Field Notes
This month, we check in with Manny Pangilinan of Parley Hawaiʻi as he wraps up his epic island wide cleanup project, visiting and cleaning every beach park on the island of Oʻahu
Rising steeply from the Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu was created by two shield volcanoes, Waiʻanae and Koʻolau, whose eroded remnants define the island’s rugged coastline today. Along the North Shore, winter swells roll in across reefs formed on old lava flows, creating legendary surf breaks like Haleʻiwa and Pipeline. Elsewhere, sheer volcanic cliffs drop straight into the waves, giving way to quieter bays, coral reefs and long stretches of sand along more sheltered parts of the island. Like other islands in Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu is heavily impacted by the swirling plastic pollution trapped in the infamous North Pacific Gyre: the majority of it industrial fishing debris but much of it created on the islands themselves, especially given the tourism industry in Hawaiʻi.
An artist, poet, surfer and ocean activist, Parley’s Manny Pangilinan, also known as Manny Aloha, has lived on Oʻahu since moving there from New York City in 2005. His recent Island Wide Cleanup Project began with a simple idea: circle the island, stop at every single beach park and clean for one hour. Somewhere along the way, it became something much bigger — a demonstration of how small, routine acts of care can ripple outward into the wider community.
What started as a personal challenge transformed Manny’s understanding of environmental action, with volunteers, collaborators and local groups spontaneously joining him along the way.
“In the beginning, I didn’t really know what beach parks needed, because I didn't see it for myself,” he reflects, “but after cleaning up over 80 parks, I now realize that routine cleaning of every public space is absolutely vital.” Plastic pollution, he learned, is not caused by one person or one group — it is the accumulation of countless small moments. “No particular person drops trash. Everyone does, and we all need to do our small part.”
What the world needs is simple: Aloha and Mālama, as Hawaiians say, Love and Care — for the planet and each other.”
Manny Pangilinan, Parley Hawaiʻi
Over the past year, Manny has circumnavigated Oʻahu, cleaning every beach park and capturing raw, heartfelt videos of his discoveries and insights along the way. So far, the Island Wide Cleanup Project has visited 82 beach parks, intercepted 2,301 kg of trash (of which 1,625 kg was plastic) and engaged 714 volunteers — including 146 youth from Ocean Uprise and local communities. Together, Manny and these teams cleaned up a massive 671,722 square meters along the island’s coastline.
The epic circular tour will fittingly conclude with an event on June 6, just before World Oceans Day, at Wāwāmalu — where Parley Hawaiʻi is celebrating five years of habitat and coastal restoration work. And while the initiative may be wrapping up, Manny sees a lifetime of work ahead. “We’re not there yet,” he concludes. “But there’s definitely a movement happening. What the world needs is simple: Aloha and Mālama, as Hawaiians say, Love and Care — for the planet and each other.”
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