Conservation Plainfield Spring Expo is Saturday

Conservation Plainfield, a local environmental education organization, along with the Plainfield High School Bio-Explorations Club, will host a free Spring Environmental Expo and Electronics Recycling Drop-Off from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Plainfield Central High School Field House, 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive.

The event is sponsored by Engineering Resource Associates, Inc. and supported by CARDNO JFNew, Cartridge World, Peter Rubi’s Fresh Produce, Pizzo and Associates, SC Group Real Estate, The Plainfield Riverfront Foundation, Unilock Chicago, Inc., and Upland Design, Ltd. 

Attendees will enjoy an up-close, live, hands-on experience with reptiles and amphibians from around the world presented at 10:45 by Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles. For more information, visit www.travelingworldofreptiles.com. 

At 12:15, Incredible Bats will provide a multi-media presentation on how beneficial the creatures are to us and our world. They will also have live bats at the show. For more information, visit www.incrediblebats.com. 

And at 1:45, The Frog Lady will have a live, hands-on experience with her reptiles and amphibians. For more information, visit www.thefroglady.com.

For the children, there will be a craft station where they will be able to make a craft out of recycled materials to take home, or they can help paint a rain barrel. Face painting and henna painting will also be available for the children.

To aid in recycling efforts, an electronics recycling drop-off will be provided by New Life Electronics Recycling, Inc., and an empty ink and toner cartridge recycling drop-off will be provided by Cartridge World. Conservation Plainfield will also be accepting batteries and compact fluorescent light bulbs for recycling. In addition, attendees can bring bikes in any condition for Working Bikes to repair and distribute locally and internationally to non-profit organizations.

Rain barrels and native plants will be available for purchase.

Attendees can also enter a raffle to win various items throughout the day. Raffle items are being provided by Aurelio’s Pizza; Cartridge World; Hitchcock Design Group; Homer Tree Care; Kayak Chicago; Lights for Learning; New Life Electronics Recycling, Inc.; Peter Rubi’s Fresh Produce; Plainfield Park District; SEASPAR Special Parks and Recreation Association Downers Grove

There will also be a range of exhibitors providing informative environmental education displays, hands-on activities, and sustainable products and services. Exhibitors include: Anything Grows Garden Club of Plainfield; Aroma Roots; Citizens Against Ruining the Environment (C.A.R.E.); Cartridge World; Chiro One Wellness Centers; The Conservation Foundation; Conservation Plainfield; Engineering Resource Associates, Inc.; Forest Preserve District of Will County; Home Tree Care; Juice Plus; Lights for Learning; Meha’s Recycled Bags and Henna Painting; NLOB Plainfield –New Life For Old Bags; Norwex; NYR Organics; Optimal Health and Wellness; Peter Rubi’s Fresh Produce; Pizzo and Associates, Ltd.; Plainfield Public Library; Plainfield United Methodist Church Green Team; Shaklee; Thirty-One Gifts; University of Illinois Extension Service; The Wild Ones; Will County Beekeepers Association; Will County Land Use, Resource Recovery and Energy Division; and Working Bikes.

For up-to-date information on the 2013 Spring Environmental Expo, as well as other Conservation Plainfield events and projects throughout the year, visit www.conservationplainfield.com.