(Earth Day festivities | Photo courtesy of The Environmental Center)
We’re hiring: Rethink Waste program manager
Are you interested in educating and advocating for waste prevention, reuse, recycling, food waste prevention and composting in Deschutes County? We’re looking for a new teammate to manage our Rethink Waste Project! This a full-time, 36 hours/week position that pays $20 to $25 per hour based on experience. Applications are due May 19, 2021.
Read the full job announcement here.
Thanks to everyone who participated in Earth Day activities!
Whether you attended an event, completed the scavenger hunt, dressed up for your own parade or took a concrete action toward a healthier planet… we are so grateful for your participation! Here are a few recorded events that you can still access:
- Microplastic Madness: a local Central Oregon perspective on plastic pollution, can be viewed here.
- Story time with the Earth Guardians can be viewed here.
- Local student artist, Madeline Magaña, shares her artwork here.
- Watch the 2021 Earth Day Parade here: youtube.com/watch
Happy Hour in the Garden kicks off today
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden today (Tuesday, May 4) to kick off our weekly Happy Hour in the Garden volunteer series. Drop in between 4-6pm to lend a hand maintaining our garden and enjoy a cold bubbly beverage while you work. Thank you to our May Happy Hour sponsors, Worthy Garden Club and Caboost Kombucha. If you’d like to swing by, please email denise@envirocenter.org in advance to ensure we can stagger volunteers’ arrivals and keep the group size small. This event will be outdoors.
Can’t make it today? Happy Hour in the Garden takes place every Tuesday through August.
Hurry! Select spring and summer programs still available
Eco Hero Climate Commuters
Session One: May 5 and 12
Session Two: May 26 and June 2
Grades 4-5
Join The Environmental Center and City of Bend for a free after-school adventure program that explores transportation options and how they each contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Campers will learn how our community is designing safe ways to travel by active transportation. REGISTER HERE.
Forest Explorers: Bend central edition
June 28 to July 1
Grades K-5
Become a Forest Explorer! We will explore the outdoor spaces of central Bend. Stationed at Pilot Butte Middle School, campers will learn about natural history, environmental science, play games and explore nearby parks. REGISTER HERE.
Fire Free Week
Free yard debris drop-off from May 1-16, 7am-5pm at Knott Landfill
Help reduce your community’s wildfire danger — do some springtime yard cleaning and turn that waste into compost and mulch! Drop off your yard debris for free. Visit this link for Sisters, Redmond, Sunriver, West Bend and La Pine hours and locations.
Paid survey For EV drivers in South Deschutes County
Midstate Electric Coop wants to learn more about their customers that have made the shift to electric cars. Midstate is offering a $100 incentive for filling out a questionnaire to help them learn about EV usage in their territory — La Pine, Sunriver and other areas between Bend and Klamath Falls. Your feedback will support system planning and EV program development. Learn more here.
SALEM WATCH 2021
Update on HB 2398: Energy-efficient local building codes
STATUS: Passed by House Energy & Environment Committee on April 13, 2021.
NEXT STEP TO BECOMING LAW: Joint Ways & Means Committee
Cities in Oregon are currently not allowed to require more energy-efficient construction than our lagging statewide building code. This means that communities committed to more efficient and affordable homes right now can’t voluntarily adopt any codes that require better residential buildings. HB 2398 will change that by establishing a more energy-efficient “REACH” building code in Oregon that cities and counties can choose to adopt. We hope that Bend can soon provide healthier, more efficient homes that lock in energy and cost savings, as well as reduce climate pollution from the start.
View all of our 2021 Oregon Legislative Session Priorities here.
OUR PICKS
Check out our website for job and volunteer opportunities. A few to spotlight:
- The Crane’s Nest Nature Store at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is open and could use your help. If you have an RV/camper and can spend a few weeks in Southeast Oregon, email director@malheurfriends.org.
- The Wetlands Conservancy is seeking candidates for a Development & Communications Manager position.
- The High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA) is seeking candidates for an Administrative & Program Assistant position.
- The Bend Farmers Market kicks off its season on Wednesday, May 5 from 2-6pm in Downtown Brooks Alley. This year, the Market is offering online pre-ordering and curbside pick-up.
- Pacific Power has created an Assistance Plus Program to help pay past-due balances for Oregon customers who have been impacted by COVID-19. This program allows for a $500 to $1,000 credit toward the past-due amount. Help spread the word!
