Category Archives: Environment

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Tadpole Tales for Tykes

57_20130115_102725Children aged 3-5 with their parents are invited to a short story and guided nature walk. Watch birds fly overhead, search for hidden animal homes, and learn about local trees and flowers. Topics will vary each week at each location. Topics include: pond life, birds, dirt and worms, and mammals. Routes are accessible to strollers. Families are welcome to bring a snack. Advanced registration required by emailing intern@columbiaslough.org or calling 503-281-1132

Appropriate for what ages? 3-5
Day/Date: Wednesdays, March-May

Time: 10 -11 AM

Cost: $3 admission/donation per child, no charge for adults.

Location/Address: Locations change each month…
• March: Whitaker Ponds Nature Park, 7040 NE 47th Ave, Portland
• April: Columbia Children’s Arboretum, 300 NE Meadow Ln., Portland 97211
• May: Columbia Slough Water Quality Facility, 19595 NE Sandy, Portland

Phone Number (for general public for more information): 503 281-1132

Web site: http://www.columbiaslough.org/calendar_detail.aspx?calendar_id=231

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Friends of Trees needs you–and your pickup truck

FOT_logo_colorVolunteer with your truck…and help plant trees in your neighborhood!

How to Get Involved:
Can you volunteer at the King Tree Planting?
February 9, 2013 8am-1pm
Yes? Great! Contact your Neighborhood Coordinator:
Irek Wielgosz (503) 828-6943

Want to volunteer with your truck at another planting?
Contact Friends of Trees at 503-282-8846 x18 or visit http://www.FriendsOfTrees.org/Volunteer. We need your help moving young trees to their new planting sites at your neighbors’ homes. Breakfast and lunch are included with this morning volunteer opportunity!

http://www.friendsoftrees.org/volunteering/drive-your-pick-up-truck-for-us

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Conduct a Tree Inventory in your Community in 2013

treinvApplications are due January 15!

Walking around your neighborhood, do you see areas available for tree planting, street trees in need of maintenance, and neighbors who are concerned but don’t know where to begin? Urban Forestry is helping Portlanders take action to improve their community’s street trees by conducting tree inventories and creating neighborhood tree plans.

Communities begin by forming tree teams and gathering volunteers to conduct a street tree inventory. Volunteers are guided by Urban Forestry staff, who provide training and tools. Together, information is collected on tree species, size, health, site conditions, and available planting spaces. Data is analyzed and findings are presented to neighborhood stakeholders. Achievable strategies are set by the collective body to improve existing trees, identify opportunities for an expanding tree canopy, and connect the neighborhood with city and non-profit resources. The result is a Neighborhood Tree Plan. The plan identifies the current status and health of neighborhood street trees and provides recommendations for neighborhood action.
Continue reading →

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Free Energy Audits from Energize Northeast

From NECN:

If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for a home energy performance audit with Energize Northeast. This collaboration between NECN, Neil Kelly and Umpqua Bank will make it easy for you to enjoy greater home energy efficiency and save money. Registration only take a few minutes at Energize.necoalition.org/registration. After you register, you will receive a call from Neil Kelly to schedule a home energy audit. This comprehensive audit takes several hours and is valued at $500. However, with a $150 rebate from the Energy Trust of Oregon, Neil Kelly is offering the home energy audit free to the homeowner. Additionally, for every home energy audit completed through Energize Northeast, Neil Kelly has generously agreed to donate $150 to NECN to help further community programs such as Neighborhood Small Grants.

 

Not sure you are ready for a home energy audit? Attend a free workshop to learn more first.

 

Energize Northeast workshops:

 

Saturday, October 13th, 11:00am at Umpqua Bank Alberta

Tuesday, October 16th, 6:30pm at NECN

Saturday, October 27th, 11:00am at NECN

More workshops listed at http://energize.necoalition.org/energize-ne-cal

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Rain garden and naturescaping workshops return

Dig into Fall: Workshops are Open!

Looking for some fresh garden ideas? Want to bring more color and beauty to your yard all throughout the year? There’s still plenty of time to attend our FREE workshops!

You’ll learn how to create a low-maintenance (& low-cost!) landscape that conserves water, prevents pollution, and is safe for children, pets and streams. Tell your friends and register today while space is still available!
Click Here to Register

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Workshop Offerings

Rain Gardens 101: Learn how to create a sunken garden bed that captures stormwater runoff and also benefits urban streams and wildlife.

Naturescaping Basics: Design your landscape to conserve water, decrease stormwater runoff and minimize pollution while saving you time, money and energy!

Site Planning 1: An extension of Naturescaping Basics, this workshop covers how to prepare a site plan utilizing naturescaping techniques.

Site Planning 2: Share your landscape site plan and receive personalized advice from our landscape specialists in this feedback session.

Fall Schedule

You can view the full workshop schedule, start times, location details and register online here.

Rain Gardens 101
10/7 – Hollywood Senior Center
10/13 – Pilgrim Lutheran Church
10/20 – People’s Food Co-op
11/4 – Historic Kenton Firehouse
11/11 – SMILE Station

Naturescaping Basics
10/7 – Historic Kenton Firehouse
10/14 – Loaves & Fishes
10/20 – Pilgrim Lutheran Church
10/27 – Smith Memorial Presbyterian
11/17 – Leach Botanical Garden

Site Planning 1
10/21 – Historic Kenton Firehouse
10/28 – Whitaker Ponds Nature Park
11/10 – Pilgrim Lutheran Church

Site Planning 2
11/14 – EMSWCD Office
Click here to register.

Information:
503-222-7645

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Leaf Day(s) 2012 Coming, Will Cost $30

It’s that time of year again! Leaf Day is fast approaching. If you live in King west of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., city crews will be sweeping streets and removing the leaves on November 20th and December 13th. You will be billed $30 for the service unless you opt out due to not having street trees or because you agree to take care of your own leaves. To opt out or for more information, go to the PBOT website: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/55380

Leaf Day Made Easy

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Solarize Northeast Registration Ends May 15

May 15th, 2012–Last Day to Register for Solarize Northeast!

Have you been thinking about putting solar on your home, but were not sure if solar was right for you? Sign up today, and receive a free solar site assessment. Northeast Coalition of Neighbors has partnered with Mr. Sun Solar, Umpqua Bank and Neil Kelly to offer area homeowners an easy and affordable pathway to solar as well as opportunities to improve their homes’ comfort with energy efficiency improvements. Tax credits and cash incentives, along with a variety of financing and ownership options, provide homeowners with an affordable pathway to energy independence.

Attend our final free workshop on Saturday, May 12th and learn how solar energy can work on your home. The workshop will cover the basics of going solar, explain tax credits and cash incentives, and review financing and lease options.

Final Solarize Workshop:
May 12th, 11am Umpqua Bank, 1745 NE Alberta Street

Register for Solarize Northeast today at Solarize.necolation.org or contact Gene Lee at Solarize@necoalition.org, 503-823-4113. Registration deadline is May 15th.

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Let’s finish the job! Earth Day planting at King Facility

We are nearing the successful completion of the invasive species removal and replanting project at the King Neighborhood Facility. Thank to the tireless advocacy of neighbor Diego Gioseffi, this Earth Day will be another opportunity for the community to come together and plant the slope by the site of the farmers market with native plantings. Spread the word to all your friends!

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Is King’s Air Dirtier?

In this week’s Oregonian story on air pollution in NW Portland, this map of relative air quality was included. It is notable for the dark area in the center of King showing a higher concentration of pollutants. The number one contributor is listed as wood burning followed by the catch-all “area” category which includes: business and home fuel use, commercial cooking,
fuel storage and asphalt application. Is there more we could be doing?

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Can You Go Solar? Find Out Now

Solarize Northeast is a project of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods that helps homeowners to go solar by lowering the cost through bulk purchasing and free education on how to go about it.  Low-cost financing is available as well.

Installing solar is affordable and easy! Come learn how and why at one of the Free Community Introductory Workshops:

  • Sat 3/10 11AM-12:30PM Umpqua Bank, 1745 NE Alberta
  • Thurs 3/22 6PM-7:30PM NECN, 4815 NE 7th Ave.
  • Sat 4/14 11AM-12:30PM Umpqua Bank, 1745 NE Alberta
  • Thurs 4/19 6PM-7:30PM NECN, 4815 NE 7th Ave.

Register for the workshops or a free solar site assessment now at: solarize.necoalition.org/registration

Click here for the postcard