Local Student Launches 'Green Trolley Tours'
Thanks to a local 8th grader, on Saturday, April 24 trolley rides around the Ojai valley will be FREE--and greener--in support of Ojai's Earth Day celebration.
Green Trolley Tours, is the brainchild of 13-year-old David Binstein, a student at Ventura Charter School, and Mary Sequoia Hamilton, an Ojai-based business professional mentoring Binstein in a possible future career in Eco Travel.
The goal of the eco-tour project is to encourage people to ride the Ojai trolley and then enjoy self-guided strolls to local green businesses and attractions within a short walking distance of the trolley's more than 40 scheduled stops throughout the greater Ojai Valley.
To support the trolley-&-walk project, The City of Ojai is offering FREE trolley transportation on Saturday, April 24 in conjunction with Ojai's Earth Day celebration. In addition, Binstein's 'green-stops' trolley brochure will be distributed at the Ojai Earth Day event.
"The trolley is part of Ojai's small-town charm," says Hamilton. "We hope to encourage locals to use it more routinely such as going downtown to the Farmer's Market on Sundays or anytime during the week for yoga, the movies, tennis, dining, or shopping. Also, the trolley is a big hit when entertaining out of town guests."
Binstein's student project is part of Ventura Charter School's Ph.D. program (Project of Your Heart's Desire) which is conducted annually with its 8th graders. In the Ph.D. program, students are encouraged to explore potential careers that excite them. Considered a step-up from job-shadowing, students are matched with experts in their respective fields and asked to develop a meaningful and substantial project over a 3-6 month period.
"The mentor relationship is vital to the success of this program," said Kim Winch, volunteer and parent at the Ventura Charter School whose daughter Ashley, with dreams of becoming a best-selling author, is writing a novel as her project in the Ph.D. program this year.
Hamilton, who leads travel tours around the globe, many of which are sustainable and green in nature, was approached by Winch to mentor a student who was interested in a possible career in eco-travel.
"When I first met David he was thinking of creating a mock eco-tour," said Hamilton. "I encouraged him to start with something real, local and free to the community, which was the genesis for the Green Trolley Tour."
Hamilton guided Binstein as he researched the trolley company, talked with trolley drivers, and studied the routes firsthand by taking several rides around Ojai.
"I was impressed to learn that the trolleys are fueled by propane vs. gasoline which is a cleaner energy source, have bike racks, and that a ride only cost 50 cents," said Binstein.
With research done and a local eco-tour idea forming, Binstein then contacted The City of Ojai's Public Works Department, which owns and operates The Ojai Trolley Service, to discuss the possibility of a 'green stops' brochure and of FREE trolley service during Ojai's Earth Day celebration.
"We were thrilled to support this student's efforts and also impressed that a youth would have such passion about alternative transportation," said Drew Lurie, Operations Supervisor of The Ojai Trolley Service.
Lurie explained that in the midst of massive budget cuts, the trolley service is continually exploring ways to increase ridership to keep the trolley rides affordable and the operations feasible.
"It has been fun to watch one student's small idea grow into such a huge success," said Winch who has been keeping tabs on Binstein's eco-tour project as it has progressed over the last six months.
Green Trolley Tours will premiere on Saturday, April 24 at Ojai's Earth Day event 'Earthplay In The Meadow' in the Ojai Meadows Preserve from 11am-5pm. The preserve is located on Maricopa Highway next to Nordhoff High School in Ojai.
Tri-fold brochure
