The Environmental Center

05/29/2026

This is the LAST PUSH for Bend City Council with regards to the Climate Impact Fee! If you join our team for the LAST meeting to give public comment on why we want a strong Climate Impact Fee, you’ll get a cool shirt! The first 30 people will get a “Heat Pumps are dam HOT” shirt, which is pretty funny if you work in renewable energy. Yes, yes, we know. We’re hilarious. But seriously, join our team for one last time to tell Bend City Council that climate change matters and building decarbonization is the first step.

🗓️ June 3rd 2026
⏰ 6pm (arrive early if you wanna claim a shirt!)
✍️ Arrive with your public comment printed or memorized (dm us if you need help writing it!)
📍 Bend City Hall 710 NW Wall Street Bend, OR

05/28/2026

Shoes are hard to recycle… they have a lot going on! Rubber, plastic, fabric… it’s A LOT! Our sweet friends at helped us collect athletic shoes that will be sent to Got Sneakers to be properly recycled and given a second life!

Did you miss the chance to donate your shoes last week? No stress! has offered to collect used athletic shoes for us to recycle! Drop off anytime at the downtown location and our amazing volunteers will swoop them up and ship them out!

As a reminder, recycling is never the solution, rather the LAST step after you’ve reused, repaired, and tried your best to make anything last ✨

Check out every Tuesday at 6pm for a sweet crew of folks who love running!

05/19/2026

Larry is a retired veteran in Redmond who signed up for a free Home Energy Assessment through The Environmental Center — and ended up receiving nearly $16,000 worth of home upgrades completely free.

After assessing Larry’s home for insulation, drafts, and heating systems, our team helped connect him with incentives that covered:
⚡ A ducted heat pump
🚿 A heat pump water heater

The result? Lower utility bills, a more comfortable home, and zero fossil fuels needed to keep things cozy.

Best of all? Larry didn’t pay a cent.

Thanks to support from Energy Trust of Oregon, we help connect qualifying Central Oregon households with contractors and incentives that make energy-efficient upgrades more affordable — and sometimes completely free depending on income.

No catch. Just lower bills, healthier homes, and climate solutions that work for everyday people. 💙

Interested in a free Home Energy Assessment? Reach out today and see what you qualify for!

Read the full blog here:

Home Energy Assessments are a program of The Environmental Center where we send qualified individuals into your home to help you identify opportunities for upgrades that can improve your efficiency…

05/18/2026

Did you join us for the action and stay for Maria’s tamales?! Cause same 🫔

Join us every 2nd Thursday of the month all summer long at for local advocacy work, tangible actions, ZERO solicitation, live music and good vibes!

Let’s collectively manifest for less wind in June! See you there!

05/11/2026

Join us on Thursday May 14th from 4:30-6:30pm for Action Night at for an evening of tangible action.

will be there to walk you through local policy actions you can take!

Actions include:
🚚Writing Roadless Rule public comments
🌿Local election info
🪨Signing petitions around the Mcdermitt Caldera Mining
🐟Info about the Snake River damn removal campaign
⚡️Info and signing petitions on the Climate Impact Fee

Come for the action, stay for the bevs! The Commons is giving $1 off drinks for anyone who takes an action and gets a red ticket 🎟️ Come ANYTIME between 4:30-6:30 for the best happy hour in town 💅🏼✨

05/07/2026

Not an iPad in sight! Our youth educators love getting outside and sharing the magic of Central Oregon with your kiddos 🌱🌎

Our 4th graders learn about geology, local plants, volcanic history, and always keep an eye out for wildlife!

3rd graders work on their inquiry skills! What do they notice and wonder about? What makes them curious about the natural world?

04/29/2026

Do you have dreams of volunteering but have commitment issues? We can help!

Our team is building a community garden in Redmond with the goal of making a space for folks in Redmond to use and enjoy, as well as being a place where local schools can have outdoor classes. Cool right?!

We are building this garden now and work parties are where you come in! Join us once, twice, or every time! Bring your tools if you have them, or show up and we have tools for you! Have carpentry skills? Even better!

Upcoming work party is TONIGT, April 29th from 5-7pm at 19th street in Redmond. No registration required, but if you like registering you can head the link in our bio 🔗

04/29/2026

We’re BACK, baby — and this year, we’re bringing Action Nights to 🎉
Action Nights started as a collaboration between and to make local policy engagement more accessible, social, and hopeful. Last year we gathered in the garden at The Environmental Center — and this year, our friends at are hosting us!
Join us every 2nd Thursday from May through August for a mix of happy hour + hands-on action. Connect with local organizations, take real steps on issues that matter, and meet others who care about the future of Central Oregon.
Trade the doomscrolling for doing — we’ll see you there.

Are you a local group doing good in the community and trying to get policies passed? Do you need folks to sign petitions or send letters? Shoot us an email at [email protected]

04/28/2026

WHAT A WEEKEND!

Thank you for being our lead sponsor, these events can’t happen without the generosity of our amazing sponsor.

HUGE thank you to .inc Republic Services, Cascade Disposal, and 92/9 FM

Your sponsorships are ESSENTIAL and we wouldn’t have Earth Day Fair & Parade without your help 💕

04/28/2026

WHAT A WEEKEND!

Thank you for being our lead sponsor, these events can’t happen without the generosity of our amazing sponsor.

HUGE thank you to .inc Republic Services, Cascade Disposal, and 92/9 FM

Your sponsorships are ESSENTIAL and we wouldn’t have Earth Day Fair & Parade without your help 💕