Our blog is your go-to resource.
The Environmental Center is your friendly neighborhood sustainability hub.
Our blog tells the stories of the people and organizations, the programs, tools and technologies, that make sustainability real every day. You’ll find the inspiration and resources you need to put sustainability into action in your life, at home or at work.
Be sure to check out our community calendar for upcoming events, and get to know our Partner Groups. Need a space for an event? Our door is open for learning, collaborating, and a whole lot more.
Recent Posts
The Hub
Microplastics: Ani’s maritime adventure, bottles to fabric, and end of life (or afterlife) for plastics.
August 12, 2019
Early last month I had the absolute pleasure of heading north to Seattle and spending 4 days on an incredible floating classroom called the Schooner Adventuress. I was invited back after 6 years of absence to participate in a particularly dear-to-my-heart program called Girls at the Helm. Onboard were: 18 girl participants between 7th and […]
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FAQs from Talkin’ Trash: July’s City Club Forum
August 7, 2019
In the middle of July, the Rethink Waste Project was invited to come present at the monthly City Club Forum. Our own Denise Rowcroft did an amazing job talking all about waste reduction, recycling correctly, and the impacts that our consumption has on the earth. She spoke alongside Timm Schimke, Deschutes County’s Director of Solid […]
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Another FoodCorps Year in the Books!
July 17, 2019
FoodCorps is a nationwide organization under the AmeriCorps umbrella. Service members are in 18 states working to connect kids to healthy food in school. Their work focuses on three areas of service: hands on learning, healthy school meals, and supporting a school wide culture of health. Here in Oregon, our service member, Tracy Ryan, was […]
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Green Tour Seeking Applications
June 19, 2019
The 19th annual Green tour will highlight positive solutions to save energy in Central Oregon and we want you to be part of it! The Energy Challenge is seeking applicants to showcase their homes and buildings on the 2019 Green Tour on Saturday, September 28th. The tour highlights innovation in sustainable design while still demonstrating […]
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Summer in a School Garden
June 10, 2019
Here in Central Oregon, the prime growing season is exactly when school is out of session. That doesn’t mean there isn’t any use for a school garden! There are tons of ways to get students involved throughout the school year, from planning indoors in the winter months to hands on garden work outdoors in the […]
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Intersections Ahead
May 29, 2019
Bend Needs a Transportation System That’s Good for People and the Planet Our mission is to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon. It’s a large, complex job that intersects with many other economic and social challenges. I believe sustainability is about relationships—our relationship with the environment that supports us and our relationship with […]
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Outdoor School Days Conclude and Interns Shine!
May 25, 2019
Our Outdoor School Days program is possible with sponsorship from The Children’s Forest of Central Oregon. Over the course of 15 days, we saw 17 schools from Bend-La Pine, Redmond, and Prineville in grades K-5, which translates to over 1,100 students! Outdoor Days are experiential based hands-on learning, playing, and exploring in nature. Some students […]
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Summer Camps to Get Kids Outside
May 22, 2019
It’s hard to believe, but summer break will be here before we know it. There are so many great summer camp options for kids in Central Oregon – whether they’re interested in science, technology, art, theater, cooking, music, sports … the list goes on! The warm months and longer days ahead will also give kids […]
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The Dirt on School Gardens: Spring 2019
May 16, 2019
Our dream of a ‘garden for every school’ is becoming reality! Here are some recent highlights as kick off another season: We approved garden grant requests for $10,000 to nine school garden projects in Bend, Sisters, Sunriver, and Prineville. These funds are helping schools implement garden-based learning in ways that meet their own unique needs and […]
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4 Spring Cleaning Tips That Can Save You Energy Too
May 3, 2019
Clean your refrigerator coils. Before your fridge starts to work extra hard in the heat of summer, give it a leg up by cleaning the condenser coils that are underneath your fridge. We are known for lots of dirt and pet hair here in Central Oregon which can build up on the coils. When they […]
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