Makana is a 2025 Sea Grant Community Engaged Intern in Marketing Research, collaborating with Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island, Perpetual, and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program. As a marketing research intern for the EPA Pollution Prevention Program initiative, Makana will contribute to developing a comprehensive, reusable foodware and bottle system in Hilo. His work will directly help Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island and Perpetual in addressing environmental, economic, and public challenges within the local coastal area.