The Environmental Center

Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory free day & open house
2020-09-12 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Enjoy free admission for the entire family during SNCO’s yearly spring Open House. Come see why Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory remains a Central Oregon destination for discovery and fun. Admission is waived for day-time admission (10am – 4pm) only. Carpooling and biking is strongly recommended as parking is limited.

Census Day of Action Registration
2020-09-12 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join this powerful Day of Action and solidarity featuring some of Oregon’s amazing *BIPOC leaders. The Census deadline is on September 30th and Oregon’s Black, Indigenous, Latinx, rural, and immigrant communities still need to be fully counted. The Census is about representation, and creating a powerful future that includes all of us.

Twilight Talks
2020-09-13 - 2020-10-04, 2020-09-16 - 2020-10-07, 2020-09-20 - 2020-10-11, 2020-09-23 - 2020-10-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join members of the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory team as they share their passion for science through a series of engaging twilight talks throughout the fall. Talks will take place outdoors in the amphitheater and a different topic will be presented each night. Questions are always welcome and lively discussion is encouraged!
SNCO Members receive a 20% discount.
Face masks are required for all registrants and capacity is limited to allow for social distancing. All programs are weather permitting.

Twilight Talk: The Honey Harvest
2020-09-13 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Honey bees have spent the entire summer buzzing around collecting nectar. What happens next? Join Nature Center Manager and resident beekeeper Amanda Accamando to learn all about how honey is made and how bees survive during a long Central Oregon winter.

Virtual Farmer Social
2020-09-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join FoFF for a continuation of the conversations they’ve been hosting at their bi-monthly virtual Farmer Chats: Food and Racial Justice. FoFF will explore some of the emergent themes from previous talks including land access, equitable treatment in government programs and services to help farmers, building your local community, and the possibility of a statewide farmer-ally directory. FoFF welcome farmers, farm workers and agricultural producers of all kinds to this conversation.

Optimizing Crisis to Address Climate Change
2020-09-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Crisis management became front and center for Arlene Burns when an oil train derailed in Mosier, Oregon. Arlene will discuss how she transformed a major incident into a positive future for her tiny town of Mosier, caught in the cross hairs of fossil fuel infrastructure development. These same lessons of creative problem solving apply to the climate crisis, where action is long overdue. Arlene discusses her philosophy of bringing people together to collaborate on solutions to rural issues through a lens of resilience and regeneration, an essential link to solving our climate crisis.
Conference Overview by Eileen Kiely, 350Deschutes Board Member, Candidate Senate District 27
Diane Hodiak, Executive Director, 350Deschutes
Plenary Arlene Burns, Mayor of Moser, Candidate, Senate District 59

Connecting with Pollinators in Your Own Backyard
2020-09-15 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory for the first session in their Living with Wildlife Series where they’ll explore how closely pollinators are tied to our lives through food and take an in-depth look at the current environmental issues threatening pollinator health and diversity. You’ll come away with some ideas and resources on how to help pollinators in our everyday lives while teaching those around us how to become pollinator stewards.

The Right to a Healthy Workplace
2020-09-16 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Environmental Justice Pathways next webinar is “The Right to a Healthy Workplace”
This webinar will shed light on the intersections between environmental degradation and unhealthy working conditions experienced by frontline communities. Impacts are unique due to the type of work, place, ability, access, nationality, and race and the application of workplace safety protocols. We will hear from environmental justice and workers rights advocates on how they are navigating unsafe or unhealthy workplaces, and actions that are being taken to address inequities, and achieve environmental and worker justice for all.
Panelists:
Martha Sonato, Political Director, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN).
Susan Sygall, CEO and Co-Founder of Mobility International USA.
Moderated by:
Kate Suisman, Attorney and Campaigns Coordinator, Northwest Workers’ Justice Project

20th Annual Green Tour goes virtual!
2020-09-17 - 2020-09-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The 20th Annual Green Tour Goes Virtual!
Save the date for a week and a half of inspiration and real-world solutions. Full event line-up coming soon. Sign up to get the full list when it’s released.
Now more than ever, locally and globally, we need enhanced environmental stewardship, affordability, health, comfort, and durability associated with the homes and buildings that we live and work in. In Bend, 57% of our carbon emissions comes from the energy that our buildings consume. If we are going to make an impact, we need bold, collaborative, innovative action starting now.
Join the 20th Annual Green Tour in our first-ever virtual event to have conversations about these important topics and see how local innovators are leading the way. We have a lot to learn but the good news is, that we have experts and enthusiasts right here in our community who are already putting best practice into action
Sign up today and get the full line-up of events when it’s released so you can join live panel discussion to engage with the local champions leading the green building industry.
We’ll be featuring zero energy homes and businesses, accessory dwelling units, tiny homes, solar, using electric vehicles with zero energy homes and for businesses, materials management for reducing waste and improving health, and more!
Coming soon–view virtual tours of the official Green Tour sites! See behind the scenes of the green building process and meet local innovators. All tours, interviews, and photos will be posted on the Green Tour page.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Energy Trust of Oregon with additional support from E2 Solar, Miller Lumber, Saginaw Sunset, and Earth Advantage.

Green Tour kickoff with Keynote Speaker, Sam Rashkin
2020-09-17 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Kick off the Green Tour! with US Department of Energy’s Chief Architect of the Building Technology Office, Sam Rashkin

REGISTER HERE

High-performance home advocates couldn’t be more passionate. Sharing that passion has always proven difficult because the benefits of high-performance homes are invisible to most consumers. This conversation is too important and too easy not to get right.

Join us to hear from Sam Rashkin as he shares his insight from his 25 years in field overseeing the certification of over 1 million ENERGY STAR homes. He’ll show us opportunities that are often overlooked to connect with consumers to demonstrate the value of high-performance homes.

Meet the Speaker:

As Chief Architect for the Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office, Sam’s primary role is leading deployment of proven innovations for new and existing high-performance homes. In his prior position, he managed the growth of ENERGY STAR for Homes from its inception in 1996 to more than 8,000 builder partners, over one million labeled homes, and over 25 percent market penetration nationwide. During his 20-plus years as a licensed architect, he specialized in energy efficient design and completed over 100 residential projects. He has served on the national Steering Committees for USGBC’s LEED for Homes, NAHB’s Green Builder Guidelines, and U.S. EPA’s Water Sense and Indoor airPLUS labels. Mr. Rashkin is a published author and has been recognized for his contributions to sustainable housing with the 2012 Hanley Award and 2019 EEBA Legend Award.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Energy Trust of Oregon with additional support from E2 Solar, Miller Lumber, Saginaw Sunset, Stemach Design + Architecture, and Earth Advantage.

Bend COTA Work Events
2020-09-17, 2020-09-24 | 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.

BLM Solidarity March-Redmond-Rescheduled from 9/12
2020-09-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join our community for a peaceful march in solidarity with Black Lives Matter! Let’s make it known that hate and racism have no place in our communities or local law enforcement!
Water and snacks will be provided. Please wear a mask and practice physical distance.

Driving on Sunshine: Why EVs and solar work at home and at work
2020-09-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Electric vehicles and solar are the perfect combination for zero-emission and cost-effective driving.

Going solar and switching to an electric car are great moves on their own. In this sanel we will explore how doing both can be even better. It’s like chocolate and peanut butter, they are made for each other! Join our panelists to see how two businesses and one zero energy home incorperated solar and electric vehicle charging into their daily operations and lives. Register here!

Remodeling for Efficiency and Comfort
2020-09-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This is panel second of seven panel discussions exploring topics related to and sites on the 2020 Green Tour. Visit the full schedule here.

Our current housing stock has the potential to be more efficient, healthier, and more comfortable. Here’s how to do it.

Register here

An energy efficient home does not just refer to newly built homes. It is important to remember that there are an astounding number of homes in our current housing stock that have the potential to be more efficient, healthier, and more comfortable. Even homes that were built within the last few years can have major issues that will impact their efficiency and long-term durability.

If we are going to create a community where everyone can afford to pay their utility bills and have safe indoor air quality, then we have to take a deep look at how we upgrade our existing housing stock.

Join us to learn about three local homes that have undergone various energy upgrades from insulation, to airsealing to solar. They all took on some DIY projects and also turned to the pros on other projects. We’ll hear about how they decided which projects to do, which to tackle themselves, and how those projects are impacting their everyday lives now. We’ll be joined by home performance contractor, GreenSavers to learn more about energy assessments and deep retrofits, E2 Solar to hear what it’s like to go solar on an existing home and how to know if your home is a good fit for solar, and building envelope specialist, NW Aerobarrier.

Meet our panelists

Jamie & Josh Harbick, Homeowners

Megan Cummings, Senior Home Performance Consultant, GreenSavers

Michelle Porter, Homeowner

Mike Hewitt, Vice President, E2 Solar

Peter Grube, Partner, Northwest Aerobarrier

Robert Hammerly, Principal, GreenSavers

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Energy Trust of Oregon with additional support from E2 Solar, Miller Lumber, Saginaw Sunset, Stemach Design + Architecture, and Earth Advantage.

New Hikes in Eastern Oregon
2020-09-21 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | ONDA, 50 SW Bond St. Ste 4, 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.

New Hikes in Eastern Oregon | Bend
2020-09-21 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Oregon’s hiking guru 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.

Zero Energy Homes: How to take high performance to zero energy
2020-09-22 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This is the third of seven panel discussions exploring topics related to and sites on the 2020 Green Tour. Visit the full schedule here.
Zero energy homes are more durable, have healthier indoor air quality, and have substantially lower lifetime costs of ownership. Here’s how to get there.
REGISTER HERE
How do we build better homes? There are a few key steps, design elements, and pieces of technology that make building zero energy homes easy, affordable, and totally doable. Join this panel discussion to learn about a few projects that are happening right here in Central Oregon. We’ll be talking about the journey of getting to zero, lessons learned along the way, and key practices and technology that we can incorporate into our homes right now to help us save energy and be more comfortable.

Meet our panelists

Jacob Clark, Director of Construction, Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity

Joe Mazzarella, System Design, Sunlight Solar Energy

Perry Brooks, Principal, Net Zero Development

Peter Grube, Partner, Northwest Aerobarrier.

Mike Ardeljan, Partner, Dream Home Building and Design

Scott Leonard, Residential Program Manager, Energy Trust of Oregon

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Energy Trust of Oregon with additional support from E2 Solar, Miller Lumber, Saginaw Sunset, Stemach Design + Architecture, and Earth Advantage.

Attainable and Sustainable Housing: Featuring Kor Community Land Trust
2020-09-23 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This is the fourth of seven panel discussions exploring topics related to and sites on the 2020 Green Tour. Visit the full schedule here.
Get the scoop on how and why this affordable housing organization is building zero energy homes. If they can do it—can you?
REGISTER HERE
Kôr Community Land Trust was founded in 2015 to address the need for attainable homeownership in Bend. Many hard-working members of our community, such as those who work in our schools and grocery stores, cannot afford to purchase a home and put down roots here. Kôr provides permanently affordable homeownership opportunities for these important community members and their families.

Kôr’s homes will be built to minimize energy and water use. This is sustainable from both an environmental perspective AND a financial one by keeping utility bills low for the homeowner. At Kor’s first development, Kôrazon, they are developing zero energy homes–that is, homes that produce as much energy as they use–with no utility bills.

Why zero energy? Because it means their families can reliably count on stable housing costs, even as utility costs continue to increase. Because it means healthier indoor air quality. And because the homes will be more durable and need fewer repairs over the life of the home. Spoiler alert–zero energy homes might just be the missing link to creating more affordable housing for our entire community!

Join us to hear from Kor’s team including their designer, home performance consultant, solar contractor, and envelope specialist to see how they are cost effectively getting to zero energy and how reaching this goal has the potential to change the lives of the families living in their homes.

Meet our panelists

Amy Warren, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Kor Community Land Trust

Bruce Sullivan, BASE zero

Jason Offut, The Shelter Studio & Co-Found, Kor Community Land Trust

Joe Mazzarella, System Design, Sunlight Solar

Peter Grube, Partner, Northwest Aerobarrier

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Energy Trust of Oregon with additional support from E2 Solar, Miller Lumber, Saginaw Sunset, Stemach Design + Architecture, and Earth Advantage.

Wildfires in 2020: What set the stage for this historic event and what can we expect in the future?
2020-09-23 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The fires that broke out and spread across nearly 1 million acres of western Oregon this month are terrifying and devastating. We know from forest research and history that western Oregon’s forest ecosystems naturally burn. But a century of fire suppression, logging, development, and climate change, combined with weather conditions that drove the fires into rural and suburban communities, led to this seemingly unprecedented event. As the smoke (hopefully) clears and we all take stock of these fires’ impacts to our communities and land, join Oregon Wild for a discussion with fire experts about these contributing factors and how we might prepare for a more fire-prone future.
Featuring panelists Timothy Ingalsbee, PhD, Executive Director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology; Erica Fleishman, PhD, Director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University; and Ken Carloni, PhD, Botanist/Forest Ecologist.

Reimagining the Construction Waste Stream
2020-09-24 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This is the fifth of seven panel discussions exploring topics related to sites on the 2020 Green Tour. Visit the full schedule here.
Whether you’re building a new home or embarking on a DIY remodel, waste reduction and recycling can be incorporated into your projects.
REGISTER HERE
When it comes to building a green home, there’s a lot more to it than how much energy it uses. When we look at the full scope of sustainability issues that are interconnected with the construction industry, we have to also look at our materials footprint and waste management practices. These issues are especially relevant right now because Knott Landfill is estimated to be full by 2029. It’s estimated that 25% or more of the waste that is generated in Deschutes County comes from construction and demolition.
Whether you are building a new home or embarking on a DIY home remodel, waste reduction and recycling can be incorporated into your projects. Keeping the materials in the loop is an important part of reducing waste in Deschutes County from an environmental and climate perspective.
During this discussion, we will hear from homeowners who are salvaging materials, getting creative (like stenciling their old tile floors to give them a whole new modern look!), and utilizing great finds from the Restore. We’ll be joined by the Habitat for Humanity Restore too so we can learn what types of materials can be salvaged and donated to be reused in the community. On the new construction side, we’ll hear from two builders who are reducing their waste footprints with panelized designs. There will be plenty of time to ask questions of our panelists so we hope you’ll engage in a lively conversation with us!
Meet our panelists

Ani Kasch, Program Manager, Rethink Waste Project

Jacob Clark, Director of Construction, Bend Redmond Habitat for Humanity.

Michelle Porter, homeowner.

Perry Brooks, Principal, Net Zero Development

Sophie Paez, Director of Retail Operations, Bend Redmond Habitat for Humanity.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Energy Trust of Oregon with additional support from E2 Solar, Miller Lumber, Saginaw Sunset, Stemach Design + Architecture, and Earth Advantage.

Bend City Council Candidate Forum
2020-09-24 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Election season is upon us with candidates running to represent Bendites at City Council.
The Bend Chamber of Commerce is excited to host, in partnership with Miller Lumber and SunWest Builders, this forum to introduce the candidates to the community and learn more about their policy platforms.
Hear from these candidates for Bend City Council:
Anthony Broadman
Michael R Hughes
August Paul Johnson
Melanie Kebler
Justin Livingston
Megan Perkins
Chris Piper
Rita Schenkelberg
Bubba Walters
Rondo
This year, the Chamber is adapting the format to allow for a virtual discussion of key issues affecting local business and the community. We hope you will join us!

Backyard Uprising: How ADUs enhance our urban landscape
2020-09-24 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This is the sixth of seven panel discussions exploring topics related to and sites on the 2020 Green Tour. Visit the full schedule here.
Accessory Dwelling Units are popping all over Bend–here’s our take on why they are important and how you can get started.
REGISTER HERE

We have a housing problem in Central Oregon. We don’t have enough of it and we need more affordable options. Infill development poses the opportunity to flip this narrative and create a more livable community with housing choices that meet the needs of more members of our community. One example that we see popping up in backyards and above garages–Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).

During this panel, we’ll hear from those who are fueling this uprising in a backyard near you, including the experts who are developing and designing properties with ADUs and some homeowners who are bringing these projects to life.

Meet our panelists

Mary Hearn, ADU Enthusiast & Advocate

Jesse Russell, Hiatus Homes

Jamie Harbick, Homeowner

Robb Kerley, Lasting Traditions

Ryan Lentz, Homeowner

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Energy Trust of Oregon with additional support from E2 Solar, Miller Lumber, Saginaw Sunset, Stemach Design + Architecture, and Earth Advantage.

Soon you will be able to view virtual tours of the official Green Tour sites! See behind the scenes of the green building process and meet local innovators. All tours, interviews, and photos will be posted on The Environmental Center’s website.

Creating an Outdoors for All
2020-09-24 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join the Deschutes Land Trust for a panel discussion with local leaders working to create more inclusive and equitable outdoor spaces in Central Oregon. We’ll learn from panelists’ personal outdoor experiences in Central Oregon, connect with local organizations working to create more equity outdoors, and discuss how we can all play a part in fostering an inclusive environment on our favorite trails, mountain lakes, ski lifts, and local parks. **Registration required to receive the virtual event link. Only one person per household needs to register for this event.**

Welcoming Walk: Art & Garden
2020-09-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Tour The Environmental Center’s Learning & Demonstration Garden with chalkboard education in both Spanish and English. Our Garden team will be on site to have conversations with folks about what food means to them, what kinds of food hold cultural and personal meaning, and what kinds of foods & stewardship methods they’d want to see cultivated in a community garden. Then view the artwork of Jefferson Green, artist and storyteller of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, paintings inspired by gardening from community member and artist, Rebekah Ratcliff and local Latinx artists, Agla, and Madeline Magaña.

Paseo de Bienvenida: Exhibición de arte
Únase a nosotros para dar un paseo por el centro de Bend, donde se encuentran las instalaciones del Centro Ambiental. Recorreremos el Jardín de Demostración y Aprendizaje del Centro Ambiental con educación en pizarra en español e inglés. Nuestro equipo de jardinería estará en el lugar para conversar con personas sobre lo que significa la comida para ellos, qué tipos de alimentos tienen un significado cultural y personal, y qué tipos de alimentos y métodos de administración les gustaría ver cultivados en un jardín comunitario. Los asistentes pueden ver las obras de arte de Jefferson Green, artista y narrador de las tribus confederadas de Warm Springs, y pinturas inspiradas en la jardinería de miembro de la comunidad y artista, Rebekah Ratcliff y artistas locales de Latinx, Agla, and Madeline Magaña.

Geology Hike, Aspen Hollow Preserve
2020-09-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Daniele McKay for a geology hike at Aspen Hollow Preserve. Start at the top of the canyon with views of the Three Sisters and learn about the volcanic forces that formed Central Oregon. Then, hike down into the canyon formed by Whychus Creek and check out some amazing columnar basalt cliffs that are also home to nesting golden eagles. Explore mixed pine and juniper forest and a meadow next to Whychus Creek while you learn about the geologic history of the Preserve and our region.

Green Tour - Kor site visit
2020-09-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Visit Kor’s Site in-person! You must register to reserve your spot because they will cap the number of people that can visit for each 1/2-hour spot.
REGISTER HERE
