Updates on Naperville's Earth Day Fair and Earth Week
The community is invited to celebrate the second annual Earth Week Naperville 2018 April 21-28. The weeklong event features volunteer opportunities, special events and programs focused on sustaining and protecting the environment. New exhibitors, events and volunteer projects have been added.
On Saturday, April 21, Fort Hill Activity Center will host a free shredding event for the community from 8 a.m. to noon at 20 Fort Hill Drive.
On Sunday, April 22 Fort Hill Activity Center will hold an Earth Day Fair from noon to 4 p.m. The free family-friendly event will feature children's activities, eco-friendly vendors, green living tips, energy-saving information, an LED light bulb giveaway, environmental education and more. One of the nonprofit groups at the Fair, Cradles to Crayons, asks Earth Day Fair attendees to bring new or gently used clothing and toys to help them serve families in homeless or low-income situations.
Sponsors making this free event possible include Accenture, Bartlett Tree Experts, City of Naperville, Naperville Park District, Shamrock vCFO Services, Visit Naperville (Visitors Bureau), and Waste Management. Exhibitors include Bartlett Tree Experts, Citizen Climate Lobby, City Bee Savers, Cradles to Crayons, DuPage County Stormwater Management/Cool DuPage, Experimac Naperville, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Forest Preserve District of Will County, G & C Tree Service, Holistic Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Solar Energy Association, Juice Plus, Knoch Knolls Nature Center, Naper Settlement, Naperville Park District, Naperville Public Library, North Central College, Norwex, SCARCE, Shamrock vCFO Services, The Conservation Foundation/Green Earth Institute, The Growing Place, The Morton Arboretum, The Resiliency Institute, and TREE Fund.
During Earth Week, The Resiliency Institute is partnering with the City of Naperville and the Naperville Park District to plant two perennial, edible fruit tree guild gardens they are donating as part of their Growing Food Security program. The gardens will also serve as sustainable landscaping demonstrations for residents. One garden will be planted from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26 at the Park District's Ron Ory Community Garden Plots, 811 S. West St., and the second garden will be planted from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 28 at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Volunteers are encouraged to help with planting and have fun while learning about the growing method, pollinator, environmental and community benefits of the gardens at both events. For more information, contact jodi@theresiliencyinstitute.net.
The City of Naperville's annual Arbor Day Tree sale will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 28 at the Public Works Service Center, 180 Fort Hill Dr. A list of available trees and prices will be available at www.naperville.il.us/arbordaytreesale. At the tree sale, attendees can pick up preordered rain barrels and composters. Orders should be placed prior to the event at upcycle-products.com/napervilleil.html.
Capping Naperville's Earth Week, join WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling, University of Illinois Professor Don Wuebbles, who is a leading scientist in the study of the Earth's climate, and Accenture Global Environment Director Mike Nicholus for an interactive discussion and town hall, "Climate Science and Tomorrow's Forecast." The event is free and will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at the Naperville Central High School Auditorium, 440 W. Aurora Ave., Naperville. Registration is required and will be made available to the public on April 22 at www.napervilleparks.org/earthweek.
Special events and volunteer projects planned to date are listed on the Earth Week Web page at www.napervilleparks.org/earthweekvolunteeropportunities. Organizations that are hosting special events or proposing new volunteer projects may visit the website to sign up as volunteers or to add their event or project. For more information, contact Volunteer Manager Lynnette Hoole at (630) 848-3606 or lhoole@napervilleparks.org.
Volunteer projects listed to date include tasks such as picking up litter, mulching tree rings and labeling storm drains.
Earth Week Naperville is a joint effort among several groups including:
City of Naperville
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Forest Preserve District of Will County
Indian Prairie School District 204
Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce
Naperville Park District
Naperville School District 203
North Central College
The Conservation Foundation
The Morton Arboretum
Visit Naperville (Visitors Bureau)