By Elena Christopoulos – the wind guru
I know what you are thinking. A kite festival? What on earth does that have to do with spreading the message of environmentalism? Actually, from my perspective, it is an absolutely brilliant idea. Why? Educate the children.
That’s right. Educate our children. Have an event that is fun, exciting and accessible by public transit. It will include hundreds of kites in the air, expert fliers, kite boarders on the lake, workshops for kids to make their own kites, free handout kites and more.
This event is focusing on our future, our children.
Now, I don’t have kids, but many of my friends do and I have spent many days on the beaches of Toronto, Santa Monica and the Greek Isles enjoying an afternoon with kites and watching a child smile as their kite soars up into the sky. I actually feel a bit nostalgic as I write this and it brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. Have the children design their own kites and watch them fly. I am oh so curious as to what they will say.
Why nostalgic? Well, growing up in Europe I remember nagging my parents to bring our cloth bag as we went to the market to shop. As my parents shopped, I would have loads of fun in the daycare at the shop painting the cloth ‘shopping’ bag. There were no plastic bags — only cloth bags designed by kids. I remember how proud I was when my parents would carry ‘my’ bag to the store. I never grew up with plastic bags and to this day think how easy could it be to implement the same idea in North America. Well, it will come soon. This festival has the same look and feel of simple innovative ‘green’ ideas. And yes, I still have one cloth bag.
The location of the kite festival is in birds eye view; pardon the pun, to the first urban North American wind turbine located in downtown Toronto.
Will the children say that the turbine is an eye sore? Will they complain about the noise? Will they even hear it? Can we curtail NIMBYISM? Even for one day?
Will one child, just one child, be inspired to ask what can be done next? Will they dream? Will faith be restored? I hope. I really hope so.
I have been told that permits are a go and the kite festival will be right on the waterfront. This festival will showcase the pressing need for more green energy awareness. Where massive high rises and nature meet, a festival will flourish.
With so much negative news about the environment, I thought I would spread a positive word or two and I hope you pass this event on as well.
Please help make this event happen. I understand corporate sponsors are being sought out who want to support green energy and be part of a fun community event! Please contact http://meslin.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/clear_skies.pdf to find out more information about how you can get involved.
The Clear Skies Kite Festival will be held on October 2nd 2010 at Woodbine Beach in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
I look forward to seeing you there, with my kite and cloth bag.
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Elena Christopoulos is an environmental consultant based out of Los Angeles and Toronto. Ms.Christopoulos has advised some of North America’s most recognizable Fortune 500 companies, and also advises political campaigns and parties on electoral strategy, in both the public and private sectors in Canada, Europe, and the United States.
Her areas of specialty: are green environmental initiatives, alternative energy and health related initiatives and she is often referred to as a ‘wind guru’.
In 1997 she implemented the first urban turbine in North America (erected in downtown Toronto in 2002), the first community-owned power wind project in Ontario, and she has been involved in similar projects worldwide ever since — implemented recycling programs globally and lobbying for environmental issues to help frame public policy.
This ‘wind guru’s’ latest achievement is erecting the first wind turbine on a community college campus in LA County.
