Udara Abeysekera, Author at The Environmental Center

We’re Celebrating 10 Years of Repair Café!

January 13, 2023

In 2013, we hosted the first Repair Cafés here in Central Oregon. Have you ever been to one of our Repair Cafés? Repair Cafés are held all around the world, and connect people with broken stuff to people who like to fix stuff. Repairing with other people saves natural resources, prevents waste, and cultivates community. […]

The 2022 Rethink Waste Community Innovation Fund is Accepting Applications Through May 30

May 2, 2022

Do you have an idea for reducing waste in your neighborhood, workplace, school, your favorite park or restaurant, or any other community space, but aren’t sure how to get started? We would love to help get your idea off the ground with $500 – $2,000 in project funds. Do you have a drinking station, but […]

Busting 5 Myths About Reusables

March 25, 2022

We get a lot of questions from our community about the safety of reusable dishes, cups, and utensils, especially as COVID-19 guidelines evolve. To unpack some commonly held misperceptions around reusables and their safety at food cart lots, events, and festivals, we met with Adrea Rodriguez-Lovejoy, MS, REHS, at Deschutes County Health Service (DCHS). Here […]

Why aren’t paper cups recyclable or compostable if they are made from paper?

March 3, 2022

As events and activities pick up around Central Oregon with spring approaching, community members and businesses frequently ask about recycling and composting paper cups. Why aren’t paper cups recyclable or compostable if they are made from paper? The short answer is – paper cups are not recyclable or compostable because they are not made of […]

5 Actions to Support Your 2022 Rethink Waste Goals

January 18, 2022

Heading into the New Year, we might feel inspired to adopt goals in many areas of our lives. Sometimes, these goals become pretty broad, which can be difficult to act on. Do you want to set a zero-waste goal, but aren’t sure where to start? Here are 5 specific actions you can take to rethink […]

6 Tips for a Low-Waste Holiday Season

December 17, 2021

Create memories, not waste this holiday season! Check out these 6 tips for a low-waste holiday season. According to the EPA, American household waste increases by more than 25 percent between November and the New Year – contributing an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills. As you might know, the Knott Landfill […]

Welcome Harper, Rethink Waste Project Intern!

December 6, 2021

We’re excited to announce we have another new face at The Environmental Center. Please help us welcome our Harper to the Rethink Waste Project team! You might recognize Harper if you tuned into the Sustainability Awards Youth Panel. Over the next few months, Harper will support the Rethink Waste Project by researching and piloting a local […]

A Virtual Twist on Repair Café

November 9, 2021

The Environmental Center’s Rethink Waste Project coordinates with an amazing group of volunteer fixers to host Repair Cafés every few months. These free events connect people with broken stuff to people who like to fix stuff – they’re all about repairing things together. Stuff like, jewelry, small appliances and electronics, outdoor gear, clothing, and more. […]

Tips for Keeping Post-Halloween Pumpkins Out of the Landfill

November 1, 2021

Want to hear something scary? Each year, over a billion pounds of pumpkins are sentenced to landfills across the US. Check out these tips for keeping pumpkins out of the Knott Landfill here in Deschutes County. 1. Are the pumpkins or Jack O’lanterns starting to go bad? Are they too spooky for consumption? Compost them! […]

Guess what we found at the Play Forever Mountain Clean Up!

October 5, 2021

Last weekend, The Environmental Center’s Rethink Waste Project partnered with the Mt. Bachelor Play Forever Mountain Clean Up to educate volunteers on proper waste sorting. We designed a waste sorting station that was integrated into the clean up. Volunteers picked up their grabbers, gloves, and reusable burlap bags at check in. They took the ski […]

Author: Udara Abeysekera