(HAWAIIAN MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [CINDI] A LARGE PART OF US IS WATER.

AND IN HAWAIIAN, "WAI" IS WATER.

BUT "WAI WAI" IS WEALTH.

IT'S NOT WEALTH OF MONEY.

WATER IS WAI WAI.

WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

WE NEED TO PROTECT IT.

IT GIVES US LIFE.

WITHOUT IT, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE.

[NEWS REPORTER] A GRIM PREDICTION FOR UNDERWATER ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCHERS SAY CORAL REEFS COULD BE ALMOST EXTINCT IN 30 TO 50 YEARS.

[NEWS REPORTER] THE EPA CITES RISING OCEAN TEMPERATURES AS A GLOBAL THREAT, BUT POINTS TO COASTAL POLLUTION AND HUMAN ACTIVITY AS MAJOR STRESSORS IN PLACES LIKE HAWAII.

[GREG] PEOPLE THINK THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE DOING JUST FINE THOSE OF US WHO MEASURE AND MONITOR KNOW THAT'S FAR, FAR FROM TRUE.

[NEWS REPORTER] MORE THAN 88,000 CESSPOOLS DISCHARGE OVER 53 MILLION GALLONS OF RAW SEWAGE INTO HAWAI'I WATERS EACH DAY.

[ACTIVIST] THIS IS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR PROBLEM.

[JOHN] THERE ARE A BUNCH OF HOTSPOTS.

KAHALUU BAY IS A HOTSPOT.

[KATHLEEN] WE SEE OVER 400,000 VISITORS IN THAT SMALL BEACH PARK EVERY YEAR.

[MAURICE] PUT IT BLUNTLY, I BELIEVE WE'RE ALMOST AT CRITICAL MASS AT THE BAY.

[DRU] THAT LOCATION IS PART OF THE KAHALUU, KEAUHOU ROYAL COMPLEX.

IT WAS EXTREMELY SACRED.

[SHAULA] THIS WAS THE FOOD BASKET.

THERE WAS AN ABUNDANCE OF FISH HERE THAT FED MANY GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE.

[DAN] EVERY PLACE HAD THEIR "KAHU."

THEIR KEEPER.

THEIR "KIAI."

CINDI, SHE'S CARRYING ON TRADITION THAT HER ANCESTORS HAVE DONE FOR MANY, MANY GENERATIONS.

[RICK] CINDI IS A LADY OF SUCH GRACE AND HEART AND CHARITY.

AND YET, WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING HER BAY SHE'S VIGILANT AND TOUGH.

(BIRDS CHIRPING) [CINDI] A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY "ALOHA" TO WELCOME, OR "ALOHA" TO SAY GOODBYE.

"ALOHA" FOR LOVE.

FOR ME, IT'S MUCH MORE PART OF MY BEING.

(DISHES CLANKING) MY SURNAME, "PUNI" MEANS "SURROUNDED."

"HAOLE" MEANS BY "VISITORS OR NEWCOMERS" LIKE ALL OF YOU.

THAT'S MY, THAT'S WHAT GRANDPA ALWAYS SAID.

OUR NAME IS PUNIHAOLE.

FOR US, WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, WE DIDN'T REALLY THINK OF THE LAND AS REAL IMPORTANT.

IT WAS, "OH, GOSH" WE HAD TO GET UP AND GO TO WORK IN THE LAND.

PICKING COFFEE OR PULLING WEEDS.

I NEVER REALIZED UNTIL I GOT OLDER HOW IMPORTANT TOUCHING THAT LAND MEANT TO AN INDIVIDUAL, TO A PERSON.

AND THAT PERSON, AS I GREW OLDER, BECAME ME.

MY DREAM AT 16 WAS VISITING NEW YORK.

WHAT I SAW ON TV WAS MESMERIZING TO ME.

SO WHEN I GRADUATED, MY MOM AND DAD REALLY HELPED ME RAISE SOME FUNDS TO GO TO UNIVERSITY AWAY FROM HAWAII TO WASHINGTON STATE.

I KNOW IT WAS A GOOD DECISION I MADE, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IT WAS A SAD DECISION FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS AWAY 30 YEARS AND MISSED BEING WITH MY FAMILY FOR ALL THOSE YEARS.

AND WHEN I RETURNED IN 1998, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME.

FIRST SIX MONTHS WAS THE PACE WAS TOO SLOW.

(LAUGHS) OH MY GOSH.

YOU KNOW, IN THE MAINLAND, IT'S SO FAST.

AND THEN ONE DAY I WOKE UP AND IT WAS ALL GONE.

THAT PACE WAS GONE.

AND I JUST LOVED IT HERE.

I THINK THE LOVE OF LAND AND THE LOVE OF MY FAMILY WAS VERY POWERFUL FOR ME.

I LEARNED A LOT.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR ME AND THERE'S THIS LITTLE PASSION THAT SAYS TRY TO HELP OUR KEIKI AND TRY TO TAKE CARE OF PLACE.

FOR A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO SAY "MAHALO KUPUNA WHOEVER YOU WERE FOR THINKING OF ME."

THEY DON'T HAVE TO KNOW MY NAME OR OUR NAMES.

THEY JUST NEED TO LOOK AT KAHALUU AND SEE THAT IT IS STILL THERE AND STILL CAN TAKE CARE OF THEM.

♪ (ROOSTER CROWING) ♪ [LINDSEY] WE'RE HERE IN THE SOUTH KONA DISTRICT.

WE'RE AT BEAUTIFUL KAHALUU BAY, WHICH IS REALLY A UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM HERE IN WEST HAWAII.

IT'S ONE OF OUR MOST SHALLOW ASSEMBLAGES OF CORAL.

THERE'S RARE SPECIES THAT THRIVE HERE, AND THIS BEAUTIFUL BAY IS PART OF AN INCREDIBLE AHUPUAA WATERSHED SYSTEM UP THE MOUNTAIN HERE THAT FEEDS THIS AREA WITH GROUNDWATER.

SO, THE TWO AREAS HERE ARE VERY INTERCONNECTED.

[KATHLEEN] I'M DOWN AT KAHALUU AT LEAST 3 TO 4 DAYS A WEEK.

NOT USUALLY ALL DAY, BUT LIKE OUT IN THE BAY, ALONG THE SHORELINE.

IT'S EASY TO ACCESS.

THERE'S A PARKING LOT, THERE'S BATHROOMS, THERE'S SHOWERS.

IT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO GET IN THE WATER THERE.

IT USED TO BE EASIER WHEN THERE WAS MORE SAND ON THE BEACH.

YOU KNOW, IT'S IN TOWN.

IT'S RIGHT THERE.

THERE AREN'T REALLY MANY OTHER SNORKELING SITES THAT ARE SAFE.

[LINDSEY] WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT CINDI'S WORK HERE IS THAT HER PROGRAM REALLY TAKES THE TIME TO EXPLAIN TO THE VISITORS HERE WHAT IS A CORAL.

BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IN THE WATER, IT'S NOT OBVIOUS.

THEY DO LOOK A LOT LIKE ROCKS.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY MOVING UNTIL YOU'RE LOOKING AT THEM CLOSELY AND THEY'RE BASICALLY THEY LOOK LIKE COLORFUL ROCKS, BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH ALIVE.

SO THEY HAVE A LIVING SURFACE LAYER, COLORFUL SURFACE LAYER.

AND WHAT CREATES THAT COLOR IS THE PLANT CELLS OR ZOOXANTHELLAE LIVING WITHIN THE CORAL TISSUE.

SO A HEALTHY, THRIVING CORAL WILL HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT COLORATION.

UP CLOSE YOU CAN SEE THE ANIMAL PART OF A CORAL, WHICH IS THE TINY MICROSCOPIC POLYPS.

THE POLYPS ARE ACTUALLY CATCHING PLANKTON WITH THEIR TENTACLES AND BRINGING IT INTO THEIR MOUTH.

SO, THEY ARE EATING PLANKTON IN THE SURROUNDINGS BUT THEY ALSO FEED THEMSELVES WITH THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC ENERGY OF THOSE PLANT CELLS.

THE PLANTS WITHIN THE CORAL TISSUE -- THE ZOOXANTHELLAE ARE HARVESTING ENERGY FROM THE SUN AND GIVING THE CORAL A BIG PORTION OF ITS ENERGY THAT IT NEEDS TO SURVIVE.

[KATHLEEN] TO PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY DON'T DEPEND ON THE OCEAN I WOULD SAY THAT THEY DO.

IT'S ALL CONNECTED.

EVERY SECOND BREATH WE TAKE COMES FROM THE OCEAN.

IT PROVIDES US OXYGEN.

IT PROVIDES US LIFE.

IT MITIGATES BIG SWINGS IN OUR CLIMATE AND IN OUR WEATHER.

[CINDI] WE KNOW THAT CORALS ARE THE RAINFORESTS OF THE OCEAN.

THOSE REEFS BRING IN THE FOOD THAT WE NEED FOR SURVIVAL.

THE MANINI THAT YOU SEE, OR THE PAKUIKUI• THOSE ARE FISH THAT WE SURVIVED ON WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.

KAHALUU IS A WAHI PANA.

IT IS A SACRED, STORIED CULTURAL AREA WHERE ALII OR CHIEFS USED TO COME WHEN THEY WERE IN THE AREA.

ONLY THE ALII WERE ABLE TO EAT SOME OF THAT FISH, BECAUSE THEY WERE PRIZE FISH FOR THE CHIEFS.

I THINK ABOUT THE DANGERS THAT WE SEE AT KAHALUU TODAY BECAUSE IT'S IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR.

♪ SOMETHING'S HAPPENING TO OUR CORALS AND NO ONE CAN TELL US WHY.

I WANT TO KNOW WHY OUR CORALS ARE DYING.

[LINDSEY] IN THIS FIELD, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LEARN AND GROW BECAUSE OF THE CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CORAL REEFS FACE.

A CORAL BLEACHING EVENT, IT CAN REALLY VARY IN SCALE.

SO, PRIOR TO 2015 WE WOULD SEE OCCASIONAL BLEACHING OF JUST AN INDIVIDUAL COLONY OF CORAL.

A CORAL IS TYPICALLY VERY COLORFUL.

AND YOU START TO SEE JUST A SHIFT TO A MORE PALE COLORATION.

AND THAT WAS LIGHT BLEACHING.

A LARGER SCALE BLEACHING EVENT LIKE WHAT WE SAW HERE IN 2015, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT IN 2019, IS REALLY WHERE YOU SEE JUST ACROSS THE CORAL REEFSCAPE, WHITE CORALS IN EVERY DIRECTION.

AND, IT'S REALLY A STUNNING AND A KIND OF AWFUL THING TO SEE THAT CORALS THAT ARE, SOME OF THEM, MORE THAN SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS OLD ARE TURNING BRIGHT WHITE BECAUSE OF THE THERMAL STRESS.

[KATHLEEN] IN 2015, WE, MEANING THE PLANET FACED A GLOBAL CORAL BLEACHING EVENT.

ESTIMATES OF 30 TO 50% OF TOTAL CORAL LOSS ALONG THE KONA COASTLINE, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.

I MEAN, 30% IS A LOT AND IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND THEN TO SEE THEM WIPED OUT IN A YEAR OR LESS WAS REALLY "DIFFICULT" DOESN'T EVEN LIKE DESCRIBE IT.

IT WAS JUST ALARMING, SHOCKING, DEPRESSING.

ALL OF THE ABOVE.

[GREG] WHAT CINDI'S TRYING TO DO IS NOT ONLY SAVE WHAT'S LEFT BUT CREATE CONDITIONS FOR A FUTURE OF KIND OF REESTABLISHING.

MAYBE THE OLD PORTFOLIO OF CORALS COULD BE REESTABLISHED THERE THROUGH A RESTORATION PROJECT.

THERE ARE THESE SPECIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A SPECIES BECOME IT'S GENETICS, THAT HAVE SURVIVED SO MUCH THAT THEY'RE KIND OF THESE HARDY FIGHTING CORALS.

AND SHE HAS A BUNCH OF THEM IN HER EMBAYMENT AND THAT'S GOOD.

THAT GIVES HER A PLACE TO START.

IF SHE CAN GET THE POLLUTION DOWN THEN THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LINDSEY KRAMER'S AND THE PEOPLE FROM THE STATE TO START DOING RESTORATION WORK THERE.

BUT YOU CAN'T REALLY DO RESTORATION IF YOU STILL HAVE THE STRESSES.

YOU'RE JUST GOING TO KILL THE NEW THE NEW CORALS YOU PUT IN.

[CINDI] I HAD A PLAN IN PLACE IN 2007.

I NEEDED TO SHOW THE COUNTY THAT WE WERE THERE TO HELP THE PARK AND BE ABLE TO MANAGE IT AND CREATE A VERY, VERY STRONG EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.

[KATHLEEN] THE KOHALA CENTER IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR AINA STEWARDSHIP.

WE MERGE ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO BETTER PREPARE OUR COMMUNITIES TO FACE THE PROBLEMS OF THIS COMING CENTURY.

WE REALLY HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITIES CAN THRIVE ECOLOGICALLY, ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY AND CULTURALLY.

[CINDI] WHEN THE COMMUNITY CAME TO APPROACH THE KOHALA CENTER AND SAID, "WOULD YOU HELP US?"

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I WAS ALSO PART OF THAT HUI THAT CAME, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY CREATED THE PROGRAM CALLED REEFTEACH THAT WE ARE DOING TODAY.

AND I GAVE MY WORD TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I WILL HELP EXPAND THIS PROGRAM.

[KATHLEEN] OKAY, LET'S GET READY TO CALIBRATE.

[CINDI] WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TIDE IS?

[KATHLEEN] THE TIDE IS POINT ONE.

[CINDI] POINT ONE.

[KATHLEEN] AND LET'S JUST, BEFORE WE GO, MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE BOTTLES ARE IN THERE.

[KATHLEEN] SO THESE WILL BE FOR PH.

[PAUL] THE BIG ONES.

YEAH.

[KATHLEEN] YEAH.

PH AND TURBIDITY.

YEAH.

[KATHLEEN] TURBIDITY IS JUST BASICALLY THE AMOUNT OF SUSPENDED MATERIAL IN THE WATER.

SO WATER CLARITY.

SO LOW TURBIDITY WOULD MEAN, LIKE, IT'S VERY CLEAR.

HIGH TURBIDITY WOULD MEAN THAT THERE'S...

IT'S NOT CLEAR AND THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN THE WATER.

AND CORAL NEEDS CLEAR WATER, BECAUSE IT'S PHOTOSYNTHESIZING.

AND SO IF THERE'S HIGH LEVELS OF TURBIDITY OR SEDIMENTATION ANYTHING IN THE WATER THAT'S BLOCKING OUT THAT SUNLIGHT IT JUST IMPEDES ITS ABILITY TO PHOTOSYNTHESIZE AND CREATE ENERGY.

BECAUSE KAHALUU BAY IS SO RELATIVELY SMALL, RELATIVELY CONFINED, AND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THERE WE FOUND THROUGH SAMPLING THAT THE LEVELS OF OXYBENZONE IN THE BAY ARE EXTREMELY HIGH AND THEY WERE HIGHER THAN A LOT OF OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD THAT HAD BEEN TESTED.

SCIENCE HAS SHOWN OXYBENZONE CAN AFFECT REPRODUCTION IN SPECIES, INCLUDING CORAL, FISH.

IT'S ALSO PASSED THROUGH THE BREASTMILK OF MAMMALS, SO IT CAN AFFECT DOLPHINS, WHALES, SEALS.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PUTTING ON SUNSCREEN, IT ACTUALLY ABSORBS INTO YOUR BLOODSTREAM RATHER THAN A MINERAL SUNSCREEN THAT YOU APPLY TO YOUR SKIN.

IT ACTUALLY STAYS ON THE SURFACE AND IT USES THE MINERALS TO REFLECT THE UVA, UVB RAYS.

SO, A LITTLE SAFER FOR YOU AND THEN OBVIOUSLY BETTER FOR THE OCEAN.

[CINDI] IT WAS A BIG VICTORY WHEN IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR OCTINOXATE AND OXYBENZONE WERE BANNED FOR SALE IN HAWAII.

[DRU] AUNTY CINDI WAS EXTREMELY INVOLVED IN, IN ADVOCATING TO HELP PASS THE SUNSCREEN BAN.

[GOVERNOR IGE] IT IS NOW LAW IN THE STATE OF HAWAII.

IT'S ACT 104.

CONGRATULATIONS.

[DRU] THE BILL WAS PASSED IN 2018 BANNING CERTAIN CHEMICALS THAT AFFECT THE CORALS AND THE REEF IN OUR OCEANS.

THIS IS THE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT THAT WILL AFFECT THE CHANGE THAT'S NEEDED TO ADVOCATE FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BILLS LIKE THIS.

[PAUL] WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING TO TRY TO GET THE STATE TO BAN CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS THERE WAS A LOT OF PUSHBACK, YOU KNOW, AND I SAID, "WELL DON'T WE PETITION THE COUNTY TO MAKE THIS A TEST CASE?"

"LET'S HAVE KAHALUU BAY BE ADVERTISED AS AN OXYBENZONE FREE BAY AND TRY TO GET SOME OF THE MINERAL SUNSCREENS FOR PEOPLE."

AND THAT REALLY TOOK OFF AND IT STARTED WITH A REALLY NICE PROGRAM WHERE THEY WOULD EXCHANGE THE GOOD KIND OF SUNSCREEN FOR YOUR CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU WANT TO FLIP IT OVER AND LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS, AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ZINC OXIDE AS THE PRIMARY INGREDIENT AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR OXYBENZONE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AS BEING A FLAG OF NOT REALLY BEING A REEF SAFE SUNSCREEN.

SO IT NEEDS TO BE ALL MINERAL BASED.

THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO TELL THAT YOU... YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO PROTECT THE CORAL.

♪ ♪ [YOUNG BOY] GOT LIKE SEVEN FISH IN ONE DAY.

SOMETIMES WE THROW THE ONES THAT WE CAN'T EAT BACK AND WE EAT THE ONES THAT WE CAN EAT.

[CINDI] ALL I ASK OF YOU IS TO DO YOUR VERY BEST.

AND FOR US, I THINK IT'S PLANTING SEEDS.

[KAIAPO] I PICK UP A LITTLE BIT AND THROW IT ON MY SHOULDER AND YOU'RE READY TO THROW.

THAT'S HOW MY DAD TAUGHT ME HOW TO MAKE IT.

[CINDI] AND YOU'D BE SURPRISE OUR KIDS TODAY YOU KNOW, YOU PLANT A SEED AND• AND YOU THINK THEY'RE NOT LISTENING TO YOU.

(LAUGHS) I'LL SEE THEM NOW, EIGHT YEARS LATER AND THEY'LL GO "AUNTY, AUNTY!

REMEMBER ME?

REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE BACK AT KEALAKEHE HIGH SCHOOL?

WE HAD A PIG!"

AND THEY'LL TELL THE STORY ABOUT HOW THEY LEARNED HOW TO DRESS IT, HOW TO KILL IT, HOW TO PREPARE IT HOW TO PUT IT IN THE IMU, THE UNDERGROUND OVEN.

AND THESE ARE...

THIS ONE CHILD YOU THOUGHT WOULD NEVER LEARN BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T THINK HE WAS LISTENING TO YOU.

RIGHT?

SO YOU KEEP PLANTING SEEDS, BECAUSE ONE DAY IT MIGHT BE 20 YEARS FROM NOW OR IT MIGHT BE 10 OR 30 BUT, IT WOULD SPROUT.

AND THAT'S YOUR HOPE.

THAT'S MY HOPE.

[LINDSEY] I WOULD DEFINE CINDI AS A PERSON THAT JUST EXUDES THAT FEELING OF LOVE FOR PLACE.

AND SHE'S SO WELCOMING TO EVERYONE.

SHE'S SO PATIENT WITH PEOPLE.

WHEN I THINK OF "ALOHA," I THINK OF CINDI AND WHAT SHE HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO.

[GREG] SHE'S LIKE THIS PERSON THAT IS OUT THERE TO REMIND US NOT ONLY WHAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT HOW IT CAN BE DONE RIGHT.

WHETHER YOU'RE A SCIENTIST OR A HAWAIIAN PRACTITIONER OR A GOVERNMENT PERSON, EVERYBODY CAN LOOK AT WHAT SHE'S DOING AND NOT ONLY RESPECT IT, BUT WANT TO REPLICATE IT.

[KATHLEEN] SHE EMBODIES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A KEEPER OR TO BE A STEWARD.

IN HAWAIIAN, THEY CALL IT "HOA AINA."

IT'S LIKE A LOVING CARETAKER.

IT'S A RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE'S REALLY GOOD AT FINDING COMMON GROUND.

SHE'S REALLY GOOD AT BRINGING WHAT YOU WOULD THINK ARE LIKE OPPOSING GROUPS AND FINDING REASONS WHY THEY AREN'T OPPOSING AND WHY THEY CAN GET ALONG AND WHERE THEY SHARE COMMON GROUND.

[CINDI] YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE PATIENT.

THE BEST THING I'VE REALIZED IS IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING NOT JUST TALK ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU NEED TO BE OUTSIDE OF THAT ENVIRONMENT.

BECAUSE, ONCE YOU GET CAUGHT UP, BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY "OH, CINDI.

WHY DON'T YOU RUN FOR MAYOR OR COUNTY COUNCIL?"

I DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT SITUATION.

IF I'M ON THE OUTSIDE, I HAVE FLEXIBILITY AND I CAN GO TO THE STATE AND SAY I NEED FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS.

BUT, YOU NEED TO, THROUGHOUT YOUR TIME WITH THEM SHOW THEM THAT YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO DO THE WORK.

[MAURICE] THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF WHEN CINDI STARTED LOOKING AT GRANTS AND SHE STARTED LOOKING AT OTHER AREAS AND STARTED WORKING WITH ALL THE SCIENTISTS, STARTED LOOKING AT SEA LEVEL RISE.

IF YOU LOOK JUST AT OUR ISLAND ALONE, GLOBAL WARMING, IT'S A REALITY HERE.

SEA LEVEL RISE IS A REALITY HERE.

KAHALUU BAY.

YOU CAN SEE IT.

WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN 20, 30 YEARS.

SO WE GOT TO BE PLANNING RIGHT NOW FOR THAT.

THIS IS OUR PROTOTYPE BEACH.

IF WE CAN DO IT HERE, IF IT CAN BE PROVEN HERE WE CAN SHOW THE WORLD THAT IT CAN HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST HAWAII WHERE WE'RE LOSING OUR REEFS AND LOSING OUR CORAL.

IT'S WORLDWIDE.

THE REEFTEACH PROGRAM IS REALLY HELPING.

CINDI AND HER GROUP ARE ABLE TO OVERSEE THE SPAWNING OF CORALS.

I MEAN... AND YOU JUST... YOU JUST SEE THAT.

AND IT...

IT JUST PUTS YOU IN AWE THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE'RE AT A PLACE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PLACE ON OUR ISLAND WE'RE ACTUALLY SPAWNING AND CREATING NEW CORAL RIGHT THERE.

A LOT OF VISITORS, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO WANT TO TRY TO KEEP EVERYBODY OFF THE REEF.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT IT TO SURVIVE.

WE'VE GOT OTHER AREAS ON OUR ISLAND WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO BRING BACK THE REEF.

AND, IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AT THIS REEF AT KAHALUU BAY, THAT JUST SHOWS YOU THAT WE CAN REPLICATE IT IN OTHER AREAS ON THIS ISLAND.

[CINDI] YOU KNOW, MY DAD ALWAYS SAID BACK IN HIS TIME, A HANDSHAKE WAS GOLD.

YOU KNOW, TODAY YOU SHAKE SOMEONE'S HAND AND IT'S, OH, IT'S JUST A HANDSHAKE.

DURING HIS TIME, IT MEANT SOMETHING.

AND FOR ME, IT MEANS SOMETHING.

AND WE'VE BEEN THERE AT KAHALUU SINCE THEN BECAUSE WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT.

I MISS THEM.

THEY TOOK CARE OF ME ALL MY LIFE AND THEY TAUGHT ME ALL I KNOW.

[GREG] IT'S INTERESTING TO RELATE TO THE HAWAIIAN CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL VALUES ON RESOURCE AND THE SAME GOES FOR WHEN I'VE WORKED IN THE MARIANAS, MARSHALL ISLANDS, FRENCH POLYNESIA IT'S ALL KIND OF THE SAME STORY IN CERTAIN SHAPES AND WAYS.

THEY TELL US HOW WE ALL CAN PLAY A ROLE, WHETHER WE'RE FROM THERE OR NOT.

THE LEARNINGS FROM THOSE ARE VERY UNIVERSAL, AND THEY'RE NOT MAYBE GETTING TO NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES, BUT THEY SHOULD!

THEY SHOULD BE IN THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE THEY'RE EVEN MORE VALID THAN ALL OF THE WESTERN SCIENCE IS GOING TO PROVIDE IN THIS IN THIS KIND OF LANDSCAPE.

THE VERY DEFINITION OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCE IS THE PATHWAY.

I THINK GOVERNMENT AND SCIENCE IS SUPPORT STRUCTURE IN TODAY'S WORLD, TODAY'S ECONOMY, TODAY'S CONTEXT.

IT ALL COMES FROM, I THINK, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THEIR LEADERSHIP IN INTERACTING WITH NEWCOMERS, WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, WITH TOURISTS.

I HAVEN'T SEEN IT SCALED TO SOME NATIONAL OR ARCHIPELAGO SCALE TYPE PROCESS BUT, THAT'S GOT TO BE THE FUTURE.

[ANNA] THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VERY SIGNIFICANT HEIAU, TEMPLES, ANCIENT HAWAIIAN TEMPLES, THERE THAT ARE SITUATED RIGHT IN THAT BAY, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF KAHALUU BAY.

AND, SO IT'S A VERY HIGHLY SPIRITUAL AREA AND CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF MARINE RESOURCES.

FOR EVERY AHUPUAA, LAND DIVISION, WHICH SPANS FROM MAUKA TO MAKAI, FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP DOWN TO THE OCEAN AND INTO THE OCEAN OUT TO THE FRINGING REEF THAT WAS CONSIDERED PART OF THAT LAND.

AND THERE WAS AN OVERSEER OF THE RESOURCES OF THAT AHUPUAA AND IT WAS A KONOHIKI SOMEONE THAT REALLY WATCHED OVER AND HAD THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THAT AHUPUAA AND MANAGED THEM.

HE WOULD OFTEN INSTRUCT WHERE YOU WOULD GATHER, HOW MUCH YOU WOULD GATHER FROM AN AREA AND IF ANOTHER GROUP CAME, WOULD DIRECT THEM TO ANOTHER, DIFFERENT AREA SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT DEPLETE THE RESOURCES OF ANY ONE PARTICULAR AREA.

[DAN] YOU KNOW, THE HAWAIIANS WERE VERY, VERY CAREFULLY AND CAUTIOUS ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY DID SPECIFICALLY NOT TO UPSET NATURE.

WHATEVER YOU TAKE AWAY, YOU GIVE BACK IN SOME WAY, SOME FORM.

[ANNA] YOU MANAGED YOUR RESOURCES WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF NOT JUST TODAY OR TOMORROW, BUT SEVEN GENERATIONS FORWARD.

HOW WILL YOUR ACTIONS TODAY IMPACT SEVEN GENERATIONS IN THE FUTURE?

IT'S ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT CINDI IS THAT SHE'S NOT ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE BEATING THIS INFORMATION DOWN YOUR THROAT, BUT RATHER SHARE IT WITH YOU IN A VERY INTERESTING AND ENDEARING WAY THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT.

(BIRD CHIRP) [CINDI] YOU SEE THAT RIGHT THERE?

THERE ARE THESE LITTLE, RED SHRIMP THAT MY FAMILY USED AS BAIT.

IS IT TOO SMALL?

[CINEMATOGRAPHER] YEAH.

IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY HARD TO PHOTOGRAPH.

[CINDI] OKAY.

[CINEMATOGRAPHER] YEAH.

[CINDI] WELL, JEFF SAW IT!

(LAUGHS) WE'RE AT MAKALAWENA, WHICH IS WHERE I GREW UP WITH MY FAMILY.

BACK IN THE '20S, IT WAS A VERY BUSTLING VILLAGE AT MAKALAWENA.

OUR FAMILIES WERE VERY DEPENDENT ON THE OCEAN.

AS A YOUNG GIRL, I CAME TO MAKALAWENA FOR A WEEK OR TWO TO HELP MY FAMILY GATHER FOOD TO TAKE BACK TO OUR LANDS IN KALAOA.

THE POND RIGHT OVER THIS, THIS LITTLE BARRIER IS WHERE WE USED TO WASH OFF WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.

AND WHEN MY BROTHERS TOOK ME THERE, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS A HUGE POND.

AND TODAY WHEN I GO OH, IT'S JUST A SMALL, LITTLE POND.

AND, I REMEMBER MY BROTHER SAYING TO ME, "JUMP IN, JUMP IN!"

AND I THOUGHT, "IT'S TOO BIG!"

AND NOW I CAN PUT MY FOOT IN IT.

WHERE I LIVE NOW IT'S VERY BOUNTIFUL, BUT IN ORDER FOR OUR FAMILIES HERE ON THE MAKAI LANDS TO RECEIVE THAT BOUNTY, WE HAD TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THEM.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND YOUR PLACE, UNDERSTAND YOUR LANDS BECAUSE, THEY CAN EMBRACE YOU OR THEY CAN SPIT YOU OUT.

(CONCH SHELL BLOW) [RICK] WELL, RIGHT HERE IS WHERE THE 1992 EPA FUNDED SEWER ENDS.

EVERYTHING BACK TO KAHALUU BAY IS ON CESSPITS.

THE WATER RIGHT HERE IS FEDERALLY DESIGNATED AS IMPAIRED UNDER THE CLEAN WATER ACT.

AND THE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE BEGIN TO MODULATE THAT IMPAIRMENT AND CORRECT IT.

AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY CORRECTIVE PROGRAMS ON THIS ISLAND AT ALL.

AND THERE'S VERY FEW IN THE STATE.

IF THE WATER TURNED RED LIKE IT DID IN LONG ISLAND, IF THE FISH WENT BELLY UP LIKE THEY'RE DOING IN THE FLORIDA INLAND WATERWAYS, THEN PEOPLE WILL START TO GET UPSET.

BUT YOU BRING SOMEBODY OUT FROM THE MAINLAND TODAY AND LOOK AT THIS BAY, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE THAT SUGGESTS THERE'S A PROBLEM.

BUT OUR DATA CLEARLY INDICATES THERE'S A PROBLEM.

WE'RE USING THE OCEAN AS A DUMP.

STORMWATER IS JUST A SKOSH BETTER THAN SEWER WATER AND IT FLOWS INTO HOLES WE DIG IN THE GROUND HERE CALLED DRYWELLS.

AND IT'S JUST A HOLE.

AND THE WATER GOES DOWN THROUGH THE HOLE TAKING WITH IT THE OILS, THE GREASES, THE ASBESTOS INTO THE OCEAN.

[JACKIE] THE WASTEWATER IS GOING TO BE ANYTHING THAT FLOWS FROM YOUR HOUSE.

THERE ARE TWO CATEGORIES OF WASTEWATER.

SO THERE'S GREY WATER AND THEN THERE'S BLACK WATER.

(TOILET FLUSH) BLACK WATER IS GOING TO BE ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM YOUR TOILETS OR YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL.

GREY WATER WILL BE ANY WATER THAT COMES FROM SOURCES LIKE YOUR SHOWER OR YOUR LAUNDRY ROOM.

SO THEY'RE CATEGORIZED DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SOURCE OF THE WATER IS.

GREY WATER CAN BE TREATED AND RECYCLED WHERE BLACK WATER IS NOT SAFE TO CONSUME AFTER TREATING.

80% OF OUR WATER GLOBALLY IS NOT RECYCLED OR TREATED.

SO A LOT OF OUR WASTEWATER IS NOT BEING USED OR RECYCLED.

[GREG] UNFORTUNATELY, ON THE BIG ISLAND IN PARTICULAR AND ON MANY ISLANDS, WE DO NOT HAVE WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

SO, ALL OF THAT EFFLUENT IS GOING INTO THE REEF.

MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS AND IT LIKE HURTS THE REEF.

WHAT IT'S DOING IS ACTUALLY FERTILIZING ALGAE TO GROW OVER THE CORAL BECAUSE ALGAE IS A PLANT.

THE PLANT RESPONDS TO THE NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS THAT'S COMING OUT OF OUR EFFLUENT.

THE SAME THING THAT CREATES THIS EFFLUENT PROBLEM ALSO, IN EFFECT, CAUSES SOME POSITIVE STUFF TO HAPPEN.

WE GET FRESHWATER RAIN THAT FALLS ONTO THE LAND, GOES INTO THE SUBSURFACE MATERIAL, ROCK MATERIAL AND FLOWS OUT INTO THE OCEAN.

THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS IT DOES THAT.

IT'S SUPER COMPLEX, THE HYDROLOGISTS ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

SOME OF THAT FRESHWATER MAKES IT TO OUR REEFS AND IT CAUSES THESE LITTLE REFUGIA, THESE LITTLE, COOL WATER HABITATS.

AND, WE HAVE FOUND THAT THOSE PLACES ARE WHERE THE CORALS ARE DOING BETTER GIVEN THESE MARINE HEAT WAVES THAT KEEP PASSING THROUGH THE ISLANDS NOW.

I MANAGE THE ALLEN CORAL ATLAS.

THAT PROGRAM LETS US MONITOR THE STATUS OF CORAL REEFS WORLDWIDE.

IT'S A PACKAGE SYSTEM THAT WE BUILT IT'S HOMEMADE THAT LETS US SEE THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE CORALS AS WE FLY OVER, WHICH NO SATELLITE CAN DO, JUST NOT IN ORBIT YET.

WE FLY OVER AND WE SEE, OH, THIS CORAL HAS THIS CHEMICAL SIGNATURE AND WE CAN KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE SPECIES AND ALSO ITS HEALTH AT THE SAME TIME.

SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A MARINE HEAT WAVE THAT WAS PASSING THROUGH THE ISLANDS.

SHE WANTED TO KNOW HOW HER REEF WAS DOING AND I HAD MY AIRCRAFT, SO I WAS ABLE TO GIVE HER THE STATE OF THE ART MATERIAL.

IT WAS COOL BECAUSE I THOUGHT, "HMM, SHE'S GOING TO KNOW THIS REEF.

I HOPE THIS THING'S >> NO ONE HAS EVER DONE THAT FOR ME BEFORE MAPPED THE WHOLE BAY.

BUT SINCE HE HAD A PLANE, I WANTED HIM TO MAP THE BAY.

AND HE DID SEND ME A MAP OF IT.

IT TELLS YOU WHERE THE DIFFERENT CORALS ARE BECAUSE YOU COULD GO IN AND SAY, "WOW, THEY LOOK BEAUTIFUL."

BUT BECAUSE KATHLEEN GOES IN EVERY WEEK, SHE CAN SEE SMALL, LITTLE AREAS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CORALS THAT ARE DETERIORATING.

SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CALL A CORAL TEMPORAL TEXTURE PROJECT WHERE WE MEASURE THE CORALS EVERY MONTH TO SEE IF THEY'RE GROWING OR IF THEY'RE DECREASING IN SIZE.

[KATHLEEN] THIS JUST SHOWS THE DIFFERENT SITES IN THE BAY, AND SO WE HAVE SIX SITES.

WE TRY TO REALLY GET A DIVERSITY OF HABITATS, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT LITTLE HABITATS IN KAHALUU BAY.

SO DIVERSITY OF HABITATS, KIND OF DEPTHS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUBSTRATE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CORAL, DIFFERENT HUMAN IMPACT, FRESHWATER OR NOT FRESHWATER.

AND, THEN THIS JUST SHOWS CORAL THE STRESS RESPONSE.

AND THIS CORAL 1A SAW SOME OF THE WORST DECLINE.

SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIRST PICTURE, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF LIVE TISSUE LEFT.

THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 50% LIVE TISSUE.

BUT AS TIME GOES ON, IT'S DOWN TO 10%.

SO THIS CORAL DID NOT FARE WELL THIS YEAR.

REALLY, OUR GOAL, I THINK, IS TO TRY TO GET TO KNOW KAHALUU BAY AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

SO, LEARNING KIND OF THE FINE DETAILS AND GETTING TO KNOW IT ON A DEEPER LEVEL AND ENCOURAGING OUR COMMUNITY TO DO THAT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER US AND THE CORAL AND THE FISH AND THE OCEAN AND THE MOUNTAINS.

THERE'S NO SEPARATION REALLY BETWEEN HUMANS AND NATURE AND THAT'S A REALLY DEEPLY ROOTED TENET OF HAWAIIAN CULTURE IS THAT THERE'S NO SEPARATION.

WE ALL DEPEND ON EACH OTHER.

[PRESIDENT TRUMP] TODAY, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THAT THIS IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

[WHO] THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 118,000 CASES IN 114 COUNTRIES.

[NEWS REPORTER] 627 PEOPLE DYING IN JUST THE PAST 24 HOURS.

[WHO] HOW IS THIS VIRUS CIRCULATING?

WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF INFECTION?

[WHO] WHO IS DYING FROM THIS DISEASE?

HOW ARE PEOPLE DYING?

[NEWS REPORTER] IT'S CHANGING DAY BY DAY, HOUR BY HOUR.

[NEWS REPORTER] SO MUCH IS KNOWN.

A LOT MORE IS UNKNOWN.

[NEWS REPORTER] IN A DRAMATIC MOVE TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ORDERED AN EXTENSIVE TRAVEL BAN.

[GOVERNOR IGE] WE DO HAVE OUR FIRST CASE OF CONFIRMED COVID-19 HERE IN THE ISLANDS.

[GOVERNOR IGE] IF ANYONE ARRIVES AT OUR AIRPORTS WITHOUT A PLACE TO STAY, THEY WILL BE IMMEDIATELY SENT BACK.

(TYPING) [CINDI] MAHALO EVERYONE FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.

[SCOTT] HELLO.

MAHALO CINDI, AND MAHALO TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE TAKING SOME TIME TO ATTEND THIS DISCUSSION THIS MORNING.

[CINDI] MY TEAM RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A SMALLER TEAM BECAUSE COVID HAS REMOVED SOME OF MY CORE VOLUNTEERS.

[SCOTT] OKAY.

SEA LEVEL RISE.

THIS IS THE DEFINITE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

[CINDI] I CLOSED OUR EDUCATION CENTER MARCH 14, 2020, BECAUSE I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR STAFF AND OUR VISITORS SAFETY.

AND THEN ON MARCH 20, 2020, THE COUNTY CLOSED ALL THE PARKS AND THE STATE CLOSED ALL THE PARKS.

♪ [ANNA] WHEN PEOPLE WERE SHUTTERED IN PLACE AND THE AREAS LIKE KAHALUU WERE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO REST FROM HUMAN INTERVENTION.

AND TO SEE THE RESOURCES AND HOW THE WATERS AROUND THE ISLANDS CLEARED AND THE ABUNDANCE OF MARINE LIFE THAT RETURNED TO THE AREAS IS QUITE AN EYE OPENER, I THINK, FOR ALL OF US NOT JUST HERE IN HAWAII, BUT GLOBALLY.

[DAN] "MALAMA AINA" IS TO PRESERVE, TO CARE FOR THE LAND.

THE PANDEMIC HAS A YIN AND YANG EFFECT.

YES IT HAD IT'S NEGATIVE, BUT IT ALSO HAD A POSITIVE SIDE TO IT.

IT GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF WE GIVE THE PLACE A REST.

IF WE LET IT REPLENISH.

IF WE LET IT HEAL.

IF WE DON'T ABUSE IT.

WE DON'T TAKE FROM IT, BUT WE JUST LET IT REST.

[MAURICE] IT MADE YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE, BEFORE WE WERE ALL HERE.

(TRICKLING WATER) WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS FOR WHEN VISITORS COME TO OUR ISLAND, IF THEY COULD UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

YOU'RE NOT JUST COMING TO A BEACH.

YOU'RE COMING TO AN ENTIRE TRADITION.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES THAT MAYBE TO YOU, AT FIRST THOUGHT, THAT'S A PILE OF ROCKS.

BUT, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AND SEE WHAT WHAT IT IS, WHAT'S THE HISTORY BEHIND IT, WHY THAT'S THERE, IT'LL GIVE YOU MORE APPRECIATION FOR WHERE YOU'RE VISITING AND WHERE YOU LIVE.

[JOHN] THE LAST 18 MONTHS, THE PANDEMIC CAUSED THE JUGGERNAUT OF TOURISM TO STOP.

AND THAT PAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WENT FROM YEAR END 2019 WITH 10,400,000 VISITORS AND SIX MONTHS LATER, THE DAILY ARRIVALS WERE HOVERING AROUND ZERO.

NO TRAFFIC.

EMPTY BEACHES.

EMPTY MOUNTAIN TRAILS.

THE SENSE THAT WE GOT OUR ISLANDS BACK.

BUT THAT EUPHORIA IS MATCHED WITH THE REALIZATION THAT THIS, TOO, IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.

HOVERING AT ZERO IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.

WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO HAVE THIS INDUSTRY MOVE ON A NEW TRAJECTORY?

ONE THAT WAS MORE ATTUNED TO SUSTAINABILITY AND MORE OF A REGENERATIVE WAY OF LIVING.

THOSE ARE NOT NEW CONCEPTS, RIGHT?

THOSE ARE CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN OUR OWN ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE.

THE CHALLENGE IN THE 21ST CENTURY IS HOW DO YOU TAKE THOSE PRINCIPLES AND TRANSLATE THEM, IMPLEMENT THEM AT SCALE?

[DANTE] GOOD MORNING.

ALOHA.

MY NAME'S DANTE.

I'M YOUR CAPTAIN TODAY.

DESTINATION TODAY IS ROB'S REEF.

IT'S ABOUT 16 MILES DOWN THE COAST.

DO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR MARINE CRITTERS.

WE DO SEE QUITE A FEW DOLPHINS.

ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU SEE ANYTHING, SHOUT OUT DISTANCE AND DIRECTION.

WE'LL GO CHECK THEM OUT.

LET'S GO HAVE SOME FUN.

HERE WE GO.

♪ [MENDY] WE FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR BUSINESS HERE, HAVE OUR FAMILY GROW UP HERE, LIVE HERE.

SO WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF IT THE BEST THAT WE KNOW HOW.

WE TRY TO BE AS ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY AND AS GENTLE AS WE CAN.

WE HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR VESSELS AND OUR BUSINESS, BUT THE STATE HAS CONTROL OVER HOW MANY VESSELS CAN BE HERE AND HOW MANY VESSELS CAN TAKE PEOPLE OUT INTO THE OCEAN AND TAKE THEM DOWN TO KEALAKEKUA.

[DANTE] FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND THE HEALTH OF THE REEF, PLEASE STAY OFF THE BOTTOM.

DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING.

DON'T STAND UP ANYWHERE.

AND DO NOT TRY TO CLIMB ASHORE ANYWHERE.

OKAY?

[MENDY] WE GIVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORAL AND THAT IT'S A LIVE ANIMAL BUT, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT IT'S A ROCK.

AND THAT'S WHAT CINDI'S DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB AT KAHALUU ABOUT IS EDUCATING RESIDENTS JUST AS MUCH AS VISITORS.

PEOPLE USED TO GIVE THE FISH PEAS AND PIECES OF CHEESE TO FEED THEM, TO GET THEM TO COME TO THEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, WITH HER EDUCATION DOWN THERE, SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO STOP THAT.

AND THAT'S BEEN HUGE.

[DANTE] ALL RIGHT.

LUNCH IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES.

[MENDY] MY SON WAS A VEGAN AND HE WAS KIND OF HARPING ON ME TO CHANGE THE MENU AND TO GO WITHOUT MEAT ON THE BOAT.

AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK SO."

AND THEN WE WERE CLOSED DOWN WITH COVID FOR MANY MONTHS, AND I JUST THOUGHT, "WHY NOT?"

YOU KNOW, WE SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO OUR PLANET AND IT'S WHATEVER LITTLE BIT WE CAN DO IS BETTER THAN NOTHING.

AND IF WE CAN OPEN SOMEBODY ELSE'S MIND UP TO WHAT CAN THEY DO, WHAT CAN THEY DO IN THEIR HOMETOWN THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THAT MIGHT BE GENTLER ON THE PLANET, THEN THAT'S GOOD.

WE CAN'T BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYBODY.

SO IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND THE MESSAGE WE'RE GETTING ACROSS AND HOW WE FEEL, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, THAT'S OKAY.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY OUR BEST TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE.

[HEATHER] I GREW UP IN A FAMILY WHO HUNTS, SO YOU LEARN TO... AND I GREW UP ON A RIVER.

YOU LEARN TO RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOU LEARN TO RESPECT THE ANIMALS.

SO I THINK YOU HAVE TO DO THE SAME WITH THE WATER.

I JUST DON'T THINK WE ALWAYS THINK ABOUT IT WHEN WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.

[CHRISTOPHER] "LEAVE NO TRACE" IS A BIG PART OF ANY OUTDOOR RECREATION.

RIGHT?

AND WANTING TO LEAVE SOMEWHERE EITHER UNTOUCHED OR BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT.

SO WE DEFINITELY PREACH THAT AS A CORE PART OF RECREATION AND BEING MINDFUL ABOUT THAT.

PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AWARE AREN'T OPEN TO CHANGE.

RIGHT?

AND SO THE MORE YOU TALK ABOUT IT, THE LESS IT BECOMES, LIKE SOME MOVEMENT YOU'RE TRYING TO PUSH ON SOMEBODY AND MORE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT IS JUST CONVERSATIONAL, IMPORTANT AND RECOGNIZED.

[LISA] IN THE WORK THAT WE DO IN CONSERVATION OR ENVIRONMENTALISM IN HAWAII, THE WORD "OHANA" COVERS ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, IN MY MIND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AND OUR STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MENTORED US.

AND THEY ALL DON'T LIVE IN HAWAII.

THEY LIVE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE CREATED A NETWORK OF VERY CREATIVE, VERY PASSIONATE PEOPLE FROM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO EMINENT SCIENTISTS WHO ARE HELPING US DO WHAT WE THINK SHOULD BE DONE FOR OUR OCEANS AROUND HAWAII.

[PRODUCER] WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW EACH OTHER?

[LISA] NOVEMBER OF 2019.

BEFORE COVID.

[CINDI] BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM SO FAR, YOU KNOW, SUCH A DISTANCE.

WHEN WE SEE EACH OTHER, IT'S LIKE WE SAW EACH OTHER YESTERDAY.

[LISA] I LEARN FROM THE PROCESSES THAT SHE'S GOING THROUGH WITH THE FOLKS THAT SHE WORKS WITH HERE, AND I LEARN AND TRY TO USE THE SAME KINDS OF PROCESSES WHEN I WORK WITH PEOPLE ON OAHU WHERE HER HANAUMA BAY IS LOCATED.

PRE-COVID, HANAUMA BAY WAS AT 3000 TO 6000 PEOPLE A DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK, 52 WEEKS A YEAR.

ABOUT A MILLION VISITORS.

AND THE CORAL REEFS IN THE INNER REEFS HAD STARTED TO DECLINE AS EARLY AS 2001 AND 2002.

I THINK THE BIGGEST DETRIMENT TO ITS CONSERVATION WAS THE FACT THAT IT IS A REVENUE GENERATING ENTERPRISE FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

WE SHARE THE JOURNEYS THAT WE'RE TAKING, AND THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON AND THEN WE TRY TO HELP EACH OTHER COME UP WITH WAYS TO NAVIGATE THOSE AREAS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.

AND I THINK WE MISS THAT.

WE ADVERTISE, "COME TO TURTLE BAY!

KAHALUU IS A TURTLE BAY!

ENJOY YOURSELF."

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A SACRED, SPECIAL PLACE THAT WHEN YOU COME YOU'RE... YOU SET YOURSELF TO BE RESPECTFUL.

THAT'S MY VISION.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KAHALUU BAY, AND LISA, HANAUMA BAY, CREATED IS AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR VISITORS.

I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, NOT JUST TALK ABOUT, BUT ACTUALLY HAVE THAT ACTION PLAN AND IMPLEMENT THEM.

[LINDSEY] ALOHA CINDI.

I LOVE...

I WAS SAYING I LOVE THE NEW SIGNS.

I HADN'T SEEN THAT SIGN FOR CORAL GROWING.

[CINDI] WE JUST HAD THOSE SIGNS MADE.

TRYING TO HAVE OUR VISITORS BE MORE PREPARED BEFORE THEY GET OUT IN THE WATER.

ACTUALLY, THOSE TWO BUOYS ARE THE BEGINNING OF WHAT I ENVISION TO BE THE SNORKEL TRAIL.

[LINDSEY] OH, WONDERFUL.

[CINDI] SO THEY START AT THAT BUOY AND THEN THERE'LL BE A SECOND ONE, AND THIRD AND FOURTH AND... [LINDSEY] OH, WOW.

OK. [CINDI] IT WILL PROVIDE THE VISITOR A REALLY REWARDING EXPERIENCE IN THE BAY, BUT IN AN AREA THAT IS CONFINED SO THEY DON'T STEP ALL OVER THE BAY AND HAVE A CHANCE OF KILLING THE RECRUITS THAT ARE GROWING RIGHT NOW.

THE CORAL RECRUITS.

[JOHN] CINDI'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BAY AND HER CARE FOR THE BAY IN HER ROLE OF "KEEPER OF THE BAY" IS NOT UNLIKE HOW SHE WOULD RELATE TO HER OWN GRANDMOTHER.

IT IS THAT FAMILIAL.

WHEN YOU RELATE TO IT AS A FAMILY MEMBER YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE SPIRIT OF THAT LIFE FORM.

THE MORE WE AS HUMAN BEINGS GET IN TOUCH WITH THAT CAPACITY WITHIN OURSELVES, MY HOPE IS THAT IT WILL INSPIRE US, IF NOT OUTRIGHT COMPEL US TO GO FIND OUR OWN BAY IN OUR OWN LIVES BECAUSE THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF GOOD WORK TO BE DONE NOT ONLY IN HAWAI'I BUT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

[DAN] YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY SIMPLE HAWAIIAN SAYING "ALOHA AKU, ALOHA MAI."

AND ALOHA IS GIVEN AND ALOHA IS RECEIVED.

AND WHATEVER YOU GIVE, WHATEVER YOU SHARE, YOU KNOW IT COMES BACK IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT'S THAT RIPPLE EFFECT.

IT GOES OUT.

SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A LONG TIME.

BUT, IT TAKES ONE TO START THAT.

[LISA] IF YOU THINK ABOUT HAWAII'S FIRST BAN IN THE WORLD ON SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF JUST TWO REEF TOXIC CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS, THERE IS NO ENFORCEMENT CLAUSE IN THAT LAW.

THERE'S NO SUNSCREEN POLICE.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE WAS, HAWAII DID WAS, WE LED THE WAY FOR BONAIRE, ARUBA, PALAU, MARSHALL ISLANDS, KEY WEST AND EVEN TAIWAN TO ENACT SIMILAR KINDS OF LEGISLATION.

AND SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN MORE STRICT.

[MENDY] I WENT TO STATE PARKS, HAWAII STATE PARKS, AND ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD MAKE IT PART OF THE PERMITS FOR ALL THE BOATS THAT GO TO KEALAKEKUA THAT THEY COULDN'T ALLOW CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN ON BOARD.

AND THEY SAID, "OKAY."

SO THEY JUST DID IT.

AND IT WAS SO SIMPLE.

ALL I HAD TO DO WAS ASK.

[JACKIE] I'M A LOVER OF THE WATER.

I LOVE OUR ENVIRONMENT AND I WANT TO PROTECT IT.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A SOLUTION THAT'S BETTER THAN A CESSPOOL.

IF I WAS BUYING A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, ONE THING THAT I'M REALLY INTO RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS TOILETS GO, AN INCINERATION TOILET WHICH IS A REALLY COOL SYSTEM THAT CAN BE PERFECT OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE IN REALLY REMOTE AREAS OR RURAL BECAUSE, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY WATER.

IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY, LIKE, WASTE HOOKUP.

IT'S BASICALLY TAKING ALL THE LIQUID AND SEWAGE WASTE AND IT'S BURNING IT INTO PATHOGEN FREE ASH.

SO THERE'S ESSENTIALLY NO WASTE.

MY FRIENDS ARE PROBABLY, LIKE, ANNOYED OF ME TALKING ABOUT IT.

BECAUSE, THEY'RE LIKE, "WHY IS SHE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT WASTE?"

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT AND, AND LOOK AT OUR OPTIONS AND, AND SEE WHAT INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS ARE OUT THERE, IT'S IMPORTANT.

[LINDSEY] I WOULD SAY OVERALL, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE WILL HAVE THE TOOLS TO HELP OUR REEFS BE RESILIENT IN THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE REALLY SMART PEOPLE AND A REALLY WONDERFUL COMMUNITY HERE THAT'S ALL DEDICATED TO THAT ISSUE.

[CINDI] WE HAD THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR HERE WITH HER STUDENTS.

THEY ACTUALLY TOOK OUR FOUNDATION OF REEFTEACH AND WILL SHARE IT WITH NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SO THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING OUR WORK AT CAPE OUTLOOK IN NORTH CAROLINA.

WHAT WE SEE AT KAHALUU IS YOUNG CHILDREN THAT ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT TAKING CARE OF PLACE.

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IF THEY DON'T DO IT, THEN THEY WILL NOT HAVE SOMETHING FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN.

WE DO HAVE CHILDREN THAT REALLY FEEL THAT WAY AND, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL STEP UP TO THE BAR.

AND OUR YOUNG ONES, LIKE KATHLEEN, FOR ME, SHE IS THAT YOUNG ONE THAT YOU'RE GROOMING TO BE ABLE TO THEN YOU PASS ON THAT KNOWLEDGE AND HER AGE GROUP CAN CONTINUE.

[KATHLEEN] I HOPE JUST CINDI NEVER RETIRES AND WE CAN JUST DO IT TOGETHER FOREVER.

BUT IF SHE DOES, WHEN SHE DOES, YEAH, IT'S AN HONOR TO EVEN THINK THAT SHE WOULD TRUST ME WITH THAT.

THE OCEAN HAS BEEN A PART OF ME FOR MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT DEVELOPING THE RELATIONSHIP I HAVE WITH KAHALUU AND WITH THE PEOPLE THERE AND THE VOLUNTEERS, IT HAS CREATED A SITUATION THAT I NEVER COULD HAVE DREAMED.

YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS VERY...

IT'S THIS VERY EMOTIONAL• IT'S NOT A JOB.

IT'S A, IT'S A PASSION.

AND IT'S A, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WHERE IT BECOMES YOUR LIFE'S WORK.

(HAWAIIAN MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [MAURICE] I WOULD SAY OUR ENTIRE ISLAND IS A KEEPER OF THE BAY.

IT'S UP TO OUR ENTIRE ISLAND.

WHEN MY STAFF GOES OUT, JUST PULLING A BAG OF RUBBISH OUT OF A CAN, YOU'RE THE KEEPER OF THE BAY.

WHEN YOU'RE NOT WALKING ON THE CORAL, YOU'VE JUST BECOME A KEEPER OF THE BAY.

EVERYBODY WHO WEARS REEF SAFE SUNSCREEN IS A KEEPER OF THE BAY.

WHAT CINDI IS DOING AND WHAT HER TITLE OF "KEEPER OF THE BAY" IS SHE'S OUT FRONT.

SHE'S THE ONE THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN.

[JOHN] WHAT SHE INHERENTLY KNOWS IS THAT THE BAY IS OUR KEEPER TOO.

IT PROVIDES US FOOD.

IT PROVIDES US, IN HAWAIIAN CULTURAL CONTEXT, WITH MEDICINE.

SHE, AS THE KEEPER OF THE BAY, KNOWS THAT THE BAY IS THE KEEPER OF HER.

AND THAT WHOLE MINDSET, THAT WHOLE ORIENTATION IS ACTUALLY TRANSFERABLE INTO MODERN SOCIETY.

[CINDI] I CAN'T STAY FOREVER.

BUT WHAT YOU DO IS YOU TRAIN THE YOUNG ONES TO WALK IN YOUR STEPS AND THEN TO EMPOWER THEM TO CREATE THEIR OWN STEPS.

I THINK WE ARE ALL KEEPERS OF THE BAY.

IT'S NOT JUST ME.

I THINK IT'S ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT PLACE.

I CAN'T DO IT BY MYSELF.

I CAN HELP.

I CAN HELP EMPOWER PEOPLE.

BUT I THINK, TOGETHER WE HAVE MADE THAT BAY WHAT IT IS TODAY.

(HAWAIIAN MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> IS THIS ONE OF THE OLD OLD TE SONGS.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪