The Environmental Center

Food systems in the time of COVID-19: North American perspectives on how the FAO can contribute to greater resilience
2020-10-23 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
COVID-19 has disrupted nearly every element of every food system on earth. From international commodity markets to local cooperatives, from consumption patterns to transport protocols, from access to farm labour to reforming the retail sector – the pandemic is stress-testing every element of global and local food systems.
The FAO defines resilience as, “the ability to prevent disasters and crises as well as to anticipate, absorb, accommodate or recover from them in a timely, efficient and sustainable manner”.
How have food systems fared through this crisis?
Join senior government officials from Canada and the U.S., as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society mechanisms of the U.N. Committee on World Food Security and senior leaders from the FAO to discuss these issues and more .

Celebrate Farm to School on October 26 with Local Carrots
2020-10-26
What: Pick up a free school lunch – homemade chicken noodle soup featuring local carrots!
Where: Your neighborhood school- Find your nearest Bend-LaPine School serving Grab & Go meals
National Farm to School Month is a celebration of the farm to school efforts that are being made nationwide. We invite you to celebrate with us locally by picking up a free school lunch at your child’s school (or even closer neighborhood school) on Monday October 26 featuring carrots grown by Sakari Farms, right here in Central Oregon.
Lunches are free for any children 0-18, and $4 for adults. Bend-La Pine has a central kitchen where they cook many menu items from scratch, including fresh baked bread daily. The menu item will be from scratch chicken noodle soup. Bend La-Pine participates in farm to school throughout the year purchasing many Oregon grown crops and products. Show your support for local food and farmers by planning to get a school meal for your child on Monday October 26!
Sakari Farms is a Native American tribal farm located in Tumalo, Oregon. Spring Alaska Schreiner, the owner and operator, comes from Inupiaq lineage, bringing a unique perspective and knowledge on food systems. She serves on numerous regional and national level boards and committees, and is an advocate for local farmers and tribal members. She offers organically grown vegetables, flowers, seeds, and value added products at her farm. Learn more at SakariBotanicals.com
Along with the meals, we’ll have 2 flyers available for families to take home, with info about the farmer, carrots, and a beautiful carrot coloring page that you won’t want to miss. In fact we’re so excited about this coloring page, that everyone who posts their finished work will be entered to win a $10 gift card to Central Oregon Locavore (where many of Spring’s Sakari Botanicals products can be found!)
Learn more about Sakari Farms, Bend-La Pine’s Farm to School program and this event on our latest blog.

Virtual Book Club on The Fate of Food
2020-10-26, 2020-11-02
We hope you will join The Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program (VSP) of the Central Oregon Community College Foundation for a virtual book conversations around Amanda Little’s book, The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World. The book conversations will meet prior to Little’s virtual presentation on November 9 and will be facilitated by COCC Health and Human Performance Associate Professor, Owen Murphy.

Grazing, Soils, & Pastures: An Intensive 3-night Online Workshop
2020-10-26 - 2020-10-28
This is a very down-to-earth workshop on forages, grazing, pastures, & soils. You’ll learn how to set up a grazing system, how forages grow, what makes a good pasture, when to open the gate and when to move animals off a pasture, how to soil test, fertilize, and lime your pastures. Three evenings of intensive online instruction from a leader in the grazing field. This class is suitable for folks just starting out in the grazing world, and people with a bit more experience who are working on rehabbing a pasture, or re-vamping their system.

A PIELC (Public Interest Environmental Law) Conference Zoom panel
2020-10-27
A PIELC (Public Interest Environmental Law) Conference Zoom panel: Collaborative Governance Solutions to Salmon Restoration in the Columbia River Basin. Recent articles have declared, “Courts can’t keep Columbia and Snake River salmon from the edge of extinction.” These articles call on a “political fix” to recover Columbia River Basin salmon and steelhead. The panel will discuss recent efforts to create the political fix, initiatives to bring key stakeholders to the table to craft a solution that is then delivered to legislative and executive branch leadership for implementation. Tribal, State, and Federal entities will discuss: Yakima Basin Integrated Plan; Idaho Governor’s Salmon Workgroup; Southern Resident Orca Task Force; and Columbia Basin Partnership.
Follow this link to join the free event.

State of the County
2020-10-27
You’re invited to join the Bend Chamber, in partnership with Cascade Insurance Center and Mid Oregon Credit Union, for annual updates on the State of the County and State of the City.
You’ll gain critical insights into how Deschutes County and the City of Bend are tackling the tough challenges facing Central Oregon. Discussions include: updates on each agency’s COVID response, economic vitality, burgeoning growth and its impacts on transportation, housing and other vital services.
With Deschutes County Commissioners
Patti Adair, Tony DeBone & Phil Henderson

Chuush Fund Webinar
2020-10-27
Since May of 2019, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has been under an emergency disaster declaration due to immediate health threats resulting from a 14” water main line break in the Shitike Creek. Because of deferred maintenance over several decades, Tribal members are facing rolling water outages and “boil water” notices across Oregon’s largest reservation with no relief in sight.
In the short term, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, with MRG Foundation support, created The Chúush Fund, which accepts contributions from foundations and individuals to directly benefit the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs as they work to restore their access to and infrastructure for clean water.
Join the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, MRG Foundation, Blue Mountain Land Trust, Columbia Land Trust, Columbia Riverkeeper, Deschutes Land Trust, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, and Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility for a special webinar on the Chúush Fund.

Gravel Biking in Skyline Forest
2020-10-27
The Land Trust is partnering with Dirty Freehub to host a virtual webinar and Q & A session on gravel riding in Skyline Forest. Join Brad Chalfant, Founding Director of the Land Trust who also has a rich connection to cycling in Central Oregon. He was one of the founders of COTA (Central Oregon Trail Alliance) and is an avid cyclist (including gravel!). The Q&A will be facilitated by Kevin English, Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub and then there will be an open Q&A for all. Click here for more details and to register.

Climate Justice - Electrification and equity
2020-10-28
Join Electrify Now, Community Energy Project, Solar Oregon, Passive House Northwest, New Buildings Institute, Zero Energy Project, Renewable Hydrogen Alliance and The Environmental Center for a webinar devoted to exploring how to electrify equitably.
Front line communities are most effected by climate change and the pollution from fossil fuels. They are also in danger of being left behind by some energy transformation efforts. Our panel will discuss why it is important to lead with equitable solutions that prioritize the most vulnerable people in our communities and what are the steps we can take to make electrification equitable.

Wild Webcast: Gear Up! With Next Adventure and BIPOC Camp Kits
2020-10-28
Earlier this year Mo Jackson spent their savings on providing free camping gear for BIPOC (Black & Indigenous People of Color) who needed it, with a desire to connect more people to the outdoors. Local outdoor outfitter Next Adventure got wind of the initiative, now called BIPOC Camp Kits, and jumped at the opportunity to help. With support from the retailer and individual donations, over 200 camping kits were assembled and shipped to BIPOC folks across the Pacific Northwest in August. But the story doesn’t end there!
In this webcast you’ll hear about this exciting and ongoing partnership between BIPOC Camping Kits and Next Adventure, see behind-the-scenes footage of the kits, and hear different perspectives about outdoor and gear accessibility, and advocating for public lands.

Vaccines: History, Science & Ethics
2020-10-28
Since the development of smallpox vaccines in the eighteenth century, vaccination against illness has been the subject of both scientific pursuit and ethical debate. Many of these questions–relating to efficacy, risk and equitable access–have returned to the public eye in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This talk attempts to address these questions in a neutral and informative manner.

Virtual Lecture: Bats of the Pacific Northwest
2020-10-28
Bat populations are notoriously difficult to study and much remains to be revealed. The Northwestern Bat Hub at OSU-Cascades seeks to study bats and their extinction risks, especially in light of a changing environment. Join Bat Hub Coordinator, Rogelio Rodriguez, for a look at the diversity of bats of the Pacific Northwest and what his research group has learned about them over the years.
This virtual lecture will be presented live via Zoom. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with a link and passcode to access the lecture.

Decluttering with the KonMari Method: COCC Continuing Education
2020-10-29, 2020-11-05
COCC’s Continuing Education Program is running a 5-class series with Marie Kondo’s trademarked method of decluttering expanded from her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. One method of reducing waste and being environmentally friendly can be to minimize the amount of stuff that surrounds you. It can help your mind, your wallet, and your life.
What sparks joy for you?
Tidy Your Space. Spark Joy. Transform Your Life. The KonMari Method™ is the art of simplifying and organizing your home by choosing to keep the physical items that bring you joy and letting go of the rest with gratitude. Join Melissa Jean, a Certified Platinum KonMari Consultant, as she leads you through the philosophy, practice and practical application of tidying up your life and space using this method. This session will focus on books and students will spend time during class tidying up their own bookcases. Registration includes a 15-minute one-on-one session with Melissa after the class is over.
Focus areas with dates listed below. Classes taught online via Zoom, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm

Clothing – Oct 8
Books – Oct 15
Papers – Oct 22
Komono (Miscellaneous Items) – Oct 29
Sentimental Items & Mementos – Nov 5

Learn more about Melissa here.

State of the City
2020-10-29
You’re invited to join the Bend Chamber, in partnership with Cascade Insurance Center and Mid Oregon Credit Union, for annual updates on the State of the County and State of the City.

You’ll gain critical insights into how Deschutes County and the City of Bend are tackling the tough challenges facing Central Oregon. Discussions include: updates on each agency’s COVID response, economic vitality, burgeoning growth and its impacts on transportation, housing and other vital services.
With Bend Mayor Sally Russell & City Manager Eric King

RIGGED Virtual Screening w/ National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center
2020-10-29
RIGGED: The Voter Suppression Playbook is an award-winning documentary that exposes the nefarious tactics used to suppress the vote and serves to spark discussion on the actions needed to protect our democracy. Shot principally during the 2016 election, the film tracks a systematic, decade-long effort to reverse the impact of the growing demographic tide of non-white and younger voters who helped elect President Barack Obama in 2008. It details a variety of voter suppression “plays,” or tactics, ranging from the purging of voting rolls and passing of new, restrictive voter ID laws to gerrymandering and voter intimidation. The film includes revealing interviews with Republican strategists detailing how the voter suppression game is played as well as cogent insights from leading voting rights advocates, law professors and Democratic strategists. It is narrated by Tony & Emmy award-winning actor, Jeffrey Wright.

Bend COTA Work Events
2020-10-29, 2020-11-05
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.

2020 Planet Forward Virtual Summit
2020-10-30
Climate change is the story of our generation, and what defines that story is how we tell it — and the action we take because of it. All around the world, new voices — emerging as powerful changemakers — are running against the clock to prevent irreversible shifts to our global climate.
These are the new activists, innovators, policymakers and others who inspire audiences to take action in their local communities. But, how do they drive their audiences to this critical point?
​At the 2020 Planet Forward Virtual Summit, the focus is on environmental equity, inclusion, institutional change — and the narratives around them. Learn how the best environmental change agents use storytelling to transform their audiences from passive listeners to engaged doers.

Webcast: After the Election - What Does It Mean for Oregon?
2020-11-04
On Wednesday, November 4th, join Oregon Wild for a virtual chat about what the election means for Oregon and the conservation values we hold dear. We obviously don’t know the results of the 2020 elections, and may not even know all of them by then! But what is undeniable is that there will be consequences for Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and waters, with issues at stake at both the state and federal levels.

Honoring Native American Heritage Month at COCC
2020-11-04
Jefferson Greene, of the Columbia River Institute for Indigenous Development Foundation, will present “Keeping Customs Thriving” via Zoom: https://cocc.zoom.us/j/98718548116. Greene, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, will discuss means of sustaining culture through language, cultural harvesting, song, dance and story.

Bend YP DevLabs, Session 2: Relational Networking
2020-11-05
Networking during COVID has been a challenge, but connecting genuinely with others has become even more important. Feeling like your networking skills are a bit rusty? Get a refresher on what networking practices have stayed the same, what has changed, and learn new ways to connect with intention.
Things you will get to discuss, learn, and interact with each other about during this session!
What is networking?
Why is it important/why should we bother with it?
How do we network?
The importance of setting a goal
What a good networking goal looks like
How to break the ice
The importance of asking questions
What kinds of questions to ask
The importance of listening
Ways to gracefully enter and exit conversations
In-Person AND Virtual passes are available!

Rural Election Recap: Where Do We Go From Here?
2020-11-05
From neighbor-to-neighbor conversations about the issues to responding to voter intimidation, rural Oregonians have been defending democracy in every county at every turn! Join us ROP to recap all of the work rural communities and small towns are doing to build rural people power, and strategize about where we go next! Massive collective action? Organizing for broadband internet and affordable housing? Register now!

InFARMation: White Farmers and Food System Members Forming an Anti-Racist Affinity Group
2020-11-05
In recognizing the pervasiveness of racial injustice and inequities in our local farm and food system, a small group of white people who are involved in farmer development in the Portland area has been meeting for the past year and a half to better understand their own whiteness and privilege, and recognize the role that plays in limiting opportunities for farmers of color. The group will share why and how the group formed, what we’ve been learning, curriculum, and activities.Rubi Shirazi will give an introduction on how to form a caucus group, develop community agreements, and creating habits for accountability.

How to Cost-Effectively Build Zero Energy Homes
2020-11-06
Zero Energy (ZE) homes are a big part of the future of homebuilding business. While the materials and equipment to reach zero energy are available, designers and builders must create a bundle of energy-efficiency features that matches their climate, customers, and business constraints. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. This training will will lay out numerous elements of zero energy homebuilding so professionals can formulate a unique package appropriate for their situation:

Friday, November 6 @ 12PM – 3PM (PDT) – Intro to ZE, Affordability, Design, Site Orientation, Energy Modeling, Air Sealing, Insulation, Certification Programs, Oregon Case Studies, Local Market & Policy Development, & Incentive Programs

Guest speakers: Matt Douglas, Earth Advantage & Matthew Mills, Energy Trust of Oregon

Friday, November 13 @ 12PM – 3PM (PDT) – Windows, Mechanical Ventilation, Heating & Cooling, Water Heating, Lights & Appliances, Renewable Energy

Guest speaker: Mike Ardeljan, Dream Home Building and Design LLC

Optional Extended Q&A @ 3PM – 3:30PM (PDT) – Offered both days. Will be recorded and provided to participants.

How to Cost Effectively Build Zero Energy Homes (2-part series)
2020-11-06
Eliminate barriers to ZE home construction and earn a ‘Zero Energy Professional’ designation

Join EEBA and Earth Advantage for this two-part webinar series on affordable Zero Energy (ZE) home design and construction in Oregon. Learn how to eliminate common barriers to Zero Energy (ZE) home construction, benefit from the rapid trend towards ZE, and earn a ‘Zero Energy Professional’ designation.
Zero Energy (ZE) homes are a big part of the future of homebuilding business. While the materials and equipment to reach zero energy are available, designers and builders must create a bundle of energy-efficiency features that matches their climate, customers, and business constraints. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. This training will layout numerous elements of zero energy homebuilding so professionals can formulate a unique package appropriate for their situation:

Friday, November 6 @ 12PM – 3PM (PDT) – Intro to ZE, Affordability, Design, Site Orientation, Energy Modeling, Certification Programs, Oregon Case Studies, Local Market & Policy Development, Air Sealing, & Insulation. Guest speaker: Dream Home Building and Design LLC
Friday, November 13 @ 12PM – 3PM (PDT) – Windows, Mechanical Ventilation, Heating & Cooling, Water Heating, Lights & Appliances, Renewable Energy, & Incentive Programs. Guest speakers: Earth Advantage & Energy Trust of Oregon
Optional Extended Q&A @ 3PM – 3:30PM (PDT) – Offered both days. Will be recorded and provided to participants.

Participants in this training will learn design principles, equipment options, emerging technologies, material selections, and construction practices that can be integrated into their building process. Strong emphasis is placed on ways to make the final product affordable for homebuyers. Other topics include: housing market drivers, localized resources, Oregon case studies, incentive programs, ways to assess and communicate economic benefits, and next steps to put principles into practice.
This training has been designed for Central Oregon building industry professionals and will include information on geographically specific case studies and programs, however audiences from outside Central OR will find value in the content and are welcome to attend. Additional EEBA trainings in other regions can be found here.
‘Zero Energy Professional’ Designation
Participants will have the opportunity to earn EEBA’s ‘Zero Energy Professional’ designation and be listed on EEBA & Earth Advantage registries of accredited professionals. To earn the designation, attendees must pass a designation exam and have completed and passed prerequisite trainings.
12 Steps to Affordable Zero Energy Design & Construction
It’s generally accepted that improvements to the thermal envelope are fundamental. These include high levels of insulation, reduction of thermal bridges and advanced air sealing. However, significant efficiency improvements in heating and cooling equipment and the rapid drop in the cost of rooftop solar electric systems offer new options for cost-effective efficiency packages. There have never been so many ZE options to choose from. This course gives building professionals the knowledge to build ZE homes that are affordable, durable, safe, healthy, energy efficient, and comfortable to live in.

Happy Girls Run Sisters: In-person or virtual!
2020-11-07
A gorgeous run through the town and trails of Sisters, Oregon. This year there are offerings for either an in-person race or virtual. Sign up for a 5K or Half Marathon in person. Virtually, runners can up it to a full marathon this year or find some middle ground with a 10K. This is a great race to celebrate women who love running.

Environmental Justice in Context: The Oregon Wildfires Parts 1 & 2
2020-11-07 - 2020-11-08
Join for a two-day community conversation about the Oregon wildfires from an environmental justice and disaster preparedness perspective.
First day will be a webinar where you will be hearing from community members and organizers who have been supporting communities impacted from across the state due to the wildfires. They will be talking about the impacts the wildfires have had on their communities, their response to the fires through direct, and mutual aid support.
Second day will be a zoom meeting around dicssuons envisioning what our communities need when it comes to being prepared for future crises.

Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Traditional Ecological Knowledge
2020-11-09
Dr. Samantha Chisholm Hatfield (Siletz and Cherokee) will discuss some of the underlining elements of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Elder Esther Stutzman (Kalapuya and Coos) will share her experiences with TEK. The Traditional Ecological Knowledge Club will also share information about how they integrate TEK in research, life practices, and personal development, with an enriching community discussion to follow.
