Earth day activities will include creating an edible landfill, a 'Magic of Recycling' magic show, more hand's on children's activities, food, workshops, and live music. Some highlights are opportunities to build your own birdhouse, visit with Smokey the Bear, examine animal prints, attend demonstrations on how to start community projects and green up your community, as well as learning about locally grown foods and where you can buy them.

In addition, tree seedlings will be available while supplies last. A staff from Opportunity Enterprises' shredding service, Secure Shred, will provide a shredding service and will be on site to provide document destruction and recycling free of charge.

Wal-mart will be on hand to exchange plastic shopping bags for a reusable shopping bag. It will give one reusable shopping bag for every 10 plastic shopping bags turned in, up to five reusable shopping bags per family. Offer good while supplies last.

There will also be chances to visit with an Indiana Dunes State Park naturalist who will be providing a hands-on program exploring Northwest Indiana's amphibians and reptiles.

Stop by and see the display of alternative fuel vehicles or enjoy an interpretive hike through the park. There will truly be something for everyone, from kids to adults at this event. So walk, bike, or carpool to celebrate Earth Day and the planet earth and all its precious resources.

For more information, call (219) 465-3694, or visit the website at www.itmeanstheworld.org. This event is the third annual Earth Day presented by the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County.

--The Times