Article written by: Bill Jones
www.opprairie.com
April 22, 2010 marked the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a day created by former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson to inspire environmental awareness, a day now celebrated by more than 150 countries. The following Saturday, April 24, marked the inaugural Green Fair in Orland Park, the culmination of almost a year's worth of green initiatives by the village.
"We really started last summer doing a lot of green programs," Orland Park Recreation Department Program Supervisor Stephanie Simpson said. "This was the next step to invite the public in to see what they can do."
Green Fair 2010 was comprised of four separate events within the village, but at the heart of it was the fair itself at the Village Civic Center, 14750 Ravinia Ave. The building housed more than 40 vendors, and five workshops were held with titles like "How Toilets Work" and "Economic Benefits of Reducing Water Consumption."
Deanna Belos showed off her choice of plants at the Village of Orland Park’s Green Fair Saturday, April 24, at the Orland Park Civic Center. photo: Sue O’Malley.
Jackie Riffice, the founding godmother of Prairie Godmothers, Inc., from Flossmoor, did a presentation called "Splish Splash Gardening." The presentation was largely focused on teaching people how to plant using old containers, rather than buying new pots.
"We think the longer we can delay things from going to a landfill the better," Riffice said.
Riffice explained Prairie Godmothers is about teaching people environmental stewardship, and that gardening practices can be better carried out by methods that conserve soil, water and air. One thing she suggested was using old, shredded newspaper to enrich the soil. The benefits of an environmentally friendly garden to homeowners are that it will ultimately reduce water bills and plant costs, while adding nutrients to the soil. Riffice said she was happy to bring this message to residents during Orland's event.
"Orland is real progressive in all their green efforts. I think they set the standard other communities should follow," she said. "They say we affect the planet one person at a time, but if we can do it one community at a time even better."
Hailey and Faith Farrell pet Cocoa, held by Lois Lauer from the Center in Palos Park, at the Village of Orland Park’s Green Fair Saturday, April 24, at the Orland Park Civic Center. photo: Sue O’Malley.
The vendors began with a number of hybrid vehicles parked on the sidewalks leading to the Civic Center. Inside, residents could find everything from Orland Park's Protective Coatings and Waterproofing to conserve energy and money, to services like ComEd and Waste Management and companies like Bright Idea Energy Solutions, which provides consulting, products and services for energy conservation, from small household upgrades to things like wind turbines for the federal government. Steven Gregory's Emerald Site Services, of Frankfort, will even pave driveways with recycled glass.
"Any type of improvement, there's always a green option," Simpson said.
And the most popular option among residents seemed to be rain barrels.
"We'll probably wind up buying them," Rita Costanzo, of Orland Park, said.
"We're considering rain barrels," Susan Ricker, of Orland Park, said while leaving the fair with her husband, James.
Jim and Susan Ricker listen to a demonstration by Denise La Giglia about PIMAG WATER FOR LIFE at the Village of Orland Park’s Green Fair Saturday, April 24, at the Orland Park Civic Center. photo: Sue O’Malley.
Todd Robertson, an Orland Park resident, also said rain barrels were at the top of his list of practical improvements to his home.
"I'm seeing a lot of things I can do to my house to make it more efficient," he said.
And the Green Fair was only one portion of the four-pronged event. While some people, like Costanzo and Robertson, were attracted to the Green Fair by the idea of learning new, environmentally friendly tricks for around the home, others, like the Rickers, were enticed to the Civic Center by visiting one of the other three events and learning about Orland Park's "Passport" program.
The Rickers simply visited the Electronic Recycling Drive at the Orland Park Public Works Facility, 15655 Ravinia Ave., to drop off some old electronics. According to Orland Park Village Manager Paul Grimes, roughly 600 cars stopped at the drive over the course of five hours, packing two trucks with electronics like televisions, computers, monitors and printers, as well as a few surprising antiques.
Village of Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin talks with Philip J. Wolf, project manager of Manhard Consulting and environmental consultant Susan Morrow Lee AP of EnCap Inc. at the Village of Orland Park’s Green Fair Saturday, April 24, at the Orland Park Civic Center. photo: Sue O’Malley.
"It was very successful," Grimes said. "We got an enormous amount of recyclables."
But it was at this event that the Rickers, like many others, received a passport to be stamped at the four events, which were rounded out by the Annual Spring Clean-Up at the Public Works Facility and the Health Fair at the Orland Park Sportsplex, 11351 W. 159th St. People who received stamps at all four events and submitted them at the Civic Center – approximately 200 completed them, according to Simpson – were eligible for a raffle of vendor giveaways, such as gift baskets, cleaning products and solar shields. Simpson said she thinks the event and programs were great successes.
"I think it went really well for the first year," she said. "We had no expectations."
Simpson noted that the vendors were very happy with the turnout, which bodes well for this to become a continuing event in Orland Park.
"We hope so," she added. "We want it to continue."
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