(Photo courtesy of The Environmental Center)
And just like that, it’s 2024! We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 35th anniversary as a local non-profit this year, and we have quite the year of programs and events ahead. In this issue, we’re announcing a new job opening as we launch our Home Energy Assessment Program. We also have news about January Green Drinks, an Internship opportunity for this spring, Mountainfilm on Tour, and more!
We’re Hiring: Home Energy Assessment Manager
We’re launching a new program, and we’re looking to grow our team! Our Home Energy Assessment (HEA) program will offer free energy assessments to members of our community who have been underinvested in by current energy incentive programs.
We’re seeking a dynamic individual to be our new Home Energy Assessment Program Manager. The HEA Manager will play a vital role in helping members of our community make their homes healthier, more comfortable, more resilient in the face of our changing climate, and to reduce energy costs. Visit our Jobs page to view the full job description— available in English and Spanish— and application instructions. Applications are being accepted until February 5th, 2024.
Program Updates
Save the Date: January Green Drinks is January 29!
In partnership with Discover Your Forest, Deschutes Trails Coalition, and Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project, we’re hosting a speaker night focusing on the wildlife crisis strategy in the Deschutes National Forest.
Join us Monday, January 29 from 5-7pm at Cascade Lakes Brewing. Registration coming soon! Want to be kept in the loop for each Green Drinks event? Sign up for Green Drinks email alerts here.
FAQ about Deschutes Energy Future
Last year, we launched the Deschutes Energy Future initiative to engage our community in creating a grassroots, county-wide energy plan.
Sound interesting? We’re still seeking individuals to join the Leadership Team. Read our FAQ page to learn more about the initiative and how to get involved.
We’re Hiring: Spring 2024 Outdoor School Intern
Our Youth Education team is seeking an Intern for Spring 2024 Outdoor School day programs!
The intern will gain knowledge and experience in the areas of natural history, youth education strategies, and group management. This position will facilitate environmental education lessons primarily with elementary school classes at various field sites in Central Oregon.
Mountainfilm is Coming to Bend!
The lights go down. The stoke is high. The documentaries are fire. Perhaps you even leave with a pair of skis? That’s right… Mountainfilm on Tour: BEND is set once again at the Tower Theatre!
Join us for our biggest fundraiser of the year! We’ll have two playlists of different films and a raffle each night; Friday, February 23 & Saturday, February 24. Tickets and other announcements coming soon!
Event Picks
Reminder! You are always welcome to send us your local events and we will do our best to post them on our Community Calendar. Email event links and descriptions to amelia@envirocenter.org to share!
- Ribbon Cutting for Rooted Homes’ Poplar Community — Tuesday, January 9, 12-1pm. Please join Rooted Homes, in partnership with the Bend Chamber, in celebrating the completion of the new Poplar Community! The ceremony will take place in a heated tent and begin with home tours from 12-12:15pm, followed by speaker comments from 12:15-12:45pm, including a special note from Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and photo-op will be at 12:45pm. RSVP recommended to Jackie Keogh at jackie@rootedhomes.org.
- Know Stories — Tribal/Shared History: Reflection & Storytelling — Wednesday, January 10, 11am-12pm. 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.
- OSU Science Pub: The Roller Coaster of Hemp in Oregon — Tuesday, January 16, 5:30-7:15pm ($22). 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.
- Rethink Waste Community Innovation Fund Info Session — Tuesday, January 23, 1-2pm. 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.
