When you think of “environmentally friendly products and services,” aviation may not be the first industry that comes to mind. But Sun ’n Fun and the Lindbergh Foundation are working to change that with the return of an exhibit area known as “GreenSpace.”
The GreenSpace exhibit will again have a prominent location at this year’s Fly-In, which will be held March 29-April 3 at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in Lakeland, Fla.
Two years ago, Sun ’n Fun unveiled a new area on its campus that underscores its continuing commitment to the future of aviation: an exhibit featuring aviation-oriented products and services that are “friendly” to the environment. Called the “GreenSpace,” the exhibit featured the Lindbergh Foundation’s staff and board members on hand to explain the foundation’s program’s; Randall Fishman’s ElectraFlyer-C airplane; an electric car; a hybrid car; a children’s educational area; the City of Lakeland’s water and soil conservation displays; a Florida Refuse recycling exhibit; and numerous other exhibitors focused on “green” products, services and lifestyles.
Last year’s GreenSpace at Sun ’n Fun featured a “new and improved” version of the previous year plus an enhanced presence by the Lindbergh Foundation and its “Aviation Green” program that showcased current initiatives designed to successfully integrate technology with the environment and, at the same time, educated the public about the growing number of “green” activities that are taking place in the world of aviation. The Aviation Green Program was one of what has become a growing number of programs and activities on which Sun ’n Fun and the Lindbergh Foundation are partnering.
“Sun ’n Fun is proud to partner with the Lindbergh Foundation – whose mission is to further Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s shared vision of a balance between technological advancement and environmental preservation – on a number of key aviation, environment and technology-related projects,” said Sun ’n Fun President and Convention Chairman John Burton. “We have found many parallels between our two organizations and believe we can accomplish so much more if we can work together on these and future programs of mutual interest and benefit.”
Burton said the two organizations are currently working together on several activities, including the GreenSpace exhibit; a “Lindbergh Foundation Day” on Thursday, March 31; and a Celebration and Dinner event on Wednesday, March 30, during which the Lindbergh Award, the Corporate Award for Balance and the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award will be presented. Burton also recognized the Lindbergh Foundation for recently announcing the creation of a new program, the Aviation Green Alliance, that brings stakeholders together to address aviation’s environmental challenges.
“The Aviation Green Alliance has been formed to support aviation-related companies and individuals committed to proactively addressing matters regarding aviation and the environment,” Lindbergh Foundation Chairman Larry Williams said. “With a stated mission that includes ‘Encouraging solutions, acknowledging progress and communicating ideas,’ the Aviation Green Alliance will create multiple platforms for members to share strategies, findings, progress, and ideas related to addressing aviation’s environmental challenges. It’s important for the world to know that manufacturers, operators, service companies, and individuals in aviation are quite actively involved in making measurable, scalable and valuable environmental progress.”
Lindbergh Foundation Directors John and Martha King stressed the important role aviation plays in America and globally.
“There’s no question as to the value that aviation brings to our quality of life,” John King stated. “In recent years, we have been very pleased to see so many aviation companies working diligently albeit quietly to address aviation’s impact on the environment.”
“In creating the Aviation Green Alliance,” said Martha King, “the Lindbergh Foundation offers this coalition of concerned companies and individuals a central and public place for exchanging information and discoveries that benefit all aviation-environmental work.”
The Aviation Green Alliance is described by Lindbergh Foundation officials as offering a number of opportunities, including up-to-date aviation-environmental news and information; grant funding for the discovery and development of new and promising technologies; “Recommended Practices” for achieving measurable aviation-related conservation and sustainability initiatives; educational programs and outreach showcasing industry progress and successes in addressing aviation’s environmental footprint; and recognition of member successes.
For more information: AviationGreen.com, LindberghFoundation.org, Sun-n-Fun.org
