THIRD OF 6 PARTS
Jason Hills describes the process of his latest project as he walks the beach where he grew up — the beach he works every day to protect.
"I’ve been building a boat for a week," explained the self-proclaimed tinkerer as he points to one of the two catamarans waiting on Kailua Beach near Castles surf break.
"We just restored the whole thing. It has some rainbow sails," Hills said. "It’s going to be pretty sweet."
Hills, 35, said he and his family might take the boat out later.
His 8-year-old son Tucker and 6-year-old daughter Carver hop on the trampoline of a small catamaran named Auntie Sheila that sits next to a homemade sand sifter.
The sand sifter, made out of plastic piping, some wood and a screen, is the fifth Hills has made since he began avidly cleaning the Kailua shoreline five years ago.
"I was just dumbfounded at how much plastic there was. Ever since then it was my goal to figure the best way to remove it with whatever tools we have," Hills said.
Hills has plenty of tools.
A builder at heart, Hills runs a construction company, Hills Home Remodeling, with his wife, Katherine.
Hills volunteers with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, where he serves as a board member. Outside of his volunteer work, Hills tends to the beach access he has lived near the past 30 years.
"We definitely repurpose as much as we can," said Hills as he describes the different uses his family has found for the debris. The Hillses have made coasters, plates and outfits. Several discarded buoys now hang as lanterns in Hills’ backyard.
"My whole house is filled with this stuff," Hills laughs.
Hills has given some buckets of plastic to be reused at schools. One woman uses the debris he has collected to make jewelry.
"Every few months someone will call and ask for a few pounds. Every time someone wants, I am happy to give them a few gallon-buckets full," Hills said.
Kulia Petzoldt, a neighbor who nominated Hills for Heroes Next Door, said Hills does more than the average volunteer by spending his personal time and money on cleaning up the beach.
"Rain or shine, warm or cold, he’s out there, shoveling sand into a sifter, taking more than his share and cleaning, sorting and recycling the trash we all create," Petzoldt said.
The Hills try to go out every morning, restoring the family’s favorite playground.
"The kids live the dream. We wake up in the morning. Go watch the sunrise. Maybe clean up some plastic — maybe not. There is always some big piece down there we bring home," Hills said.
The lifelong Kailua resident is dedicated to removing the microplastic clogging the beach and welcomes neighbors to join, said Petzoldt.
"He has a genuinely kind attitude about the work of both educating and constantly cleaning up after our society," Petzoldt said.
The whole point is awareness, said Hills.
"The microplastic is incessant. It never stops." Hills said. "Every time we’re down there, three or four people will walk by and say, ‘Did you lose something?’ Then you talk to them and they say, ‘Oh, I get what you are doing.’ You can maybe influence some of their decisions in the future — what they are going to buy and not going to buy, because it all ends up here on the beach."
ABOUT THIS SERIES
HONORING THOSE WHO GIVE
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser recently asked readers to help shine a light on the good works of a few true unsung heroes. Readers responded with nominees from divergent walks of island life who share a common desire to help others. Star-Advertiser editors chose six Heroes Next Door who will be highlighted in stories through Tuesday.
