HONOLULU, HI – JULY 29, 2014 – Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi along with RISE, a core program of KUPU have launched the First Annual Ultimate Sand Sifter Challenge. The competition will provide the winning designers of a sand sifter with $5,000 cash of which $2,500 is theirs to keep and the other $2,500 is for them to build five more sifters for distribution to community members and groups.
The First Annual Ultimate Sand Sifter Challenge provides an outlet for human ingenuity in addressing global problems through local approaches. As a response to the marine debris/plastic pollution accumulating on Hawaiʻi’s coasts, sand sifters have become a major tool for effectiveness and efficiency in removing microplastics and debris from our beaches. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch breaks down debris, which land on Hawaiʻi’s primarily Eastern Coastlines, coloring our shorelines with plastic, tainting the pristine beauty of our islands and adversely affecting marine wildlife and ecosystems. Sand sifters allow for ease in removal of small, degraded plastic.
Participants of the First Annual Ultimate Sand Sifter Challenge are asked to submit an initial submission by September 26th with a drawing and description. On October 3, SCH and RISE will announce approved designs, and individuals/teams will have until November 14th to build their sand sifters for the final competition on Kailua Beach on November 15th. Judges of the competition will include local environmental leaders, engineers, biologists and celebrities.Sifter designs must be human-powered without need for gas or fossil fuels and each should be designed and built for no more than $300, with an emphasis on sourcing with sustainable materials, such as reused or recycled products. The final competition will choose the winning sifter based on the following criteria: amount of plastic removed, efficiency of sifter, cost to replicate, use of reusable base materials and portability.
Through raising awareness, this challenge will spread knowledge about the harm of single-use plastics and our general over use of plastics. This competition additionally engages the community to think about and create solutions to pressing issues of our time, and it will inspire and empower people for pro-active action around environmental protection.
Information and submission forms can be found at sustainablecoastlineshawaii.org/ultimate-sand-sifter-challenge/ OR at facebook.com/UltimateSifter
Please contact Kahi Pacarro at kahi@sustainablecoastlineshawaii.org 808.221.7678 for more information.