LINCOLN PARK — Saturday is Earth Day, and if that doesn't motivate you to improve your own little part of the world, local neighborhood groups and aldermen are providing incentives of their own.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) is expanding his annual Gold Coast recycling event to include electronics, bikes and clothing. Hopkins will hold his event from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday in the parking lot at 1254 N. State Parkway. Residents can drop off paper such as old bills to be shredded, as well as prescription drugs to be disposed of.
In addition, NewTech will be on site to accept electronic goods such as old TVs, computers and their monitors and printers, cellphones and small kitchen appliances. The nonprofit bicycle shop Working Bikes will accept old cycles to be passed along. Bridge to Success will collect gently used work clothes and suits to be given to those preparing for jobs and interviews. And Cradles to Crayons will accept gently used clothes and toys for kids up to age 12.
The Sheffield Neighborhood Association will hold a similar recycling event until 3 p.m. Friday, collecting electronic goods and toxic household products in the parking lot at Fullerton Parkway and Sheffield Avenue.
The Sheffield association has an Earth Day cleanup set for Meyer Elementary and its adjoining Trebes Park, 2250 N. Clifton Ave., from 9-11 a.m. Saturday.
The association and Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) remind residents that the city initiative to pick up yard waste runs through Saturday as well. Call 311.
Friends of the Parks is organizing park pickups across the city Saturday, and according to Smith it's joining the RANCH Triangle Community Conservation Association to spruce up the pocket park at Halsted Street and Wisconsin Avenue Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon, as well as Privet Park, 1844 N. Sheffield Ave., and the Adams Playground Park, 1919 N. Seminary Ave.
The Wrightwood Neighbors Association plans the same at Jonquil Park, 1023 W. Wrightwood Ave. Volunteers can register to work at those or any of the other areas Friends of the Park is policing through the group's website.
