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The Conversation

The Conversation: A hana hou on how to deal with marine debris

By Catherine Cruz,
Maddie Bender, DW Gibson
Published January 30, 2026 at 12:14 PM HST
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Over 97,000 pounds of marine debris, primarily derelict fishing gear, removed from the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
James Morioka/PMDP
/
Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project
Over 97,000 pounds of marine debris, primarily derelict fishing gear, removed from the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Today, we're spotlighting the problem of marine debris. Here are some of our recent interviews on innovative solutions:

  • Mafalda de Freitas, megaplastics program director at the Center for Marine Debris Research at Hawaiʻi Pacific University, talks about Hawaiʻi's only marine debris recycling center | Full Story (Sept. 2025)
  • Brian Daniel Moore with Out to See in Kailua turns beach plastic into eyeglass frames | Full Story (June 2025)
  • Retired city lifeguard and champion body surfer Mark Cunningham transforms marine debris into art | Full Story (Dec. 2025)
  • Hawaiʻi artist Jodi Endicott uses sculpture to highlight the impact of plastic on the environment | Full Story (Dec. 2025)
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The Conversation ConservationScience
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Catherine Cruz
Catherine Cruz is the host of The Conversation. Contact her at ccruz@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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Maddie Bender
Maddie Bender is the executive producer of The Conversation. She also provided production assistance on HPR's "This Is Our Hawaiʻi" podcast. Contact her at mbender@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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DW Gibson
DW Gibson joined HPR as a producer on "The Conversation." He is now the Executive Producer, Podcasts and Multimedia. Contact him at dgibson@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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