Cruising Green: Fair Wind’s Commitment to Environmental Practices

At Fair Wind Cruises, we believe that sustainable Kona snorkeling and protecting the ocean isn’t just part of our business—it’s at the heart of who we are. Every day, our crew and guests experience the beauty of Hawaiʻi’s waters firsthand. With that privilege comes responsibility: to safeguard our reefs, marine life, and shoreline so that future generations can enjoy them just as we do today.

But it’s important to remember—the challenges we face aren’t unique to Hawaiʻi. Human waste, plastic pollution, and the destruction of natural resources are global issues. That’s why we believe creating a business model with a smaller footprint isn’t just good for our islands, it’s an example of how businesses everywhere can operate more sustainably.

1. Ocean-Friendly Operations

Our vessels are designed and operated with the environment in mind. We run all of our boats on locally sourced biodiesel from Pacific Biodiesel, which not only supports Hawaiʻi’s economy but also reduces harmful emissions.

Impact Callout: Biodiesel produces up to 86% fewer greenhouse gases than petroleum diesel. Every cruise is a cleaner cruise.

Woman throwing away trash on board the Fair Wind

2. Reef-Safe Practices

Bottles of reef safe sunscreen on Fair Wind's store shelf.

Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs are home to an incredible variety of marine life, but they are also fragile. The best protection is to cover up first with rash guards or clothing—and if sunscreen is needed, we proudly provide reef-safe sunscreen aboard our cruises.

Impact Callout: Each guest who chooses reef-safe sunscreen helps protect thousands of coral polyps in Kealakekua Bay.

3. Reducing Single-Use Waste

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to our oceans, and we’re committed to cutting it at the source. That’s why we:

Serve meals with reusable dishware.
Make all food in-house, eliminating most of our plastic packaging.
Purchase cleaning solutions, liquid soaps and sanitizers in 55-gallon drums, avoiding hundreds of small containers.
Switched from compostable cups to reusable cups, saving over 2,000 trash bags of waste from the Big Island landfill annually.
We collect and save the limited plastics we do use, shredding them at our farm to be reimagined into new products – such as license plate frames, keychains, and other innovative products – helping us reduce waste and extend the life of every material.

Impact Callout: Our reusable cup & composting programs alone keeps 2,000+ trash bags or around 20 tons out of the landfill every year.

A crew member aboard the Hula Kai carrying a tray of breakfast items.

4. Plant-Based Menus with a Purpose

A lineup of plates loaded with delicious plant based food aboard the Fair Wind.

Food is part of every adventure, and at Fair Wind Cruises, our onboard menu reflects our values. We’ve developed a made-in-house, from-scratch, plant-based menu, swapping out resource-heavy beef for sustainable jackfruit.

We source food directly from our own Fair Wind Farm as well as other local farms—supporting Hawaiʻi’s farmers, strengthening the island food system, and reducing our carbon footprint.

Impact Callout: This switch saves over 20 million gallons of water every year. That’s enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

5. The Fair Wind Farm

On our Fair Wind Farm, all green waste from our cruises is turned into compost piles that regenerate the soil. That soil allows us to grow fresh, local foods served on board. Depending on the season, you’ll find ‘ulu, bananas, papaya, green onion, kabocha pumpkins, kale, chili peppers, graviola, and noni leaf—straight from our farm to your plate.

Impact Callout: 100% of our green waste is composted and returned to the land on our Fair Wind Farm- Kalakupua Farms—zero goes to waste.

A table full of ripe bananas at Kalakupua Farms

6. Marine Education for Guests

A crew member aboard the Fair Wind teaching children about marine wildlife

Every cruise is more than an adventure—it’s a learning opportunity. Our crew shares knowledge about local marine life, reef health, and conservation efforts.

Impact Callout: Thousands of guests each year leave with new tools to become ocean stewards.

7. Community & Conservation Partnerships

Caring for the ocean goes hand in hand with caring for the land. Our team actively participates in:

Quarterly highway cleanups (look for our sign between the police station and Palani Drive).
Kamilo Beach (“Trash Beach”) cleanups with the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund.
Partnering with State Parks to clean up the monument side of Kealakekua Bay (Kaʻāwaloa).
Native tree planting once a year with reforestation projects across the Big Island.

Impact Callout: Together, our team removes thousands of pounds of debris from Big Island roads and beaches every year.

Fair Wind staff wearing high visibility vests cleaning up a highway in Kona.

8. Ongoing Commitment to Sustainability

Fair Wind and Hula Kai anchored near Captain Cook Monument.

Our environmental journey is ongoing. From running on biodiesel to composting green waste, every step we take is part of a larger effort to reduce our footprint. Sustainability isn’t a box we check—it’s a core value that guides every decision we make.

🌊 Join Us in Protecting Paradise

When you cruise with Fair Wind Cruises, you’re not just booking an adventure—you’re supporting a company dedicated to preserving the very ocean playground we all love. Together, we can ensure that Hawaiʻi’s reefs, waters, and marine life thrive for years to come—and maybe inspire change around the world.