Trash Bash, Earth Month events offer free opportunities to clean up and give back
Spring is here, and for many Cook County residents that means spring cleaning is in full swing. With Earth Month as inspiration, the Forest Preserves of Cook County is offering four free opportunities to make spring cleaning more sustainable thanks to the fourth annual Trash Bash series.
“For 55 years, Earth Day has provided us with an annual reminder to recommit to taking action for our planet, inspiring residents to volunteer or find other ways to give back to nature,” said Forest Preserves of Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle. “Trash Bash provides a unique opportunity for folks to bring hard-to-recycle items to one location, where our partners will help keep these things out of our waste stream—and out of the Forest Preserves as potential future fly-dumped materials.”
The four Trash Bash events for 2026 are set to take place:
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 11 at Miller Meadow-South, 1st Ave, south of Roosevelt Rd, in Maywood
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 25 at Dan Ryan Woods-Central, S Western Ave, south of W 83rd St, Chicago South Side
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 16 at LaBagh Woods, N Cicero Ave, north of W Foster Ave, Chicago North Side
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 30 at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, 12545 W 111th St, Lemont
Trash Bash brings together agencies and nonprofit partners to both help households with their spring cleaning and also offer seasonal services to Cook County residents.
“In the United States, the average person contributes almost 5 pounds to the waste stream every single day,” says Forest Preserves of Cook County Volunteer Program Coordinator Joanna Huyck. “We want to help Cook County residents make more environmentally sound decisions when it comes to getting rid of items around the home and maybe even give renewed life to items that can be reused and repurposed.” Full details are online at fpdcc.com/trashbash.
Trash Bash Partners:
Please note: The Forest Preserves is accepting book donations at all events except May 30 at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center. Trash Bash partners may vary by date/location. Visit fpdcc.com/trashbash for specific details about each opportunity.
- CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials) at South Suburban College: Glass, plastic bottles, cardboard, polystyrene, textiles, e-waste and on-site hard drive shredding
- Helping Hands Clothes and Shoes: Clothing, shoes, household items, toys, and accessories
- Cook County Sheriff’s Office: Unwanted/expired prescription pills, cables, electronics, small appliances (toasters, blenders), toner cartridges, UPS batteries, car batteries and televisions (limit 1 per household), and off-site shredding
- EcoShip: Shipping and packaging materials, retail and reuseable bags, unused plastic utensils,
- Habitat for Humanity: Tools, artwork, new/unused building materials, working small appliances, lawn/garden items and home goods
- Illinois Department of Agriculture: Herbicide containers
- Midway Movers: Paper documents (off-site shredding)
- SCARCE: books, records, keys, holiday lights, crayons, bread tags, Brita brand pitchers and filters, musical instruments, hear aids, eyeglasses,
- Terracycle: Plastic bags and packaging, lightbulbs, office supplies, batteries,
- The Struggling Black Girl Magic Club: Skateboarding, roller skating and scooter gear; laundry detergent, school uniform pieces and black gym shoes
- Working Bikes: Adult bikes in repairable condition, gently used children’s bikes, bike parts, tools and bike accessories.
At all Trash Bash locations, attendees can grab trash bags, trash grippers and gloves to participate in a self-led litter cleanup. Attendees can also learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Forest Preserves and enjoy green giveaways courtesy of the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Plus, the first 25 donors at each Trash Bash can receive a Don’t Be Trashy T-Shirt.
Additional Trash Bash partners include the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus / Feed the Loop, University of Illinois Extension, and generous financial support from the National Recreation and Park Association and the CITGO Petroleum Corporation.
Earth Month Programs & Events in the Forest Preserves:
In addition to Trash Bash, Earth Month special events and programs will be offered at nature centers and preserves across Cook County.
Sauk Trail Woods-Central, South Chicago Heights
Saturday, April 18 * 8 am
Caldwell Woods Wellness Center, Chicago
Saturday, April 18 * 10 am-Noon
Evans Field, River Grove
Saturday, April 18 * 10 am-Noon
Trailside Museum of Natural History, River Forest
Saturday, April 18 • 10 am-Noon
Sauk Trail Woods-Central, South Chicago Heights
Saturday, April 18 • 10 am-1 pm
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
Saturday, April 18 • 10 am-2 Pm
Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington
Saturday, April 18 • Noon-3 pm
Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland
Sunday, April 19 • Noon-2 pm
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center
Wednesday, April 22 * 9:30-11:30 am
Jerome Huppert Woods, River Grove
Wednesday, April 22 • 3-5 pm
Linne Woods, Morton Grove
Sunday, April 26 • 1-3 pm
For more information on these events and others, visit fpdcc.com/events.
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About the Forest Preserves of Cook County
Don’t you sometimes just want to escape? Explore the natural beauty of Cook County for an hour, a day or even a night. When you’re surrounded by 70,000 acres of wild and wonderful there’s no better place to feel free.