Celebrating Earth and community

This week, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College co-hosted Lā Honua 2026, a dynamic, multi-day Earth Day celebration. Guided by the theme “Huli ka lima i lalo, ola” (hands that are turned down to do work, bring life), the event featured demonstrations, conservation efforts, and speaker presentations designed to encourage the community to mālama ʻāina (care for our land). A centerpiece of the celebration took place on Lā Honua (Earth Day) at the UH Hilo campus, featuring an Earth Day Fair for K-12 students and a Conservation Career Fair for college students.

Amy Fullerton, a second-grade teacher from Pāhoa Elementary, emphasized the necessity of the event. “We need to teach the students about how important our earth is because it’s their future.”

More than 60 second-graders from Pāhoa Elementary School attended the Earth Day Fair for Lā Honua 2026 at UH Hilo.

Students were thrilled to engage in interactive activities outside the traditional classroom setting. From building their own water systems to learning about how camouflage helps animals in the wild to creating artwork using traditional Hawaiian materials and methods, the smiles and laughter were abundant across Campus Center.

Eight-year-old Kanaloa proudly shared that his favorite activity was “making binoculars,” which he plans to use to observe birds and insects at his grandmother’s house.

Beyond the campus events, Lā Honua 2026 extended its impact through island-wide stewardship in Puna, Hilo, and Kona, helping to provide care for loko iʻa (fishponds), native dryland forests, and remote coastal areas. Additionally, virtual and presentations simulcast across campus covered topics ranging from cultural fire practices and regreening efforts to environmental repossession.

“We hope everyone takes a little something from their Lā Honua experience,” said Inglis, who mentioned the joyful response from students is the only measure she needs for success. “They're walking by us shouting out, ‘Happy Lā Honua!’ What more could you ask for?”