POI Aviation Clean-up

As part of its commitment to preserve the environment, management and staff of POI Aviation once again gathered together and did the clean up at Ladder Beach last March 25, Friday, from 3:30 PM to 5PM. A total of 27 employees participated and collected about 22 bags or approximately 55 kilos of trash. The company will soon be adopting Ladder Beach and be in partnership with MINA in installing recycle bin within the area.

MANY KUDOS TO POI STAFF AND MANAGEMENT for your untiring dedication to helping to Beautify CNMI! Your hard efforts and walking-the-talk example are a great inspiration to all of our community --- THANK YOU!

MINA Congratulations Kagman High and Docomo - Another Bin Adopted

In celebration of the ongoing cleanup efforts at Marine Beach by Kagman High School Marine Biology Club, the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) and Docomo Pacific surprised the group on Saturday with a new set of trash and recycling bins for the beach.

“These kids have been cleaning up Marine beach every month for a year now. That to me is a commitment worth talking about,” said Joe Kaipat, Division of Environmental Quality Cleanup Brigade coordinator. Kaipat told MINA about the Club’s adoption of Marine Beach shortly after the Adopt-a-Bin program was launched.

Kaipat said the 30-member Club had been interested in taking part in MINA’s Adopt-a-Bin program to limit the amount of picnic waste left on the ground. Picnic waste eventually washes to the shoreline to become marine debris. The Club picks up 300 pounds of trash on average each month from Marine Beach, Kaipat reported. According to the Club, the worst thing found during a cleanup was a car battery, a highly toxic form of marine debris.

Although the Club met MINA’s requirement of conducting at least two clean ups a year to Adopt-a-Bin, it lacked funding to pay $1,000 for trash hauling services. In response, local businesses were solicited to partner with the Club. A similar partnership was successfully galvanized between the Susupe Hi-5 Basketball Team and US Representative Gregorio C. Kilili Sablan for a set of bins at Kilili Beach.

Last week, James Nelson, Docomo Pacific general manager, responded to MINA’s call. Nelson said he was impressed by the Club’s volunteerism and commitment to the environment and that his company would be happy to partner with the Club to Adopt-a-Bin.

After seeing the new bins in place on Saturday, Nelson surprised MINA in turn, by saying that Docomo Pacific would adopt a second bin for Saipan’s western shore. MINA is now seeking a partner for that bin. If you are interested in putting your name on the map of MINA’s Adopt-a-Bin program, contact 233-Reef, or mina@minapacific.org.

Draft Meeting Minutes for May 13, 2010

MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, May 13, 2010 – 6:00PM
CIC Conference Room - JP Bldg, Beach Road, Garapan

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CENTURY INSURANCE (TAN HOLDINGS) FOR HOSTING THIS MONTH'S MEETING!

Sign In – please make sure you get your name on the sign in sheet
I. Introductions – around the table (3-mins)
1) Cinta Kaipat – founder, volunteer
2) Noriko Watanabe – representing Hard Rock Café
3) Marites Castillo – representing FMI
4) Lina Dimaano– representing iServeiGive (Tan Holdings)
5) Steve Woodruff - volunteer
6) Laurie Peterka – volunteer PR Coordinator
7) N. Horiguchi – volunteer
8) Kathy Yuknavage – Marine Debris PM, MINA
II. Adopt agenda and last meeting’s minutes (2-mins)
1) Cinta motioned to adopt agenda – none opposed
2) Kathy motioned to adopt minutes – none opposed
III. Committee reports (20-mins or 2-3 mins each)
1) DEQ – tabled; Joe is off island
2) PDM Promoters – Laurie reported based on website submission
i. May 8th Clean up reported on website
ii. 780 lbs of trash collected
iii. 15 volunteers
3) TSL - iServe-iGive back - Lina
i. In April - 6 groups participated in IWC
ii. Total 235 people
iii. Booth at Environmental Expo – shared what the company is focused on for projects; the 3-Rs for the kids
4) Neighborhood Watch – tabled; Frank/Eric didn’t make it
5) Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) – Kathy
i. Marine Debris project is moving smoothly
ii. As school comes to a close, things will slow down a little
iii. Kagman high school is looking for a corporate partner to help with marine debris project ….maybe Hard Rock Café?
iv. Additional funding is available to do more bins
1. PauPau
2. Aquarius Beach
3. Chalan Pio (behind CKBC)
4. Marine Beach
5. Schools are a possibility
6. Bins don’t have to be “on the beach” – all of the island qualifies
v. Need to invite Karen Cabrera – ckalena@gmail.com or Fran Castro to represent MINA at regular meetings
6) Friends of the Marianas Islands (FMI) - Marites
i. Monthly clean ups at LauLau Beach South to Picnic area
ii. $2,000 Mobil donation for equipment to cut the grass away from the road (5th year)
7) Graffiti – Cinta, Laurie, Marites
i. $2,500 NMC grant is available
ii. Project is ready to go to next steps, but needs a project leader
iii. Cinta/FMI going to take over lead of the committee
8) Junk Cars – Laurie reported update per news
i. Zoning announced last month that it would begin tagging cars
ii. Zoning reported that they will be working with mayor’s office
iii. Cinta mentioned that Zoning would like a BCNMI volunteers to inform them via a survey or report of some kind to help identify junk cars for removal
9) Hard Rock Café is interested in forming a group or finding a way to be involved with some type of environmental projects
IV. Coalition Initiatives (15 mins)
1) Signature Events
i. Laurie suggested that coalition partners share their calendar for the remainder of the year
ii. Laurie observed that several groups all have their cleanup on the first Saturday of the month –
iii. Discussion about possibly encouraging groups to spread out their regularly monthly cleanup plans so that something is going on every weekend
2) Identify a “calendar” person
i. Laurie suggested that each coalition member/partner should make the effort to join the BCNMI calendar and add their events
ii. Laurie suggested that someone could take responsibility for sending out weekly reminders on calendar items with an invitation to the public to join
V. Announcements (2-mins) - none
VI. Next monthly meeting - 2nd Thursday of the Month (2-mins)
1) June 10th - Time: 5:30pm
2) Location: CIC Conference Room (or other if volunteered)
3) Discussion and decision to keep the CIC Conference as the regular meeting place for the remainder of this year
i. Everyone agreed that consistency could help attendance
ii. Lina indicated that keeping the meetings at CIC is acceptable

CTSI installs MINA recycling bin at Susupe Park

April 14, 2010, Susupe, Saipan. Eric Cruz of Errico Corporation delivered the MINA trash bin for Tan Holdings & CTSI at Susupe Park.

The trash bin was placed in an area adjacent to the park’s parking lot which is very accessible for the hauler in picking up the contents of the trash bin. Joven Cruz from CTSI and on behalf of Tan Holdings received the trash bin from Eric Cruz.

CTSI adopted Susupe Park last January 2009 taking the responsibility of cleaning the park once a month and protecting it from vandals writing graffiti on pavilions by occasional repainting.

MINA public bins unveiled

So far eight organizations and families have adopted bins, pledging to pay for regular waste collection services for one year and to conduct at least two beach clean ups at their site. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan was on hand with his partnering organization, the Susupe Hi-5 basketball team, to receive certificates of appreciation for adopting the bins to be installed at Kilili Beach next week.

MINA’s Chair, Fran Castro said, “Partnerships such as these are the keystone to environmental stewardship. We deeply appreciate the commitment that the Congressman and these organizations and businesses have demonstrated towards protecting our islands’ natural resources”.

Other adopting organizations include: Brabu Pharmacy and Wellness Center – 13 Fishermen Monument; CTSI and Tan Holdings – Susupe Beach Park; Ericco Enterprises – Laolao Beach; Marianas Trekking – Wing Beach; The Rotary Club of Saipan – Garapan Fishing Basin; and the Marianas Visitor Authority (site not yet selected).

“CTSI Logistics-Saipan is among those companies who have continuously upheld rehabilitation projects to protect and preserve the beauty of the island”, said Saipan General Manager, Rene Magalong, who learned about the Adopt-a-Bin program through the Beautify CNMI network. CTSI Logistics-Saipan’s parent company, Tan Holdings, adopted Susupe Beach in 2008. The company encourages their team members to join in cleanups by scheduling regular birthday celebrations at the park each month.

“We were very pleased with the turn out, especially with the 20 cadets from the JROTC camp who took time to collect over 40 lbs of trash and recyclables from Obyan’s shoreline”, said MINA’s project manager. “That’s 40 lbs of trash that would otherwise have becoming marine debris. We welcome others to join in the program; only two sites remain un-adopted.”

Despite many activities to choose from Saturday morning, over 50 individuals from government agencies, public and private organizations and JROTC turned out to celebrate the installation of Mariana Islands Nature Alliance’s (MINA) first recycling and trash bins at the ribbon “untying” ceremony at Obyan Beach. The bins were made possible through a grant from the NOAA Marine Debris Prevention Program to “establish an island culture of recycling”.

If you or your company or organization would like to Adopt-a-Bin, please contact MINA by visiting their website at www.minapapcific.org or emailing Kathy Yuknavage at Kathy@minapacific.org.

Invitations to the Adopt-a-Bin Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

• MINA invites community members to the Adopt-a-Bin ribbon cutting ceremony this Saturday morning at Obyan Beach, 9:00 am.
  
  The first recycling and mixed waste bins will be installed to make proper trash disposal more convenient at area beaches, thus reducing the amount of litter left to become marine debris.
  
  We invite our many partners, members and friends to join in the celebration and recognize our many adopters (in alphabetical order):
  
  o Brabu Pharmacy and Wellness Center, LLC - 13 Fishermen Monument
  o Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan and the Susupe Hi-5 Basketball team - Kilili Beach
  o CTSI and Tan Holdings - Susupe Beach Park
  o Ericco Enterprises - Laolao Beach
  o Marianas Trekking - Wing Beach
  o Rotary Club of Saipan - Garapan Fishing Basin
  
  We thank our funders the NOAA Marine Debris Prevention Program for making this program possible.
  
  Visit MINA on the web at http://www.minapacific.org

MINA’s Adopt-A-Bin Recycling Project Launched to Minimize Marine Debris

The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) will be removing both real and perceived barriers to proper waste disposal at seven popular public sites this month by installing mixed waste and recycling bins at Garapan Fishing Basin, 13 Fisherman monument, Kilili Park, Sugar Dock, and Wing, Laolao, and Obyan beaches. This project, funded by NOAA’s Marine Debris Prevention Program, aims to diminish the amount of litter left on the shore that eventually washes into our ocean to become a floating “soup” of garbage.

Last year’s Coastal Clean up Day confirmed what had already been observed; by installing and paying for weekly trash hauling services three years running, MINA virtually ended the litter problem once miring the beauty of Wing Beach. Chair, Fran Castro said, “The next step is to see if we can also get people at the beach to separate plastic, glass and metal from their garbage before throwing it in a bin. Recycling is the key to lengthening the life of our landfill. The more we separate, the less we have to bury”, said Castro “and what better way to establish recycling than by placing bins in public places”.


Ericco Enterprises was contracted by MINA to build the recycling and mixed waste bins scheduled for installation Saturday, March 27th at Obyan Beach. Regular trash hauling services will begin immediately. MINA has secured funding to pay for the first few months of service for the seven sites, but is asking interested individuals, families, and businesses to be part of the solution to the pollution problem by contacting MINA to “Adopt-A-Bin” and pay for one year of trash hauling services. In return, Adopters will have their name or logo placed on their bin and be internationally recognized as one of Saipan's eco-friendly and community-oriented businesses in a documentary that will be shown at the US Coral Reef Task Force meeting next year in Washington, DC. Adoption fees are 100% tax deductible.

Already four bins have been adopted by: MINA, Brabu Pharmacy and Wellness Center, Ericco Enterprises, and Rotary Club of Saipan. Several other organizations have also expressed interest in the program.

If you would like to adopt a bin or would like more information please contact MINA’s project manager at kathy@minapacific.org or visit the MINA website at www.minapacific.org to learn more from their Goals and Projects page about how you can prevent marine debris.

Draft Meeting Minutes for March 11, 2010

MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, March 11, 2010 – 5:30PM
Tasi Tours Conference Room

I. Introductions – around the table
II. Adopt agenda and last meeting’s minutes
1) agenda adopted
2) no meeting minutes from last meeting - moved & approved to push adoption of minutes to next meeting: agreed!
III. Special Initiatives
1) Ogumoro-Uludong – SCS: Eco-Karnival
i. Saipan Community School is hosting
ii. Looking for community participation
iii. Mission to educate youth and community
iv. Booths from K-8: games, displays, Govt Agencies are going to be involved
v. Wants to invite Beautify CNMI
1. Thelma will follow up stickers
2. Try to prepare an info sheet that could distributed
2) Lisa Eller – DEQ: Garapan Stormwater Pollution Prevention Project
i. Water gets polluted by various human activities
ii. Goal is to teach community members that pollution is tied with coral reef health and tourism
iii. Businesses cooperate and get certified
1. Free training
2. Low cost remedies
3. Certified sticker for their window
iv. Some simple, affordable, beautifying ideas
1. Rain gardens
2. Rain catchment
3. Closing trash bins
4. Unclogging drain covers
v. Comments
1. Is the CNMI-wide plan being considered in this project?
2. Suggest splitting the businesses into two groups so that those who are already compliant are recognized
3. Others need to be shown how to fix the bigger problems
4. Blue Starfish is looking for business partners to help refine program and implementation
5. How can businesses open without being in compliance?
3) Aric Bickel – DEQ: Earth Hour a World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) project
i. A world-wide endeavor
ii. Everyone around the world turns their lights off for 1-hour as part of global-statement
iii. Mission is to speak out about climate change
iv. Why here?
1. We aren’t guilty of causing or contributing like other countries
2. We are effected by ocean acidification and rising sea levels
v. Brainstormed ideas on how to get the most participation in the CNMI
4) Open Discussion: Public Information Campaign on BCNMI
i. Beautify CNMI! Is a coalition of concerned citizens, private groups, and government entities united to enhance the CNMI’s natural beauty and foster community pride in its residents and visitors.
ii. The principle concept of this committee is to follow the Beautify CNMI established style of getting things done. We build a coalition, share resources where we can and support individual(s) and/or group(s) that have an action plan.
iii. The “Energy Star Program” – it’s a label and anyone can adopt to their own initiative…we are not a formal group, but a coalition of like-minded groups and individuals all contributing to the same focus
iv. Discussion
1. Background
2. Corporate functions are missing
a. Protection from liability
b. Implementation of accountability
3. Make sure that acknowledgment is given to the primary promoter
4. Is it a group or is it a campaign?
5. If it’s a group and should be a campaign there needs to be a transition
6. Cinta and Laurie are now council members for RC&D Marianas and part of the Saipan committee --- perhaps tuck BCNMI back under this non-profit where it was originally born --- it provides structure and allows there to be a group administering a campaign
7. Take discussion to subcommittee and report back to group at next meeting
IV. Committee reports
1) Solid Waste
i. DEQ: Clean Up Brigade 740lbs at CowTown; Kagman Marine Biology Club will clean up Marine Beach this weekend
ii. PDM Promoters: Garapan with Awadori and Tanapag families cleaned up in Garapan area (940lbs collected)
2) Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) – Marine Debris project update
i. Adopt-A-Bin launching March 27th
ii. Seven most popular beach sites – so far 4 beaches adopted
iii. www.minapacific.org for more information go to Projects & Goals from the home page to find the Adopt-A-Bin project
iv. Home recycling bins as incentive for volunteers who help spread awareness about bins
v. Tipping fees are waived for sponsor clean-ups
vi. Keep MINA informed of sponsor-organized clean-ups for promo assistance
vii. Tan Holdings adopted and CTSI cleans-up Susupe Park every last Saturday of the month --- maybe they need a bin?
3) Graffiti
i. No new meetings since the last monthly meeting
ii. Graffiti education - concept/vision remains the same
1. Celebrity “Graffiti Busters” (Neighborhood Watch, TrenchTech and Power99)
2. Graffiti Walls and contest (ISK8, Power99)
3. Car Show and ISK8 competition (ISK8, Power99)
4. Mayor’s office supports idea – try to set up judging and completion to coincide with Liberation Festival and Parade
5. Set up corporate relationships for village residences to help eliminate graffiti (Neighborhood Watch)
6. Need help with structuring plan so that it can move forward; we are in danger of losing time to make it all come together
iii. Navy Hill Lighthouse Restoration Project – no report
4) Junk Cars – not present
5) Friends of the Marianas Islands (FMI) – not present
6) New/Other – N/A
V. Coalition Housekeeping
1) Calendar of Events – asked AOV to correct “time zone” so that events will show up correctly on the link
2) Website
i. No further accomplishment to-date
ii. Please submit ideas for content so that we can make sure that its included; i.e. Projects, Key People, Coalition Partners, About Us
iii. Check with Tyler Yoshimoto to get started; Eli Arago also offered to help
3) Identify and plan promotions for Signature Events
i. Ran out of time
ii. Suggested/voted/approved trying to accomplish via email
4) Identify and plan Environmental Champion Awards (should be April)
i. Ran out of time
ii. Suggested/voted/approved trying to accomplish via email
VI. Announcements
1) Rotary Club Las Vegas Night looking for volunteers
2) Other - none
VII. Set day and location for regular monthly meeting
1) 2nd Thursday of the Month:
i. April 15th Confirm or Change to April 8th
ii. Time: 5:30pm
iii. Location: Fiesta Resort & Spa (tentative) --- Lina and Eli will confirm…

THANK YOU TASI TOURS for hosting this month's meeting! We look forward to our corporate partners continuing to help with donating their conference room just one night out of the year to help us keep Beautify CNMI! active.

Invitation to Adopt-A-Bin and be part of the solution to Marine Debris

Saipan’s reefs and marine habitats are at risk from litter washing into the surrounding waters and becoming marine debris. This debris is not only unsightly; it poses a risk to marine life from entanglement, and smothering from its ingestion. MINA has found that beach clean ups alone are not the answer. The barrier to proper waste disposal must be addressed as well. In response MINA proposed and was awarded a grant by the NOAA Marine Debris Prevention program to place conveniently located recycling and mixed waste bins for public use and provide trash collection services at seven beach sites.

Funding has paid for the fabrication of weather resistant recycling and mixed waste bins for Saipan’s most popular beach sites: Garapan Fishing Basin, 13 Fisherman monument, Kilili Park, Sugar Dock, and Wing, Laolao, and Obyan beaches. Ericco Enterprises has been contracted to install the bins on March 27th and provide regular trash hauling services. The grant funding will pay for the first few months of hauling service, but MINA is asking interested individuals, families, and businesses to join the program and be part of the solution by “Adopting-A-Bin”. In return, Adopters will have their logo placed on their bin, a link to your organization on the MINA website, and be internationally recognized as one of Saipan's eco-friendly and community-oriented businesses in a documentary to be shown at the US Coral Reef Task Force meeting next year in Washington, DC.

Three sites have already been adopted! So if you wish to Adopt-a-Bin go to MINA's website under Goals & Projects. Scroll down to the link where you can download the form and send it to P.O. Box 506645 with a check for $1,000 made out to MINA, which will pay for one year of weekly trash hauling services from your site. You may submit your electronic logo and questions to MINA’s project manager, Kathy Yuknavage, at Kathy@minapacific.org.