The Village of Oswego, Upcycle Products and the Illinois Conservation Foundation are partners to offer Oswego residents the opportunity to buy rain barrels for about half their retail price.
Rain barrels collect rain runoff from roofs and gutters and store it for later use on gardens and lawns. In addition to saving our community’s precious water resources and reducing water bills, rain barrels are often beneficial to gardens because rain water can be softer and have fewer minerals in it than ground water.
A portion of proceeds from rain barrels purchased through the Village’s partnership with Upcycle Products benefit The Conservation Foundation, which is responsible for conservation projects across Oswego and the region. Local projects have included rain gardens, native plantings, and watershed protection plans.
Rain barrels are available in black, grey, blue and terra cotta red and cost $60, about half the price of similar models purchased on Amazon. They are made from food-grade upcycled materials, including former pickling containers, and are specially washed clean for garden use.
Residents may purchase barrels at www.upcycle-products.com/oswegoil.html, for pick-up at the week of April 20-24. Residents will be able to pick up barrels between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday, April 20, through Friday, April 24, at the Oswego Public Works Facility, 100 Theodore Drive. Online orders must be placed by April 15 to be ready in time for pickup. Mail-in orders must be received by April 10 to be ready in time for pickup.
Home delivery is available throughout the year for an additional $5.
For more information, visit www.upcycle-products.com/oswegoil.html or call Upcycle Products directly at 815-735-9535.
The Conservation Foundation has organized a series of programs throughout the spring for those living in the Fox River Watershed to learn more about the life of the Fox River and its connections to communities like Oswego.
Oswego’s quality of life now and for future generations is enhanced by the healthy of the river and the natural spaces we preserve and enjoy. Join The Conservation Foundation, in partnership with the Village of Oswego and the Kendall County Forest Preserve District for a series of talks happening throughout the spring:
• Wednesday, Feb. 26, Winter Birds of the Fox River: How Are They Doing? What Are We Seeing? Presented by Bob and Kathy Andrini of the Kane County Audubon Society.
• Wednesday, March 25, Fox River Dams: Should We Live With Them? Can We Live Without Them? Presented by Deanna Doohaluk, water quality scientist and watershed project manager of The Conservation Foundation and Karen Clementi, interim regulatory and public outreach manager for Fox Metro Water Reclamation District.
For more information see www.theconservationfoundation.org.
— Village of Oswego