808 Cleanups

 Meet Michael Loftin, co-founder of 808 Cleanups.

Michael loves trail running, stand up paddleboarding, and a variety of other outdoor activities. Being active in nature has not only helped Michael cultivate a healthy lifestyle, but also stirred up a recognition of the symbiotic relationship humans have with their environment. With this awareness has come a sense of stewardship, which led Michael to co-found 808 Cleanups with Wayde Fishman. It's their way of taking care of their playground.

808 cleanups has three main problem areas they target: cleaning graffiti off natural surfaces, ocean debris, and trash collection.

Volunteers track and report new graffiti as it arises on natural landscape features, and people volunteer to form cleanup groups to tackle the problem areas. This is Michael in front of the newly cleaned "pride rock" along the Lanikai pillbox hike. Using the brushes shown above, along with a kit of cleaners and other supplies, volunteers removed all the graffiti from this area and restored the rock to it's original state.

 808 cleanups literally plays janitor of the ocean, arranging ocean cleanups in coordination with divers, ocean lovers, and other concerned individuals. These cleanups target retrieving trash left in the deep blue, not only to keep the ocean beautiful, but also to remove hazards for the ocean wildlife.

Some of the largest areas of participation in 808 Cleanups come from collecting bags of trash on trails, beaches, and other areas. Many residents have begun to adopt local trails and beaches in their neighborhoods, setting regular times to patrol and maintain these areas. Michael promotes these cleanups by sharing their reports from their cleanups on social media and growing the hype with the hashtag #808cleanups.

In addition to encouraging people to adopt areas, the group hosts many cleanup events that bring together the community in person. During their last cleanup on tantalus, numerous groups and individuals came together to join the cause, including members of Travel 2 Change, Diamondhead Hui, Hawaii Adventure Tours, and numerous other groups. Together, the group cleaned up over 2,000 lbs of trash together. That's some serious stinking business!

If you're interested in adopting one of the areas near you, or pitching in on a cleanup, you can check out the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/808cleanups/