The Environmental Center

Legislative Advocacy Kickoff
2021-02-04 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
With Zoom and virtual committees this session, making your voice heard in Salem can be easier than ever.
In this virtual Legislative Advocacy Kickoff Central Oregon Landwatch will discuss their role in state policy building, identify what to look out for this session, and outline what you can do to advocate for the protection of the region’s lands, water, wildlife, and vibrant urban communities.
RSVP online.

Bend COTA Work Events
2021-02-04, 2021-01-28, 2021-01-21
When: Thursday Aug 11, Tuesday Aug 16, Tuesday Aug 23 and Tuesday Aug 30, 5:15 to Dusk
Where: Meet at the old Ray’s parking lot, NE corner of Simpson Ave and Century Drive in Bend
Worksite: Varies
There’s only one thing better than mountain biking in Bend, OR and that’s riding in Bend, knowing that you helped build and maintain the trails you love.
Please bring a hydration pack with water and a snack.
Be sure to bring appropriate layers to accommodate whatever the weather may be.
Questions? contact@cotamtb.com
All COTA trail work events require the following safety measures:
All participants are required to have the following protective clothing and equipment:

Sturdy shoes or boots
Gloves
Eye protection with clear or light colored lens
Long pants

Due to COTA’s insurance requirements and the inherent dangers of trail work, we must implement the following policy regarding children at work events:

For anyone 14 years of age or younger, we require one parent, guardian, or responsible adult for supervision of every four kids attending any COTA trail work events.
All minors under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian available to sign our waiver.

Anyone who arrives for a work event may be turned away if he/she cannot meet the above requirements.

Oregon Trails Funding Opportunities Webinar
2021-02-04
How do trail projects in Oregon get funded? Learn more about upcoming opportunities and recent success stories.

About this Event

Learn about grant programs and other funding opportunities for trails in Oregon as well as hear a case study for how the City of Portland and Friends of Gateway Green put a variety of funding sources together to develop a site in East Portland with a system of soft-surface and paved multi-use trails and pump track.

Tongass National Forest: Our Most Powerful Natural Climate Solution
2021-02-03
The Tongass National Forest is an incredible resource — it protects a multitude of fish and wildlife, supports the cultural heritage of Indigenous communities, and provides one of the most powerful carbon sinks in the world.
Join Sally Schlichting, Environmental Policy Analyst with the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, on a virtual tour of this incredible landscape. This presentation will feature the fish, wildlife, and human communities that depend on the Tongass – and an exploration of how preserving it and other mature and old-growth forests is key to combating climate change.

Jelani Cobb -- The Half-Life of Freedom: Race & Justice in America Today
2021-02-02
In this virtual program, acclaimed historian and journalist Jelani Cobb will break down the complex dynamics of race and racism in America — relating the country’s history of inequality to today’s issues. Cobb will tell us why he believes the levers of justice are in our hands, and how we can move them in the direction we see fit.
About Jelani Cobb
A long-time staff writer at The New Yorker, Cobb wrote a series of articles about race, injustice, and the police; for which he received the Sidney Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism. He also teaches at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author of Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress and To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic.
FREE and OPEN to the public, but registration is REQUIRED.(one registration per viewing device please)

The 3rd session of Building the Beloved Community
2021-01-30
All are welcome to the 3rd part of the INCO event Building the Beloved Community. A space where you can discuss Race and the issues surrounding Race in our Community with a focus on listening with your heart and love of each other.
CLICK on the link below to RSVP and receive the Zoom link

Two-Eyed Seeing: Navajo (Dine) Indigenous Astronomy & NASA Moon to Mars
2021-01-29
Live Show Webinar:
Join for an exciting session on Navajo (Dine) little known ancient astronomy! Learn how the Coyote created chaos as the Holy Beings were naming the stars. See how Navajo star knowledge is still used today, and what is the Navajo protocol for telling stories of the sky. With a focus on the skies of the Navajo winter months. Learn from Navajo traditional knowledge holders, and visit actual classrooms in the American Southwest.
Presented by: David Begay-Ph.D., Nancy Maryboy-Ph.D., Wilphina Becenti-M.Ed., Albert Brent Chase, Sarah Margoles-M.S.,M.Ed., Ashley Teren-M.Ed., Tom Tomas-M.Ed., Vikki Tomas-M.Ed., and Annette S. Lee-Ph.D.

Nature Night: A Closer Look at Microplastics
2021-01-27
The large majority of plastic pollution, which is found in oceans, rivers and streams, and on land, is comprised of tiny particles and fibers smaller than five millimeters in size. It breaks down from larger plastic debris and is even shed from our clothing. Many of these microplastics are so small that they cannot be seen without a microscope. Join Deschutes Land Trust and Dr. Susanne Brander of Oregon State University to explore the tiny world of microplastics, including how these miniscule particles are detected and their potential effects on the natural world. Dr. Brander will also offer ideas about what we can do to stem the plastic tide. This presentation is free, but you must get your ticket online.

Webcast: Canines for Conservation
2021-01-27
Join Oregon Wild and learn about the remarkable Rogue Detection Teams, rescued dogs and field researchers help scientists tackle important conservation concerns – like collecting data on endangered species through scat detection in remote locations.

How to Go Solar
2021-01-27, 2021-01-21
In these free webinars, Solar Oregon will answer your questions about how solar energy systems work, share information about incentives available, and help you take the first step to add solar to your home or business. In addition, at each workshop, you will discuss one of three special topics: solar + storage, community solar, and the Solar Within Reach incentive.

Oregon Climate Bills 2021
2021-01-27
Join for a free online presentation where you’ll get to learn about legislative opportunities in the upcoming Oregon legislative session and get a behind the scenes look at what to expect this year. Panelists will provide a broad overview of the climate related bills under consideration and details on the key bills that the environmental community is prioritizing:

100% Clean Energy for All (LC 1984)
The Oregon Energy Affordability Act (HB 2475)
Healthy Homes (HB 2842)

Overcoming water challenges in agriculture – Canadian Perspectives on #SOFA2020
2021-01-27
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and McGill University invite you to a special webinar on Overcoming water challenges in agriculture – Canadian Perspectives on #SOFA2020.
Intensifying water constraints threaten food security and nutrition. Thus, urgent action is needed to make water use in agriculture more sustainable and equitable. Irrigated agriculture remains by far the largest user of freshwater, but scarcity of freshwater is a growing problem owing to increasing demand and competition for freshwater resources. At the same time, rainfed agriculture is facing increasing precipitation variability driven by climate change. These trends will exacerbate disputes among water users and inequality in access to water.
Join to learn about global and Canadian approaches to overcome water challenges in agriculture!

Land and People: A Conversation with Dolores Huerta & Luis Valdez
2021-01-26
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust, Dolores Huerta Foundation, Puente and Latino Outdoors in welcoming American civil rights leader and United Farmworkers cofounder Dolores Huerta for a conversation with founder of El Teatro Campesino and renowned American playwright Luis Valdez.
In this special talk, Dolores and Luis will reflect on their long history in the Santa Clara Valley, their work in the struggles for social and environmental justice, and perspectives on relationships between history, land and people in California. The conversation will be moderated by Jose Gonzalez, Founder of Latino Outdoors.
This event is hosted as part of POST’s Wallace Stegner Lectures, featuring writers, thinkers and activists who explore important issues related to land, nature and conservation. While this talk will be provided as a free event to the community, please click here to subscribe to additional lectures.

Webinar: Why a Mega-Dairy Moratorium is Needed in Oregon
2021-01-26
Mega-dairies play a major role in driving dairy farmers off the land across the country, including in Oregon. They over-produce and flood the market with cheap milk, while externalizing their environmental and social costs, making it hard for small dairy farmers to compete. Forty years ago, Oregon was home to more than 4,000 dairies, mostly small, family-owned businesses. Now just over 200 remain.
A ‘timeout’ on new and expanding mega-dairies in Oregon is the place to start leveling the playing field.
This 2021 legislative session, alongside the Stand Up to Factory Farms coalition, Senator Michael Dembrow (D-23) and Representative Rob Nosse (D-42) are introducing legislation to enact a mega-dairy moratorium in Oregon and protect our air, water, climate, rural communities, small farmers, and animal welfare from the harms of this destructive industry.
Join FoFF for a conversation on how passing a mega-dairy moratorium in the 2021 legislative session can protect our communities from the harms of mega-dairies and learn what you can do to support this important legislation.

Equitable, Safe & Green Transportation Discussion
2021-01-26
350 Deschutes will be sending public comments to the Oregon Department of Transportation:
• Do you use public transportation but want to improve access?
• Would you like to use public transportation, bike, or carshare but don’t for whatever reason?
• How can health & safety actions improve transportation, or green mobility options like walking and biking?
Equitable, safe, and green mobility is a WIN for everyone., but how do we break down the barriers to get there? Join the discussion to have your voice heard!
Local transportation planners will share mobility options:
• Karen Swirsky: Karen Swirsky, AICP, is a Senior Planner for the City of Bend.
• Andrea Breault: Andrea Breault is the Transportation Director for Cascades East Transit.
Conversation facilitators will bring their unique knowledge, experience and perspectives to enhance our discussion:
• Greg Delgado: Advisory Board, 350Deschutes
• Jonathan Smith: Advisory Board, 350Deschutes
• Jasmine Wilder: Community Leader
Connect and find solutions to help us all get around central Oregon equitably, safely, and greenly!

Oregon's African American History
2021-01-25
Delve into the history of African Americans in Oregon, with a special emphasis on historic places, with Kim Moreland of Oregon Black Pioneers.
Kimberly Stowers Moreland, MBA, MURP, is currently owner of Moreland Resource Consulting, LLC. She has over 25 years of public sector community development, economic development, and urban planning experience. She has dedicated much of her time to volunteer service with community-based cultural and heritage nonprofit organizations. She is the vice-president of Oregon Black Pioneers (OBP) board of directors and a member of the Bosco-Milligan: Architectural Heritage Center. On behalf of the OBP, she authored Images of America: African Americans of Portland published by Arcadia Publisher.
For more information on Oregon Black Pioneers visit: https://oregonblackpioneers.org/
A link to view this program will be available beginning Monday, January 25th at 5:00 p.m.

COTA Movie Night @ HOME
2021-01-21
Over the course of six days, these women rode 132 miles of the Three Sisters Three Rivers bikepacking route in Central Oregon…
COTA Movie Night @ HOME presents Pedal Through.
Despite never having camped or ridden a bike off road, Analise Cleopatra set out on a week-long bikepacking journey of self healing and growth. Along with fellow beginner Dejuanae Toliver and professional mountain biker Brooklyn Bell, she discovered the joy of sleeping under the stars and the strength that comes with pedaling through.
Produced by Aly Nicklas and presented by REI.

Statewide Right to Repair Legislation Town Hall
2021-01-21
You buy stuff. It breaks or doesn’t work right. You could throw it away and buy new stuff, but you’d rather repair it. But then you find out you can’t do it yourself, you can’t even bring it to a third party repair shop. You have to bring it back to the original company, which can charge an arm and a leg because there’s no competition—and sometimes they just won’t fix it. And you decide to throw the thing away.

Join State Representative Janeen Sollman, State Senator Jeff Golden and others to hear about what Oregon lawmakers are doing to reduce e-waste, cut climate pollution, and close the digital divide by passing Right to Repair legislation and making it easier for Oregonians to fix their stuff. Right to Repair would give every consumer and small business access to the parts, tools and service information they need to repair products so we can keep things in use and reduce waste.

The event will also be live streamed on OSPIRG’s Facebook page.

RSVP for Zoom info: https://ospirg.webaction.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=1025

Community conversation on goal setting
2021-01-21
With the new year upon us and anticipation swirling about the changes 2021 could bring, this is a great time to discuss goal-setting. How can you, your family and kids set SMART goals that will inspire confidence? How can taking on challenges and celebrating achievements benefit our young people?

Join Camp Fire Central Oregon for a community conversation about the practice of goal-setting and its power to shape youth.

Indigenous Stewardship & Environmental Justice: A Conversation with Winona LaDuke
2021-01-21
Come listen to activist and environmentalist Winona LaDuke (White Earth Ojibwe), who will discuss Indigenous cultures and activism, climate change, land rights, and our environmental future.

The event will host a book giveaway where anyone who registers has the chance to win a copy of one of Winona LaDuke’s books!

Environmental Justice Shared Learning Space
2021-01-20
Central Oregon Womxn in Conservation is offering a focused space to help people hold themselves accountable in what is intended to be a primarily self-led learning experience around justice and equity within conservation. COWC will be convening monthly, from 6:00-7:30pm on:
Call 1: Tuesday, October 20
Call 2: Tuesday, November 17
Call 3: Tuesday, December 15
Call 4: Tuesday, January 19
Call 5: Tuesday, February 16

Quarterly Trails Forum
2021-01-20
January’s forum focuses on the Ice Age Tonquin Trail and other trail work in the Tualatin/Sherwood/Wilsonville vicinity.

Native Story Hour
2021-01-20
Join Karen Kitchen (Osage Nation) for this story hour featuring songs and books from Native cultures.
Sing, listen, learn, and celebrate. Join Karen Kitchen (Osage Nation) for this story hour featuring songs and books from Native cultures. Children, families, elders, aunties and uncles — everyone is welcome.
Made possible by The Library Foundation through support from The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Fund.
All abilities are welcome. For disability accommodations, call 503.988.5123 or email help@multcolib.org 2-3 days before a program.

Introducing Racial Healing Dialogue & Healing Justice Affinity Spaces in Central Oregon
2021-01-19
TRACEs Central Oregon has partnered with an incredible group of community facilitators, healers, artists and therapists to present a kick-off to Racial Healing Dialogue & Healing Justice Affinity Spaces.

The program for this kick-off event includes: a group welcoming and then 90-minute break out sessions and group close. Break out sessions include a limited number of opt-in affinity healing justice spaces and spaces for anyone to join.

This program is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required and capacity is limited.

***To register or ask questions, email: TRACES@UNITEDWAYCENTRALOREGON.ORG

Episode 4 of discussion series: Environmental Justice issues in Oregon
2021-01-19
How do personal/community values shape how conservation issues are prioritized? In the fourth episode, Central Oregon Womxn in Conservation will talk about how culture and belief systems affect the attention given to different climate and conservation threats. You’ll then get to discuss the impact this has on various communities in our country.

Bend Chamber Webinar Series: Homelessness Impact and Assistance
2021-01-19
Join the Bend Chamber and panel of experts they discuss the issues our community is facing surrounding the topic of homelessness.
Colleen Thomas: Deschutes County Homeless Services Coordinator
Carolyn Eagan: Economic Development Director for the City of Bend
Cheri Helt: Former State Representative
John Lodise: Director of Emergency Services at Shepherd’s House Ministries

Recycling Legislation Overview with Association of Oregon Recyclers
2021-01-19
Association of Oregon Recyclers to Host Legislative Preview Forum on 1/19/2021

You’re invited to join AOR for their virtual Legislative Preview on January 19th from 11-12:30pm. The event will be moderated by AOR’s Legislative Chair Rosalynn Greene and our lobbyist Chris Parta will provide his insights on how the session will be carried out in a virtual world and AOR’s legislative agenda. The event will also feature speakers that will be announced closer to the date. The event is free and everyone is encouraged to attend so save the date!
Here’s a brief overview of potential Oregon Legislation, much of which deals with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) which puts some of the financial burden of recycling on the producers rather than only on the public who pays for curbside recycling. Thank you to BRING Recycling of Eugene for this concise description:

Carpet Recycling: Working with the Product Stewardship Institute, BRING is supporting legislation that would require producers to help pay for the cost of recycling carpet in Oregon.
Mattress Recycling: A 2019 bill introduced by Senator James Manning Jr. to establish an EPR program for mattresses is likely to come back in 2021.
Sharps: This legislation would design a program for the disposal of needles—a product that is difficult, dangerous, and expensive to deal with right now.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW): This bill would help fund disposal of common household products including pesticides, fertilizers, cleaners, and pool chemicals, which are also expensive and difficult to deal with.
Right to Repair: OSPIRG is taking a lead on a bill that would make it legal for you to repair and modify electronic devices—something that is not always explicitly legal right now. (Read more about issues around Right to Repair here.)
Modernizing Oregon’s Recycling System: If passed, this legislation would make significant changes to Oregon’s curbside recycling system, including adding some components of extended producer responsibility.
