Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in Will County with passport to green events

JOLIET – The Will County Resource Recovery and Energy Division has joined with the Health Department, Forest Preserve and South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium to offer a passport to more than 50 ways to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day.

The first eligible event, a Household Hazardous Waste collection in Homer Glen, will be held on Saturday, March 14. Activities continue until September and include events such as Earth Day Safaris at Plum Creek Nature Center in Beecher, Fairmont Community cleanup, and a Fashion Swap-O-Rama at Joliet Junior College.

For each activity or event attended, earn a point. With the 15^th point, participants are entered into raffle drawings for prizes valued at $50 or more.

The group offers a paper version of the passport for children and people uncomfortable with the internet. These are available at:

Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet;
Will County Land Use Office, 58 E Clinton St., Joliet;
Will County Health Department, Joliet Office, 501 Ella Ave., Joliet;
Will County Health Department, Bolingbrook Office, 323 Quadrangle Dr., Bolingbrook;
Will County Health Department, Monee Office, 5601 W. Monee-Manhattan Road, Suite 109, Monee;
Plum Creek Nature Center, 27064 S. Dutton Road., Beecher;
Sugar Creek Nature Center, 17540 W. Laraway Road., Joliet;
Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W. Walnut Lane., Channahon;
Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E 135^th St., Romeoville

However, everyone is encouraged to go paperless and earn a bonus point for signing up at www.WillCountyEarthDay.com. The list of activities is also there.

Prizes are being donated by a variety of businesses and non-profits throughout the area. Top prize currently is a 5^th generation iPad from A-Team Recyclers, which will be awarded in September as part of the final round of prizes. Drawings will also be held on May 2, June 20 and August 8, every 50 days from the start of the program.

Other prizes include a pair of Cubs tickets, gift certificates, a rain barrel and a vintage metal garbage truck collectible valued at $135 from Homewood Disposal. More prizes are being added weekly.

Will County Executive Larry Walsh, who oversees the Resource Recovery and Energy Division within the Will County Land Use Department, said he is grateful to all the sponsors and the enthusiasm of the residents that have consistently demonstrated their dedication to the green initiatives offered by all these agencies.

“Will County residents have consistently shown their awareness of environmental issues, and we continually seek convenient methods of offering sustainable options to them,” Walsh said. “Our Land Use Department continues to lead the way in creating programs that work to preserve our natural resources and make it easy for our residents to participate.”

For more information about other events, visit the website: www.willcountygreen.com.

The Resource Recovery and Energy Division is part of the Will County Land Use Department, which is under the County Executive Walsh’s office. The Land Use Department is led by David Dubois.