Illinois Sustainable Living Expo - April 11 and 12
The annual Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo coordinated by the Ecology Action Center and Illinois Wesleyan University Wellness is this Friday and Saturday! This great event held at the IWU Shirk Center involves 100 exhibitors with diverse information on environmental sustainability and wellness issues as well as ten dynamic workshops including:
Other event activities include a children’s Eco-Carnival and the Affordable Fashion Show.
Volunteers are needed to help this event run smoothly. Please contact Missy Smock at msmock@iwu.edu or 309-556-3334 to volunteer. For more information on the event, see the event website at www.islwe.org.
Rain barrel workshops: May 6 and May 10
The ever popular EAC rain barrel workshops have returned! Are you interested in conserving water while still maintaining your flower or vegetable gardens? Do you wish to help reduce stormwater runoff that carries contaminants into water bodies that eventually contribute to our public water supplies?
Then you need a rain barrel! Come to our low-cost workshop and we will show you how to make your own rain barrel that you take home at the end of the workshop. Commercially available rainwater collection and storage systems range in price from $75.00-$165.00 but the Ecology Action Center is offering this workshop at a cost of $20.00 for members of the Ecology Action Center and just $30.00 for non-members.
Workshop includes:
- 55 Gallon Reused Food Grade Heavy Gauge Plastic Barrel
- A universal adapter to attach your rain collection and storage container to your existing gutter. Will work with 4” and 3” rectangular and 4” round downspouts.
- High quality brass plumbing and rubber o-rings for a long life.
Instruction and use of all tools needed for the project. There is a limit of one barrel per household.
To sign-up, download the appropriate registration form from the EAC website at www.ecologyactioncenter.org, complete and send in with your payment. Classes are filling up fast - so send your registration in today!
Bloomington-Normal Cleanup Week April 19-26
Celebrate Earth Week by participating in the third annual Bloomington-Normal Cleanup Week!
Cleanup Week is scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 19, 2008 and continue through Saturday, April 26, 2008. Cleanup activities typically include picking up litter, trash and debris at public parks, neighborhoods, and along public roadways and the Constitution Trail. Volunteers may choose a location in Bloomington-Normal, or they can ask to be assigned one based on their registration information.
Volunteers can establish their own timeframe to participate throughout the designated week. Supplies, including trash bags and disposable gloves are available upon request.
Volunteers can register by accessing the community cleanup week link on the website for the Town of Normal (www.normal.org) or the City of Bloomington (www.cityblm.org). Registration forms are also available at the Ecology Action Center or by contacting Geoff Fruin at 454-9504 or via email at gfruin@normal.org.
Imagine Green Bloomington-Normal: Meet Your Green Neighbors
You are invited to the first public event of Imagine Green Bloomington/Normal, held in cooperation with the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo, on Saturday, April 12, from 10-12 a.m. in the Davidson Room of the IWU Memorial Center. Imagine Green Bloomington/Normal is a newly formed group promoting sustainability throughout our community through networking, education, and action. You will hear and see show-and-tell presentations of “Green Neighbor” kids and teachers at Bloomington Junior High, Brigham, Sugar Creek, and Chiddix schools. There will be green songs, displays, pledges, and other features that inform you of sustainable activities occurring in their schools. It will be exciting!
You will meet “Green Neighbor” representatives of HorizonWind (wind farms east of town), Children & Elders Forest (planting urban groves, including a fabulous new grove at Bloomington High School), Coffee Hound, and Unit 5 Maintenance. Coffee Hound, one of several local small green businesses you will hear about, is using cork sleeves and corn cups that you can compost, recycling, purchasing products locally, and doing direct trade with coffee farmers. Unit 5 Maintenance is pacesetting the use of geothermal energy and conservation of energy (over $2 million dollars saved in the last two years).
You will see a PowerPoint presentation of the community goals of Imagine Green and meet in small groups to give feedback and make suggestions. You will be invited to join Imagine Green action groups dealing with such concerns as Earth Hour (Imagine Green coordinated Earth Hour on Saturday, March 29, 2008, from 8-9 p.m., when families and organizations turned off their lights for an hour), Pedestrian and Bike Friendly Paths, and Sustainable Local Businesses. Please contact Joe Grabill, 454-2883, turtlecn@verizon.net or Marie Streenz, 531-1043, marie.streenz@horizonwind.com for more information and let us know if you plan to attend.