There is plenty of good on the Big Island of Hawai’i. In fact, one might say the inherent kindness of (most of) its inhabitants and the abundant beauty that surrounds all who set foot here more than compensate for some of the less savory aspects of island life. Arguably, many of the ugly parts are a byproduct of “modern civilization”, smuggled in and not part and parcel of the true Aloha spirit. But, this is not an editorial on the dark side of “progress”. Nor is it an exploration of the human condition. My qualifications do not reach nearly that far. This is an observation and, hopefully, an opportunity for greater minds than mine to spark solutions, if there are any to be had.
Before we begin, please note: If you are a witness to the act of illegal dumping in your community [in Hawai’i] or to report an illegal dumpsite located on private property, please call the Police Department at 935–3311 or call the State of Hawai’i Department of Health at 974–4000 ext. 64226 (toll-free).
Also, see this notice from the Hawai'i State Department of Health, especially the part about the fines and felony.
“Aloha ʻĀina” (love of the land) is a sentiment held by many and is often seen on hand-painted signage and, ironically enough, bumper stickers around the islands. A quick internet image search for “Hawaii abandoned cars”, however, will turn up an array of rusted, burned-out heaps against an endless assortment of jungle, beach, and dirt road backdrops. To be fair, this phenomenon is not endemic to Hawai’i. It just packs way more shock value in such a gorgeous place.
Spending a fair amount of time running on backroads and trails has presented me with innumerable opportunities to gaze upon these monstrosities up close and a little too personal. Just yesterday, a 25-yard diversion from my daily route down a rough beach access road, led me to a boneyard of vehicles and heaps of household refuse. Some obvious questions spring to mind each time like, “Who is doing this?”, “Why?”, “How can we curb this trend?”, and “What do we do with all these scorched vehicles?”
As far as the “who” and “why”, this article by David Morgan paints a disturbingly plausible picture. One explanation probably does not fit all. But, essentially, people moving from the islands ditch their cars because it is thought to be cheaper than shipping, selling, or scrapping them legally. This theory is supported by the whole housefuls of furniture, rubbish, and clothing that are found in proximity to some vehicles.
Not sure if morality can be legislated. Maybe it could in other places. But, a majority of Hawai’i exists on some ethereal plane or in poverty so massive its gravity sucks all thoughts into surviving another day. Either way, what is legal is not necessarily top of mind to everyone. There is also the issue of enforcing the law. Which touches on a whole other matter, outside the scope of this exercise entirely. This is why, in my humble belief, laws and fines will not deter this behavior.
With punitive measures out of the question, as a working solution at least, the next best area to focus (maybe) is on what could be done to provide people with alternatives to dumping their vehicles. An obvious solution would be to make it cheaper to salvage or sell/transfer title. The city of Honolulu, according to this Hawaii News Now article, has a free program for accepting junk cars. This looks promising. Hawaii (Big Island) also has a similar program, except the cost of getting the vehicle to the salvage yard is on the owner. Maui and Kauai have salvage programs too. Apparently, not enough people know about these options. So, spread the word.
No amount of advertising or word of mouth will do much good for the thousands (yeah, thousands) of vehicles already decaying in a scenic vista somewhere. These all need to be towed and disposed of. But, where? Who will foot the bill? We all probably know the answer to both of these questions. There is really no place to store the increasing number of junkers long-term. It costs money to ship anything across the ocean.
My feeble brain wants to suggest the development of more scrap metal processing facilities. Maybe there is a way to detox these carcasses and use them as fish habitats and artificial reefs? This is not that crazy of an idea. It has been done with ships and even subway cars. Might be good for the declining fish populations, other factors (overfishing) removed. Could provide more jobs. Who knows? No, seriously, if you have an idea please comment below. Thank you in advance.
Saving illegal trash dumping for another time, as it is another complex issue and deserves its own article.
