ECC launches first sustainability fair

Elgin Community College will host its first fair aimed at teaching local entrepreneurs, students and educators how to embed sustainability into their everyday lives, a program that coincides with Earth Day.

Roughly 1,000 people are expected to attend the Sustainability Maker Faire, hosted by ECC's Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at the Building J Events Center on the college's Elgin campus, 1700 Spartan Drive.

So far, more than 450 participants have registered. Officials are encouraging collaboration among those who attend, and to present ideas at the fair. The event is free and open to the public.

"We're trying to make businesses go green," said Melinda Hajroja, 22, of Algonquin, a student organizer studying entrepreneurship and business at ECC.

Hajroja, a 2011 Huntley High School graduate, said sustainability is about more than recycling and being eco-friendly. "It's a mindset," she said.

Events include a "Shark Tank"-style pitch competition, "ECC maker challenge" for companies that produce eco-friendly products, a community carnival, family activities, Kidz Zone, an eco-friendly bazaar, organic food and live music, a fashion show featuring clothing made with recyclable material, and an eco-art show. There also will be a live and virtual panel discussion about sustainability.

Anyone can submit sustainable ideas for the "Shark Tank" competition, though it is geared more toward high school students. The top three winning ideas will receive prizes of $500, $300 and $200.

Students from Jacobs, St. Charles East, and Huntley high schools will be attending, said Glenn Earl, professor of entrepreneurship at ECC.

"We are working with a few others," Earl said.

"We expect to have between 75 to 100 students from the high schools, along with faculty members."

Participants can peruse about 50 vendor booths with eco-friendly displays, hear speaker presentations, join a fitness and yoga demonstration, get massages and sample organic foods.

"We're going to have a station where we are going to teach people how to make their own cleaning supplies using natural stuff - baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice," Hajroja said.

The first 600 attendees will get a free T-shirt made from recycled water bottles.

"We are also going to provide free, reusable water bottles for our students and communities and we ask that they use these bottles," Earl said. "We will have refilling stations. This is a movement that we are trying to encourage, nothing mandatory. We think that our students are ready for it. This event gives us a platform to talk about other environmental issues."

Sponsorships are being accepted until noon Tuesday, April 21. For more information, call (847) 214-7221. To register for the event, visit eccsm2015.eventbrite.com.