Hawthorn Mall to host Earth Day events

VERNON HILLS – Hawthorn, a shopping center in Vernon Hills, invites the community to celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 20, with an Electronics Recycling Drive and Textile/Shoe Collection Event.

From noon to 2 p.m., guests also are encouraged to visit the Lower Level near H&M for a sunflower seed planting craft activity (while supplies last) and an opportunity to meet the Earth Princess and her friends.

With partners eWorks and Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, Hawthorn is holding an Electronics Recycling Drive to help residents jump-start their spring cleaning. Those who have unwanted electronics can drop them off at the outer AMC parking lot from 10 a.m. to noon April 20.

Acceptable items for drop-off include PCs and laptops, servers, cables, cellphones, modems, printers, keyboards, mice, vacuum cleaners, plastic fans and microwaves. The center cannot accept loose batteries, freon devices, wooden speakers and smoke detectors. While most items will be accepted for free, there is a $25 fee for flat-screen TVs, projection TVs, CRT TVs and CRT monitors. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/3PBKYA7.

Did you know that up to 7% of all waste in landfills is composed of clothing and other textiles, much of which could be reused and recycled? To help reduce waste in local landfills, Hawthorn invites shoppers to bring gently used clothing and shoes to the center’s donation bins, co-sponsored by the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, from noon to 2 p.m. April 20.

Through SWALCO’s Clothing & Textiles program, Hawthorn is accepting new or gently worn women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and other textiles in all fabrics, including items with stains or holes or single socks. Through the Reuse-A-Shoe program, the center will collect shoes in all sizes for men, women, boys and girls. Hawthorn is unable to accept rollerblades, ice skates and winter boots or shoes that are wet or moldy or without soles or falling apart. Shoes being donated should have their shoelaces tied together and should be placed in plastic bags before being dropped off at the donation bin.

Both donation bins are located on the lower level near H&M.