Earth Day Fair brings out the environmentally savvy

Fair not affected by bad weather or Spring Thing competition.

Bad weather did not stop Jeremiah Monk, 9, from playing with fossils and checking out the newest environmentally sound technology at this year’s Earth Day Fair.

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Today may be Earth Day, but the fair that coincides with it took place Saturday at Evergreen Park with opportunities for families, students and the community to learn more about their surroundings and spend a day at the park.

Environmental activists, students and community members all showed up to enjoy the festivities. They tossed Frisbees, canoed on the reserve and lounged around listening to music and poetry by bands promoting Earth protection and awareness.

It’s a big celebration to raise awareness for the environment, said Michelle Zuro, a fair coordinator. The goal is to empower the community to take responsibility for their environment and their natural habitat, and it brings people together locally.

Zuro, a senior in geography from Oak Forest, was pleased with the fair’s new location at Evergreen Park. In past years, it took place at Turley Park, but was moved closer to campus because resources like the water reserve could be used to the fair’s advantage.

It’s closer to the reserve, and I think it’s a bigger area, too, she said, adding that canoe rides were offered to attendees.

Hundreds showed up to the fair despite SIUC’s annual Spring Thing, which was going on at the same time down the road at the SIU Arena. Zuro said last year’s Spring Thing hurt attendance at the fair when everyone left to see Buddy Guy perform. This year’s turnout was not affected as much because the fair took place between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., while Black Eyed Peas, Spring Thing’s main band this year, did not come on stage until around 5 p.m.

Monk, a student at Unity Point Grade School, and others were greeted by an array of environmentally friendly exhibits and signs, including a cartoon of Popeye that read, I hopes ya swabs won’t be throwin’ no plastics overboard.

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Monk enjoyed an exhibit with fossils, snake skins, turtle shells and other remains of living creatures, but said his favorite exhibit was one displaying solar panels and ways to harness the sun’s energy.

It was particularly interesting because I’ve been recently thinking about various ways to power flying machines, Monk said.

The solar panels were set to display solar energy and also power the entire fair. Music speakers and amplifiers were among things draining power from the panels until clouds blocked the sun and two large golf-cart type batteries had to be used for energy.

Other sites Earth Day patrons enjoyed included a two-story teepee, propane and electric cars, free pine tree seedlings and numerous environmentally friendly foods.

Alyson Newquist, a senior in university studies from Lemont, operated a booth selling fairly traded organic coffee, which she said is the product of small farmers and not acquired through slave labor, as it is in some other countries.

It tastes better, and it’s organic, she said. It’s not exploiting nature or workers by the use of pesticides or man-made fertilizers.

Monk enjoyed his first year at the Earth Day Fair. He carefully studied the remains of snakes and turtles while making time to check out the swing rope inside the giant teepee. He wants to come back next year to check out all the exhibits again.

I’d like to see what are the newest things on the market for renewable energy, he said.

Reporter Brian Peach can be reached at [email protected]