We are a grassroots organization that serves keiki to kupuna by advocating for human dignity for those experiencing injustice.
We sponsor events to promote greater public awareness and support in efforts aimed at respecting the dignity of all residents in Hawaii.
Be Dignity and Love℠
With every belief and attitude
With every thought and feeling
With every choice and decision
With every desire
With every imagination
With every expectation
The Sounds of Abuse
Click the Play button to listen to the audio. These may sound like just typical sounds of private refuse workers going about their business of moving dumpsters and emptying them into refuse trucks. However, these inordinate sounds awaken residents and visitors as early as 3:00 A.M., 3:42 A.M., 4:09 A.M., or whatever time in the very early morning, every morning. When they disturb others with their actions at such early times, for up to 10 minutes depending on the location, then these are the Sounds of Abuse.
Re: Associated Press Article –
Honolulu Mayor recommends all
city trash pickups begin at 3 a.m.
April 1, 2025
Here are excerpts of an Associated Press article published in today’s New York Times.
In an exchange of several unpublished communications last month between Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters that were obtained by AP, the mayor recommended “trash pickups for all residents in the City and County of Honolulu begin at 3 a.m.” The current long-standing policy is that trash pickups begin at 6 a.m.
The unprecedented recommendation would put trash pickups on parity with that of private refuse haulers whose pickups begin at 3 a.m.
“Members of the council would never approve of such an action,” Chair Waters replied, stunned. His own family would be affected by the recommended change. “Private refuse haulers begin at that hour, but they harm only a few neighborhoods. This change would impact the entire island. It would be like a volcanic eruption with toxic ash spread everywhere.”
Mayor Blangiardi defended the recommendation, saying the change would create savings for taxpayers by hiring fewer workers and would be much easier for the workers to conduct their operations.
“Such a change would greatly reduce safety concerns for residents and bicyclists, alleviate traffic problems, and lessen congestion at the H-POWER plant,” he added, referencing benefits and prior concerns from local private refuse companies.
“The local media is protecting us and doing just a few scattered reports,” Waters replied in a lengthy email. “You saw the email from a resident who showed fifteen members of the media a YouTube video of trash pickup by a private refuse hauler before 4 a.m., and said there was only one view. The other journalists didn’t even bother to look at the video that you and I saw.”
“If word got out about your recommendation, the families of the media would be outraged as well as hundreds of thousands of residents. The media would launch a full-scale investigation and that is something you and I don’t want, nor the private trash hauler owners. Let’s maintain the status quo,” Waters continued.
A Waikiki resident, who requested anonymity, stated they were awakened daily between 3 and 6 a.m. by the pickup activities of private refuse haulers. “We want to be treated equal to all of the other residents on Oahu who have pickups by the city beginning at 6 a.m.,” they said. “This is supposedly the land of aloha. Just end the abuse of way-too- early morning trash pickup for everyone.”
Today is April Fools’ Day. The above is an April Fools communication.
Unfortunately, trash pickups between 3 and 6 a.m. remain a tragic daily reality for far too many residents. This tragedy is allowed to happen by politicians, among others, who are entrusted to protect residents but seem to care little about the harmful impacts caused by the actions of private refuse haulers.
On March 24, a link to a YouTube video demonstrating Waikiki trash pickups beginning at 3:48 a.m. was sent to the Mayor, Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director, and all councilmembers. Only six of the twelve viewed the link, and no one responded.
On March 26, the video link was also sent to fifteen local journalists. Only one of the fifteen viewed the link, and no one responded.
Carlino Giampolo
(The above April Fools communication was sent to Honolulu City Council members, Mayor, Managing Director, and Deputy Managing Director, among others.)
Here is the YouTube video link that was mentioned in the communication:
Way-Too-Early-Morning
Trash Pickup in Waikiki
Way-too-early morning trash pickup in Waikiki by private refuse haulers begins as early as 3 a.m. or even earlier, impacting residents’ health, well-being, and quality of life. The companies do so because it is convenient and profitable.
This short YouTube video, with footage taken in March 2025, shows the convenience of dumpsters being moved from a hotel to the opposite side of the street, across four lanes of Kuhio Avenue, beginning at 3:58 a.m. The dumpsters are lined up on the street and remain there until the truck that empties the dumpsters arrives at 4:49 a.m. The dumpsters are then emptied and returned to their original location.
The video then shows the low traffic levels on Kuhio Avenue at exactly 6 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. supporting residents’ suggestion that if the trash haulers invested in hiring just two additional workers, they could begin trash pickup at 6 a.m. with harm to none.
Please comment and express your feelings in support of residents impacted by this issue by contacting Mayor Rick Blangiardi: mayor@honolulu.gov (808) 768-4141, and/or Chair Tommy Waters: tommy.waters@honolulu.gov (808) 768-5004.
A Waikiki resident posted
this issue on the site Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/WaikikiTrashTalk/s/DDfJhoexZF
This forum site gives anyone the opportunity to express opinions and experiences about this issue.
Today’s Injustice and Past Injustices
Have Common Thread
March 19, 2025
The following is an excerpt of emails sent to the Mayor, Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director, and Honolulu City Council members.
Is the consciousness surrounding the rights movement of today’s residents impacted by way-too-early morning trash pickup any different from that of the 1960s people of color civil rights movement, 1970s domestic violence victim rights movement, or the 1980s LGBTQ+ AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) rights movement?
The common thread working against all of these rights movements are:
1) Devaluing dignity.
2) Giving low priority to the injustices.
3) Individuals making baseless objections to keep the status quo.
4) Initially not being considered tragic enough to be of interest to those in authority who are entrusted to protect the rights of citizens experiencing injustice.
It takes courage for everyone in authority to uphold their highest principles and ideals to end injustices when it may cause chaos and result in personal criticisms and loss of friendships.
Trash pickup in Waikiki between 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. exists because it is profitable and convenient for the private refuse haulers. In addition to logic and reason, videos can document that truth.
Residents impacted by way-too-early morning trash pickup deserve the right to be treated equally to the 200,000 households on Oahu whose trash pickup begins at 6 a.m.
Carlino Giampolo
Hawaii Dignity Day
The first-ever Hawaii Dignity Day event was held on April 14, 2024, at the Duke Kahanamoku Statue in Waikiki. What follows is a message from the founder.
Founder’s Keynote Message
I extend my deepest gratitude to all of you here today for coming to the first-ever Hawaii Dignity Day.
Today is a day of em-POWER-ment as we raise our voices to awaken dignity.
We are here to awaken the dignity of the Honolulu City Council members who have both the authority and the moral responsibility to end the abuse of all residents, from keiki to kupuna, impacted by way-too-early morning trash pickup, as early as 3 A.M.
Our actions are not an attempt to fix Honolulu City Council but rather to create the space for them to change for the better.
Your presence here today is immensely powerful in providing councilmembers another opportunity to make that change.
Each of you has your own definition of what dignity means for you. Let me share with you some thoughts on seven components of dignity, the avenues from which dignity flows.
Then, in contrast, I will share how each component relates to how councilmembers are not respecting our dignity. We all deserve to have our dignity respected.
1) Our valued self. Within the many areas of the valued self is self-worth. We all have 100%. No one has any more or any less. No one deserves abuse.
We demand to be treated equally with the hundreds of thousands of Oahu residents whose trash pickup by the city begins no earlier than 6 A.M. We are no less worthy.
2) Intensity. Intensity involves being focused, patient, and wise. Seeing not only the current picture but also the bigger picture.
Councilmembers lack this intensity and have ignored our calls to respect our dignity on this issue. They should protect residents, but they have taken the Pontius Pilate approach that this is not their responsibility.
3) Strength of character. That strength is derived from not only having ideals and principles, but more importantly of putting those ideals and principles into action.
Honolulu City Council needs to act upon a new paradigm of ideals and principles that leads to respecting the dignity of everyone.
4) Consciousness. This word summarizes a system of beliefs and attitudes, thoughts and feelings, choices and decisions, as well as desire, imagination, and expectation.
We have long been advocating for a change of consciousness at Honolulu City Council since January 2022.
5 & 6) Spirituality. Each of you has your own sacred understanding of the meaning of spirit and soul. The deeper that one develops their own spirituality, the more they respect their own dignity, and therefore the dignity of others.
For over two years, I have asked all members of City Council to use their own spirituality to resolve this issue. However, they have refused to initiate a bill to protect all residents from the abuse of trash pickup beginning at 3 A.M.
7) Freedom. Freedom is that force inside of you that challenges you to become more of who you are. It involves courage.
The opposite of courage is not cowardice, but automatic and blind conformity to the past.
This current City Council has taken no action and is no different from their predecessors who have ignored their moral responsibility to protect the health and well-being of residents.
With a strong collective voice, we are telling Honolulu City Council members that they cannot take away our dignity, diminish our intensity, shackle our freedom, or break our spirit. They will never silence the voice of our soul.
Our cause is just. Truth and justice will prevail. We will triumph.
Carlino Giampolo
Hawaii Dignity Day, Founder
carlinog@hotmail.com
Our inaugural event garnered the attention of KITV Island News and was featured in their Alexa flash briefing on April 14 (in the recording below starting at 0:46).
Additional thoughts about the
Hawaii Dignity Day Event:
Everyone wants the success of ending injustice, but some want others to create success for them. That is not you.
To respect the dignity of another requires respect for one’s own personal dignity.
The devaluation of human dignity is at the foundation of many of the problems that exist not only in Hawaii but throughout the world.
In all issues before the members of City Council, respect for human dignity must be the highest priority that guides their choices and decisions.
Councilmembers have a moral responsibility to know the impact of sleep deprivation that harms the health and well-being of residents.
There are no benefits to being awakened indiscriminately daily by the beeping, banging, and clanging of dumpsters being emptied as early as 3 A.M.
Adequate sleep is as important to our health as the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. It is especially important to newborn children who need more sleep than adults to develop their brains, as well as kupuna and others with health conditions.
Governor Josh Green and Department of Health Director Kenneth Fink provided our community with information on sleep deprivation. Their caring and compassionate actions are what is expected from all of our political leaders.
Respecting the dignity of residents is not a door that councilmembers can open and close on their whim by choosing to respect some residents and not others. No one deserves abuse. Everyone deserves to have their dignity respected.
Shame that is masked, denied, numbed, or ignored will continue to grow. Members of council must end their shame for allowing residents to be abused.
We have let councilmembers know that there needs to be a change of consciousness in which there is:
- A belief that respect for human dignity must be their highest priority.
- A deeper compassion for residents to end the abuse.
- A stronger desire to end the abuse.
- A vivid imagination to overcome all objections of those who want the status quo.
- A higher level of expectation that this abuse can and will end.
Changes and miracles occur either on the worn-out Path of Tragedy, or on the less traveled Path of Dignity. We are gathered here today on the Path of Dignity to awaken the dignity in others, and to bring forth a new future for everyone, from keiki to kupuna, who are experiencing this injustice.
The following essay appeared on www.CivilBeat.org on July 10, 2024.
Why Dignity Matters When
Deciding Who To Vote For
By Carlino Giampolo
Which candidate shows a deeper level of respect,
caring, compassion and love for others?
Everyone has dignity but not everyone has a depth to their dignity. That truth is highlighted categorically by the actions, and inaction, of our government elected leaders.
Hawaii has the dubious distinction of ranking among the lowest in the country for voter turnout. That apathy can be changed when voters awaken their own dignity and know that by voting, they can also awaken the dignity of politicians.
To say that someone needs to awaken their dignity is not intended as a harsh, negative personal judgment. Rather, it is an observation and a suggestion that a positive change needs to be made.
Individuals and elected leaders alike may not even be cognizant that their actions or inaction are harming others.
Changing the political culture in Hawaii for the better requires, first, a change in ourselves.
Oftentimes, pausing and examining our own dignity occurs at a time that can be referred to as a “defining moment.”
For me personally, that defining moment occurred when I was first awakened (no pun intended) by the way-too-early morning trash pickup of private refuse haulers, as early as 3 A.M., and discovering that there is no law to protect keiki to kupuna from this harmful daily activity that has been impacting their physical and mental health.
Not only did I need to look at my own understanding of dignity, but I also needed to gain an understanding of the dignity of those who both cause and allow the harmful activity.
In the primary election on August 10, and in the general election on November 5, use your own dignity as one of the basis for your voting decisions.
An individual’s understanding of the concept of dignity can range from the basic definition in the dictionary (honorable quality or worthiness, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus) to a more in-depth understanding of its meaning—whatever understanding you have of dignity is right for you.
In my understanding, dignity flows from the avenues of its components:
- Valued Self. Comprises self-awareness, self-worth, self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, self-respect and self-realization.
- Intensity. Involves wisdom, and being focused and patient.
- Strength of Character. Derived from not only having ideals and principles but, more importantly, from putting those ideals and principles into action.
- Consciousness. A system of beliefs and attitudes, thoughts and feelings, choices and decisions, as well as desire, imagination and expectation.
- Spirituality. One’s sacred understanding of the meaning of spirit and soul.
- Freedom. A force inside of you that challenges you to become more of who you are.
In the upcoming elections, there are contests in which incumbents have no opposition. If you have been dissatisfied with their depth of dignity, leave the box next to their names blank on your ballot. If you are satisfied with their depth of dignity, vote for them.
Either way, uncontested politicians will get the message.
In contests where there is competition, assess the dignity of each candidate. For example, who exemplifies strength of character, such as the principle of integrity, which is spontaneous, and habitual honesty and responsibility? Who shows a deeper level of respect, caring, compassion and love for others?
With the power of your own dignity, you can create a new future for this generation and generations to come. Vote.
Carlino Giampolo
About the Author
Carlino Giampolo is founder of Be Dignity and Love, a grassroots organization that serves keiki to kupuna by advocating for human dignity for those experiencing injustice.
Letter to the Editor
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
August 31, 2024
A Department of Dignity
can help cure societal ills
The devaluation of dignity is at the foundation of many problems in our society. In Waikiki, trash pickups at 3 a.m., robberies on Kuhio Avenue and shootings on Lewers Street are all examples of the devaluation of dignity.
Respecting the dignity of others requires respecting one’s own dignity. That truth can be more fully understood when taken to its very extreme. For instance, a sociopath doesn’t respect his own dignity, and therefore doesn’t respect the dignity of others. For him, taking a person’s life is no different from stepping on an ant.
The concept of dignity should be taught in our homes, schools, prisons, churches, synagogues and temples. Because the devaluation of dignity is at the foundation of many of our problems, the City and County of Honolulu should initiate a Department of Dignity.
Carlino Giampolo
Waikiki
A Gathering to End Trash Pickup at 3 A.M.
KITV Newscast
Sept. 8, 2024
Email to Honolulu City Council members
Sent on November 25, 2024
Three Truths
1) Trash pickup by private refuse haulers begins before 3 a.m.
2) There is no law to protect residents from the activities of private refuse haulers.
3) There is no contract with the private refuse haulers to protect residents.
Individuals as far away as the mainland and international who are told the above three truths exist in the City and County of Honolulu react dumbfounded and ask: “Why?” They say words to the effect of: “Hard to believe” and “It’s a no-brainer that residents should be protected.”
Even residents in Hawaii who are not aware of these three truths have the same kind of reaction.
The City and County of Honolulu may very well be the only place in America where these three truths exist. If so, that is the collective shame of Honolulu City Council.
I filed a Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA) request, also known as a Right-to-Know request, for each of you for the first ten months of this year. The request pertained to trash pickup activities by private refuse haulers.
Here is a brief assessment of the responses of the Right-to-Know requests:
No written correspondence was sent to or received from, no phone calls were made to or received from, no meeting dates or attendance sheets were available for, and no notes were taken for any oral communications with Clyde Kaneshiro, owner of Honolulu Disposal Service.
No written correspondence was sent to or received from, no phone calls were made to or received from, no meeting dates or attendance sheets were available for, and no notes were taken for any oral communications with Georgette Silva, owner of West Oahu Aggregate.
No written correspondence was sent to or received from, no phone calls were made to or received from, no meeting dates or attendance sheets were available for, and no notes were taken for any oral communications with Chair Tommy Waters.
The assessment indicates that there was no spirit of aloha to protect everyone, from keiki to kupuna, from the way-too-early morning activities of private refuse haulers. There was no ho‘oponopono for the residents of the City and County of Honolulu impacted by those activities.
If your mother, father, brother, or sister were to inform you that their quality of life and health are adversely impacted every day by the three truths above, would you take decisive action to protect them? Why is any other resident less deserving than your own family?
Carlino Giampolo
Letter to the Editor
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
December 29, 2024
Trash collection bane
must end in 2025
“Nobody should have to live like this.”
That painful sentiment expressed by an Oahu woman was one of many responses received from my recent Right-to-Know Act requests made to Honolulu City Council members and Managing Director Michael Formby for information pertaining to the way-too-early morning trash pickup activities of private refuse haulers.
Three truths exist in Honolulu:
- Trash pickup by private refuse haulers begins before 3 a.m.
- There is no law to protect residents from the harmful physical and mental impacts of noise pollution caused by private refuse haulers.
- There is no contract with the private refuse haulers to offer said protections.
The year 2025, with the spirit of aloha and hooponopono, could be the year that these truths cease to exist. May everyone from keiki to kupuna who are impacted by this issue have their health and quality of life protected.
Carlino Giampolo
Waikiki
©2025 Carlino Giampolo carlinog@hotmail.com