Geneva's Earth Day celebration will have much to do and see

Small changes can add up to a lot of good for the health of the Tri-Cities and the planet, believes the chairman of Geneva's Natural Resources Subcommittee.

You can have a hand in making those changes -- such as swapping out an incandescent lightbulb for a free compact fluorescent energy-saving kind -- at the committee's Earth Day celebration from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. It is at the Geneva public works garage, 1800 South St.

You don't have to live in Geneva to attend.

"To be 'sustainable' is such a huge word," said Jay Womack, chairman of the NRC. "But we can all take baby steps." (At his home, that included replacing the lightbulbs and getting his daughter in the habit of turning off the lights in rooms when she leaves them.)

And even if people are sick of hearing the message "go green," they can at least clear some clutter from their house by taking advantage of a mobile paper-shredding truck the city has rented for the morning.

Several activities are planned.

The Pure Gardener store of Geneva will have organic gardening products for sale. Several merchants from the Geneva Green Market will sell locally produced food.

The NRC will sell rain barrels which can collect water from your downspouts to use for irrigating lawns, flowers and other plants. The plastic barrels used to hold pickles, olives and other foods cost $75. If the committee runs out, you can place an order. There's no worry about attracting mosquitoes because they have a fine mesh screen that prevents them from laying eggs in the water.

The University of Illinois Extension Service will sell $50 Earth Machine compost bins for turning your kitchen scraps and yard waste into fertilizing soil. Master Gardeners will also answer questions about gardening.

Dave Coulter, the city's arborist, will answer questions about tree health and the infestation of emerald ash borer insects. He'll also discuss what are the best trees to plant in Geneva.

The Geneva bicycle path committee will have maps of the town's bike routes available.

Exelon will give out cotton tote bags which you can use to haul home your lightbulb and then use at the grocery store instead of a plastic bag.

The NRC is a subcommittee of Geneva's strategic plan advisory committee.