The Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy attempted to kick off its summer Earth Day Celebrations for 2010 on Earth Day weekend, but because of a drizzly Sunday the 5,000 people organizers hoped would join in and raise funds fell to a few dozen.
The event, which was held at Eerie Basin Park, was hard to find as it was tucked behind the new IKEA store at 1 Beard St. in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The 10-minute walk around the IKEA parking lot to the waterfront seem longer on account of the trickling rain.
The Giant Earth Ball which was launched 100 feet in the air earlier in the event served more to flag the event, otherwise lost underneath the second story of a parking lot, than as a symbol of 100 percent commitment to a greener earth.
Ludger Ballan, the director of the program, was actively engaged with the few attendees who came and went like the scattered showers after a performance by a group of barefooted dancers on cold concrete.
“We received phone calls all morning from people saying we can’t come because of the rain and we just told them the event is rain or shine, but that didn’t convince too many people,” said Ballan.
“We mostly got people from the neighborhood but the event was pretty much shot,” he added.
The bin in which the group hoped to collect sneakers and old electronics had less than 10 items lying at the bottom.
Ballan then retreated to the Enviromedia Mobile Museum that rested in the middle of the empty field where the day’s activities were to take place after introducing the final act of the event, El Nuevo Conjunto.
“We’re here to support Earth Day and most of all show our support for implementing positive changes in our environment,” said John Quinones, the band’s lead singer and guitarist.
Their set consisted of seven original songs composed with a pair of congas, three acoustic guitars, a tambourine, and a harmonica using no electricity to perform.