Raise the Deschutes Seminar - Many Voices, One Plan: The Future of Water in the Upper Deschutes
2023-05-22 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Open Space Event Studios, 220 NE Lafayette Ave, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
From the Cascades to Lake Billy Chinook, the Deschutes River has been over-tapped for decades. Fish, farmers, and families all depend on water supplies that are impacted by drought and climate change. The Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative, a consortium of more than 45 stakeholders, is working to accelerate funding, market-based solutions, and implementation of water conservation projects in the basin to help meet demand. Come learn about this work and give the Collaborative your feedback on how you see Central Oregon meeting its water needs in the future.
Speakers:
Bobby Brunoe
Secretary/Treasurer & CEO
Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation,
Steve Johnson
General Manager
Arnold Irrigation District
Phil Chang
County Commissioner
Deschutes County
Lisa Seales
Moderator
Programs Manager, Deschutes River Conservancy
Program:
6:00 – Doors open, drinks available
6:15 – 7:45 – Seminar + Q&A
8:00 – Doors close, bar closes
Beverages are available for purchase before and after the event. You are welcome to bring your own dinner.
Register here!

Cashing in on Clean Energy: Save Money and the Climate
2023-05-24 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
In 2022, Congress passed the largest climate investment in our history with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included what is now the Affordable Clean Energy Plan. It passed because people like you never stop fighting for what we need – a clean energy future that centers racial justice and equity. It will be successful because of people like you, too. Join us on Wednesday, May 24th, at 6pm to find out more.
Pres. Biden’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan is a game-changer for climate and clean energy. It will help put us on a path to cut climate pollution nearly in half by 2030, and better protect our communities from further devastation. How? In part, by providing tax credits and incentives so people like you can upgrade to clean energy and better energy efficiency, all while saving money on utility bills. Think: window upgrades, energy efficiency projects, electric vehicles, and more!
Join us and our West Coast partners next Wednesday for a virtual event going over the incentives coming our way.
What: Cashing in on Clean Energy: Save Money and the Climate
When: Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 6PM PT
Where: Zoom Webinar
REGISTER NOW
A just clean energy transition plan is critical to reduce climate pollution while ensuring all our communities thrive. The Affordable Clean Energy Plan is the biggest opportunity we have to jumpstart this transition right now. Climate action can’t wait.
Our invited speakers, including from national LCV and Rewiring America, will go over the different benefits and offer resources to help you plan your clean energy transition. RSVP today and learn how you can cash in on clean energy!

Sense of Place Webinar Series: Indigenous Perspectives of Earth, Water and Sky - Inside Indigenous Classrooms
2023-05-25 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
We are delighted to announce the 12th webinar in our Speaker Series, A Sense of Place: Indigenous Perspectives on Earth, Water and Sky – Inside Indigenous Classrooms, featuring NASA EZIE Mission Program Manager Dr. Nelofar Mosavi, Indigenous students, Maverick teachers, Lego robotics and coding, and more!
This webinar will take place May 25th, 2023, at 3:30 Pacific Time.
Click here to REGISTER NOW

VIRTUAL Workshop: Supporting Gender Expansive and Transgender Youth
2023-05-30 15:00 - 18:30 | Online Event
The TransActive Gender Project is based in Portland and provides a holistic range of services and expertise to empower transgender and gender expansive children, youth, and their families to live healthy lives that are free of discrimination. Workshop participants will gain a better understanding of gender identity development, cultural gender myths, and stereotypes and their impact on gender diverse and transgender children. This workshop will focus on demonstrating inclusive language, how to address bullying, and ways to analyze curriculum and programs. We’ll also be joined by Jamie Bowman, a local LGBTQIA+ advocate who is co-founder of the Central Oregon Transgender Health Coalition.
All educators are welcome to attend though the content will focus on out-of-school and summer programs.
This workshop has been organized by The Environmental Center, Camp Tamarack, and the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon with support from High Desert ESD.
REGISTER HERE FOR VIRTUAL WORKSHOP
Note: Registration is separate for the in-person workshop on June 12th.

Energy Efficiency and Smart Electrical Panels
2023-05-31 12:00 - 13:00
Free educational event highlighting the innovative smart electric panel. Join us for a panel discussion and presentation.

Green Energy Series #8: Batteries and Fire Code
2023-06-03 10:00 - 11:00
Solar Oregon is presenting a Green Energy series – free talks for those interested in learning more about the technologies and design of zero energy buildings. Solar Oregon is a non-profit educational organization leading the way to a clean energy future. These one-hour seminars will explore solar, energy storage, and energy-efficient equipment and design. Envisioned as a follow-up to Solar Oregon’s popular Go Zero home tours, these online talks will encourage a deeper dive into the technology and allow for Q+A discussion contrasting options to aid in decision making. Future talks include: Zero Energy Design, Battery Storage Systems, DIY PV Systems, Heat Pump and other Water Heaters, and Utility-Scale Storage.

Federal Community Grants Program & the Justice40 Initiative
2023-06-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Online Event
The panel will analyze Justice40 initiatives and discuss merits and growth opportunities. The presenters will also share updates and considerations for entities intending to apply for funding from the discretionary grant programs that provide access to EV charging within rural areas, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, and communities.

Flat Tire / Tubeless 101 Clinic
2023-06-14 17:30 - 19:00 | Good Bike Co., 284 NE 3rd St., Prineville, OR, 97754, United States
Learn why tubeless tires are superior to tubes and how to make the switch. This clinic is FREE. All are welcome to attend. Click the button below or call 541-903-0509 to pre-register.
RSVP is required to attend.

Plastic-Free Seas: Diving Into How Plastic Impacts Health, Climate, and Our Oceans
2023-06-22 12:00 - 13:00
Healthy oceans provide vast cognitive, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual wellness Blue Mind benefits to all of us throughout our lives. The oceans cover more than three-quarters of Earth’s surface and account for 97 percent of its water, as well as much of the air we breathe. The oceans support an incredible array of life, help regulate the climate, and support life on our blue planet. Unfortunately, our oceans face significant threats from human-made pollution, particularly plastic. Experts estimate nine to 14 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, and without urgent action, that amount will only increase—projected to reach 23–37 million metric tons annually by the year 2040.

Youth Climate Roundtable 2023
2023-07-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
Join OLCV for a youth-led roundtable discussion with some of Oregon’s state lawmakers about their climate priorities, as well as the trials and tribulations that go into successfully passing environmental policy. We’ll also discuss ways young people can make their voices heard in the fight against the climate crisis. You’ll get to ask questions and share ideas about ways youth would like to engage in climate advocacy and the political process.
WHEN: Thursday, July 20th from 6:00 – 7:30 PM
WHERE: Zoom
WHO: Oregonians aged 13-24 & Oregon state lawmakers

Guest Panel Speakers:
Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber (Beaverton & SW Portland)
State Rep Khanh Pham (outer SE Portland)
State Rep Pam Marsh (Ashland/Southern Jackson County)

RSVP and submit your question/s using the form below.
Sign up here!

2023 Legislative Session Debrief
2023-08-01 11:00 - 12:00
Please join OEC for a virtual webinar with OEC’s very own Executive Director, Jana Gastellum, and Legislative Director, Thomas Baker, for a closer look at this year’s state legislative session. Together, you will discuss the ins and outs of this session’s major environmental wins, how they will impact Oregonians, and how these victories set the stage for future progress.

E-Bikes Will Change Your Life
2023-08-09 12:00 - 13:30
Find out how and why to get an electric bike to increase your mobility while helping our communities and the planet.
Register here!

OLCV's Town Hall on the Environment with Senator Ron Wyden
2023-08-22 14:00 - 15:30 | Online Event
Senator Ron Wyden has been a champion of our conservation and environmental values in D.C., voicing our support for strong safeguards for our air, water, forests, wildlife, and communities. During OLCV’s Town Hall on the Environment with Senator Wyden, we’ll celebrate his leadership and learn about the latest news on a broad range of environmental issues, including benefits for Oregon powered by climate investments of the IRA, conservation efforts in progress, and threats to public lands in our state.
RSVP and join us for an afternoon with the senator discussing all things environment and conservation!
WHEN: August 22nd, 2023 from 2 – 3:15PM
WHERE: Zoom – RSVP here!

Policy Matters: Solutions for a Plastic Pollution Free U.S.
2023-09-19 14:00 - 15:00
Plastic pollution is an urgent threat to the climate, human health, communities, the environment, and wildlife. With industries set to triple their plastic production by 2060, public support for policies to reduce plastic pollution is growing across the world. From implementing bag bans and fees on single-use plastics, to rules that strengthen regulations on industrial polluters, communities and policymakers are using many strategies to address the growing plastic pollution crisis.

A Sense of Place Webinar Series: Indigenous Perspectives of Earth, Water and Sky, featuring Elizabeth Azzuz
2023-09-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Elizabeth Azzuz, Secretary of Cultural Fire Management Council, will discuss her work using Traditional Native Karuk methods of prescribed burning to protect forests, heal degraded ecosystems, and reestablish forest-grown food, medicine, and products.
Register here!

The Outdoorist Oath Workshop
2023-10-24 14:30 - 16:00 | Zoom
The Outdoorist Oath workshop is an up to two-hour, ZERO-BS, interactive experience that teaches a model to approach allyship for planet, inclusion, and adventure. During the workshop, you’ll reflect and create a unique action plan to help you take action, unlearn, learn and be in community with other aligned outdoorists, culminating in the opportunity to take The Outdoorist Oath with everyone. www.outdooristoath.org
REGISTER HERE!

OLCV Virtual Town Hall on the Environment with Senator Jeff Merkley
2023-10-26 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
Senator Jeff Merkley has been a champion of our conservation and environmental values in D.C., voicing our support for strong safeguards for the environment, pollinators, and public lands. During OLCV’s Town Hall on the Environment with Senator Merkley, we’ll celebrate his leadership and learn about the latest news on a broad range of environmental issues, including addressing climate change, benefits for Oregon powered by climate investments of the IRA, plastic reduction, and his work to support pollinator recovery.
RSVP and join us for an afternoon with the senator discussing all things environment and conservation!
WHEN: Thursday, October 26th, 2023 from 12 – 1:15PM
WHERE: Zoom – RSVP below!
RSVP HERE

Deschutes County 2040 -Opportunity For Input
2023-11-09 17:30 - 19:00 | Zoom
Opportunity For Input:
Continued Public Hearing on November 9, 2023
The Deschutes County Planning Commission held a public hearing to gather testimony on the Deschutes County 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update document on Thursday, October 26 at 5:30 pm. The Commission voted to continue both the oral and written portions of the hearing to their next meeting on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 5:30 pm.
Interested parties can provide testimony in-person at the Barnes and Sawyer Rooms, Deschutes County Service Center, 1300 NW Wall Street, Bend, OR 97701 or virtually via zoom. Want to provide written comments? Send to Nicole.Mardell@deschutes.org by 4 pm on November 9.
Click Attend Virtually – New Link for Nov. 9 Meeting
The draft Deschutes County 2040 Comprehensive Plan document was released for public review in late August. Over the course of 16 months, planning staff have engaged community members and technical experts on key issues facing the County. The resulting plan provides a policy framework for decision making on land use and planning related matters in the rural County for the next twenty years. The plan applies to private land in Deschutes County outside of urban growth boundaries.

Making Energy Work Quarterly Webinar: Unpacking Federal Funding Bottlenecks for Rural Energy in Oregon
2023-11-29 11:00 - 12:00 | Online Event
Making Energy Work Quarterly Webinar: Unpacking Federal Funding Bottlenecks for Rural Energy in Oregon
November 29th, 11am – 12pm
REGISTER HERE
For our fourth quarterly webinar of the year, the Making Energy Work for Rural Oregon coalition will host a lively discussion on the federal funding landscape, and how communities are (or are not) accessing these historic investments.
We will be joined by Emma Wendt, Place-Based Strategy Lead with the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), who will share updates from U.S. DOE and guidance for rural communities on accessing federal dollars. She will also dive into DOE’s newly-released Federal Energy Funding for Rural And Remote Areas Guide.
Also joining us is Nick Burnett, Energy Policy Manager with Sustainable Northwest, who will highlight barriers and near-term opportunities to advance clean energy development in rural communities across Oregon.
This interactive webinar will give local energy leaders an opportunity to share community successes and lessons learned as well as ask questions to federal agency staff.
Special thanks to Energy Trust of Oregon for making these quarterly calls possible.
Please register for the event below. We hope you can join us!
REGISTER HERE
Questions about this event?
Contact Faith Yorba: fyorba@sustainablenorthwest.org.
Learn more about the Making Energy Work coalition and sign-up for the MEW newsletter to receive monthly updates on rural energy-related events, funding opportunities, news, resources, and more.

2023 Energy Resilience Planning for Local Governments Workshop
2023-12-08 09:30 - 12:30 | Online Event
Sustainable Northwest and Energy Trust of Oregon are hosting a 2023 Energy Resilience Planning for Local Governments Workshop. This workshop will connect city and county staff with funding, resources, and organizations to help with the planning and implementation necessary to make your community more energy-resilient and prepared for future disasters.
Date: Friday, Dec. 8th, 2023
Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm (Virtual on Zoom)
Who should attend? Oregon city, county, and/or special district staff as well as community-based organizations that support emergency management, economic development, planning, hazard mitigation planning, sustainability, or energy conservation are encouraged to attend.
What will be covered? This workshop will share information about funding for energy resilience planning and project development, connect attendees to technical assistance providers, and identify next steps to integrate resilience planning into existing planning processes, particularly for capacity and resource-strapped communities.

Register Here!

Plastic-Free Resolutions: Protecting Your Health in 2024
2024-01-18 14:00 - 15:00
With a new year comes new resolutions for protecting and improving the health of our bodies, families, communities, and the planet that we all call home. One healthy resolution to consider is to reduce or eliminate plastic from your life. But with plastic used for everything from making clothing to carrying food and drinks, this can seem like a daunting task.
Join Plastic Pollution Coalition on January 18 for their first webinar of the new year: Plastic-Free Resolutions: Protecting Your Health in 2024. During this event, they will offer tangible, common sense ways to reduce the amount of plastic you use in your daily life. They’ll discuss why it’s important to avoid plastics, provide you with DIY and low- and no-cost solutions, and highlight helpful products you may turn to when you need an extra hand.
Panelists for this inspiring conversation include Queer Brown Vegan Isaias Hernandez; Zero Waste Farmer Manju Kumar; and Co-Owner & Co-Founder of Life Without Plastic Jay Sinha. The conversation will be moderated by MADE SAFE Founder Amy Ziff.

Dive into the Hive: Explore the World of High Desert Bees
2024-01-23 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom
January 23, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Online, Free
Discover Oregon’s high desert bees in a captivating online presentation by Lincoln Best where he’ll explore their diversity, habitats and crucial ecological roles. Register here.
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We are pleased to announce Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series! The Speaker Series fosters a deeper understanding of ecology, encourages well-informed exploration of the high desert and promotes collaborative cross-cultural practices that conserve southeastern Oregon. These events will take you into the world of high desert bees, on a journey through the Owyhee Canyonlands, deeper into ecocultural indigenous restoration efforts and toward discovering the geologic treasures of Oregon’s desert.

Join us at these engaging events online, in Bend and in Portland and dive into the wonders of the high desert. Registration is open for all events, so mark your calendar, tell a friend and view the full lineup.

Webinar: Appliance Standards Update - Impacts on Gas Prices and Electrification
2024-01-25 09:00 - 10:00 | Zoom
Appliance efficiency standards aren’t something most of us think about very often, but they have helped to reduce our energy consumption and our energy bills enormously since standards first took effect in the 1970’s. Heat pumps have made significant energy saving improvements in that time, but energy efficiency standards for gas furnaces and water heaters have hardly changed in over 30 years. The Department of Energy is poised to update standards on these two home appliances and the new efficiency requirements could dramatically accelerate the use of heat pumps nationally.
New water heater standards could make heat pump water heaters the dominant water heating technology by the end of the decade (up from 2% today). The proposed new gas furnace standards would mean that replacing an old low efficiency furnace with a new high efficiency gas furnace would typically require costly venting upgrades. Switching to a heat pump would avoid those added costs and therefore make heat pumps an even more attractive option for millions of homes with aging gas furnaces.
These increased efficiency standards combined with the continuing phase out of fossil gas combustion through city and state electrification mandates and air quality regulations, are expected to increase fossil gas prices over the coming years. As more homes are electrified and leave the gas system, a new study from ACEEE that we will discuss in this webinar finds that average gas utility costs per customer can increase between 21% and 129%.
Join Electrify Now and the Advanced Water Heating Initiative as we explore these two important and interrelated topics of federal appliance standards and gas price increases.
REGISTER HERE

A Journey Through the Owyhee Canyonlands
2024-02-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom
February 8, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Online, Free
Embark on a journey with ONDA board and staff through Oregon’s awe-inspiring Owyhee Canyonlands. They’ll highlight this region’s natural landscapes, cultural significance, wildlife habitats and ONDA’s conservation efforts. Register here.

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We are pleased to announce Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series! The Speaker Series fosters a deeper understanding of ecology, encourages well-informed exploration of the high desert and promotes collaborative cross-cultural practices that conserve southeastern Oregon. These events will take you into the world of high desert bees, on a journey through the Owyhee Canyonlands, deeper into ecocultural indigenous restoration efforts and toward discovering the geologic treasures of Oregon’s desert.

Join us at these engaging events online, in Bend and in Portland and dive into the wonders of the high desert. Registration is open for all events, so mark your calendar, tell a friend and view the full lineup.

Upgrading your Water Heater for efficiency, savings and pollution reduction
2024-03-04 17:15 - 18:00 | Online Event
Upgrading your Water Heater for efficiency, savings and pollution reduction
Join us for an exciting online event where local experts will share their knowledge on options for upgrading your home water heater for maximum efficiency, cost savings, and pollution reduction. Learn about the latest ultra-efficient heat pump water heater technology, the performance and benefits, and the pricing, rebates and incentives available to help you save while you upgrade your home energy equipment. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from our local experts in home energy efficiency at GreenSavers.
Thanks to The Environmental Center and GreenSavers for co-hosting this event with us!
REGISTER HERE

Bye Lawn, High Desert! How Turf Rebates Can Help
2024-03-09 09:00 - 10:15, 2024-03-12 18:00 - 19:15, 2024-03-20 18:00 - 19:15 | Online Event
Are you looking to update your landscape and save water? The City of Bend Water Conservation program is offering a Turf Removal Rebate to convert thirsty lawns into low water use landscapes. The result is a gorgeous High Desert landscape that provides a colorful, biodiverse, pollinator-friendly, and waterwise alternative to traditional lawns!
In this webinar, hosted by the City of Bend, Oregon you will learn how to:

Plan and Prepare for your Lawn Conversion
Remove Turf Without the Use of Chemicals
Use Highly Efficient Irrigation
Successfully Apply for the Turf Removal Rebate

Hosting Native Bees Webinar
2024-03-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Online Event
Sponsored by OSU’s 10 minute university, this free webinar will help you understand native bees and host them in your garden. Register here!

Webcast: Geology and Natural History of the John Day River Basin
2024-04-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Online Event
The geology of the John Day basin is complex and records a rich history of changing environments including deep oceans, subtropical rainforests, temperate forests, and sagebrush steppes. Volcanic and tectonic activity in the region not only built the land that we see today, but also helps us to know the age of the rocks that the land is built from. The John Day River and its tributaries, both current and ancestral, have helped to expose many of these rocks and to even deposit some of them, allowing us to learn and explore these stories. The John Day River basin is critical to our understanding of the past of the region which is preserved through a variety of public and private land.
Join us on April 3rd at 6pm as we welcome Nicholas Famoso, Paleontology Program Manager for the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, to take us on a journey through the geologic and natural history of the John Day River basin.
We will be raffling off a copy of Oregon’s Ancient Forests: A Hiking Guide and a “Wild: The Oregon Way” t-shirt. Tickets are $5 and are an optional purchase below. Raffle tickets not only help us continue these Wednesday presentations but also support our work safeguarding Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and waters.
REGISTER HERE
