Check out these Earth Day events

Earth Day is April 22, so it's time to scout out activities.

A few are Saturday and April 20, and many are the following weekend.

For example, the 1 p.m. guided walk at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe April 26 is in honor of Earth Day. It will be through the 100-acre McDonald Woods, a restored oak woodland.

At the Morton Arboretum in Lisle the big holiday is Arbor Day, April 25. That's also when the Big Bugs exhibit opens.

On Earth Day -- if the weather cooperates -- the arboretum will plant about 50 trees donated by Commonwealth Edison.

And the week of April 20, the arboretum becomes the latest to offer its own reusable bag that you can use instead of paper or plastic. It is $2 in the Arboretum Store.

Some believe art will save the world

If art and antiques are your thing, April 25-28 is your time.

Artropolis Chicago has arrived.

The Merchandise Mart will host the International Antiques Fair along with several art shows. One ticket for $20 will get you into any of them, and a $25 ticket is good for the whole time period.

Here's a detail shot from a Regence lacquer and gilt-bronze commode made in France in the early 1700s. It will be shown by The Country House/Richard Norton at the Merchandise Mart.

Other events will take place around the city and suburbs, including open art galleries, tours, films and dance and theater performances.

Each show also presents a preview party that is a fund raiser, for an extra charge.

For details, visit www.artropolischicago.com. The Merchandise Mart can be reached at (800) 677-6278.

Don't mow early on weekend mornings

Summer -- if it ever comes -- isn't all picnics, beaches and barbecues.

There's also home maintenance projects and lawn mowing.

Depending on the size of your lawn, the big part of the job might be getting the mower out of the garage. Or it could involve more than an hour traveling around your property.

John Deere has a couple products to make this chore easier.

First is John Deere Mobile Service. A technician will come to your home and work on your lawn equipment -- regardless of your brand.

That's certainly easier than wrestling the mower into the minivan.

A tune-up can mean less air pollution and better gas efficiency, says the company. Visit www.readytomow.com.

And if your yard just got a lot bigger or your mower is beyond repair, Deere proposes its new Z-Trak Estate Series.

They start at $6,499 and will make mowing the lawn so much fun you might not let your teen-age offspring do it.

Visit www.deere.com.