The Environmental Center

Redmond Repair Cafe
2019-10-21 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Redmond Public Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave, Redmond, OR, 97756, United States
Local volunteers will help repair your broken stuff – for FREE!
Has your blender lost its whirl? Hole in your favorite jeans? Broken clasp on your best bracelet? Bring us your small household appliances, sewing repairs, jewelry repairs, and small furniture that need a little work.
Volunteers with the Environmental Center’s Rethink Waste Project will come and help guide the repair of small appliances or devices that no longer function. Bring your stuff that’s not working and let’s see if we can collaborate to change that. Repair Cafe’s are a growing movement to help keep the material objects in our lives serving us longer before they head for the landfill or an alternative use.
Repair assistance is based on a first come first served basis.

Honey I Shrunk the BCD
2019-10-22 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Through outreach and research, the BCD Initiative has uncovered the existing beauty, diversity, culture, history, and people that make the BCD unique. They want to showcase that work and get your feedback on ideas to re imagine this area as a place that promotes people’s health, happiness, and well-being.
BCD Initiative welcomes you and your family to join us inside the Wagner Mall for a one-of-a-kind event that’s not to be missed! There will be interactive games, multimedia exhibits, food, drink, and more for all ages.

Stories of our Watershed
2019-10-22 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join River Restoration Northwest in celebrating our watersheds at the sixth annual Stories Of Our Watersheds film event at the McMenamins Old St. Francis School!
Stories of Our Watersheds is a series of short films that celebrate the different ways we experience, sustain and celebrate our river systems throughout the Pacific NW and beyond. For more information visit: www.rrnw.org/film2019
River Restoration Northwest is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization. Our mission is to advance the science and standards of practice of river restoration through an interdisciplinary approach.

Wilderness Workshop
2019-10-23 - 2019-10-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance and the Society of Wilderness Stewardship, in partnership with the U. S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Bend Parks and Recreation, the Oregon Natural Desert Association, and a host of local partners, are pleased to announce the upcoming National Wilderness Workshop. The workshop will take place in the Hampton Inn and Suites and the Hilton Garden Inn, both in the Old Mill District.
The workshop will consist of general plenary and concurrent sessions all around the theme of wilderness stewardship. General sessions will provide understanding about the uniqueness of Oregon wilderness areas, the challenges of recreation use in these areas, and how they provide transformative experiences for wilderness users. Updates on national wilderness issues will also be presented. Concurrent sessions will provide more detailed presentations around wilderness science, wilderness management issues, wilderness stewardship and volunteer engagement.
Saturday Field trips will explore the many different varieties of wilderness opportunities, challenges, issues, and special places around Bend. Each field trip will have a set of specific learning objectives, a local expert to lead discussions and transportation. Lunch will be provided.
This Workshop will be a great opportunity to learn new skills, interact with seasoned field experts, and show off your own skills. Wilderness Workshop participants will learn about the latest in wilderness issues, practical strategies to engage their local audiences and tools and techniques to help them be more effective in their current stewardship roles, as well as challenge them in their wilderness stewardship efforts. Several outstanding training opportunities are being offered prior to the Workshop. These classes will provide more in-depth hands-on training on specialized topics.

The Deschutes River: A Path Forward
2019-10-23 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
From fish to families, kayaks to carrot seed, ecology to economy, a lot is asked of the Deschutes River. A number of activities affecting the management of the river are bubbling to the surface at the same time, making this a pivotal moment. Join panelists for a discussion of the Habitat Conservation Plan for endangered species, water conservation and irrigation modernization, and community engagement in crafting a future for the Deschutes that meets the needs of fish, farms, and families.
Free, please register here!
Panelists:

Jason Gritzner – Hydrologist, Watershed Program Manager, US Forest Service
Ron Nelson – Deschutes River Conservancy Executive Director
Bridget Moran – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bend Field Office, Field Supervisor
Craig Horrell – Chair Deschutes Basin Board of Control; Central Oregon Irrigation District, Managing Director
Mike Britton – North Unit Irrigation District, General Manager
Margi Hoffmann – Farmers Conservation Alliance, Community Relations Director

Presented by the Coalition for the Deschutes, Deschutes Redbands Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Juniper Group of Sierra Club, and League of Women Voters of Deschutes County.

Bend COTA Work Events
2019-10-24, 2019-10-31, 2019-11-07, 2019-11-14, 2019-11-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
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.

Utah - Ground Zero for the Attack on Public Lands - Film and Discussion
2019-10-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Utah’s outstanding and unique public lands, including its National Monuments, National Parks and current and proposed wilderness areas are ground zero for current attacks on public lands. Learn what is happening, why it is happening, how what happens in Utah affects public lands in Oregon, and, how folks are fighting back through award winning documentary “Wild Utah: America’s Red Rock Wilderness.” A discussion and presentation on opportunities for everyone to make a difference to protect their public lands with WA-OR SUWA Field Organizer, Jenny Holmes will follow.
No charge.
Sign up on the Facebook Page of Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance’s Facebook page preferred.
For more information contact Jenny Holmes at waor@suwa.org or call 503-309-0973.

What can Indigenous Cultures Teach the Broader Public about Coping with the Climate Crisis?
2019-10-28 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Kari Marie Norgaard will share her learnings from nearly two decades of working with the Karuk tribe in Northern California’s Klamath Siskiyou region. Her new book, Salmon and Acorns Feed Our People: Colonialism, Nature and Social Action, describes the relevance of Indigenous fire science, and ethics of responsibilities for the broader public at this moment in time. What can we learn from these experiences? How can Karuk worldviews and experience of resisting colonialism and capitalism help move the broader public forward through climate trauma that challenges our self-identity, destabilizes our western way of life, and restrains us from real action on Climate Change? Are we open to a new narrative that could serve us better?

Food is What Connects Us: Immigration, Community & Activism
2019-10-29 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Dr. Amy Harper, Anthropology Professor at COCC discusses “Food is What Connects Us: Immigration, Community & Activism at the Dinner Table

Much of the media coverage on global events today focuses on what divides us. Increasingly the rhetoric has become one of exclusion and protectionism. By focusing on a case study of neighborhood activists in Berlin, Germany, this talk will look at ways in which we can bridge differences by coming together to share meals. We will explore ways in which food can be used to build community while celebrating diversity.

The program is FREE and OPEN to the public but we encourage you to please RSVP to reserve your seat.

Sponsored by Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund and the Associated Students of COCC.

Last Chance for the Deschutes: Tod Heisler Discusses What’s at Stake
2019-10-29 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join LandWatch at Worthy Brewing to hear from Tod Heisler, our Rivers Conservation Program Director, to learn about the threats to the Deschutes River Basin, the “solutions” proposed by the irrigation districts, and what we can all do to preserve the River for the next 30 years and beyond.
The biggest decision-point in our lifetimes for the future of the Deschutes River Basin was triggered last week when irrigation districts submitted a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Come learn about the plan, how it fails to address the challenges facing the River, and what you can do to help change the course of the Deschutes River Basin forever.
This is a free event with a $10 suggested donation. Please register. LandWatch members will receive a complimentary drink ticket.

Leading on Climate: Local and state policies establish leadership on climate solutions
2019-10-30 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Please RSVP in advance!
RSVP HERE
Join us on Wednesday, October 30th to learn about the Clean Energy Jobs Bill (HB 2020) and Bend’s Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) and hear from local climate advocates and POW (Protect Our Winters) athletes.
We are at a critical juncture with climate policies that can establish leadership on climate solutions at the state and local levels with the Clean Energy Jobs Bill (HB2020) and Bend’s Community Climate Action Plan that will be voted on in the next few months.
Meaningful action is needed at all levels of government to mitigate and adapt to climate change, protect the public trust, ensure a resilient community, and leave a healthy environment and atmosphere for future generations. Now is the time for our community and state to adopt climate-smart policies that address the impacts of climate change, complement economic development, and contribute to a thriving and livable community. Come learn how you can support these local initiatives and be an advocate for change!
We will be joined by:

Graham Zimmerman and Stephanie Violett, climate advocates with POW (Protect Our Winters), will share why they worry about more than just powder days when it comes to a changing climate and the importance of climate action. Graham is a professional alpinist who has seen the effects of climate change around the world and Stephanie is a runner, nutritionist, and coach based here in Bend.
Zach Baker will give a quick update on the 2019 Clean Energy Jobs bill (HB 2020), including the final set of amendments and the cap and invest bill that will be before the legislature in the 2020 legislative session. Zach works for Climate Solutions who has been a leading voice on Oregon climate policy and has over a decade of policy and advocacy experience focused on protecting the environment and promoting public health.
Lindsey Hardy who co-chairs Bend’s Climate Action Steering Committee (CASC), which was charged with assembling the Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP), will provide an overview of the plan that will be presented to City Council for adoption this fall. Review the CCAP Executive Summary here.

2020 Wild Desert Calendar Release Party
2019-11-01 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Celebrate the release of ONDA’s 2020 Wild Desert Calendar at the Deschutes Brewery Public House in Bend. Meet the photographers featured in this year’s calendar and enjoy a First Friday filled with food, drink, and stunning conservation photography from local artists and community members. This event is free and open to all, so invite a friend to come along.

Latino Outdoors Juniper Hills Outing
2019-11-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Latino Outdoors for our first outing in Madras! iUnete a Latino Outdoors para nuestra primera salida en Madras!

We will meet in the first parking lot to start our cominata. Bring appropriate clothing, water and good walking shoes. We’ll see you there!
Habra cafe con pan dulce y premios el sabado, 9 de noviembre a las 10:00 A.M. Nos reuniremos en el primer estacionamiento para comenzar nuestra cominata. Traiga ropa apropiada, agua y buenos zapatos para caminar. Alli nos vemos!

Fill Your Pantry: Bulk Buying Pop Up Market
2019-11-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The 4th annual Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry event is Saturday, November 9th at OSU-Cascades Tykeson Hall!
Fill Your Pantry is a community bulk buying event created so YOU can fill up your pantry, freezer, and root cellar full of great local products for the winter. Say bye bye to busy holiday lines and veggies that have traveled farther than you during holiday vacations, and say hello to a cupboard full of local meat, grains, veggies, ferments, and more.
This is a bulk buying event, so bring your muscles! Farmers, ranchers, orchardists, and producers will only be selling large quantities of items. For example, 20lb bags of onions, 50lb bags of potatoes, half wheels of cheese, etc. This is a great opportunity for vendors to move product before the harsh Central Oregon winter and a great opportunity for YOU to save money and eat well all winter long.
Proceeds from this event and its sponsors benefit High Desert Food & Farm Alliance. HDFFA’s mission is to support a healthy and thriving food and farm network in Central Oregon through education, collaboration and inclusivity.

Transit of Mercury
2019-11-11 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This Transit of Mercury will be visible – weather permitting – for at least several hours on the morning of November 11th. When Mercury transits the Sun, you can see it as a tiny black dot silhouetted against the Sun’s disk. The only two planets that can be seen transiting the Sun from Earth are Venus and Mercury because they are the only planets which orbit inside Earth’s orbit. The Observatory will open at sunrise at 6:55am, and track the Sun through telescopes until the transit ends at about 10am. The next Mercury Transit will be on November 13, 2032.
This is a free event and no registration is required.

Green Drinks @ The Gear Fix Featuring Bend's Climate Action Plan
2019-11-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Please RSVP in advance!
RSVP HERE
Join us at The Gear Fix to celebrate another awesome year of Green Drinks events! Meet the team, learn more about repair services that they offer, and check out high-quality gear that will get you outside. The year-end Green Drinks at The Gear Fix is a crowd favorite. And this time around, it will coincide with a timely update on where we stand with Bend’s Community’s Climate Action Plan (CCAP).
The CCAP is a set of strategies that will guide both the City and the community as we work together to reduce our fossil fuel use. (Hint, hint… businesses like The Gear Fix who encourage reuse and repair play a vital role.) Plus, a special guest athlete from Protect Our Winters (POW) will be there to show support. Stay tuned for more!
The Gear Fix has been a great partner of ours for several years. They support our Mountainfilm fundraiser, host Green Drinks events, and have partnered with us for Repair Cafes. Come show your support for this local green business! As always, please bring your own cup and consider carpooling, walking, biking or transit to get to the event.
Green Drinks is an international concept and is an enjoyable way to network, learn about local businesses and their sustainability efforts, and enjoy a drink or two. As always, please bring your own cup and consider carpooling, walking, biking or transit to get to the event.

Vegan Potluck
2019-11-16 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
VegNet’s monthly potluck! Please bring a vegan dish (no animal products, including honey) to serve 6-8 people, plus extra if there are more than two in your party, a card listing ingredients, and your own cup, plate, and utensils. Suggested donation $2-5 to help cover room rental.
Kids are welcome and you don’t have to be vegan to join us. Come and try veg! VegNet’s community potlucks are held on the third Saturday of every month, 6pm, at the Environmental Center.

Celebrate & Activate with Indivisible Bend!
2019-11-17 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Indivisible Bend is hosting an action-oriented social event where we will come together to reflect on the past and set the stage for the future. Join us for a celebratory evening of Drinks, Eats and Activism!

Run Wild, Run Free: Protecting Oregon's Wild Rivers
2019-11-17 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Oregon Wild and the Oregon Natural Desert Association for a screening of the film Run Wild Run Free: 50 Years of Wild and Scenic Rivers and learn how you can be part of a historic effort by Sen. Ron Wyden to protect more of Oregon’s wildest rivers from dams and development.
This event is FREE but has limited space, so please RSVP here.

Fall Repair Cafe at Bend ReStore
2019-11-18 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Ripped backpack? Busted toaster? Wobbly coffee table? Don’t just replace it, repair it!
On November 18th, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm, Bend Habitat ReStore and The Environmental Center’s Rethink Waste Project are hosting another Repair Café – a free event that brings together people who like to fix things, with people who have stuff that needs fixing. Volunteers will be on hand to repair – and share a skill or two!
Attendees are asked to bring broken items and any replacement parts they think might be needed. There is no guarantee all broken items can be repaired that evening – more research may be needed, a part may need to be ordered – but the volunteers will do their best with what they have. Here’s what we have volunteers on hand to repair:

Clothes and other fabric goods
Knit goods
Small appliances
Electronics
Backpacks and other outdoor gear
Small furniture
Jewelry (small repairs)

Science Pub - Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Future Transportation
2019-11-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Chris Hagen, Director, Energy Systems Lab; Associate Professor, Energy Systems Engineering, OSU-Cascades
Technologies developed in the Energy Systems Lab at OSU-Cascades may shape how people and goods are transported in the future. Join professor and researcher Chris Hagen for a discussion about innovations in energy storage and engine technology that are changing how personal and transport vehicles are powered. He will also explore regulatory and economic factors that play a role in forecasting future transportation technologies. Hagen’s research looks at energy conversion, novel transportation fuels, and the development of sensors for harsh environments. He developed a vehicle-based natural gas refueling system that led to the creation of a Bend-based company, OnBoard Dynamics. He launched a second company, Rogue Approach, which is advancing technology developed in the Energy Systems Lab that enables drones to fly farther and for longer periods of time. Hagen was recognized in 2017 by the Society of Automotive Engineers as one of the nation’s top young engineering educators.

Networking beings at 5:30 p.m., presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.
Full menu, no-host bar
Accommodations for disabilities may be made by calling 541-322-2022

Common Ground: Renewable Energy Solutions
2019-11-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
A move toward greater reliance on renewable energy will help us to reduce our impact on the climate. But how do we weigh the pros and cons of different renewable energy options? How do we make decisions that take both long- and short-term impacts into account? What personal roles do we play? Curators Louise Shirley and Carolyn Nesbitt will lead a conversation among participants. Share your own thoughts and listen to other perspectives. Common Ground programs bring the community together to discuss important topics and hear different points of view in respectful and thoughtful ways.

Castor Canadensis in the Beaver State
2019-11-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
BeaverWorks Oregon will overview the profound influence beavers have had on our landscape’s ecosystems. As a keystone species, beavers forestall drought, flooding, wildfire, extinction and the ravages of climate change. Busy as a beaver, eager beaver, beavering away—there’s a reason this critter has inspired such appraisals. As we learn about their lifecycle, habitat requirements, vulnerability and needed protections, BeaverWorks Oregon will share the challenges of restoring beaver to watersheds in Oregon and other western states.

Free and open to the public.

Environmental Trivia and Scorecard Release Party
2019-11-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join the Oregon League of Conservation Voters for a fun night of environmental trivia and the release of our 2019 Scorecard for the Oregon Legislature! Come test your knowledge of Oregon’s environment, politics, and OLCV history, or just come to learn a thing or two at the last Pints and Politics of 2019.
About OLCV’s Scorecard:
For more than 40 years, our Environmental Scorecard has helped Oregonians hold their legislators accountable. Our State Senators and Representatives are graded on their environmental track record—how they’ve voted on bills impacting Oregon’s wildlife, waterways, people, and places—and are given both a score for the session and a lifetime score.
*This event will also double as our volunteer appreciation event. If you volunteered with OLCV in 2019, we can’t thank you enough for your support and your first beverage is on us!*

Birders' Night
2019-11-21 19:00 - 20:30 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Abbot Schindler, Bird Photography

Bird photography is one of Abbott Schindler’s many interests in the natural world, and he has been photographing nature for many years. In this century he’s worked to get “close and personal” to birds in particular (they’re generally safer than bison, moose, bear and elk, which he’s also gotten uncomfortably close to). His photographic work and equipment take advantage of his extensive R&D experience, studies of photographic technique and composition, and classroom experiences. His work has been published in scientific and industry journals and fine art books, and is used extensively by the High Desert Museum.

Social gathering time is from 6:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Programs begin at 7:00 p.m. and usually last until 8:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public. You do not need to be a member of any group to attend.

COTA Movie Night @ McMenamins: DIVIDED
2019-11-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Fear of failure can stop all sorts of adventures before they even start, but what if failing is the best part?
COTA Movie Night @ McMenamins presents Divided.
In 2017, the female duo of Rickie Cotter and Lee Craigie raced the Tour Divide together, a 2,745 mile self-supported mountain bike race from Canada to the Mexican border. Shot entirely using a Go Pro and an iPhone, this is a heart-warming and funny documentary about the journey of two friends.
Divided was an official selection of the Banff Film Festival in 2018, and the Cascadia Adventure Film Festival in 2019. https://cascadiaadventurefilmfestival.com
Link to movie trailer on BikePacking.com: https://bikepacking.com/plog/divided-film/
– Doors open at 7:30pm; movie starts at 8pm
– Tickets are sold on a first come, first serve basis on the night of the event
– $6 per person, cash only, please
– Minors accompanied by parent or guardian
– Run time: 40 minutes
Movie Night at McMenamins raises funds and awareness for Central Oregon Trail Alliance and is coordinated by the good people at Pine Mountain Sports.
