The Environmental Center

New Hikes in Eastern Oregon
2017-03-07 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Oregon’s hiking expert will take you on a slideshow tour of a dozen new trails he found while researching the third edition of his book, “100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Eastern Oregon.” Hear about a colorful badlands on the Owyhee River, a stunning wilderness with cactus flowers on the John Day, and a viewpoint hike to a ranch at the east end of the Columbia Gorge. We’ll even explore half a dozen little-known hot springs. As always, Sullivan spices his talk with notes on the geology, wildlife and history of the land.

Bend COTA Work Events
2017-03-02, 2017-02-23, 2017-02-16, 2017-02-09 | 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.

Inner Sustainability through Living Mindfully
2017-03-01 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Whatever our outer work, our effectiveness in it depends on how well we are sustaining ourselves on the inside. The practical tools of mindfulness help to reconnect our attention and intention with values and wisdom, that alignment that often gets watered down or lost altogether, as we face the challenges and stresses of our lives. Mindfulness is foundational to making the world a better place, by starting with yourself.
Laura Bartels, Executive Director of the Mindful Life Program based in Colorado, will talk about how developing the four key areas of mindfulness—attention, values, wisdom and an open heart—can transform your life and build resiliency. Join her on March 1st at 6 pm for this free talk entitled “Inner Sustainability through Living Mindfully” followed by a time for questions. The talk will take place at The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend.
By far, one of the biggest obstacles to finding inner peace and developing our highest potential is the inability to direct our attention where we would like, such as to our intentions for the day or to those activities that are meaningful for us. Through mindfulness, we can consciously train our mind and develop the ability to direct it where we would like and attend to what we choose to attend to. If we don’t train our mind, it can endlessly drag us from one thought to another, compulsively drawing our attention away from what we are presently doing and from what we would like to be thinking about. How much of each day are we able to actually be in the present moment? So much of our life goes by without actually being present in the moment. If we are minds aren’t in the present, then we cannot consciously bring our intention to our days. Researchers report that a wandering mind can be a detriment to being happy.
Bartels says, “Mindfulness goes well beyond individual benefits and supports positive impacts on others and our communities, creating more compassionate and equitable relationships.”
Laura Bartels will share the full MLP Mindfulness Foundations course March 3rd – 5th, which offers practical, accessible and universal skills to live a meaningful life. Learn more about this and other upcoming courses and programs at www.mindfullifeprogram.org.

Farmer Chef Mixer
2017-02-27 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Chef workshop
On the table – developing a Chef’s Collaborative. Join the discussion!
Chef-Farmer Workshop
One-on-one time with farmers and chefs. Bring your foodie desires and price sheets. Food & Bevie included
Farmer Workshop
What’s the difference between direct and wholesale markets? From farmer’s markets to CSA and restaurant to institution, each market has distinct characteristics.
RSVP Today!

Workshops are FREE
The Mixer costs $10 and includes food and beverages. We will send you a link via PayPal to pay for the event or you can pay by check or cash at the event.

Eagle Watch
2017-02-26 - 2017-02-27, 2017-02-25 - 2017-02-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The 22nd annual Eagle Watch Celebration is on February 25-26 at Round Butte Overlook Park near Madras. The celebration focuses on the eagles and other raptors that live in the Lake Billy Chinook area. This is a family-friendly event that includes live birds of prey, wild eagle viewing, raptor education, kids activities, and a special presentation of tribal drumming and dancing by The Quartz Creek Drummers and Dancers.
The event is from 10am-4pm on Saturday and 10am-3pm on Sunday. It is hosted by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Portland General Electric, Crooked River Grassland, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
To learn more, visit the event facebook page.

Mountainfilm on Tour: A Fundraiser for The Environmental Center
2017-02-25, 2017-02-24 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Mountainfilm is back for its 14th tour in Bend. As always, the event will showcase the very best of Telluride Mountainfilm Festival, an annual film festival in Colorado synonymous with the world’s finest film making.
All event proceeds benefit The Environmental Center’s mission to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon.
Stay tuned for ticket sales around mid-January, and visit our Mountainfilm webpage for updated info!

VegNet February Potluck
2017-02-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Vegetarian, vegan, or veg-curious? Join us at VegNet’s monthly potluck! Bring a vegan dish to serve 4-6 people and your own plate and utensils. Eat, socialize, and try for a prize during veggie word scramble. This is a family-friendly, alcohol-free event. Hope to see you there!

2017 COBKA Bee School
2017-02-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This year’s Bee School will be held at the Central Oregon Community College and will feature our COBKA Beekeeping 101 class as well as lectures from regional COBKA mentors on topics including but not limited to:

Equipment
Hive types
Bee Suits
Tools
Installing bees into a hive
Hive management
Reading the frame

Pest control
This event is structured to provide attendees with all the information needed to begin beekeeping in Central Oregon. Our event booklet will include the information discussed during the event as well as handy local supplier contacts, advice on local plant varieties to encourage pollinators and much more.
We will have breaks between lectures to visit with mentors and see different types of hives and beekeeping supplies. There will be a lunch break with some snacks provided – please bring a sack lunch if you choose.
We are working towards reducing waste created by our events: Please bring a water bottle and/or your beverage of choice as we will not be providing beverages in disposable packaging.

The Return of the River: Film and panel discussion
2017-02-23 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This award-winning film tells the story of a remarkable campaign to set the Elwha River free. It is an unlikely success story for environmental and cultural restoration that offers hope and possibility for a more sustainable future. The film will be followed by a panel discussion about river restoration with the director/cinematographer and two research scientists who worked on the project.
Registration is required as we expect this program to fill. Please help us defray costs by making a suggested $10 donation at the door.

February Nature Night
2017-02-22 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Oregon spotted frog is a small amphibian that is currently having a large impact on Central Oregon. Join biologist and spotted frog expert Jay Bowerman to learn more about this native frog and its habitat. Jay will shed light on the spotted frog’s life history, ecological needs, abilities, and the challenges it face of habitat loss, invasive species, and an uncertain political climate. Jay has been observing the species in Sunriver for more than 40 years, and more recently added study sites in and near Bend.
***This event is free, but registration is required. Registration opens 1 month prior to the event.***
Jay Bowerman holds a M.S. in biology from University of Oregon where he studied salamander chromosomes. After 20 years as the executive director of the Sunriver Nature Center, Jay has returned to biological research that focuses on amphibian ecology. He is the author of more than twenty journal papers ranging from amphibian deformities to leeches. In recent years Jay has focused on mentoring young scientists while continuing studies of western toads, Oregon spotted frogs, and the impact of introduced species, especially bullfrogs, on native amphibians. In his spare time Jay and his wife Teresa stay involved in a variety of local cultural events such as the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival and the Hoedown for Hunger at Bend’s Community Center. Most recently they have been learning to be grandparents.

Redmond Repair Cafe
2017-02-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
A Repair Cafe is an event that pairs people with broken stuff, with people who like to fix stuff.
Our fabulous fixers will be at the Redmond Public Library on October 30th to fix your broken stuff! Small appliances and electronics, clothing and outdoor gear, small furniture, and jewelry. These repairs are free and performed on a voluntary basis. You can bring multiple items for repair, but we ask that you get one item repaired at a time.
This event marks 5 years that we have been organizing these events in our community, and it closely follows International Repair Cafe Week!
NOTE: The Source has this event listed as happening at both Bend & Redmond Libraries, but this event is ONLY at the REDMOND Public Library. Sorry for any confusion!

Emerge Oregon One-Day Training Bend
2017-02-18 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Emerge Oregon and the Deschutes Democrats to learn about the key components of running a successful campaign in this one-day compact training!
Emerge Oregon helps women leaders develop the tools to win public office.
Whether you want to be the candidate or on the campaign, this training can be invaluable in helping you prepare a successful run for office.
Space is limited, tickets are $40 per person
Please register at the link in advance: https://act.myngp.com/Forms/4384959483287176960

COTA Movie Night
2017-02-16 20:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | McMenamin’s, 700 NW Bond St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
*Heads Up! Starting in February all COTA Movie Nights will start at 8PM!*
Pine Mountain Sports is bringing you a fatbike double feature! We’ve got an encore presentation of Cold Rolled and Among The Wild at COTA Movie Night on Thu Feb 16!
Cold Rolled (19 minutes) is a funny, action documentary from Clear & Cold Cinema about Marquette Michigan’s Snow Bike Route. This film explores the history and progression of winter cycling culture in this small Lake Superior harbor town.
Among The Wild – The Arrowhead 135 (29 minutes) follows one of the 50 toughest races on the planet. Some of the best winter ultra-athletes in the world come to compete and fatbike, run or ski 135 miles across Northern Minnesota along the rugged Arrowhead State Snowmobile Trail. This film follows 3 competitors during their attempts at completing the Arrowhead 135.
Break out your fatty and ride it down to McMenamins on Thu Feb 16! Show starts at 8P.
$5 per person, cash only, please. Minors accompanied by parent or guardian.
Movie Night at McMenamins raises funds and awareness for Central Oregon Trail Alliance.

The Elliott State Forest and Privatization of Public Lands at Pints and Politics
2017-02-16 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join OLCV and Alexander Harris from Oregon Wild for a presentation about the Elliott State Forest and the privatization of public lands. Learn about the land transfer movement, from armed occupations to proposals in the Oregon legislature and at the federal level to privatize public land. Come and find out how you can play a role in the larger pro-public lands movement in the west.

The Birds and the Bees: Love, Sex and Mating Rituals of Local Plants and Animals
2017-02-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
What better way to celebrate (or recover from) Valentine’s Day than with a nature talk about romance and reproduction in the natural world? Join local nature guide author LeeAnn Kriegh for a fun and humorous talk about some of the strange, awe-inspiring, and downright scary mating habits of Central Oregon plants and animals.
This is about romance, sex, breakups, etc. in the natural world, using photos from LeeAnn’s book, The Nature of Bend, and various research to describe the love lives of local non-human species.
LeeAnn Kriegh is a Bend-based writer who devoted much of the past two years to researching and writing The Nature of Bend. As a journalist, Ms. Kriegh has written for a variety of regional magazines and websites, as well as The Oregonian. For the past dozen years, she has run a writing and editing business called WordDoc, through which she pens everything from websites to white papers for high-tech companies including Google, Intel, and Microsoft, as well as smaller businesses and nonprofits. Visit her website at www.natureofbend.com.
6:30pm social time/snacks, 7:00 program

Activist Hour: Speaking up for Public Lands
2017-02-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join ONDA, Oregon Wild and the Bitterbrush Broads for a fun and interactive training on how to speak up effectively at Town Hall Meetings and hold your elected officials accountable. We’ll gather for drinks and snacks at 5, and the training will start at 5:30.
This training will cover:
– Background on the current threats to our public lands
– Basics on how to communicate effectively with your elected officials
– Tips on crafting your comments and questions prior to a town hall meeting
– An opportunity to practice delivering your comments in front of a friendly audience
– A chance to meet and talk with other budding public lands activists in your community!

The Vocal Seniority Meet and Greet
2017-02-10 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Vocal Seniority (Raising Cane), a newly formed civil society group originating in Bend, is planning a Meet and Greet. The Vocal Seniority was formed in Bend, Oregon shortly after the presidential election by a seasoned group of concerned, senior citizens who are alarmed about the direction the country appears to be headed. As elders with a strong sense of history, The Vocal Seniority actively promotes social and economic justice and environmental sustainability.
We would like to meet fellow Vocal Seniors and talk about what we most want to accomplish going forward. If you are planning to join us there, please RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-vocal-seniority-meet-greet-tickets-31557889497.

WWOLF at Fields Farm
2017-02-10 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The WWOLF program provides organized volunteer assistance in the form of volunteers, or “wwolf packs” to local farmers at their farms or ranches. In return volunteers learn where and how local food is grown while fostering an intimate connection with the food that sustains us all.
Willing Workers On Local Farms (WWOLF) WWOLF is a community program of Central Oregon Locavore Non-Profit with the goal of lending a hand to small farmers while educating the community about the true nature of local food.
How It Works You will meet the group at Fields Farm at 10am or carpool from Locavore at 9:30am sharp. After a round of introductions, we will split into groups and get to work. We will break for lunch around noon and then return to work until about 3pm.
What to Expect Good times, new friends, and a boots-on-the-ground education about local farming practices. Children are welcome with adult supervision. We love dogs, but please leave them at home for this event.
What to Bring Snacks, work gloves, closed-toe shoes, layers for the weather, water, and sunscreen. Tools and all materials needed to complete tasks will be provided by the farm. Lunch will be provided.
About Fields Farm Fields Farm is a 10 acre vegetable farm located in the middle of Bend, only a few miles from downtown. Fields is a Community Supported Agriculture Farm and has been growing on the land since 1989. Fields Farm is a sustainable farm using pesticide free, soil builiding methods. They sell their produce at Bend Farmers Market, Locavore, Agricultural Connections, and to various restaurants in the area.
Tasks at Fields Farm WWOLF tasks at Fields Farm will include mending greenhouses and prepping for the upcoming growing season. This WWOLF event is certain to be a cold one, so please dress appropriately, as we will be outside all day.

Film Screening: Death by Design
2017-02-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Dirty Secret of Our Digital Addiction

Join The Environmental Center at The Old Stone for a screening of Death by Design.

What is the cost of our digital dependency?

Death by Design, a feature length documentary, explores this question and uncovers a global story of damaged lives, environmental destruction and devices that are designed to die.

Consumers love – and live on – their smartphones, tablets and laptops. But this revolution has a dark side, hidden from most consumers. From the intensely secretive factories in China, to a ravaged New York community and the high tech corridors of Silicon Valley, the film tells a story of environmental degradation, of health tragedies, and the fast approaching tipping point between consumerism and sustainability.

More about the film: http://deathbydesignfilm.com/

$5 suggested donation at door.

The Housing Game
2017-02-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Put on your planning hats and join Central Oregon LandWatch and Stemach Design + Architecture for a free interactive event where you’ll discover what’s required to create market rate affordable housing in Bend!
First presented at the Bend Design Conference, The Housing Game is a unique hands-on activity developed and presented by local architects and designers Stacey Stemach, Rachel Stemach, ML Vidas, and Heather Crank.
This educational experience will help citizens understand challenges and potential solutions to one of Bend’s most pressing issues. We provide the legos and beer, you bring the problem-solving creativity. Can you make it work?
No experience necessary; all are welcome! RSVP Required.

Energy Education with NeighborImpact
2017-02-09 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Save Money & Save Energy by attending a NeighborImpact Energy Education Workshop!
Each Energy Education participant will receive an Energy Toll Kit with energy savings for items for your home.
Sign up today by emailing: HomeWX@neighborimpact.org or calling: (541) 316-2034.

The Secret Lives of Sage Grouse
2017-02-07 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
High Desert Speaker Series Bend: Stuart Garrett- The Secret Lives of Sage Grouse
The Greater sage-grouse is an imperiled bird that lives on public lands right in our backyard. The elaborate courtship ritual and decorated plumage of this bird have captivated the minds and hearts of desert visitors throughout the western United States. But this bird has faced a number of threats in recent years that led scientists to consider its listing under the Endangered Species Act. In recent years, federal agencies have developed new protection guidelines for this bird in lieu of listing.
Local physician and conservation advocate Stuart Garrett will discuss recent attempts to protect the sage-grouse and highlight how sagebrush habitat is important to the bird’s life cycle. Don’t miss this chance to get more information on how we can protect habitat for this bird that lives on public lands in our own high desert backyard!
Join us for an evening highlighting the best of your high desert.
The event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Doors will open at 6:30p.m. with the speaker beginning at 7p.m. For more information about other speakers in this series, visit ONDA.org/HighDesertSeries

Central Oregon Pride 2017 Volunteer Kickoff
2017-02-07 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Do you want to help make Central Oregon Pride 2017 the best Pride ever? Human Dignity Coalition is looking for a core group of dedicated volunteers! At this meeting, we will be discussing ideas, plans and volunteer needs for the planning of Pride at Drake Park on June 24th, 2017.
Please come join us if you want to take an active role as a volunteer this year or if you have ideas or skills to offer in planning.

Farmer Chef Workshops
2017-02-07, 2017-02-06 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
