In 2011 a helicopter crash contaminated a stretch of land on Molokai. Nearly five years later, big business & insurance agencies are still covering it up.
The following is a harrowing experience which I have tried to be as concise as possible. A lot of time and money on everyone’s part has been wasted on trying to get Allianz Insurance and Blue Hawaiian Helicopters to do the legal and morally correct thing. This is the summary of an example how a helicopter company and a big German insurance company deceived and tried to bully a small landowner.
On November 11th 2010 a Blue Hawaiian site seeing helicopter tour crashed and killed all souls aboard. The helicopter crashed in the middle of a jeep trail that is used by the owner and many locals to hike and hunt the area. After the crash the landowner waited for contact from the insurance company Allianz or Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Company to find out what the protocol on a matter like this was. No communication was ever received. The landowner realized that people had perished and knew that there must be certain procedures that must be followed and it was a devastating crash so he waited to be contacted. After not being contacted, the landowner contacted Dave Chevalier of Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Company. Dave Chavalier told the landowner to contact their insurance company - Allianz Insurance.
During this whole time, the landowner made numerous attempts to find out what the protocol was for a circumstance like this. He left messages for Timothy McSwain the Chief Claims Officer with Allianz Aviation at the head office in New York .The landowners’ attorney also called but received no call back.
The landowner contacted Allianz insurance....
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Read the crash coverage from Hawaii News Now.
Hawaii News Now
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Read The Maui News report on the jury verdict
The Maui News
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Hawaii News Now Covered the November 2016 Trial
Hawaii News Now
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Examine the actions of big business and learn about the true impact on Hawaii's cultural heritage & unique ecosystems.
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This shows me that the bottomline is the most important thing to the helicopter operator...
Deb S. - New Jersey
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I'm surprised that a company that thrives on tourism would care so little for the scenes that keep them in business...
Katie S. - South Carolina
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I strongly support business but a company can't forget integrity and ignore their responsibilities.
Kent M. - North Carolina
Nearly five years after the crash of a Blue Hawaiian helicopter, the site of the accident is still littered with debris from the crash and contaminants.
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Damn, this makes me ANGRY! What does the state say?
Steve T. - Hawaii
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How are they getting away with this? My city sends letters to people who don't mow their yard...
Lynne W - Illinois
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This is OUTRAGEOUS - I think we all need to call Allianz!
James B. - South Carolina
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ich habe von euren Schwierigkeiten mit dem Grundstück und den Problemen mit der Versicherungsgesellschaft ALLIANZ gehört. Meine Geschäftspartner sind schockiert, dass eine deutsche Gesellschaft solche Schweinereien dort abzieht. Es geht ja wohl um eine unvorstellbare Belastung der Umwelt und das in einem so diffizilen Gebiet. Ihr habt unsere unbegrenzte Unterstützung! Wir werden diverse Naturschutzverbände hier in Deutschland auffordern, auf die ALLIANZ Einfluss zu nehmen und deren dortige Ableger zur Schadensbeseitigung aufzufordern. Wir hoffen, dass eure Regierung umfassend informiert wurde.
Paul K. - Germany
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STAND WITH THE PROTECTORS OF HAWAII! YOU HAVE MY LOVE AND PRAYERS.
JoAnn H.
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if one makes a mess - the mess must cleaned up by the one responsible for the mess - either the helicopter company or the insurance company - do not allow polluters to use the earth, air and water as their dumping site - if an individual had a pile of trash that polluted the neighbors land - there would be legal action - do not allow corporations off the hook
Richard S.
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I am speechless and this makes me so angry. (via Facebook)
Beth H. - Alabama
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Do the right thing and take responsibility to clean up the mess you left behind. It's the very least you should do.
Steven R.
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CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!!! YOUR COMPANY HELICOPTER CRASHED, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE!!!
Lohi
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This is not right! Your Company is in operation because of the beauty of this place and you leave you trash and pollution. Shame on you folks! Hope you lose you right to operate.
Jane B. - Alabama
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It's not nice to fool with Molokai...clean up your pollution!!!
Walter R.
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This is a sad story made worse by a negligent insurance company. This fragile land needs to be cleaned up.
Louisa L.
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I think this is the responsibility of the Insurance, but as islands, we protect the aina. It is shameful for the Helicopter company to let this happen, for them to have left it is not Hawaiian. Not Pono, who owns that company? And, I live on Molokai, under the path of these tours. I did not realize that they were not paying anything to tour the island. Every flight should pay something just like the airplanes.
Joanne P.
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According to the video shown it is a shame how careless the helicopter company and insurance (not) handle the matter. I would be interested on their statement about this, but I am wondering whether they would or ever did take at least that action. I hope, the court case will generate justice and cure the situation.
Martin - Germany
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Clean up should have been a non issue, but it seems like corporate companies, have and use legal loop holes or lack of repercussions for not cleaning up
Nathan
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What a sad story...
Dagmar - Switzerland
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Keep up the fight.but if it is a German insurance company.That's must be tough
Gary- (Via Facebook)
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I will not condone this action and will tell friends and family who travel to Hawaii not to use this company until they clean up and take responsibility for their actions
Fred
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It's the insurance company's responsibility.
Fred - Switzerland
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This kind of behavior is destroying local communities and the entire planet and is motivating the revolution against irresponsible corporations.
Eleanor
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Those responsible must clean up this mess now. Our Mother Earth should always be treated with respect.
Sue Ellen
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We do need to protect and preserve beautiful Hawaii and stop polluting!
Lara B.
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These companies come in and give out crummy jobs, that have limited hours and pay, and funnel their garbage into our landfill. Very little recycling. Very frustrating. Do not allow corporations into Hawaii without a viable recycling plan!
Diana G.
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Stop big business greed and destruction of our planet
Wendy D.- Brooklyn, NY.
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I live in Idaho but have dreamt of moving to the island of Molokai for many years and to think that a corporation that makes its living off the beauty of Hawaii would wreck that beauty for profit angers me!
Michael M.- Idaho
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Clean it up...take responsibility and all would be fine!
Tina P.- (via Facebook)
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Blue Hawaiian should be ashamed of themselves. I will tell friends and relatives not to ever do business with them!
Ij s.- (via Facebook)
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All for MONEY and PROFITS. Boycott this helicopter company. Spread the word around.
Francis C.- Idaho
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Clean it up.
Stephanie H.- Hawaii
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Fingers crossed for justice
Silje- Norway
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Big corporations, like the owners of the tour Co. who have insurance, are criminals if they are too cheap to clean up a fragile area that they derive their income from.
Valerie M.
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Do the right thing, clean it up.
Mary H.
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After any sort of accident, the people who are responsible (ownership of contaminates/debris/etc) should clean up until land/waters are back to their previous condition. And get fined everyday forth that this does not happen.
Lauren T.- Hawaii
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So sad the company needs to really do a better job of cleaning the soil
Cathy T.- California
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Super sad. No respect, no care, just greed.
Kelly D.- Arizona
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Yup we are soldiers of STOP polluting our land and ocean...
Raymond K.- Hawaii
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What is the insurance carriers argument? Does the policy not cover mitigation? If not, why does the state or fed not mandate this? Need more facts
Jesse C.
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Aloha.. I live on the island of Molokai. I have lived here my entire life. I am the filmmaker that made the video about the helicopter crash. I chose to help produce the video because the helicopter tour industry is negatively impacting our daily lives here on Molokai. The constant buzzing of low flying helicopters in some of our most isolated and spiritual places has great impact not only on our well being, but also on the quality of experience to the visitors that come to our island and who support our local businesses. Furthermore, the industry, based on Maui island, gives nothing back to our Molokai community or economy. The fact that Blue Hawaiian did not properly cleanup its crash site only adds insult to injury. I hope that the helicopter company is held to its responsibility in properly cleaning up its crash. I also hope that greater attention will be placed on the negative impacts of this industry and that new policies, such as no-fly zones/times might be considered.
Matt Y.
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If you make a mess, you should clean it up ALL THE WAY! If the cost of clean up puts you out of business, then your business has failed because you did not do a good enough job with your business! The general public should not be paying the price of your mistakes! Keep Hawaii clean keep all of our earth is clean as we possibly can! Every single one of us - every single human needs to clean up her messes! It's just the responsible thing to do!
Kathryn C.
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My mother told me this countless times growing up. "It's your mess -- clean it up!" Do the right thing Blue Hawaiian Helicopter!
Nate Y.
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You are responsible for cleaning up your own mess. Act like responsible adults and be accountable for your actions. Enough is enough.
Kamea B.
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Debilom można tłumaczyć oni i tak swoje ,dla nich liczy się tylko kasa
Zbych S.- Poland (via Facebook)
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100% on the insurance company. Get your local investigative reporter to shame the tour company on the news...
Dean J.- (via Facebook)
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So sad people don't do the right thing
Mike & Kathy K.
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I taught my kids Everybody needs to be responsible for messes they make. Even corporations.
Debby M.
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Contaminating water and soil should require jail time for all offenders.
Terry R.- (via Facebook)
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How about stop polluting.. Period!
Louie B.- (via Facebook)
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Stop Polluting Hawaii? Where do I sign?
Steve E.- (via Facebook)
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Stop polluting Hawaii
Hope
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Please stop!
Joy
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This is just wrong! The insurance company should have taken care of this the right way.
Vickie W.- West Virginia (via Facebook)
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I did take a helicopter tour, the views and information about Hawaii were fabulous, so sorry for the lives lost in the crash. Sad to hear that the insurance company , like all insurance companies,don't do the "right thing" but that's not new with regards to insurance companies. I'm sure the law suits with regards to the lives lost had similar experiences with their insurance companies.
Holly G.- (via Facebook)
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They are not just flying from point A to point B, tour helicopters are making turn into some of Molokai island valleys, not all of which are unoccupied, creating loud abrupt noises that echoe loud into the interior of our valleys, distracting all occupants and in some cases, endangering the natural processes that exists here. I'm a full time resident in Halawa valley on Molokai and I have to listen to this noise all day long!
Kalani P.- Hawaii
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Rather than clean up their mess, this company has chosen to abdicate its responsibility to the state and people of Hawaii. They should lose their license to fly until clean up is completed. No one should be able to profit from paradise while polluting it.
Deirdre
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Do the right thing!
Dira H.
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Take responsibility!
Michael E.- (via Facebook)
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STOP POLLUTING HAWAII!!!
Dar B.- (via Facebook)
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Horrible !! :(
Christina G.Sweden (via Facebook)
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WE ARE ON THIS PLANET TO BE IT'S CARETAKERS, NOT TO POLLUTE IT AND DESECRATE IT AND DESTROY IT, AND PLUNDER IT'S RESOURCES BY THE GLOBAL ELITE. REMOVE ALL OLIGARCY GOVERNMENTS WORLD WIDE. THE BEST GOVERNMENTS THAT CORPORATE MONEY CAN BUY.
Bob A.- (via Facebook)
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Put them out of business. Don't patronize them
Ij S.- (via Facebook)
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I live in Kansas, but I very much sympathize your situation. Big business has been allowed to pollute without any real consequences. They roll around their lies to keep the public pacified until it dies down. Even if they are fined, it's dismissed at a later date when no one is looking. The gov't/corporations are for themselves, money and power. Their many sub levels of lawyers keeping them out of harms way while we protest against it. Gov't/corporations are destroying anything of nature on earth for greed. I pray that Hawaii is protected as it is a very special eco system that must be preserved. Much love and healing blessings for Mother Earth and all life upon her.
Tamila FCKansas
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Supporting Hawaii on stop pollution issue from San Diego! Be nice to Nature. It's the Human responsibility. Leave no trace behind. Clean up the messes you made.
Nikki- San Diego
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We have the means & the responsibility as caretakers of mother earth to do our part in preserving her lifeforce & leaving a minimal to no footprint in our wake. We must for her to live so that we may live.
Melody TE
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Stop the pollution!
Josh R.
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I shop locally and do not support corporations. Shame on them!!
Crystal H.
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Such a beautiful place of course it is a problem every where
Thelma S.
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Stop polluting EVERYWHERE
Patti H.
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No regard for paradise!
Joanne S.
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Where is the EPA?
Rita H.- (via Facebook)
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Stop polluting Mother Earth
Danny P.
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Just stop polluting our whole world !
Dale M.- (via Facebook)
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Clean up the earth, it is your responsibility to do so
Bonnie A.- (via Facebook)
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Maybe the helicopter company should not fly until after they finish cleaning up the mess.
Margaret NK- (via Facebook)
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Please do not allow continued pollution to HI's beautiful land and reefs.
Shana
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Time to clean up your mess!
Claudia C.
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How can you just leave the mess? Please clean it up for the people that live with that land. For the oceans. For your children.
Bethany S
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#GoGreen we must protect our Mother Earth
Alex B.
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If I had a nickel for everytime I heard of an insurance company denying a legitimate claim, I'd have enough money to sue these crooks out of their jobs.
Katherine T.
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We are here in collective consciousness to be caretakers of mother earth and these Islands. Please be conscious and considerate of our way of life. As they say here Aloha
Elizabeth- Hawaii
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Stop polluting Hawaii and the rest of the World too!
Eva K.- (via Facebook)
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Stop Raping Mother Earth!
Dawna D.
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Wrong in so many ways. I hope you win big on court
Nancy T.- (via Facebook)
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Insurance company is liable call in the EPA let their lawyers take care of it...
Roger S.- (via Facebook)
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Absolutely not excepting responsibility!! Then continue business as usual. That's really messed up.
Judy N.
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Pollution is evil
Leah Ann
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Ppl (people) with money don't give a s*&# about pollution.
Arnell C.
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We humans surely are messing up the pristine world God created for us, aren't we.
Marilyn B.
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Been speaking out about pollution in Hawaii for decades, business interests Don't care. Will continue to to try and clean up this place that has now become a huge junk yard!
Earl S.
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I guess MONEY/THE BOTTOM LINE comes before human life and the environment. Horrible way to put money in their pockets.
Debbie M.
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Maybe people should protest the company and their insurer...
Richard S.
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Please keep pollution cleaned up. I hope to visit some day soon and would love to see the beauty of it all not garbage!!!
Jana K.- Wisconsin
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BP oiled the Gulf of Mexico and four States we don't even look at helicopter crash sites we've grown used to so much bigger pollution sites
Adam B.
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I grew up in Hawai'i and I'm livid with anger that this polluting and the continual subjugation and destruction of the Hawai'i Kingdom is being perpetrated by the United States!!! President Obama, give Hawai'i back to Her People!!!
Eldridge M.
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That's WRONG
Cheryl F.- (via Facebook)
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Wrong. They need to take responsibility
Frances K.- (via Facebook)
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Come on clean it up
Patricia C.- (via Facebook)
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Boycott Blue Hawaiian. They obviously don't carry sufficient insurance.
Caroline P.- (via Facebook)
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Boycott Blue Hawaiian
Judy N.- (via Facebook)
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There is no excuse. Clean up the pollution at Molokai NOW!
Janice G.
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To ALL Big Corporations in Hawaii: You have the power to be part of the solution to keep Hawaii the Paradise it is. Littering is against the law. Clean up your own mess. Do the Right Thing.
Marcia A.
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Stop polluting Hawaii !!! Preserve !!!
Galles P.
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That's common sense that people try to save the island there's too much pollution around the world don't let it get worse
Christopher A.
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We need to be responsible and be at peace with nature for in destroying nature, we are destroying ourselves!
Divya T.- Germany
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Please STOP THE POLLUTION in Hawaii! I visited once & was transpired by its beauty & want it kept pristine & safe for all!
Laura K.- Pennsylvania
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I will probably never be able to visit this beautiful State but this makes me very sad
Claudia
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I always tried to avoid consumerism and to minimize my ecological foodprint. And I wondered why Hawaii, isle of happiness and self-sufficiency, kept silent under modern civilization.
Annemarie W.- Germany
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Cleaning up the contaminated soil and debris from the crashed helicopter is the least you should be doing! How rude and irresponsible! Desecrating the land, along with the memory of the people who died! Ignoring the dictates of decency and justice makes you appear mean, greedy, and heartless!
Terrye
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Please stop pollution in Hawaii.
Philip F.
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I want your trash picked up by some of ur (your) own!!!!!!
Kristin S.- New Mexico
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Just fix it.
John W.
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If it's private land they should be accountable, larger airliners are, so they be too, Boycott
Bridigette H.- (via Facebook)