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ZERO WASTE
AT HOME
Practical tips for Kauaʻi residents to reduce household waste
Simple Steps to Reduce Your Waste
The most sustainable action we can all take is simple: buy less. Throwing things away should always be a last resort. Here are practical ways to start reducing waste at home.
1. Shop in Bulk & Bring Your Own Containers - Visit bulk sections at stores like Big Save or Vim ‘n Vigor. Bring reusable bags, jars, and containers when you shop.
2. Shop at Farmers Markets - Markets across the island offer fresh, local food with little to no packaging. Find them in Līhuʻe (Saturdays), Kīlauea, Hanalei, and more. Bring your own bags and support local growers.
3. Avoid Single-Use Plastics - Carry a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, utensils, and straw. Kauaʻi County has already banned polystyrene food containers and single-use plastic bags.
4. Compost Your Food Scraps - The County offers free backyard composting bins to residents. See our Composting page for full details and pickup locations.
5. Reduce Food Waste - Plan meals ahead, store food properly, and use leftovers creatively. About 26% of Hawaiʻi’s food goes to waste each year.
6. Choose Reusable Over Disposable - Swap paper towels for cloth rags, use beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap, opt for bar soap and shampoo to eliminate plastic bottles.
Repair & Recirculate
One of the most sustainable things you can do is repair or recirculate what you already have instead of buying new. Here are some great resources compiled by the Leadership Kauaʻi Class of 2026.
Local Repair Services
Appliance Repair
Tashi at Recycled Appliances
(808) 652-0551
Sears Appliance Repair
(800) 469-4663
Līhuʻe Appliance Sales & Service
(808) 245-3941
Kawamoto’s Maytag Center
(808) 822-4771
Garden Isle Appliance Service
(808) 652-4644
Master Appliance Doctor
(808)645-4555
Electronics Repair
Kauaʻi Computer Repair
(808) 631-3500
Hammy Cell Phone Repair
(808) 346-3915
We Fix Phone Kauaʻi
(808) 260-8615
Hanalei Computer
(808) 635-8227
Kauaʻi Computers
(808) 246-0055
MacHelp Kauaʻi
(808) 635-4323
Shoes, Bicycles,
Engines & More
Shoe Repair Shop
(808) 245-6543
Bicycles:
Kauaʻi Cycle
(808) 821-2115
Bike Doktor
(808) 826-7799
Small Engines:
Kauaʻi Small Engine Service
(808) 245-6784
M Kawamura Farm
(808) 245-3524
Kauaʻi Marine & Mower
(808) 823-0556
Jewelry:
Speedy Jewelry Repair
(808) 246-6340
Goldsmiths Kauaʻi
(808) 822-4653
Robert Jewelry
(808) 246-4653
DIY Repair Resources
Before hiring a pro, try FIX IT Home Improvement, Repair Clinic (appliance parts), iFixit (electronics), and your local library for repair manuals.
Donate Instead of Tossing
Give your items a second life instead of sending them to the landfill.
Donate Clothing & Household Items
Clementine’s Closet
Kathleen’s Thrift Shop
Love That Thrift Shop
Stitch N Aloha
Hoʻomana Thrift Store
Habitat for Humanity
Shared Blessings
Rags to Riches
Anahola Thrift Store
Goodwill Reuse Collection:
Select Fridays - check schedule online or with the County.
Sell Instead of Tossing
Give your items a second life instead of sending them to the landfill.
Sell & Share
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Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Malama Auctions
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ThredUp, Depop, Vinted, Poshmark (clothing)
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Buy Nothing Kauaʻi
(Facebook group) give and receive items for free within the community. -
Consignment: Maliakāi Boutique, Thrifty Gypsea
The Bigger Picture
Landfill space on Kauaʻi is limited and precious. The Kekaha Landfill receives roughly 90,000 tons of waste each year. Every item we divert through reducing, reusing, repairing, recycling, and composting extends the life of our landfill and saves millions in future costs.
The U.S. produces 17 million tons of textile waste each year. 11 million tons end up in landfills, and 700,000 tons are exported overseas often shifting the environmental burden to communities in the Global South.
By repairing, donating, and buying secondhand, we can break this cycle.
Buy less. Fix more. Waste not.
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