Cenntral Oregon Envrinmental Center

OUR MISSION: to embed sustainability into daily life in central oregon

The Environmental Center educates and advocates for a sustainable future in Central Oregon.

For us, sustainability means meeting human needs equitably, living within our planet’s ecological limits, and building a prosperous economy for all. It’s about ensuring a healthy future for people and the planet.

Securing that healthy future hinges on how we live our daily lives—individually and collectively. It hinges on how much we drive, walk or ride our bike. It hinges on how much stuff we consume and what we do with it when we’re done. It hinges on how much energy we use and where it comes from, coal or the sun. It hinges on how we educate our kids and what we educate them about. And a healthy, sustainable future hinges on how we solve collective challenges, like land use planning and transit.

WHAT WE DO

Our job is to translate sustainability into practical, local action that makes a difference. After all, it’s at home, at school and at work where we make most of the choices that matter. We focus on:

Educating Kids: From classroom presentations to outdoor school days and learning gardens, we deliver programs on sustainability to the future generation of thinkers, teachers and leaders.

Promoting Zero Waste: We work with businesses, local governments and citizens to prevent waste by increase recycling, composting and reuse.

Advocating for Regional Transit: We advocate for a robust regional transit system.

Supporting Sustainable Business: We support and promote sustainable business practices and local conscious consumerism through our sustainable business directory, The Green Spot.

Engaging our Community: We organize a variety of community events—like Green Drinks, the Earth Day Fair and the Sustainability Awards—that bring like-minded people together to learn about and celebrate sustainability in our community.