Hawaiians take immense pride in their unique and intimate bond with nature. Waiakea reflects the Hawaiian pillar and practice of “malama i ka ‘aina,’ (to care for and to live in harmony with the land), by striving to be at the forefront of sustainable practices. As ‘keiki o ka ‘aina,’ children of the land, it is our responsibility to claim stewardship for the land. In fact it is not the land serving people, but people serving the land. Instead of primarily viewing people as the problem, it acknowledges that people are a part of the natural world, with clear responsibilities to nurture the land in a reciprocal and sustainable manner. Simply put: If you take care of and nurture the ‘aina, then the ‘aina will take care of you and the generations to come. Thus, Waiakea works tirelessly to uphold the integrity Hawaiians have with their natural setting through an unparalleled platform of sustainable-conscious initiatives.
The spirit of aloha is another element of Hawaiian culture Waiakea embodies. Living with the spirit of aloha means living with mutual regard and affection for one another; it means extending warmth and positive energy to all with no obligation in return; it means existing in harmony. The late Haleaka Iolani Pule, a teacher of Hawaiian spirituality, described 'aloha' as “our innate sense to love things unconditionally. It’s a symbiotic relationship and the acknowledgement of that symbiotic relationship that you have with everything in the universe around you and recognizing exactly your space within it.”
Since Hawaiian culture runs through the core of Waiakea, we wanted to put the spotlight on the very ways we pay homage to Hawaiian customs and traditions throughout the company.
OUR SOURCE
With a recharge rate of 1.4 billion gallons a day, Waiakea’s source is entirely sustainable. Although our source can provide enough water in a month to satisfy the amount of water that is consumed globally in a year, Waiakea bottles less than .0001 of 1% of this. We feel deep gratitude for the ability to draw from one of the most sustainable fresh water resources in the world, and would never take more from the land than what it can provide.
OUR OPERATIONS
Determined to preserve Hawaii's divine ecosystem, Waiakea uses 33% renewable energy, 25% of which is geothermal, for all of our sourcing operations. This is coupled with employing low emission carriers and back-hauling as often as possible. We even counter our shipping through active participation in regional reforestation and other carbon offset projects. Not to mention, Waiakea was the first bottled water brand to achieve CarbonNeutral certification.
OUR BOTTLES
Waiakea uses rPET bottles that require 85% less energy and 90% less water to manufacture. This leaves us with a carbon footprint that is 90% less than our competitors. But we aren't stopping there when it comes to our bottle. Waiakea is gunning to becoming the first premium bottled water to have bottles capable of biodegrading in anaerobic and aerobic environments (landfills or oceans).
GIVING BACK
Embracing the interconnectedness of the global community, Waiakea has parterned with Pump Aid in help to deliver life changing clean water to communities in Subsaharan Africa that are in dire need. For every liter of Waiakea that is purchased, we donate 1 month's supply of clean water. In addition, 3.5% of Waiakea's revenue this year will go towards Hawaii based nonprofits that specialize in conservation and education. It is through these organizations that we hope to spread the integral Hawaiian virtues discussed in this post.
EMBRACING ALOHA
The infusion of Hawaiian culture is what makes Waiakea vastly different from other bottled water brands. It gives us a unique foundation, unparalleled character, and a deep mission to live by.
Join our ohana by following us on social media and get a daily dose of aloha!
Photographer: Heather and Bryant Goodman
