Our Interdependent Lives:
Food Waste and Sustainability
An educational Zoom event on food waste reduction, composting with worms, and “going compostable” at Obon.
Saturday, April 16, 2022
10 AM HST / 1 PM PDT
Event duration approx. 1 hr. & 45 min.
Jointly sponsored by:
- Buddhist Churches of America, Social Welfare Committee
- Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, Committee on Social Concerns
Two speakers will address different aspects of food waste reduction with an emphasis on what we can do in our homes, temples, and organizations.
A Q&A will follow.
An opening and closing by Buddhist ministers — Rev. Blayne Higa of Kona Hongwanji and Rev. Don Castro of Seattle — will help make the connection to the dharma. Brief remarks by Koichi Sayano will provide some big picture context. Koki Atcheson will serve as emcee.
Registering allows us to send you the Zoom link and an event reminder.
About Our Speakers
Mindy Jaffe
Co-founder and Coordinator, Windward Zero Waste School Hui
Owner, Waikiki Worm Company
Mindy Jaffe is a longtime champion of waste reduction through composting for homes and institutions. She is the co-founder and coordinator of Windward Zero Waste School Hui, a partnership of Windward Oahu schools working cooperatively in the pursuit of waste reduction, soil restoration, and applied environmental education. She is the owner of Waikiki Worm Company, founded in 2004, which provides worms for home vermicomposting.
Ron Hamakawa
Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple
Ron Hamakawa is a district manager in food and nutrition services, serving multiple healthcare institutions across Western Washington. As chair of Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple’s Bon Odori, Ron managed the move to all compostable food containers and utensils for the 2-day festival and other Betsuin event over 10 years ago. The program includes the collection of food waste, food-soiled containers/utensils, PET bottles, aluminum cans & cardboard in designated bins which are sent to local composting or recycling facilities. Ron also advises the year-round composting/recycling/waste program at the temple.
Donations
The organizing committee, made up of members of the Social Welfare Committee (Buddhist Churches of America) and Committee on Social Concerns (Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii), welcomes your donations to defray event costs. The Hawaii Betsuin temple has offered to collect funds on behalf of the committee. All wishing to contribute online are invited to visit:
Food Waste Event Donation Link
Any donations in excess of event costs will be allocated equally to the social welfare / social concerns funds managed by the committees noted above.