Mercer Library holds third annual Earth Day Fair

By BRYAN HELLIOS

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MERCER, Wis. - A pick-up truck overflowing with alkaline batteries and small electronics was parked outside the Mercer Community Center Saturday during the Mercer library's third annual Earth Day Fair.

The fair promoted sustainable living through "earth-friendly" activities.

Although it started out a little slow, people soon arrived with armloads of recyclables to be loaded into the waiting truck outside.

Gary Patzke, a volunteer at the fair, was happy to see so many people take advantage of the event.

"I didn't think we were going to get anything, but we got a truckload." he said.

Patzke wanted to do something for the environment and events like this helps keep certain items out of landfills, plus, he said, it discourages illegal dumping.

"I think Trig's (recycling) deserves a lot of the credit because normally they charge to take this stuff," he said.

With more than 20 exhibitors participating in the fair, Library Director Teresa Schmidt said the event helps people think about environmental topics in the Northwoods.

"We have a lot of groups that are doing silent sports, they're doing environmental projects, we have contractors who are doing remodeling with green houses in mind," she said. "We just want to make aware of their options up here."  

Schmidt said the community response has been positive and she was happy to have so many vendors at the event.

"People kept coming to me asking if they could be part of this," she said. "I was glad to see so much interest."

Beth Wetzler, executive director at the Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce, said she participated in the fair to support Earth Day and Mercer. At her vending table, she informed fairgoers about activities which are available in the Mercer area.

One of the city's taglines is "Life is Outdoors in Mercer" and Wetzler warned the economic benefits to the area from tourism relies on being good stewards of the earth.    

"We need to keep our environment here in Mercer pristine and clean and a place that people want to visit and enjoy outside," she said. "If we don't have that, we don't have Mercer."