Recycle household items at Green Living Fair in Libertyville
The fifth annual Green Living Fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Libertyville Civic Center, 135 W. Church St., Libertyville.
All ages are welcome to the free event that features educational information regarding sustainable living, green shopping, organic farming, green cleaning and more. Various items, including DVDs, CDs, cellphones, gym shoes, bikes, and more, will be collected for recycling. Electronics will not be accepted this year.
A Kids Activity Korner will feature arts and crafts and environmental resources. The event is sponsored by the Libertyville Civic Center Foundation, in partnership with Lake County Green Congregations. Lake County Green Congregations began in 2009 at the United Methodist Church in Libertyville with a phone call to gather environmentally minded people from local faith communities to share information about how their congregations were living out the stewardship call to care for the Earth. The intention was just a sharing of information at a one-time meeting, but 17 people showed up representing eight churches.
Out of that first gathering, a group name came forth, and participants wanted to continue meeting. The first Earth Day Fair sponsored by Lake County Green Congregations was planned. Nonprofit exhibitors provided displays and information at their respective tables. A larger and more accessible location was needed for the following Earth Day Fairs in 2011 and 2012, and was found with the use of the Libertyville Civic Center being donated for this event.
The number of exhibitors and attendees has grown each year. Twenty-seven exhibitors filled the room for the 2012 Earth Day Fair. Exhibitors included a gardening club, Lake County Forest Preserve District, a water conservation group, Lions Club, local organic farmers, worm composter, and bee keeper, among others. Attendees were able to bring in bottle caps, ink cartridges, plastic bags, crayons, children's books and tennis shoes for recycling or repurposing.
In addition to the indoor activities, electronics filled a large truck in the parking lot, Styrofoam blocks were collected for recycling, 27 bikes in various conditions were donated and will be sent to designated countries for use as machinery to grind corn or generate power. All of this has been accomplished without a budget.
Approximately 450 people attended the 2012 fair.
For information, contact Cathy O'Brien, (847) 367-8062 or Katey Aynilian, (847) 362-8638.