HONOLULU (KHON2) – Hawaii is one of the only states in the United States without billboards. That’s not by accident. It’s the result of more than a century of steady, determined work.
Since 1912, The Outdoor Circle, a nonprofit conservation organization, has helped pass laws, plant trees and lead local efforts to preserve the beauty of these islands. Today, that mission is as urgent as ever.
KHON2.com was able to sit down with Winston Welch, the executive director for The Outdoor Circle. In operation since 1912, this organization has remained true to its mission.
“Our mission here is to keep Hawaii clean, green and beautiful,” explained Welch. “Most of the large trees that you see in Honolulu were advocated for, perhaps planted by, The Outdoor Circle.”
A legacy of beauty and protection
The Outdoor Circle began with a group of women in Honolulu who had seen public parks and tree-lined boulevards in other cities. They came home inspired.
They were not impressed by the large ads for cigarettes, whiskey and diapers that covered buildings and blocked the views of their own town.
“These ladies got together and said, we’re going to start a boycott of the stores that carry the products that were advertised on the billboards,” Welch said.
The campaign worked. The media joined in, and the laws followed. The last billboard company was eventually bought and shut down.
“It’s a testimony to time and to talent and endurance,” Welch said. “If you see that Hawaii’s different and you think about it, we don’t have ads here. We don’t have billboards. We have a beautiful environment. I think in large part, you have The Outdoor Circle to thank for that and the work and the advocacy that’s been done over the century.”
Top 5 things to know about Hawaii’s billboard ban
- Hawaii bans all off-site advertising: That means no billboards, no ads for products or services on public property, and no corporate logos on places like stadiums or state buildings.
- It’s been this way for more than 100 years: The Outdoor Circle helped pass the first laws in the early 1900s. These laws have been repeatedly tested and upheld in court.
- Most residents support it: “There’s overwhelming support for keeping these protections in place,” Welch said. “We value our view. We value our heritage. We don’t need or want corporate logos or advertising taking over what we value here.”
- Naming rights are the new threat: Under recent proposals like Senate Bill 583, the state could sell naming rights to public facilities. “It could be Marlboro Lights Stadium or Pepto-Bismol Stadium,” Welch said. “Is this something that we need?”
- This is about more than names: “This belongs to the people of Hawaii,” Welch said. “When we allow this, it degrades and cheapens what Hawaii is.”
What’s at stake with SB583
Senate Bill 583 is a bill that would allow corporate naming rights for public buildings and assets. Welch said that’s just another form of offsite advertising and one that threatens to undo generations of work.
“This bill offers no rules, no time limits, no oversight and no public say in the process,” Welch said. “Once naming rights are sold, they may never be undone.”
Welch wrote in his testimony on the bill that “Unlike traditional philanthropy, where donations support public facilities without altering their identity, this bill hands over ‘naming rights’ in exchange for corporate imprint, a.k.a. offsite advertisements, potentially forever, on public assets.”
Once “sold” it would be difficult or impossible to “buy back” naming rights.
Welch asked lawmakers to think carefully about what kind of future they want to leave behind.
“If naming rights are sold, they may never be undone, forcing future generations to live under branding decisions made today,” he said.
Hawaiian names carry meaning
Hawaiian place names are not just words. They are tied to the land, the culture, and the stories of this place. Welch said replacing these names with corporate brands would be a major loss.
“Hawaii’s place names hold meaning. They tell stories of the lands, the aliʻi, the moʻolelo and Hawaiʻi itself,” Welch said. “What happens when corporations dictate the names of our most treasured public sites?”
Why it matters to all of us
This is not just about signs or logos. It’s about identity. Welch said protecting Hawaii’s unique visual character is about respecting the culture, the ʻāina (land), and the people.
“Not everything should be up for sale,” Welch said in his testimony. “Allowing advertising to assault us all everywhere should not stand.”
Welch said the Outdoor Circle is not against public-private partnerships. But he draws a clear line at selling the identity of public places.
“If corporate donors genuinely care about Hawaii, they can support public assets without demanding ownership over their identity,” he explained in his testimony.
From billboards to bike paths
The work of The Outdoor Circle goes far beyond signs and advertisements. Across the islands, its branches take care of parks, gardens, bike paths, and trees.
“As stated earlier, I think it’s fair to say that most of the large trees that you’d see in Honolulu were advocated for, perhaps planted by The Outdoor Circle,” Welch said.
In Waimea, there’s a nature park. In Kailua, women at the Hawaii Correctional Facility grow hydroponic lettuce to sell at Foodland. On the North Shore, volunteers help maintain bike paths. Every branch is different. Each one has its own focus.
“This organization is about community,” Welch said. “It’s about making the difference where you live in your local area.”
The tree and its branches
The Outdoor Circle sees itself as one tree with many branches. Welch said each branch makes its own decisions based on what its community needs.
“It’s one organization that has very different manifestations of what it does,” Welch said. “And that is locally decided by each branch with its own board and how they want to focus on the beauty that they want to create.”
Welch invites anyone interested to get involved.
“We encourage anybody who’s interested in starting their own branch to reach out to us at outdoorcircle.org,” he said. “Say, hey, I want to start something in my own community.”
The choice ahead
SB583 is still being debated. Welch and The Outdoor Circle are asking lawmakers to reject it outright.
“There is no amendment that can ‘fix’ this bill,” he said in his testimony. “It must be rejected outright.”
Welch is not interested in half-measures or compromises when it comes to protecting Hawaiʻi’s beauty.
You can click here to read the bill. You can click here to learn more about The Outdoor Circle. Welch said the organization is keen to continue expanding. They work in many different areas around Hawaii from creating community gardens to educational programs and political advocacy to protect Hawaii.
So, if you’re interested in creating an affiliated organization, then you can click that link and get started on an amazing journey that is entrenched in Hawaii’s modern history.
“This is not just a policy debate. This is about who we are as a state and a people,” he said. “Hawaiʻi is not for sale.”
