Focus on the Future: Action in the Present

Presentation to Master Recyclers

November 24, 2020

PresenterPresentation NotesHow many of you have:Eaten at a locally owned restaurant?Bought or traded used clothing or other used items?Used baking soda or vinegar instead of conventional cleaning products?Planted a garden? Each of those is an example of individual actions that the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition has been promoting for the past several years. In the next 20 minutes or so, I’m going to give you a broad overview of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition.

Currently 387 partner organizations• 211 Businesses• 133 Non-profits• 22 Education-related organizations• 11 Faith communities• 10 Government entities

Our Partners

PresenterPresentation NotesThe Corvallis Sustainability Coalition is a network of local organizations and individuals working together to create a more sustainable community. The Coalition currently includes more than 350 partner organizations – businesses, non-profits, faith communities, educational institutions, and government entities, as well as individual volunteers who represent a wide diversity of interests.

Our Partners3 Degrees350 CorvallisA&S AccountingAbundant SolarAcme Construction Co.Akro Construction CorpAlliance for Recreation and Natural Areas (AFRANA)American Dream Pizza & CrowBaAmerican Toy LLCAnimal Crackers Pet SupplyAnOvation Group LLCANS/HPS - OSU Student ChapterApicuriousThe Arts CenterASOSU Environmental Affairs Task ForceAssociated Students of Oregon State UniversityATCO AmericaAudubon Society of CorvallisAvery Addition Neighborhood AssociationB.E. SolarBahá'í Community of CorvallisBaklava Mediterranean CafeBald Hill FarmBarker-Uerlings Insurance, Inc.Beit Am Jewish Community Bella Vino Gift BasketsBenton CountyBenton County Community Rights CoalitionBenton County DemocratsBenton County Env. Issues Advisory CommitteeBenton County FairBenton County Master GardenersBenton County Rural & Special Transportation ServicesBenton Habitat for HumanityBenton Soil & Water Conservation DistrictBeyond ToxicsBirch ConsultingBlackledge FurnitureBlock 15Blue Dawg PromotionsBlue River Building LLC

Bombs Away CaféBonnie Arent Lorenz, AcupunctureBountiful BackyardBoys & Girls Club of CorvallisThe Brave Life InitiativeBroadleaf ArchitectureBrowser's Bookstore Burcham’s Metals, Inc.Business Enterprise CenterCarol Trueba, Broker - Town & Country RealtyCarts and ToolsCascade Pacific Resource Conservation & DevelopmentCascades West RideshareCascadia ExpeditionsCascadiaNow!, Corvallis ChapterCASSE - Center for the Advancement of the Steady State EconomyCattail Creek LambCollaborative Employment Innovations Central Willamette Community Credit UnionCharles R. Gerke AIA ArchitectChintimini Wildlife CenterCirello's PizzaCitizens BankCitizens' Climate Lobby Corvallis ChapterCity Club of CorvallisCity Delivery ServiceCity of CorvallisClean Corvallis AirCleland MarketingCloudburst CreativeCoast Range AssociationCoffee CultureCoHo EcovillageCommittees of Correspondence for Democracy & SocialismCommunity Action for Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.)Community Independent Business Alliance (CIBA)Community Outreach, Inc.Community Services ConsortiumCompassion Entrepreneurs

Confluence Design & ConstructionCorvallis Access MediaCorvallis Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO)Corvallis Bicycle CollectiveCorvallis Chamber of CommerceThe Corvallis Clinic, P.C.Corvallis Community AcupunctureCorvallis Copy CenterCorvallis Custom Kitchens and BathsCorvallis Daytime Drop-in CenterCorvallis Environmental CenterCorvallis Evening Garden ClubCorvallis Fall FestivalCorvallis Family Clothing SwapCorvallis Friends Meeting (Quakers)Corvallis FurnitureCorvallis Housing FirstCorvallis Interfaith Climate Justice CommitteeCorvallis MattersCorvallis Men's ShelterCorvallis Montessori SchoolCorvallis Multicultural Literacy CenterCorvallis Oddfellows I.O.O.F.Corvallis PedicabCorvallis Public Schools FoundationCorvallis RadiologyCorvallis Right of WayCorvallis Rowing ClubCorvallis School District - 509JCorvallis School District Safe Routes to SchoolCorvallis Senior Cohousing ProjectCorvallis Sister Cities Association – GondarCorvallis Social Equity Research GroupCorvallis Spring RollCorvallis Waldorf SchoolCorvallis Zen CircleCorvallis-Albany Farmers' MarketsCountry VitaminsCoyle LLCCraft Biscuit Bakery

PresenterPresentation NotesOne of our primary purposes is to encourage communication and collaboration among organizations and individuals who are committed to building a sustainable future. What we have in common are our vision and our mission.

Our PartnersCrawforDesign, Inc.Crescent Valley High SchoolCSC Youth House Gardens Da Vinci DaysDarkside CinemaDebonair EnterprisesDenison Farmsdesign.christoniumDev Ethos Consultancy Corp. Devco EngineeringDH RenewablesDiane's Urban Farm RetreatDoubleCheck Writing & Editing, LLCDynamic Sustainability ConsultingEads Broadcasting CorporationEarth & Sea SaltsEarth Charter InitiativeEarthfortEcNowTechEcotecture® PublicationsEcumenical Ministries of OregonEdward Jones - Tim EuhusEdward Jones - Trevor BulmanElement Graphics, Inc.Emerald Forest ArchitectureEnergy Trust of OregonEnergy Wise LightingEnviofuelEthnographica ConsultingFairfield FarmFarmland LPFireWorks RestaurantFirst Alternative Food CoopFirst Congregational United Church of Christ First Presbyterian ChurchFirst United Methodist ChurchFitzpatrick Ecological ConsultingFootwise

Freshwaters IllustratedFriends of Corvallis Parks & RecreationFriends of the Corvallis-Benton County Public LibraryFriends of Witham OaksFurniture ShareGaia Landscapes, Inc.Garden Spaces Sustainable Landscapes, LLCGarland NurseryGathering Together FarmsGet Organized!Gluten Free RNThe Golden CraneGood Samaritan Episcopal ChurchGoodfoot FarmGooseFoot FarmGrace Center for Adult Day ServicesGrass Roots Books & MusicGreen GirlGreen Planet DreamsGreen Spring FarmsGreenbelt Land TrustGreenwillow GrainsGrowing Family Birth CenterHarcombe FarmHatchLab CorvallisHealthy Youth Program - Linus Pauling InstituteHeartland Humane Society Thrift ShopHolly Oak Music StudioHome Grown GardensHome LifeHospitality VisionHOUR ExchangeHull Home EfficiencyIBEW Local 280In the Moment Stress ReductionIndoor AirmanInnovate OregonInstitute for Applied Ecology

Integrated Resource ManagementIntertechJackson Street Youth ServicesJammin' for the HungryJobs Addition Neighborhood AssnJon's Headlight RestorationJTI Supply, Inc.Kaleidoscope StudiosKapa Landscape Design LLCKate Hickok Media ProductionsKeller Williams Realty Mid-WillametteKidco Head Start – Kids & Company of Linn County LadyC's CakePanLaughing Planet CaféLeague of Women Voters of CorvallisLegend Homes Corvallis CommunitiesLemon Twist Web Design, LLCLife in Balance AcupunctureLinn Benton Food ShareLinn Benton Health Equity AllianceLive Well StudioLorraine Anderson, Writer/EditorThe Majestic TheatreMamalia's BaklavaManage My Co-opMarys River GleanersMarys River GrangeMarys River Watershed CouncilMattress ManiaMcLellan TemporariesMicroEPIC ProductionsMid-Valley Bicycle ClubMid-Valley Doula NetworkMid-Valley HarvestMid-Valley Health Care AdvocatesMidway FarmsThe MushroomeryNAACP Corvallis/Albany Branch

PresenterPresentation NotesWe used to be able to fit all of our partners on one slide…

Our PartnersNative Plant Society of OregonNatural Choice DirectoryNearly NormalsNeighborhood NaturalistNever the SameNorth by Northwest Transportation FoundationNorth Jackson CompanyNorthwest Earth InstituteNorthwest National Marine Renewable Energy CenterNorthwest NaturescapesNorthwest Realty ConsultantsNovo VeritasOld Blue Raw HoneyOld Mill Center for Children and FamiliesOrange O Barber SalonOregon Agriculture in the Classroom FoundationOregon Beverage Recycling CooperativeOregon CeremoniesOregon Green SchoolsOregon Screen CraftsOregon State Credit UnionOregon State University Oregon Wildlife InstituteOSU Advantage AcceleratorOSU Campus RecyclingOSU Center for Civic EngagementOSU College of ForestryOSU Divest - Students Engaging TomorrowOSU EcampusOSU Environmental Arts and Humanities InitiativeOSU Environmental Health Sciences CenterOSU Extension - Benton CountyOSU Folk Club Thrift ShopOSU Hydrogen ClubOSU Spring Creek ProjectOSU STEPs OSU Student Sustainability InitiativeOSU Transportation ServicesOSU University Housing & Dining ServicesOur ClimateOwen Dell & Associates

Pacific Green Party Linn-Benton ChapterPane Relief Window CleaningPeak SportsPegasus GamesPermaculture RisingPFLAG Corvallis/AlbanyPhilomath Montessori SchoolPlay It Again SportsPost Carbon Institute Premium Efficiency, Inc.PreservationWORKSProduce for the PeopleRapid Refill Print SolutionsRepublic ServicesRESULTS CorvallisRHT EnergyRice's PharmacyRod Terry, DesignerRon Hall ConcreteRoom at the Inn Roxy DawgsSamaritan Health ServicesSchroff, Tudor Insurance Agency, Inc.Seeds for the SolShady Grove Farm CorvallisShelton Turnbull - Green Solutions PrintingShonnard's Nursery, Florist, & LandscapeShowing Up for Racial Justice, Corvallis ChapterSibling RevelrySierra Club - Marys Peak GroupSierra Club - Oregon ChapterSilverman StudiosSky High BrewingSlow Food CorvallisSmith, Davison & Brasier, PCSoftstar ShoesSoilsmith Services, Inc.Solar KiSoupCycleSouth Corvallis Food BankSpindrift CellarsSt Anne Orthodox Church

St. Mary's Catholic ChurchSunbow FarmSunbow ProduceSundborn Children's HouseSunrise Corner Community GardenSunWizeSusan Binder, DesignerSustainable Forestry PartnershipSweet YogaT. Gerding Construction CompanyTen Rivers Food WebThe Reynolds Law FirmThe Society of National Industry The Thyme GardenTimberhill Athletic ClubTina Taylor - Stress SolutionsTown & Country RealtyTyee Wine Cellars LtdUnitarian Universalist Fellowship of CorvallisValley AIDS Information NetworkValley Eye CareVeterans for Peace, Linus Pauling ChapterVirginia Shapiro, DC – Integrity Natural HealthVisit CorvallisVivacity SpiritsWelding WizardryWestern Pulp ProductsWhite Wind Superfoods: Organic Juice BarWhiteside Theatre FoundationWild Garden SeedWild Yeast Community Supported BakeryWillamette Disc Golf ClubWillamette GardensWillamette Investment AdvisorsWillamette Living MagazineWillamette Neighborhood Housing ServicesWillamette Watershed ProductionsWindsmith MusicWineopolisYouth Volunteer Corps of CorvallisZoetic Architecture

…

PresenterPresentation Notesbut now it takes 3!

Supporting Our Partner Organizations

Communication & Collaboration• Monthly Events Calendar• On-line Communications• Quarterly Gatherings• Sustainability Fair• Town Hall

PresenterPresentation NotesWe support our partner organizations in a variety of ways – by helping them promote their events and projects, and giving them opportunities to let the community know what they’re doing to help create a sustainable community.

Corvallis is a community in which the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is a flourishing and thriving city with a vibrant economy that respects, restores, and cares for the community of life.

Our Vision

PresenterPresentation NotesThe Sustainability Coalition’s vision is “Corvallis is a community in which the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is a flourishing and thriving city with a vibrant economy that respects, restores, and cares for the community of life.”

To promote an ecologically, socially, and economically healthy city and county.

Our Mission

PresenterPresentation NotesOur mission is “To promote an ecologically, socially, and economically healthy city and county.”

Back in 2007, there were dozens of organizations in the community working on different aspects of sustainability, but they weren’t working together. The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing, and there was some duplication of efforts – and a lot of missed opportunities for collaboration. So the local leaders of the Natural Step Network brought these organizations together for 3 hours on a workday morning. There were 40 people representing 25 different organizations, and they were asked, “Is there something we should be doing to work more effectively so we can accelerate the creation of a sustainable community?” The overwhelming answer was, “We need some sort of network, so we can communicate and collaborate.” And the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition was born.

Sustainability Guiding Objectives(based on the Natural Step system conditions for a sustainable society)

PresenterPresentation NotesThe first one relates to our dependence on fossil fuels and our wasteful use of scarce metals and minerals. The objective here is to use renewable, rather than finite, resources.The second relates to our use of persistent chemicals and synthetic substances. The objective here is to use biologically safe products, so that we’re not poisoning the earth, water, and air.

PresenterPresentation NotesIn 2008, we led a community-wide public process to create a Community Sustainability Action Plan. This initiative was led by the Coalition, with significant financial support from the City of Corvallis. The initiative revolved around 3 town hall meetings attended by hundreds of community members. Our first town hall was held at the Alumni Center, and it was attended by more than 600 people, many of whom then served on volunteer work groups.  At that first town hall, people offered literally thousands of ideas about their visions for a sustainable community and ideas about actions we might take to get there. The task of our volunteer work groups was to take all the input that had been received from the community and to use that input to develop long-range visionary goals and actions to achieve them.The Action Plan provides a framework in 12 topic areas for our partners and for the action teams that have been established this year...

Community Sustainability Action Plan

• Developed in 2008, revised in 2013 & 2018

• A framework for action• Addresses 12 topic areas

PresenterPresentation NotesThe result was a Sustainability Action Plan for the Corvallis community, and it has provided an important framework for action by the community in 12 topic areas…

Community Inclusion

Economic Vitality

Education

Energy

Food

Health & Human Services

Housing

Land Use

Natural Areas

Transportation

Sustainability Highlight

at da Vinci Days 2009

3,800 bikes parked in the Bike Valet

Managed by American Dream Pizza staff!

Sustainability at

da Vinci Days

Green Town and

Green Talks

Recycling

Scholarship

Admissions for

those in need

Free City Bus and

Festival Shuttle

Free Bike Valet

Solar power

Power offsets

Waste Prevention

Water

Action Teams are engagedin more than 30+ projects!

Here are a few …

PresenterPresentation NotesIn 2009, once the Action Plan was in place, we recruited volunteers to form action teams to help implement the plan.

We have action teams for each of the 12 topic areas, and they are currently working on more than 30 different projects. I’d like to mention just a few of them…

Economic VitalityAction Team

PresenterPresentation NotesFor the past 8 years, we have co-sponsored the “Buy Local First” campaign. Our goal isn’t to encourage consumption, but rather to encourage community members to try our local businesses first when we need or want to buy something. The reality is that online shopping is threatening many of our local businesses. So if we love our downtown and the character of our community, we need to Buy Local First.

Food Action Team

PresenterPresentation NotesOne of the key elements of a sustainable local food system is supporting our area farmers and food producers. So our Food Action Team sponsors an annual Local Eats Week that highlights local restaurants that are committed to serving locally-sourced food. We had our 11th annual Local Eats Week in September, featuring 14 local restaurants. The team also challenges people to eat 40% local – starting with one meal and expanding from there. Some households in Corvallis are sourcing more than 40% of their daily diet from local farms and food producers.

Local is defined as Benton County and those that touch it’s borders – aka Local 6 (Benton, Linn, Lane, Marion, Lincoln, Polk)

PresenterPresentation NotesEach year, the Food Action Team also produces a Corvallis Garden Resource Guide and sponsors Edible Garden Tours to encourage home food production.

HousingAction Team

PresenterPresentation NotesA lot of what the Coalition does is to look for gaps – where are the needs that aren’t being addressed? Our Housing Action Team has a very active workgroup that’s focused on providing transitional housing for people who are currently homeless. We’re using the Eugene model of Opportunity Village to plan for temporary housing in a self-governing cluster that includes sleeping pods, as well as a community space for meetings. That workgroup is also working with local churches to allow temporary parking of campers, other vehicles, and sleeping pods on their parking lots.

Natural Areas Action Team

PresenterPresentation NotesOur Natural Areas Action Team promotes habitat restoration and natural areas appreciation by sponsoring an annual Natural Areas Celebration Week every May, featuring more than 20 events, such as hikes, workshops, and programs for kids.

Benton County1st in Oregon

to become a

PresenterPresentation NotesBenton County was the first county in Oregon to become a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat.

Waste PreventionAction Team

PresenterPresentation NotesOur Waste Prevention Action Team coordinates a Recycling Block Captains program made up of nearly 100 volunteers who distribute information on waste reduction, composting, and recycling to thousands of Corvallis households every 3 months.

PresenterPresentation NotesThis team also produces and distributes the Corvallis Area ReUse Directory so perfectly usable items don’t end up in the landfill.

https://waste-prevention.sustainablecorvallis.org/#

PresenterPresentation NotesAn online version of the ReUse Directory is now available.

Wasted food is the THIRD largest contributorto global climate change!

49% of Corvallis residents dispose of food in their trash!

https://nofoodleftbehindcorvallis.org/

PresenterPresentation NotesEnvironmental Quality (which was recently renewed) to develop a project to prevent wasted food. It’s called No Food Left Behind, and we’ve been educating our community about some surprising statistics, such as these.  We have a table at the Corvallis Farmers’ Market every week, at which we use games to educate people about how they can waste less food, and we also provide free kitchen compost pails.

WaterAction Team

PresenterPresentation NotesOur Water Action Team has developed the award-winning 3 Waters Project at the South Co-op, which shows it’s possible to reduce tap water use by 50% and reduce waste water and stormwater discharge by 50%. For the past 5 years, they’ve been working with OSU students on projects that analyze various components of OSU’s stormwater system. The team has also been working with OSU students and community members to regenerate the headwaters of the Dunawi Creek at the Bald Hill Natural Area. Working together, volunteers have planted more than 2,000 native plants.

TransportationAction Team

PresenterPresentation NotesOur Transportation Action Team promotes active, car-free transportation. They’ve created a Bike Valet program to offer free, secure bike parking at events like Septembeerfest and Fall Festival, and our “Get on Board!” campaign highlights our local bus system, which is fare-free.

• Buildings & Energy• Land Use & Transportation• Consumption & Waste• Food & Agriculture• Urban Natural Resources• Health, Social Services, & Community

Well-Being

Climate Action

PresenterPresentation NotesWhile we continue to work on a broad array of issue areas, tackling climate change is our top priority. The need for local and regional climate action is more urgent than ever. Tackling the climate crisis will require everyone’s participation. We can’t afford to continue “business as usual”. ALL of us need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, both as individuals making lifestyle changes and as organizations, bringing about systemic change.

EnergyAction Team

PresenterPresentation NotesThe Sustainability Coalition, in partnership with the Oregon Clean Power Cooperative, launched a new initiative a couple of years ago called Solarize Corvallis – our most ambitious project yet to address climate change. We are using community investment to significantly increase the number and size of solar and battery systems installed at facilities in our community - facilities such as schools, city and county buildings, nonprofit agencies, and low-income housing complexes. In addition to helping larger systems reduce their use of fossil fuels, this initiative will allow community members to directly invest in our infrastructure to better prepare for the future, both in terms of disaster preparedness and the impacts of climate change.

Harvest Sunshine is our 5-year initiative to more than double the amount of solar coverage on Corvallis rooftops. During the first year of this initiative, solar coverage in Corvallis increased by 13%. This is a significant increase, but we need to dramatically step up the pace of shifting to renewable energy. And that requires additional funding for outreach and marketing

○ FREE assistance for businessesand organizations

○ Decrease operating costs○ Improve workplace

environment

Saving Green: Sustainability at Work

PresenterPresentation NotesSaving Green is our newest climate action initiative. Past experience has shown us that many small and medium-sized Corvallis businesses want to embrace sustainability but they don’t know where to start or they get pulled away by day-to-day demands. Through our Saving Green project, we have hired a Sustainability Outreach Specialist to provide expert guidance to help businesses increase their energy and water efficiency and to reduce waste – all of which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainability Fair & Town HallEvery year in March (pre-COVID)

At the Alumni Center – OSU Campus5:00 pm Sustainability Fair / 7:00 pm Town Hall

PresenterPresentation NotesEvery March, we sponsor a Sustainability Fair and Town Hall at the Alumni Center. We generally have 500 to 600 people in attendance. Both the sustainability Fair and Town Hall are designed to be model sustainable events. At the Fair, we feature a wonderful buffet featuring local organic food, composting and recycling stations, low energy use and low water use. The whole evening is very festive, with hands-on activities at more than 50 booths and live music provided by local musicians.

During the Town Hall, people are seated at tables of 8, with discussion leaders and recorders at each table. The event is very interactive, flowing back and forth between presentation up front and related discussions at the tables. It’s a very dynamic, inspiring event. Regrettably, the March event was cancelled due to covid. A virtual Town Hall webinar was organized later in the summer.

VIRTUAL TOWN HALL 2020August 26, 2020 – Zoom Webinar

PresenterPresentation NotesWatch the recorded webinar here: https://sustainablecorvallis.org/2020/08/2020-virtual-sustainability-town/

The theme for this year’s Town Hall was bold climate action, which was highlighted in the keynote presentation by Kristin Eberhard, Director of Climate Change and Democracy at Sightline Institute.  Sightline Institute’s mission is to make the Northwest a global model of sustainability— strong communities, a green economy and a healthy environment. A member of the management team at Sightline, Kristin researches, writes about, and speaks about climate change policy and democracy reform. In her Town Hall presentation, “Bold Action: Communities Respond to the Climate Crisis”, Kristin featureed examples of bold climate action from various cities in the US and Europe.

An integral theme of the virtual Town Hall event was climate justice. Johannah Hamilton, who co-leads the Coalition’s Community Inclusion Action Team and is co-chair of the King Legacy Advisory Board, explained how climate change impacts communities of color. Johannah is currently a PhD student in the Public Policy Department at OSU, where she also serves as co-advisor for OSU’s chapters of SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) and MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences).

Focus on the Future,Action in the Present

www.sustainablecorvallis.org

Get Involved!

PresenterPresentation Noteshttps://sustainablecorvallis.org/get-involved/> https://sustainablecorvallis.org/get-involved/volunteer/> Volunteer Sign up Form - https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?ap=1982726746

Focus on the Future: �Action in the Present� Slide Number 2Our PartnersOur PartnersOur PartnersSlide Number 6Our VisionOur MissionSustainability Guiding Objectives�(based on the Natural Step system conditions for a sustainable society)Slide Number 10�Community Sustainability �Action Plan�Community InclusionEconomic VitalityEducationEnergyFoodHealth & Human ServicesHousingLand UseNatural AreasTransportationWaste PreventionWaterSlide Number 24Slide Number 25Slide Number 26Slide Number 27Slide Number 28Slide Number 29Slide Number 30Slide Number 31Slide Number 32Slide Number 33Slide Number 34Slide Number 35Slide Number 36Climate ActionSlide Number 38Saving Green: Sustainability at WorkSlide Number 40VIRTUAL TOWN HALL 2020�August 26, 2020 – Zoom WebinarSlide Number 42