Beautify and Sustain: Earth Day & Recycling Extravaganza April 22
Taking care of the Earth can begin with planting native plant species, recycling cans and bottles or capturing rain water in rain barrels to create water reserves.
Visitors to the Earth Day & Recycling Extravaganza in Glen Ellyn can get started on all those endeavors and/or enhance an already environmentally-friendly approach to life.
The free event will take place in the Duane/Lorraine parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22.
The eastern half of the lot will host local vendors and organizations showcasing their goods and services.
In conjunction with a native plant sale, the Glen Ellyn Public Library will present a lecture titled "Native Plants for All Seasons" at 10 a.m. The library also will present Earth Day crafts for kids from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a children's story time from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
There also will be rain barrels for sale at the event. There is a limited number of barrels available for day-of-event sales; pre-orders are being taken at http://upcycle-products.com/glenellyn.html.
Food concessions will be available for purchase, including crepes, hot dogs and burritos.
Live musical entertainment will include performances by Dave Glynn and Rich Van Ham of the Empty Can Band from 9 to 9:40 a.m., blues artist Donna Herula from 9:45 to 10:25 a.m., bluegrass band The GrassHoppers from 10:30 to 11:10 a.m., folk musician Dean Milano from 11:15 a.m. to noon, and folk duo Ashley & Simpson from 12:05 to 12:55 p.m.
Haggerty Chevrolet will display a Chevrolet Volt hybrid electric vehicle, representatives from Prairie Co-Op will be on hand to discuss sustainable food sources and recycled textiles will be displayed by Re:new.
Recycling opportunities will be available in the western half of the lot. These items can be recycled for free: non-mercury batteries, American flags, garden tools and supplies, eyeglasses, hearing aids, printing cartridges, clothing, home goods, cabinets, doors, light fixtures, working tools and bicycles, cell phones, books and records.
Paint and fluorescent bulbs can be recycled for a fee.
There is no electronic recycling available this year. Also, the following items will not be accepted: prescription drugs, hazardous waste, chemicals, mercury thermometers and stereo speakers in wooden boxes.
The event is presented as a partnership between the Glen Ellyn Park District, Village of Glen Ellyn, Glen Ellyn Public Library, Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce and the Glen Ellyn Environmental Commission with media support from WDCB-90.9 FM.
For more information on the Glen Ellyn Park District, please visit www.gepark.org.