Organizers hope to build on last year’s successful event that attracted over 800 people and 30 vendors
RAPID CITY, SD—Did you know one person creates almost five pounds of trash per day? Or that E-waste accounts for 70 percent of toxic waste production? And that the average person throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles each year, adding to the amount of textile waste in landfills.
These are just a few of the many recycling facts and information items to be shared at the annual Earth Day Expo Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with events scheduled at both Western Dakota Technical College and South Dakota Mines. The event will feature numerous special presentations, exhibits focused on sustainability, hands-on environmental projects and activities, vendor booths, a large clothing swap, recycling opportunities, and even a visit by Smokey Bear.
Expo attendees can recycle old electronics, attend a yoga class, dispose of sharps and learn about medication storage, swap and shop for clothes, make flower arrangements with Miss South Dakota and Miss Siouxland Teen, explore the aquaponics lab and much more! Event organizers hope to build on last year’s successful Expo, which attracted more than 1,000 people, dozens of vendors and speakers.
The event is free to the public and hosted by Western Dakota Technical College, the Rapid City Sustainability Committee, Dakota Rural Action and South Dakota Mines.
Expo events will include a pet adoption event hosted by the Humane Society of the Black Hills; a terrarium workshop; an electric vehicle show; tree and house plant sale; free recycling for electronics, plastic bags and sharps; a Native American Drumming Circle; campus tours of Western Dakota Technical College and South Dakota Mines among other activities.
The event will also include food trucks, a children’s area with bounce house and Strider Bike obstacle course and door prizes.
