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Launching a Community Dish Lending Library
Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island is pleased to announce the launch of a community Dish Lending Library project beginning this summer! Planning for the project began early last year in collaboration with Devin Brown and the Bonner Program at UH Hilo, a four year nationwide program focused on leadership development through community outreach and engagement.
The Dish Lending Library is a free community resource of reusable tableware that can be borrowed for use at events such as graduations, birthday parties, work gatherings or small social gatherings as an alternative for single use disposables. To use the lending library, confirm pick up and drop off dates through the online request form. Tableware is then picked up, used for your event, washed and returned to us! The inventory consists of Corelle plates and bowls, canning jars for drinks, stainless steel cups, flatware, utensils, and more.
Tableware orders are made in advance and can simply be picked up from the East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center located in Downtown Hilo during their business hours. Community members are responsible for washing tableware before returning it. Washing bins, drying racks, and the cleaning procedures are provided upon pick up.
The goal for this project is to create an easy way for community members to test using a reusable tableware system for their events without the cost, storage, or tableware tracking responsibilities. This program will help prevent the use of single use disposables that would end up in the Puʻuanahulu landfill.
Learn more about the dish lending program on our website.