allowing it to stay fresh for more extended periods of time. These wraps are made from organic materials such as cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin. Our wraps are completely decomposable, and when you can't reuse them any longer, they are safe to compost. Single-use plastic is not reusable, and most take around 1,000 years to decompose. 

Founding Members of Ho'onele 'Ea

The students below are the founding members of Ho'onele 'Ea and have moved on to our Kula Kiʻekiʻe (High School). We are grateful for everything they have contributed to our little Entrepreneurship Club as they created the foundation for this to continue.