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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
The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation Awards The Environmental Center Funds to support school garden education in Central Oregon
January 15, 2019
The Environmental Center was awarded a one-year grant in the amount of $5,000 to fund a FoodCorps Service Member and to support the Central Oregon Garden Educators Network. The Environmental Center is committed to increasing garden-based learning opportunities for schools across Central Oregon. Garden activities and education provide a wide range of positive benefits for […]
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Clean Up Your Act
January 10, 2019
Want in on a dirty little secret? A less-than-pristine furnace could be costing you, big time. Furnaces with dirty filters or ducts waste energy and money, shorten the life of your furnace, and pollute your indoor air. The good news? Cleaning up your furnace’s act starts with changing the filter regularly. It is recommended that […]
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Denise Rowcroft Receives Cooperator Award
January 2, 2019
Last month, Denise Rowcroft, Sustainability Educator at The Environmental Center, received a Cooperator Award from Oregon State University Extension Association. She was nominated by local extension Nutrition Educators Katie Ahern, Ashley Joyce, and Kaitlin Greene for her work in Deschutes County. As shared during the presentation, “OSUEA has recognized cooperators for more than 30 years. Each […]
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Oregon Electric Vehicle Rebates
December 28, 2018
Did you know that Oregon Has one of the best EV incentives in the country? The Oregon Clean Energy Rebate Program offers Oregon residents a rebate of up to $2,500, when paired with the $7,500 Federal tax credit drivers can save $10,000 off a new electric car. In addition to the standard rebate there is an […]
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Green Spotlight: Tatiana Guerra
November 26, 2018
“You look busy, how can I help?” Let’s just say Tatiana Guerra is a super volunteer. And we mean really super. We met Tatiana in the spring of 2017 when her AmeriCorps NCCC team was based at The Environmental Center. Her team, Blue 3, primarily worked on our Energy Challenge program. “We went around to houses and […]
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2018 Sustainability Award Winners Recognized
November 16, 2018
The 2018 Sustainability Awards were announced by The Environmental Center on November 15th at a celebration at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon. The Environmental Center received 13 nominations and the winners were selected by a community review committee. “Sustainability is a big, complex topic,” said Mike Riley, Executive Director. “Achieving it requires patience […]
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Increased Incentives for Energy Upgrades in Manufactured Homes
November 15, 2018
Time-limited promotion for heat pumps and ductless heat pumps could cut heating bills in half As Central Oregonians start bundling up and turning up the dials on the thermostat, Energy Trust of Oregon, in partnership with local Trade Ally, Bend Heating, is turning up the savings and comfort with increased incentives for heating projects for […]
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Energy Challenge Installs Free LED Light Bulbs in 700 Redmond Homes
November 14, 2018
The Energy Challenge team is excited to announce they have installed free LED light bulbs in 700 homes in Redmond! Over the past three years, The Energy Challenge has installed over 75,000 super-efficient LED (light emitting diode) light bulbs in over 5,000 homes in Central Oregon. Each bulb may seem like a small drop in the […]
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Residential Composting Pilot in Bend
October 29, 2018
Last week, Bend Garbage & Recycling and Cascade Disposal announced that they’ll be introducing a residential food waste pilot program to some areas in Bend. About 300 households from each company will participate in the pilot, which allows customers to put more food in their standard yard debris bins for curbside collection and composting. (Raw […]
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Tickets available for the 2018 Sustainability Awards
October 18, 2018
A limited number of tickets are now available for the 2018 Sustainability Awards on November 15, 2018. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited and this event will sell out. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased online here. What: The 2018 Sustainability Awards, an Environmental Center event that honors Central Oregon’s sustainability […]
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