Know Stories - Tribal/Shared History: Reflection & Storytelling
2024-01-10 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | East Bend Public Library, 62080 Dean Swift Rd., Bend, 97701
Laurie Danzuka shares tribal history, impacts on public education, engaging with tribal students/families, and indigenous ways of living. She will also share current issues facing tribes and their members. All these topics center around treaties, ceded lands, tribal lifeways, cultural restoration, and language revitalization.
Laurie has been an education advocate for preschool to post-secondary education for the past 20+ years. She grew up, went to school, raised her family, and presently lives on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. She believes there can be a balance in tribal education and public education rather than choosing one over the other. Laurie is sharing her story through life experiences and from her personal lens and perspective. She shares to create understanding and to address common misconceptions.

Bend High DECA Fundraiser: Kiss the Ground Screening and Raffle!
2024-01-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Bend High School, 230 NE 6th St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Showing: Kiss the Ground film, plus raffles, food and beverages, and merch! All ages welcome, no sign up necessary!
Fundraiser for Pilot Butte Middle School – all profits go towards implementing a composting system at Pilot Butte Middle School!
Friday, January 12 at Bend High Auditorium (230 NE 6th St)
6pm – event begins
6:30pm – film showing
$4 student ticket; $5 non-student ticket

OSU Science Pub: The Roller Coaster of Hemp in Oregon
2024-01-16 17:30 - 19:15 | OSU Cascades – Edward J. Ray Hall, Atrium, 1500 SW Chandler Ave, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
OSU’s agronomist Gordon Jones has been following the wild ride of the state’s hemp industry since its legalization in 2018.
Shifting regulations, farming challenges, an untested market and even nefarious actors caused the industry to grow exponentially, then suddenly decline.
Learn about uses for hemp and research being conducted by OSU’s Global Hemp Innovation Center and elsewhere that can create a path to a stable future for the hemp industry in the Pacific Northwest.
$22 per person
5:30 p.m.
Light, pub-style dinner. No-host bar with beer, wine, cider, soft drinks.
6 – 7:15 p.m.
Presentation, Q&A.
REGISTER NOW
OSU-Cascades students free (tickets limited).
OSU-Cascades employees $10.
Contact events@osucascades.edu.

Plastic-Free Resolutions: Protecting Your Health in 2024
2024-01-18 14:00 - 15:00 | OR
With a new year comes new resolutions for protecting and improving the health of our bodies, families, communities, and the planet that we all call home. One healthy resolution to consider is to reduce or eliminate plastic from your life. But with plastic used for everything from making clothing to carrying food and drinks, this can seem like a daunting task.
Join Plastic Pollution Coalition on January 18 for their first webinar of the new year: Plastic-Free Resolutions: Protecting Your Health in 2024. During this event, they will offer tangible, common sense ways to reduce the amount of plastic you use in your daily life. They’ll discuss why it’s important to avoid plastics, provide you with DIY and low- and no-cost solutions, and highlight helpful products you may turn to when you need an extra hand.
Panelists for this inspiring conversation include Queer Brown Vegan Isaias Hernandez; Zero Waste Farmer Manju Kumar; and Co-Owner & Co-Founder of Life Without Plastic Jay Sinha. The conversation will be moderated by MADE SAFE Founder Amy Ziff.

Rethink Waste Community Innovation Fund Info Session
2024-01-23 13:00 - 14:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Do you have an idea for reducing waste in your neighborhood, workplace, school, your favorite park or restaurant, or other community space, but aren’t sure how to get started? Apply for the Rethink Waste Community Innovation Fund! Attend an info session in-person at The Environmental Center or Virtually to get your questions answered.
SIGN UP HERE
Zoom link will be emailed out prior to the event.

Allyship, Genderless Mothering, and Self-Transformation w/Jodie Patterson
2024-01-23 18:00 - 19:30 | Wille Hall, Coats Campus Center, Central Oregon Community College, Bend, 2600 Northwest College Way, Bend, OR, 97703, United States
Jodie Patterson explores the lithe art of Genderless Mothering – a unique form of social activism that embraces feminism, Black pride, and LGBTQIA+ activism. Patterson will share her personal story as a thought leader and mother of five, and introduce attendees to The Human Rights Campaign for a comprehensive overview of America’s state of affairs on LGBTQIA+ issues.
This program is part of COCC’s Season of Nonviolence and is in partnership with COCC’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Season of Nonviolence is sponsored by First Story, National Endowment for the Humanities, Brooks Resources Corporation, Cascades Academy of Central Oregon, and Oregon Community Foundation — Casey Family Fund.

Dive into the Hive: Explore the World of High Desert Bees
2024-01-23 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom
January 23, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Online, Free
Discover Oregon’s high desert bees in a captivating online presentation by Lincoln Best where he’ll explore their diversity, habitats and crucial ecological roles. Register here.
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We are pleased to announce Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series! The Speaker Series fosters a deeper understanding of ecology, encourages well-informed exploration of the high desert and promotes collaborative cross-cultural practices that conserve southeastern Oregon. These events will take you into the world of high desert bees, on a journey through the Owyhee Canyonlands, deeper into ecocultural indigenous restoration efforts and toward discovering the geologic treasures of Oregon’s desert.

Join us at these engaging events online, in Bend and in Portland and dive into the wonders of the high desert. Registration is open for all events, so mark your calendar, tell a friend and view the full lineup.

The Remarkable Native Bees of Central Oregon
2024-01-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Did you know Oregon has more than 700 species of native bees?!? We say “more than” because, in fact, no one actually knows how many native bees call the state home. Central Oregon is particularly well endowed with these amazing bees. Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Andony Melathopoulous to learn about the unique and sometimes weird bees of Central Oregon. Andony will also discuss the ongoing efforts to find all of our native bees and provide gardening tips on how to make these special pollinators feel at home in your backyard. This presentation is free, but you must get your ticket online.

Webinar: Appliance Standards Update - Impacts on Gas Prices and Electrification
2024-01-25 09:00 - 10:00 | Zoom
Appliance efficiency standards aren’t something most of us think about very often, but they have helped to reduce our energy consumption and our energy bills enormously since standards first took effect in the 1970’s. Heat pumps have made significant energy saving improvements in that time, but energy efficiency standards for gas furnaces and water heaters have hardly changed in over 30 years. The Department of Energy is poised to update standards on these two home appliances and the new efficiency requirements could dramatically accelerate the use of heat pumps nationally.
New water heater standards could make heat pump water heaters the dominant water heating technology by the end of the decade (up from 2% today). The proposed new gas furnace standards would mean that replacing an old low efficiency furnace with a new high efficiency gas furnace would typically require costly venting upgrades. Switching to a heat pump would avoid those added costs and therefore make heat pumps an even more attractive option for millions of homes with aging gas furnaces.
These increased efficiency standards combined with the continuing phase out of fossil gas combustion through city and state electrification mandates and air quality regulations, are expected to increase fossil gas prices over the coming years. As more homes are electrified and leave the gas system, a new study from ACEEE that we will discuss in this webinar finds that average gas utility costs per customer can increase between 21% and 129%.
Join Electrify Now and the Advanced Water Heating Initiative as we explore these two important and interrelated topics of federal appliance standards and gas price increases.
REGISTER HERE

RESCHEDULED - Garden Educator Network: Nurturing the Soil, Nurturing the Soul
2024-01-25 16:30 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
We are partnering with Shiv Shakti to bring our Garden Educator Network a free training titled “Nurturing the Soil, Nurturing the Soul”.
From Shiv: “This isn’t just a lecture; it’s a love letter to the land and the magic it holds. Imagine understanding the earth beneath your feet not just as dirt, but as a dynamic, living canvas. Learn how every scoop of soil and each seed you plant can be a step towards a greener, happier life. We’re diving deep into the roots of organic gardening, unraveling the mysteries of nature, and, most importantly, having a whole lot of fun while doing it! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious newbie with an aspiration to cultivate, this event is your chance to let your gardening dreams sprout wings (or leaves)! So, mark your calendars, bring your curiosity, and prepare to be both educated and entertained. Trust me, you’ll leave this event with more than just knowledge – you might just find yourself talking to plants (and having them talk back in their leafy language)!”
Shiv installed the greenhouse at Three Rivers School, as well as designed an educational course: “Organic Gardens: A Garden & Greenhouse Blueprint Manual for All, available online.
This event is free for our Garden Educator Network, beverages and snacks will be served.
RSVP HERE!

EDCO January Central Oregon PubTalk
2024-01-25 16:30 - 19:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 Northeast Bellevue Drive, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
EDCO’s Central Oregon PubTalk is a happy hour aimed at bringing together different facets of the business community in one place to network, share ideas and further local businesses.Agenda:
Community Spotlight: Oregon Outdoor Alliance (OOA)
Tyson Perkins, Operations Manager, OOA
Company Pitch: Broke Supply Co.
Anne Price, Founder, Broke Supply Co.
Ryan Price, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Broke Supply Co.
Company Update: SnoPlanks Academy
James Nicol, Founder, SnoPlanks
Todd Laurence, Business and Entrepreneurship Adjunct Faculty, OSU-Cascades
Keynote: Navigating Changing Tides in the Outdoor Industry
John Evons, Former President, KEEN
Russ Hopcus, Former President, PrAna
Ellen Sheedy, Head of Legal – Americas, On
Phyllis Grove, Board Member, Outdoor Industry Association
We look forward to seeing you at 4:30 PM on January 25th, 2024 at Worthy Brewing Company, 495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend, OR 97701.
Questions? Contact Megan Kantrim at EDCO: megan@edcoinfo.com or 541-388-3236 x3.

January Green Drinks: Learn About Wildfire in the Deschutes National Forest
2024-01-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Cascade Lakes Pub, 21175 SE Reed Market Rd, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
Discover Your Forest’s Wildland Fire Education Coordinator will host an evening of conversation and trivia focusing on wildland fire and Central Oregon’s forest ecosystems. The conversation will highlight Discover Your Forest’s partnership with the Forest Service and other local organizations to create public education opportunities supporting the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy.
REGISTER HERE!

Drum-Making Class: Celebrating the Work of Frederick Douglass and Bob Marley
2024-02-06 16:00 - 17:30 | COCC Redmond, 2324 NE College Lp, Redmond, OR, 97756 , United States
Black History Month is celebrated in part because of the contributions of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and activist Bob Marley, who exposed racism, poverty, and violence in the world while teaching all to passionately advocate for humanity. Come celebrate their contributions by creating joy with this drum-making event.
COCC Redmond Campus, Student Commons (RTEC). Space is limited. RSVP to Marcus LeGrand at mlegrand2@cocc.edu or call 541-330-4376
Events are FREE and OPEN to the public.

Whychus Creek Watershed Speaker Series: Learn About Your Home Waters
2024-02-06 17:30 - 19:30, 2024-02-20 17:30 - 19:30, 2024-03-05 17:30 - 19:30 | Sisters Public Library, 110 N Cedar St, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Co-presented by the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, a six-part informational speaker series about Whychus Creek and its watershed. Learn about Whychus Creek’s history, hydrology, water quality, habitat conditions, native fish, recreation, conservation, and stream restoration. There are five classroom sessions and one full-day field trip. Field trip date will be determined during the series.

Classroom sessions are every other Tuesday, 2/6, 2/20, 3/5, 3/19, 4/2. Field trip date is tentatively scheduled for the end of April, and will be finalized during the lecture series.

A Journey Through the Owyhee Canyonlands
2024-02-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom
February 8, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Online, Free
Embark on a journey with ONDA board and staff through Oregon’s awe-inspiring Owyhee Canyonlands. They’ll highlight this region’s natural landscapes, cultural significance, wildlife habitats and ONDA’s conservation efforts. Register here.

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We are pleased to announce Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2024 High Desert Speaker Series! The Speaker Series fosters a deeper understanding of ecology, encourages well-informed exploration of the high desert and promotes collaborative cross-cultural practices that conserve southeastern Oregon. These events will take you into the world of high desert bees, on a journey through the Owyhee Canyonlands, deeper into ecocultural indigenous restoration efforts and toward discovering the geologic treasures of Oregon’s desert.

Join us at these engaging events online, in Bend and in Portland and dive into the wonders of the high desert. Registration is open for all events, so mark your calendar, tell a friend and view the full lineup.

PPC Webinar | From the Frontline: Petrochemicals, Plastics, and Cancer Alley
2024-02-15 11:00 - 12:00 | OR
Join PPC on February 15, from 5–6pm ET, for their February webinar with a panel of frontline activists from communities of color across America’s industrial plastic and petrochemical corridors, who will discuss how they are taking action to protect themselves and their neighbors from pollution and injustice—and how you can too. Panelists for this important conversation include “The Father of Environmental Justice” Dr. Robert Bullard; RISE St. James Louisiana Executive Assistant Shamyra Lavigne; and Founder & CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, Reverend Lennox Yearwood. The conversation will be moderated by Plastic Pollution Coalition Communications Manager, Erica Cirino, author of Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis. Register here.

Gardening for Native Pollinators
2024-02-18 11:00 - 12:00 | Moonfire and Sun Garden Center, 61944 27th St, Bend, OR, 97702, United States
Pollinator Pathways and Moonfire and Sun Garden Center have teamed up to present a free class on gardening for pollinators.
Registration is required and space is limited. Register by calling 541-638-6155
Moonfire and Sun Garden Center: 61944 27th St. Bend, OR 97702

Black Joy: A Strategy for Freedom, Healing, and Reckoning
2024-02-20 18:00 - 19:30 | OR
As the author of the 2023 NAACP Image Award-winning book, Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration, Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts will present a blueprint for making space for Black joy in the world, workplace, the classroom, and our neighborhoods. She will highlight how this is a form of wellness and liberation work that can and should be a core value in any and all diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
COCC Bend Campus
Wille Hall, Coats Campus Center
Livestream also available
Registration required for in-person and livestream. Register Here!

The Real Dirt on Soil!
2024-02-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
It’s ALL about soil! Soil is a critical part of the natural world that is perhaps the least understood. That’s why the Deschutes Land Trust and Oregon State University professor James Cassidy are teaming up to share the real dirt on soil! Join to gain a better understanding of soil and its fundamental importance to our lives. Learn what every human should know about the world of soils, including all about nutrients, how soil stores water and nutrients, and the ways soil gives life to the world we know and love. This presentation is free and ticket sales open one month prior to the event.
Nature Nights are free, but a ticket is required. Please register online: deschuteslandtrust.org

*RESCHEDULED* Film Screening-Blend: On Being Black in Bend
2024-02-23 18:00 - 20:00 | COCC, 2600 NW Collge Way, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
“Blend” is a documentary filmed and edited in Central Oregon that asks 10 Black Central Oregonians about their experiences living, working, and playing on the High Desert. Film creator Kenny Adams uses the film to explore and share uncensored lived experiences.
COCC Bend Campus
Hitchcock Auditorium-Pioneer 201

Mountainfilm on Tour: Bend – An Annual Fundraiser for The Environmental Center
2024-02-23 18:00 - 22:00 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join us at the historic Tower Theatre in downtown Bend for our annual fundraiser – Mountainfilm on Tour!
Featuring unique films each night and a wide variety of raffle prizes, you are sure to leave with a renewed appreciation for the outdoors and incredible filmmaking.
Visit our Mountainfilm on Tour webpage for film synopses and more information about the event. See you at the Tower!
BUY TICKETS FOR FRIDAY, 2/23
BUY TICKETS FOR SATURDAY, 2/24

Mountainfilm on Tour: Bend - An Annual Fundraiser for The Environmental Center
2024-02-24 18:00 - 22:00 | Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend, OR, 97701, United States

Raise the Deschutes - A River Runs Through It
2024-02-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Meadow Lakes Golf Course & Restaurant, 300 Southwest Meadow Lakes Drive, Prineville, OR, United States
Collaborative Strategies for the Future of the Crooked River
Join us for a discussion focused on balancing water conservation, agricultural needs, and sustainable management of the Crooked River. This seminar unites experts and community members to explore joint efforts in securing a resilient water future for Crook County — for fish, farms, and families alike.
Panelists:
Bill Nasham – Crook County Water Master
Bruce Scanlon – General Manager of Ochoco Irrigation District
Peter Lickwar – US Fish and Wildlife Service
Moderator: Lisa Seales – Program Manager – Deschutes River Conservancy
REGISTER HERE

Power Hour: Fumes in Focus with Beyond Toxics
2024-02-28 19:00 - 20:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Please not the change of venues to The Environmental Center (formerly COCC). Attendees can now also attend virtually. Please use the same link to register and you will receive an email with the Zoom link.
What’s in the air we breathe inside of our own homes? The Fumes in Focus film helps us visualize the air pollution from gas stoves.
Join The Environmental Center’s Climate Solutions program at our first Power Hour event of the year, featuring Willamette Valley-based environmental justice organization, Beyond Toxics. This year, the Power Hour series will focus on healthy, energy efficient homes and the resources available to improve our living spaces and the built environment.
The event will feature a screening of Beyond Toxics’ eye-opening documentary, Fumes in Focus, highlighting the real health and environmental impacts of natural gas stoves that often go unseen. This project utilized advanced FLIR (forward looking Infrared) technology to capture and visualize the immediate emissions during stove operation.
Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics’ will present more information on their Visualizing Air Pollution in Gas Stoves study and be available for questions from attendees. Other local organizations and businesses who can help connect folks with resources to learn more about upgrading appliances in their homes such as Energize Bend and GreenSavers will be available at the event.
Meet our speaker
Lisa Arkin, the Executive Director of Beyond Toxics, has provided innovative policy leadership and grassroots organizing for Beyond Toxics since 2006. Under her guidance, Beyond Toxics embraced the principles of diversity and equity, and adopted an anti-racist ethos to become Oregon’s first environmental justice organization. Arkin is dedicated to placing human rights, racial and social justice at the forefront of all environmental protection and climate resiliency policies. She serves as an appointed member of a number of commissions and workgroups on issues such as land use, environmental justice, pesticide reform and air quality.
REGISTER HERE
Thank you to our sponsors

Bend Bikeway Project Open House and Survey
2024-02-29 17:00 - 19:00 | Bend Municipal Court Building, 555 NE 15th Street,, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Project Goal
The City is designing a variety of safer and more accessible bike and pedestrian (routes/projects/intersections, etc.) throughout the community, including the Bend Bikeway Project that will make the most of the existing system to build one connected and protected North-South and one East-West key route.
The North-South and East-West routes are being implemented to fulfill the City Council’s 2023-2025 Transportation and Infrastructure Goal to “Implement near-term multimodal and safety projects to capitalize on the existing system, including building one connected and protected North-South and one East-West key route, and wayfinding.”
Can’t make it in person?
The same information is available here. Browse the open house exhibits by clicking on the tabs, then share your feedback by completing the survey. The survey and interactive map will close on March 6, 2024.

OPB Think Out Loud: How Central Oregon is responding to ongoing drought
2024-03-01 13:30 - 15:00 | Riverhouse on the Deschutes, 2850 Rippling River Court, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Be part of the audience for an engaging, solution-oriented discussion about how Central Oregon is tackling the ongoing drought. “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller will talk with local officials, policy makers, advocates, irrigators, conservationists and water users of all kinds. Discover the innovative strategies and initiatives being implemented to conserve water and safeguard the environment and economic interests. This in-person event will be held at Riverhouse on the Deschutes in Bend, in the Deschutes South room. Audience participation is welcomed.
Doors open at 1:30 with light refreshments, and the show will start promptly at 2pm.

Upgrading your Water Heater for efficiency, savings and pollution reduction
2024-03-04 17:15 - 18:00 | Online Event
Upgrading your Water Heater for efficiency, savings and pollution reduction
Join us for an exciting online event where local experts will share their knowledge on options for upgrading your home water heater for maximum efficiency, cost savings, and pollution reduction. Learn about the latest ultra-efficient heat pump water heater technology, the performance and benefits, and the pricing, rebates and incentives available to help you save while you upgrade your home energy equipment. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from our local experts in home energy efficiency at GreenSavers.
Thanks to The Environmental Center and GreenSavers for co-hosting this event with us!
REGISTER HERE

Happy Hour in the Garden
2024-03-05 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2024, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 4-6pm. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.
