Be green – help keep the earth healthy. View more details and listings in our online calendar at www.illinoistimes.com.

ONGOING

Oversized Items Disposal City homeowners can schedule a free home pickup of items such as mattresses, furniture or appliances. Call Allied Waste, 522-7797. Residents limited to one free pickup of up to three large items per 12-month period. Other options (fees involved): Sangamon Valley Landfill, 2565 Sandhill Rd., 528- 9256. F & W Resources, 3327 Terminal Ave., 525-1206. Waste Management of Illinois transfer station, 3000 E. Ash St. and Mervis Iron, 1100 S. Ninth St.

Electronics Recycling Registered IL-EPA residential e-waste collection sites: Computer Banc, 1023 E. Washington Street, 528-9606; Mervis Industries, 1100 S. Ninth Street, 477- 9233; Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, Inc. 2001 Wabash Avenue, 816 N. 11th Street, 2531 N. Dirksen Parkway, 789-0400; Vintage Tech Recyclers, 211 N. 11th Street, 630-305- 0922; BLH Computers, 1832 Stevenson, 585-1580. More info at www.epa.state.il.us.

Branch Collection May through November, Springfield residents can place fallen branches curbside in front of their homes. No need to phone. Residents can also drop off branches free of cost at the Public Works facility, Martin Luther King and Clearlake.

Gardening Items Dirt, rock and sand are not accepted by waste haulers in residential trash. Call any area Township Road Commissioner to see if they have an area of erosion or construction to use this clean fill material. Landscape timbers, railroad ties should be disposed of at a household hazardous water collection event.

Hazardous materials Used motor oil, paints, paint thinners, unwanted medications, insecticides, pool chemicals, cleaning products, household batteries, antifreeze, hobby chemicals and fluorescent lamp bulbs are recycled in the spring and fall. See www.epa.state.il.us.

Tire Recycling Old tires can be brought to several serv ice stations, including Johnson & Johnson Auto Service Center, 1325 Stevenson Drive and Midtown Tire and Auto Service, 2110 Clear Lake Ave. Each store charges between $2 and $5 to get rid of one standard-sized tire. 789- 2327. Call for details and requirements.

Springfield Curbside Recycling Springfield residents can sign up by calling their private waste haulers as recycling is included in your garbage pickup fee. Accepted are: clean and dry newspapers, junk mail and chip board; all plastic containers except for No. 6; food cans, aluminum beverage cans, pie tins, clean aluminum foil; glass bottles and jars that food and drink came in. Twenty-four hour drop-off recycling facility is Lake Area Recycling Services, 2742 S. Sixth Street. They do not accept glass, but do accept corrugated cardboard.

Join Project BudBurst Register to become a Citizen Scientist and collect important climate change data on the timing of leafing and flowering where you live, targeting native tree and flower species. For info visit www.neoninc.org/budburst.

The Great Sunflower Project/The Backyard Bee Count Watch and record bees at sunflowers in your garden. No knowledge of bees required and they provide the seeds. For info visit greatsunflower.org.

Springfield Residential Tree Program Residents can share cost of up to two trees to be planted by Public Works in a public right of way or parkway area of a property. Requirements apply. For more info, phone 789-2428. Also, if you’re thinking of planting a tree on your property, see a recommended tree list by the City Arborist on the city’s website under the link, neighborhoods.

Springfield in Bloom Community-wide beautification effort April through July to encourage streetside landscape improvements to residential, business, neighborhood associations or nonprofit organization property. Projects involve existing gardens, new gardens or makeover projects. www.springfieldinbloom.org.

Illinois Products Farmers Market May 10-Oct 18, 4-7pm, Every Thursday (except during the IL State Fair), Fresh local food and entertainment. Commodity Pavilion. 217-785-4873. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave.

Old Capitol Farmers Market May 16-Oct 27, 8am-12:30pm Wednesdays and Saturdays, Fresh fruits, vegetables and more. (Chef demonstrations, artisans, live music on Saturdays.) Adams St. at Fifth and Second. 217-544-1723.

APRIL

Jacksonville Earth Day Celebration Apr 20, 8am-2pm, Bring your recyclables to Lincoln Square, Salvation Army on hand to take reusables. Plants and trees available for sale. 245-6121. Jacksonville.

Wildflower Weekends Apr 20, various times, Also, Walks are Sat. Apr. 14 and 21, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Reservations, elkharthistoricalsociety.org. Elkhart.

Celebrate Spring - Plant Sale Apr 21, 10am-4pm, Celebrate the season. Vegetable seedlings for purchase. Jubilee Farm, 6760 Old Jacksonville Rd, 787-6927.

Beginning Bonsai Presentation Apr 21, 10am-3pm, Bring brown bag lunch. $50, tree, pot and materials included. 243-9390. David Strawn Art Gallery, 331 W. College Ave, Jacksonville.

Community Shred Event Apr 21, 10am-12pm, Case of non-perishable food or money donations for five boxes shredded free. localfirstspringfield.com. Salvation Army Parking Lot, Ninth and Washington.

Earth Day Apr 22, 12-5pm, Changes: Dynamic Illinois Environments exhibit. Pick up your search activities at front desk. Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring St, 782-5993.

Blossom Time Hikes Apr 22, 29, 2pm, Three Sundays through Apr. 29, join one of garden’s naturalists and discover spring wildflowers. Free. Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 E. Lake Shore Dr.

Start Your Own School Garden Workshop Apr 24, 4-6pm, Lincoln land Community College’s Green Center offers a free seminar for K-12 teachers, administrators or any individuals involved with local school who wish to start a school garden. LLCC Workforce Careers Center, 5250 Shepherd Road. 786-2434. llcc.edu/greencenter.

ECCE Speakers Series Apr 25, 7pm, “Off Oil: Pioneering a Sustainable Business Model.” John Bradford, innovations director for Interface America. UIS Brookens Auditorium, One University Plaza, 217-206-6073.

Land of Lincoln Water Gardening Society Apr 26, 6:30pm, “Birds at the Pond,” Wade Kammin of Wild Birds Unlimited. www.llwgs.org. Douglas United Methodist Church, 501 S. Douglas Avenue.

RSVP Recycling Bin Wheels Apr 27, Free service available for seniors by appointment. RSVP. Springfield Senior Center, 701 W. Mason St, 528- 4035.

Save the Frogs Day Apr 28, 9:30am-5pm, Learn about Illinois amphibians as you search for froggy facts and earn a Save the Frogs sticker. Free. Illinois State Museum, 502 S. Spring St, 782-5993.

Earth Awareness Fair Apr 28, 10am-2pm, Free all-ages event includes activities, information and music. 789-2327. Erin’s Pavilion, Southwind Park, 4965 S. Second St, 217-753-0702.

Celebrate Spring - Plant Sale Apr 28, 10am-4pm, Celebrate the season. Vegetable seedlings for purchase. Jubilee Farm, 6760 Old Jacksonville Rd, 787-6927.

continued on page 16