The article section discusses the importance of community-centered carbon removal efforts in Hawaiʻi, emphasizing the need to understand place-specific factors and prioritize local knowledge. The focus is on observing and learning from the people who know a place best before implementing new climate technologies. The future of ocean climate solutions like direct ocean capture will depend on listening to and valuing existing practices and perspectives. The overall message is that scaling carbon removal efforts requires a nuanced approach that considers local contexts and values.