Waste takes many forms in Hawai'i: Marine debris that washes up on beaches or entangles whales and other creatures; wastewater that has been improperly disposed of via injection wells and ends up causing algae blooms and harming coral reefs; agrochemicals that contaminate groundwater supplies; food waste that unnecessarily ends up in landfills.

Creative alternatives exist. Maui became one of the first places in the US to ban plastic bags at check-out counters in 2014, and a ban on polystyrene take-out containers is currently being considered. Initiatives are being taken to intercept food waste and convert it to compost rather than send to landfills. Wastewater reuse and other alternatives to injection wells exist and need to be implemented.

Waste issues are addressed at the County level in the Department of Environmental Management, and supported by the Solid Waste Resource Advisory Committee. In the County Council waste issues are the domain of the Infrastructure and Environmental Management Committee. At the State level is the Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch of the Department of Health.

For a more detailed overview of solid waste and wastewater issues see the Local Issues section of the website. The Political Tracker section is a place to monitor the ongoing actions of the multitude of governing bodies that address waste issues. An informed public will be better able to encourage elected officials to take action.

Are you concerned about the state of political affairs at the local level and beyond? Are you drawn to do something about it? The Local Political Tracker is a collaborative tool for informing ourselves and each other, and reclaiming the democratic process. By monitoring key local issues and elected officials we can promote more transparent, accountable, and effective governance. True democracy requires more than just voting. It depends on an active and informed citizenry, and each one of us can do our part.

The Political Tracker concept is simple: as a volunteer you agree to monitor, or "adopt" one or more local issues, government bodies, or elected officials. You gather information, either by attending meetings, reviewing meeting minutes or video footage available online, summarizing news articles, or conducting interviews. You then post your notes via the Data Entry form below.

To post information to the Political Tracker one needs to first complete the volunteer registration process:

• Register and log in to the Evolution-Local website.
• Read and agree to the Political Tracker Volunteer Ethics Agreement
• Complete and submit the Political Tracker Volunteer Form.
• Wait for email notification that your Volunteer status has been activated.