Microplastic Madness is an optimistic take on the local and global plastic pollution crisis as told through a refreshing urban youth point of view with an inspiring take action message.  The screening window will be open from April 16th-24th for self-paced viewing, with a live panel discussion hosted on the 22nd. When you register, you’ll be accessing the film AND signing up for the panel. MORE INFO HERE. 

In partnership with the Rethink Waste Project and Bend Film. Sponsored by Cascade Disposal. 

A new series about changes that have long seemed out of reach, but now, amid the coronavirus outbreak, are happening fast — and how we can make them stick. From Reasons To Be Cheerful by Mitch Anderson. READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE. 

During the summer of 1932, over 40,000 veterans descended on Washington, D.C. to demand reimbursement for the wages they lost while fighting World War I. Many were among the roughly one in four Americans who were unemployed. On the banks of the Anacostia River, they occupied a shantytown dubbed Hooverville. Rather than address their grievances, on July 28, President Herbert Hoover ordered the army to drive the veterans out with teargas and tanks, and burn Hooverville…

Here is some positive news on what COTA volunteers have accomplished over the last year right here in Central Oregon. Consider becoming a member. You’ll meet people with positive vibes and you can contribute to the community in a meaningful way. Get the trucker hat, it so worth it. See below.

The days are warming up and the trails here in Central Oregon are drying out so what better time to become a COTA member and support the work that goes into making all those trails so awesome.

Did you know:

COTA volunteers worked 7,200 hours in 2020 building, maintaining and advocating for MTB trails

Last year we led dozens of trail projects, even with tight pandemic and smoky…

From the ashes new growth emerges and we must remind ourselves that nature will recover from last year’s wildfires. The positive takeaway here, is that a beloved place in Oregon is rebuilding and we can help the effort. This event will give you the opportunity to learn and help restore one of Oregon’s most sacred treasures.

Friday, May 7, 2021 7:00 PM – Sunday, May 9, 2021 1:00 PM 

Join a collection of Breitenbush presenters for a weekend retreat online, and support Breitenbush Hot Springs as we rebuild after wildfire damage. MORE INFO HERE.

A collection of our presenters host a weekend retreat on-line to support Breitenbush Hot Springs and Conference Center. This fundraiser with feature Robert…

On carbon-negative Samsø Island, renewable energy is collectively owned — which means that the greener the island gets, the more everyone benefits.

The following is an excerpt from “Solved! How Other Countries Have Cracked the World’s Biggest Problems and We Can Too” by Andrew Wear. READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE. 

Although it’s a rather agreeable place, there’s nothing particularly exceptional about Samsø Island at first glance. Located off the coast of Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula, this former Viking outpost is home to a traditional farming community, best known for producing the country’s first potatoes each year. After arriving by ferry, as you travel around the largely flat island — perhaps by bicycle — you’ll see cows and sheep grazing leisurely,…

From National Geographic By Kelley Heyworth

Is there such a thing as too much togetherness? Sarah Anderson’s 11-year-old son would say yes—especially during a pandemic. Like many families in 2020, the Andersons were working and learning from a crowded home. But when squabbles arose between her two boys, Anderson’s eldest son would slip outside to the family’s Roswell, Georgia, backyard and act out stories and movies he made up in his head.

“He would tell us he was going to log on to his ‘brain app,’” Anderson says. After about 20 minutes, he’d come back inside, more relaxed, talkative, and ready to hang out with the family again.

Turning inward is not something parents typically encourage in children, but recent…

Central Oregon has many great local non-profits doing amazing ‘Positive’ work in our communities. The Environmental Center has been doing it for over 30 years. Be inspired to help and consider the more than 30 local organizations on our ‘Get Involved’ page.

Kick off Earth Day at The Environmental Center’s Learning Garden!

Set aside six Thursdays to learn about growing food, taking care of plants, and having fun exploring in the garden. This program is designed to give students time to explore, learn, plant and get their hands dirty.

When: Every Thursday, April 22 – May 29
Where: The Kansas Avenue Learning Garden, 16 NW Kansas Ave (next to The Environmental Center).
Time: 2:45 –…

In Bath, England, even the smallest investors can support – and profit from – the city’s green energy boom.

From Reasons To Be Cheerful by Eric Krebs

When we think about energy, we typically think about a sector defined by scale — power plants with cooling towers like skyscrapers, transmission lines running in parallel past the horizon, billion-dollar corporations unaccountable to any government, an industry whose footprint is so massive it endangers the Earth itself.

So, how do some pitched roofs, solar panels, and a team of a few dozen mostly volunteers, collectively known as Bath & West Community Energy, stack up? Surprisingly well. A non-profit energy cooperative based in Bath, England, BWCE shows the vast potential of grassroots green…

From the Good News Network Reprinted from Lancaster University.

In the largest ever study of real-life conflicts captured by CCTV, researchers found that bystanders will intervene in nine-out-of-ten public fights to help victims of aggression and violence.

The findings, which were published in the journal American Psychologist, overturn our long held beliefs from previous decades that victims are ignored by those in their vicinity.

Instead of confirming this common misperception, the international research team of social scientists discovered that at least one bystander (but typically several) did something to help—and when more people are nearby, there is even a greater likelihood that at least one person will intervene to help.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the Netherlands Institute for…

This is a FREE Online event to learn more about our Backyard. LEARN MORE HERE.

Oregon’s glaciers are the natural water reservoirs of the high Cascade water towers. Glacier meltwater sustains rivers during the late summer and fall for flora, fauna and irrigation. The glacier melt chills streams for salmon and trout, with the attendant effect of cooling surrounding forests that reduces fire risk and intensity. In short, glaciers are an integral part of Central Oregon ecosystems and economies.

And yet, we do not know how many glaciers remain today in the basin, let alone how many existed a century ago. In this talk, Dr. Anders Carlson will present on the Oregon Glacier Institute’s findings from the first census…