Hi there, my name is Madelyne Miller! My GLI Global Theme and Challenge was Resources and Sustainability. For my Beyond the Classroom experience, I spent two weeks in Hawaii learning about their conservation issues and initiatives. I have had an interest in Hawaiian culture and the traditional ways they interact with the natural world. Due to this interest, I wanted to get some first hand experience on the islands to determine if I would want to continue a study of Hawaiian Peoples and the ways they manage their natural resources. In particular, during this experience, I was looking to learn how the Hawaiian community dealt with plastic pollution that comes from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by interacting with various organizations.

While I was in O’ahu, I was invited to join a protest hosted by two of the local organizations. They were protesting the current administration’s push for deep sea mining. The protest began with an oli, a traditional Hawaiian chant, and was followed with short talks from various employees of the organizationsand scientists. I learned the profound negative impacts associated with deep sea mining. I found this to be particularly memorable because I realized that I am rather unaware of the issues faced by marine communities due to the fact that I am from and live in a land locked place. However, I need to be more aware of the policies influencing marine ecosystems as the health of the ocean will impact every beings well-being, even those who do not live by the ocean. This event, in conjunction with the other organizations I interacted with, reminded me that I need to be aware of the sustainability issues occurring in the various ecosystems. 

My idea of Hawaii was greatly altered by this trip. I got to see all of the amazing work being done on the island and met some very kind individuals. At the same time, I saw the immense homelessness and social issues being faced by many on the island. Further, I witnessed the ways in which tourism has contributed to the commodification of a culture, which in truth felt somewhat unsettling. Overall, this experience has broadened my understanding of resource and sustainability initiatives. It has also aided me in narrowing which culture I want to study in my Anthropology career.