Volunteers Plant Garden At Pearl City High For Global Service Day

Volunteers (from left) Lyle Horie, Tom Gibson, Jennine Tambio, Yumi Iwasaki, Jon Chin, Karen Shishido, Kaimana Pine, Mindy Jaffe and Lars Tanaka installed a bokashi garden Sept. 28 at Pearl City High School. (Not pictured: Terry Quapaw Brian and Jackie Chappel.) Photo from Joanne Kimura.

A group of volunteers from Waikiki Worm Company, Trinity Management Group and Pearl City High School constructed a bokashi garden for the school Sept. 28 as a part of the Green Apple Day of Service, a global movement created by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council.

Conducted locally by the Hawaii chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, the day of service encourages communities to participate in service projects to help local schools become healthy, safe, cost-effective and productive.

“The dedication and support I see from volunteers and community partners in planning and organizing these events are truly inspiring,” said Chris Parker, a chairman at the U.S. Green Building Council Hawaii chapter.

Projects took place in all 50 states and more than 30 countries for Green Apple Day of Service. Locally, other projects included installing a rain garden at Hokulani Elementary School, conducting energy audits at Halau Ku Mana Charter School, repurposing wood tables at Kahala Elementary and restoring a garden at Pauoa Elementary School.

“At the Center for Green Schools, we’re always astounded by the ingenuity and innovation of communities across the country and around the world during the Day of Service,” said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at USGBC. “In these challenging economic times, schools, communities and leaders have demonstrated an impressive commitment to make the places where our children learn sustainable and safe, while putting money back into the classrooms where it belongs.

“We commend all the schools and community partners for transforming our schools and transforming our communities.”

The Pearl City project aimed to help the school with its mission of becoming more sustainable.

For more information, visit mygreenapple.org.