Inaugural Hawaiʻi Island Climate Fair set for June 17 in Hilo

The Hawaiʻi Climate Commission, in collaboration with Hawai‘i County, is hosting a Climate Community Fair.

The focus is on what is being done to create a resilient and sustainable Hawaiʻi. Diverse organizations and programs will have booths, workshops and games to share.

The fair will be held June 17 at the Hilo Civic Center Auditorium on June 17.

State Climate Change Coordinator Leah Laramee said: “Homes impacted by sea level rise, wildfires and floods have disconnected communities from essential services. Extreme heat is going to have serious impacts on health, especially for keiki and kūpuna. We have the solutions to address this and can build a resilient economy while supporting green infrastructure, build up local food production, restore soil health, improve transportation services and build fewer roads.”

Fair organizers say Hawai‘i residents can integrate traditional knowledge into actions while advancing technological capacities.

“We are no longer at a place where we can slow roll our actions, we need systemic change now,” Laramee said. “Investing in climate action will pay dividends in the future. The more we do today, the more effective our actions, the more money we will save and the better off our communities will be.”

Dawn Chang, Hawai‘i Climate Commission co-chair, said: “The Climate Community Fair will showcase the many organizations that the climate commission is working with and the many collaborative activities underway that are making a difference. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how we each can reduce our carbon footprints, create more resilient systems, and meet other people to work together to mitigate the effects of climate change such as sea level rise.”

There is still time for organizations to sign up. To participate in the Hawaiʻi Island Climate Community Fair, contact Kara Neal at kara.neal@hawaiicounty.gov.