Jason Momoa Cuts His Signature Long Locks To Highlight The Dangers Of Single-Use Plastics

"Aloha, everyone. Hand me those braids."

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• March 1, 2023

Hair has so many possibilities! From Mananalu Brown's short bob to a pink-dyed pixie cut and a blue mullet with streaks of green, there's something for everyone.

Flowing golden locks might even be long and strong enough for a man to climb a whole tower with! Recently, Jason Momoa made waves by cutting off his luscious hair to raise awareness of the impact of single-use plastic.

Changing one's hair is a big step in an unknown direction, and you won't know whether you love it or hate it until you go for it. So if you're thinking of taking the plunge, do it! I know my grandma had a few angry words to say when I cut my hair short, but you can survive it too!

So Jason Momoa filmed his hair getting cut last Monday. "Aloha, everyone," he began in the video he posted on his Instagram account before adding, "Hand me those braids." He then held two long pieces of cut braided hair in front of the camera and said, "I've never even felt wind right there!"

He said that his decision to cut his hair was inspired by wanting to raise awareness to eradicate single-use plastic. "I'm tired of these plastic bottles," he said.

"We gotta stop [using] plastic forks. All that s**t. It goes into our land, our ocean. It's just so sad, so please, anything you can do to eliminate single-use plastic in your lives, help me!" It seems like a great message in its own right, but let's dive deeper.

If you haven't heard of him, Jason Momoa is a 43-year-old American actor who first appeared in Baywatch: Hawaii but is most renowned for his roles as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones and Aquaman. But, of course, he's most famous for his trademark long locks and muscular body.

Jason Momoa, renowned for his acting in Game of Thrones, Dune, and Aquaman, posted a video of himself having his lengthy hair trimmed.

Jason was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the natural beauty of the ocean there inspired him to pursue a career in marine biology. Although he never quite made it to the field, he did have a successful run as Aquaman in the franchise, which helped him gain influence and a platform to bring attention to his cause.

His initiative, Mananalu Water, aims to reduce or, ideally, eliminate single-use plastics from our everyday lives. These plastics, also known as disposable plastics, are items like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles, and most food packaging that are only used once before they are thrown away or recycled.

The American actor's decision to cut his hair, iconic as it may have been, carries with it an even more meaningful message.

Jason is actively working to decrease single-use plastics through organizing beach cleanups and educational outreach events, as well as by creating Mananalu Water, a company he founded.

He was helped by Ball Corporation to create water bottles made of aluminum instead of single-use plastics.

Keep making waves

In an effort to reduce plastic waste in our oceans, they are now partnering with rePurpose Global to launch Drink One, Remove One, a program that removes, recycles, and repurposes plastic.

Reduce waste

“All that s**t, it goes into our land, our ocean,” he said in the video.

Due to the alarming levels of plastic in our oceans, every effort to reduce it makes a difference. The Pew Trusts report that 11 million metric tons of plastic are disposed of into the ocean yearly, the equivalent of a full garbage truck every minute, and a 2020 report titled “Breaking the Plastic Wave” predicts that this number will increase to 29 million metric tons by 2040 without intervention.

It was from this problem that Jason, the founder of Mananalu Water, saw an opportunity. On a flight, he noticed that water came in single-use plastic bottles while soda, beer, and juice were in aluminum cans.

This sparked the idea to package water in aluminum instead. Jason then partnered with Ball Corporation to make this idea a reality and subsequently joined forces with rePurpose Global to launch their “Drink One, Remove One” initiative.

This program works to remove, recycle, and repurpose plastic from the ocean; Mananalu donates a portion of each aluminum bottle sold to help achieve this goal.

As stated on their website: “Mananalu is a catalyst for change… a wave of change that will eliminate single-use plastic bottles. Pronounced {mah-nah-nah-loo} in Hawaiian, it means just that. ‘Mana’ is the sacred spirit of life, and ‘Nalu’ is a powerful wave that pushes across the ocean.”

According to the Pew Trusts, raising awareness of ocean plastic pollution is hindered by the fact that most people cannot witness the full extent of the issue. While one may be able to spot a few straws and bottle caps on the shoreline, the ocean appears to be beautiful, untouched, and abundant.

However, what is hidden under the surface is the pervasive pollution, such as trillions of microplastic particles from tires, textiles, and other sources, that are spread from the top of the ocean to its floor.

“So please: anything you can do to eliminate single-use plastic in your lives, help me!”

By making individual choices to reduce plastic use, like drinking Mananalu Water, people can make a collective shift that will have a big impact.

Watch the video:

Here is what people had to say:

They all love the idea

In his Instagram post, Momoa expressed the importance of protecting our land and oceans, advocating for the removal of single-use plastics from our lives and seas. He encouraged people to “aloha our ‘āina” together, reminding us that “aloha” has a beautiful, deeper meaning beyond its use as a greeting.

The literal translation of “aloha” is “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life,” representing a way of living and treating each other with love and respect.

Damjan