BIODIVERSITY
SLINGING MUD BALLS IN A TROPICAL PARADISE
HONOLULU, HAWAII, UNITED STATES
Photo: Daniel Ramirez / Flickr
Tropical vacations are all about the water. Taking care of our water sources is becoming more critical every year. In Hawaii, you can help restore the 1928 waterway that made Waikiki, the famous Honolulu neighborhood, possible. As you unwind on any tropical vacation, think about taking a break from the beach to support local conservation programs.
What's
changing
Polluted waterways threaten more than wildlife; they can release gasses that are harmful to people when bacteria decompose organic material. Community-led programs around the world are offering solutions to tackle pollution. Visitors, schools and businesses can actively participate in these programs.
What's already
possible
In Honolulu, the Ala Wai Canal is an artificial waterway that has been polluted by trash, mud and runoff for decades. The Genki Ala Wai project is working to make the canal swimmable in 2026 by treating it with Effective Microorganisms delivered in mud balls.
Seizing
the opportunity
Effective Microorganisms have a track record of clearing pollution. They improved the water in the Dōtonbori River and Osaka Bay in Japan between 2003 to 2006. The Genki Ala Wai project holds events where volunteers make Genki balls from mud and microorganisms to toss into the canal. The recipe results in a heavy mud ball that sinks to the bottom of a body of water. Submerged microorganisms digest toxic sludge and clean the waterway. The Genki Ala Wai program depends on volunteers and donations since government funding ended in 2021.
Standout
tactic
The organization collaborates with tour companies that bring visitors to make mud balls and sling them into the canal while learning about the health of Hawaii’s waterways.
How
it helps
In 2023, residents reported seeing a manta ray, hammerhead shark and Hawaiian monk seal swimming in the canal. This was unheard of prior to the project. As of June 2024, more than 150,000 Genki balls had been tossed into the Ala Wai Canal, achieving 50% of the organization’s goal. In one tracking location, sludge depth decreased from about 23 inches (58 cm) in 2021 to less than 5 inches (13 cm) in 2024.
Diving
deeper
Bioremediation like this would not be needed if pollution did not enter waterways in the first place. How can communities and governments prevent pollution and pesticides from entering water bodies?
Increasing
impact
To meet the goal of slinging 300,000 Genki balls into the canal, the organization could work with schools or tour groups in other parts of Hawaii or the United States to increase mud ball production.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
