Radio Disney will close out the 2013 Northwest Indiana Earth Day Celebration with 90 minutes of activities beginning at 2:30 p.m. Sponsored by NIPSCO in partnership with the Indiana Pipeline Awareness Association, Radio Disney will provide games, activities, music, dancing and giveaway prizes in the main Expo building.
The eighth annual Northwest Indiana Earth Day Celebration will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 20, in three buildings of the Porter County Expo, 215 E. Division Rd., Valparaiso. Admission and parking for the event are free.
Also added to the Celebration’s lineup of events is the Great Cloth Diaper Change, which will occur at 11 a.m. in the 4-H Building, and a 1:30 p.m. stage program by the award-winning Lake County Green Team, known for their school programs and assemblies in Lake County.
The GCDC, organized by local businesses Sweet Peaz Diaper Service and Mothering by Nature Center, helps to increase the awareness of reusable cloth diapers. At 11 a.m. all over the world, people will be changing cloth diapers. In 2012, 256 locations in 15 countries held simultaneous events to break the world record for the most reusable cloth diapers changes simultaneously. Participants must be preregistered by calling Mothering by Nature, 219-299-2039, or Sweet Peaz Diaper Service, 219-644-6506.
The Green Team will provide games and challenges for attendees of the 2013 Northwest Indiana Earth Day Celebration.
“This is the first time the Green Team will join us at the Northwest Indiana Earth Day Celebration,” said Donna Stuckert, community education coordinator for the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County. “We are tickled that the team’s knowledge and excitement will be experienced by attendees this year.”
Two new adult programs in the stage lineup this year include “What is a time bank?” and “How to create a chemical-free environment in your home.”
Presented by Amanda Leuthardt of the Northwest Indiana Society for Sustainable Living, the 9:30 a.m. time bank program will present the growing concept of trading skills versus purchasing services in communities.
“Times are tough,” said Leuthardt. “Jobs are down. Money is tight. The more hours you ‘spend’ helping others, the more hours you ‘earn’ to receive help back. Time Banks have spread to over 32 nations and are now in 48 states.”
Presented by Jan Litza from Young Living, the 10:30 a.m. chemical-free home program will help audience members understand the dangers of the wide range of products used in homes, identify which products fit the definition of hazardous or toxic and the impact they have on the health of our homes and environment.
Family programs returning this year include two live animal shows by Silly Safaris, on stage at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and the Recycle Cycle stage show at 12:30 p.m.
Silly Safaris Amazon John will introduce animals to the audience, encouraging positive human animal interactions that inspire responsible pet ownership and wild animal conservation. Silly Safaris is the leading provider of live animal conservation education in Indiana and provides over 3,000 conservation inspiring live animal shows every year throughout the USA.
The Recycle Cycle stage show features the hilarious antics of a garbage man and his crazy contraptions with lots of audience participation.
With almost 80 exhibitors, many offering children’s activities, the 2013 Northwest Indiana Earth Day Celebration provides something interesting for all attendees to learn about the planet and what they can do to help reduce their environmental impact.
The 2013 Celebration will also present the first Porter County school/class rain barrel design contest to be judged by all Earth Day Celebration attendees. Twenty-six barrels from 19 schools will be on display, vying to win the grand prize of two hand chairs made out of recycled plastic. The competition is co-sponsored by the Porter County MS4 communities.
For a complete listing of Celebration programs and exhibitors, visit the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County’s website, www.ItMeanstheWorld.org, or call 219-465-3819 for more information.
The 2013 Northwest Indiana Earth Day Celebration is sponsored by the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County with the assistance of these generous supporters: NIPSCO; Metro Recycling; Northern Indiana Regional Planning Commission; Lakeshore Public Television; Your Values Magazine; Duneland 28; Pratt Industries; Republic Services; Electronic Recyclers International; Anton Insurance; Hobart Lumber; LaPorte Savings Bank; Porter County Building Department; Purdue University North Central Construction Engineering Dept.; Indiana Department of Natural Resources; Porter County Chapter Ducks Unlimited; Porter County Emergency Management and Opportunity Enterprises. Financial support also provided by Indiana Dunes Tourism.
The Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County is a government agency dedicated to improving the environment and quality of life for Porter County residents by providing convenient, voluntary waste reduction services.