Oswego Earth Day Celebration Combining Recycling Event, Kite Fly

Update: The Kite Fly is canceled today, but the Recycling Event will continue at the village's Public Works facility. 

The Oswegoland Park District and the Environmentally Conscious Oswego Commission are combining their talents and resources to celebrate Earth Day Saturday by finding ways to incorporate the holiday into everyday life.

“We want Earth Day to be more than just a fun day on the calendar. We hope Oswego families commit to some of these things in everyday life," said Kristie Vest, special events coordinator for Oswegoland Park District.

ECO’s Reuse and Recycling Extravaganza is from set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the , 100 Theodore Dr. ECO has partnered with various organizations to correctly dispose of or recycle a multitude of items.

George Stenitzer, ECO Commission chairman, said the goal of the Recycling Extravaganza is “to increase the percent of waste to be recycled or reused and to keep landfill space down. To find a home for things clogging up garages and attics and make them valuable again.”

“We have a great set of volunteers who help with the event each year and the majority of our partners are doing this for free,” said Stenitzer.

ECO works hard to find places to take each of the items and some of the donations benefit nonprofits, Stenitzer said. He estimated the event costs Oswego less than $300.

Examples of items ECO will accept: tires, motor oil, antifreeze, batteries, dog collars, chains and leashes, and scrap metal. The American legion will honorably dispose of American flags. The Lions Club will reuse old eye glasses. ECO will shred and then recycle your sensitive documents.

Donated bicycles are given to a program that works with kids in Chicago, who learn to rebuild the bike and then keep it. Styrofoam is given to eBay club members who use it for packaging. Clothing, exercise equipment and other miscellaneous items in good condition are donated to veterans.

ECO cannot accept hazardous waste, gasoline or oil based paint, but they will try to provide direction to the proper method of disposal. Latex paint will be recycled by Earth Paint for $2.50 per gallon.

ECO offers 24 electronics collections each year. Stenitzer said, 90 tons of electronics were recycled last year.

"That is an amazing amount for a community our size," he said.

Vintage Technology in Plainfield cleans the hard drives, refurbishes the items and resells some parts and recycles others, said Stenitzer.

The extravaganza also includes a swap meet where attendees can exchange books, board games, VHS, DVDs and CDs.

“Most people leave with as many items as they brought," Stenitzer said.

Stenitzer expects to process “500-600 carloads of stuff” and he recommends recyclers look over ECO’s list of acceptable items ahead of time since many people return home to get more stuff once they realize all that ECO will accept.

Oswegoland Park District is hosting a Kite Fly at , at the corner of Theodore Drive and Plank Drive, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.. Amateur and professional kite flyers are welcome to enjoy the event and fill the sky with all shapes and sizes of kites.

A variety of Earth-friendly events will occur alongside the Kite Fly. Seed packets will be distributed. Rain barrels are for sale. Plant guides will be available to answer gardening questions. There will be a food collection for the hungry and Oswego residents will be encouraged to donate a row in their gardens to feed the hungry.

“There’s lots going on and we’ll have lots of fun," Vest said.

Vest highlighted the making of sled kites out of grocery bags. Previously 200 kites were made in one afternoon, said Vest.

ECO is also sponsoring a storyteller at the Kite Fly to discuss why conservation is important.

ECO sponsors a community wide garage sale May 13-14 and the next Recycling Extravaganza is Sept. 24.