Mid-Valley Voice

Oregon State University will host a seminar series focusing on different aspects of climate change that begins Wednesday, April 1, with a talk by Ricardo Matano, who will discuss the oceans and climate.
The series is being coordinated by the Global Environmental Change Organization, an OSU student group.
These climate change talks will be held each Wednesday spring term beginning at 3:30 p.m. in Burt Hall 193. They are free and open to the public. The series is sponsored by OSU's College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences and the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute.

Schedule

• April 1 – “The Oceans and Climate,” Ricardo Matano, OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences.
• April 8 – “Disturbance, the Surface Energy Balance, and Climate,” Tom O'Halloran, OSU College of Forestry.
• April 15 – “Ice Age Lessons for Global Warming,” Jeremy Shakun, OSU Department of Geosciences/College of Science.
• April 22 – “Climate Feedbacks in Climate Models,” Karen Shell, OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences.
• April 29 – “Humidity and the Seasonality of Influenza,” Jeffrey Shaman, OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences.
• May 6 – “Drilling for Ice Cores in Antarctica,” Logan Mitchell, OSU Department of Geosciences/College of Science.
• May 13 – “Introducing the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute,” Philip Mote, director of OCCRI/OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences.
• May 20 – TBA.
• May 27 – “Linking Population Growth, Development and Global Warming,” Derric Jacobs, College of Liberal Arts.
• June 3 – “Life History Traits Predict Bird Range Shifts Northward,” Matthew Betts, OSU College of Forestry (tentative date).

Have a great recipe for springtime local produce? Enter the spring local foods cook-off sponsored by the Ten Rivers Food Web.
Use your favorite spring vegetable in your favorite dish for a chance to win gift certificates to local restaurants or gift basket full of local stuff.
What you need to do:

1. Register for the contest.
2. Plan your recipe. This can be anything: casserole, quiche, salad, whatever.
3. Cook away. Drop off your creation between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 17 at the Meeting Room of the South Co-op on Friday. Bring enough for 2 servings.
4. Go see who wins. Maybe you? Winners will be announced at the Corvallis Farmer’s Market the next day.

1-Credit Seminar Class -- Issues in Organic Farming

The OSU Organic Growers Club is proud to present the "Issues in Organic Farming" seminar series again this spring term! This is the 4th year that we have offered this 1-credit seminar-style class. As always, we have a great line-up of interesting and provocative speakers!

This year's theme is "Living Locally in Hard Times - DIY" with topics ranging from Biochar and Local Organizations that will see us through, to Permaculture Design and Natural Burial!

This 1-credit course is cross listed in 3 departments:
CSS499 (CRN#56424)
HORT499 (CRN#56423)
ENSC399 (CRN#56426)

The class will be held in ALS4000, Thursdays, 12:00-1:30

April 2 - What is Organic Agriculture? A non-expert tells what he knows
Speaker: James Cassidy

April 9 - Corvallis Slow - Now That's Slow Food!
Speaker: Anne Shriver, Corvallis Slow Food

April 16 - Biochar - energy and soils - what's all the hype about?
Speaker: John Miedema

April 23 - Starting from scratch! Midway Farms tells all!
Speaker: Cynthia and Jackie

April 30 - Norton Creek Chickens and More!
Speaker: Karen Black

May 7 - The Future of Death! Try NATURAL burial next time!
Speaker: Cynthia Beal

May 14 - Permaculture and Slam Poetry! (together again)
Speaker: Andrew Millison/Sarah LaRock

May 21 - Corvallis Environmental Center - cool local programs - Backyard Flock, Farms to School, and more!
Speaker: Leslie Van Allen and others from the CEC

May 28 - Consider the bee
Speaker: Mike Burgett

June 4 - Organic Seeds and Public Domain Plant Breeding - field trip!
Speaker: Alan Kapuler

Possible additional short topics - local & international opportunities - fit in as possible:
IE3 Global Internships with Michele Justice
"Starting a CSA on a Shoestring" with Sherry Dover
OSU Food Group - it's what's for dinner with Sarah E. Cunningham, OSU Food Group

Brought to you by OSU Organic Growers Club
More info? Contact James.Cassidy@oregonstate.edu

Michelle Long, executive director and co-founder of nonprofit Sustainable Connections, will speak in Eugene Thursday, March 26 about how ‘All Sustainability is local.’
Long has been actively working with Sustainable Connections to address social and environmental challenges through business for over a decade. The nonprofit was formed to model an economy built on sustainability
Long is the co-author of Local First: a How to Guide, and teaches workshops on creating effective networks of sustainable businesses, and successful community campaigns.
Long’s lecture is part of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council’s Transformative Lecture series, geared toward building industry professionals to inspire them to take up green practices.

Details

All Sustainability is Local
Connecting the dots between green building, renewable energy, local farming, and sustainable business development in your hometown.
Date: 5:30 p.m Thursday, March 26
Place: University of Oregon Baker Center, 975 High St.
Cost: Free to full-time students & Cascadia members; $10 for non-members.
Click to register or, for more information, e-mail Jenna Garmon or call (541) 682-5541.

As an apartment dweller, I know how difficult it can be to live "green" without the proper resources.  Apartment dwellers usually have a group dumpster, but usually don't have a group recycling bin.  This is because most people tend to abuse it and fill it with non-recyclable items, leaving the property managers unwilling to provide that service.  I speak from personal experience.  Out of the fourty or so units in my building, I am the ONLY one who made the effort to go to Allied Waste and ask for a personal recycling bin.  This is really the only option for people living in apartments that don't offer group recycling.  It's free for a personal can, but we need to get the message out to the tenants that it is an available option.  If we could get more apartment dwellers to recycle, we would see a huge decrease in waste.  What ideas do you have to get the word out?  If our local waste services companies don't get the word out, it's up to us!  I highly encourage everyone wanting to encourage others to live green to reach your neighbors and encourage them to recycle! 

P.S.  It wouldn't hurt to enroll in Pacific Power's Blue Sky and Northwest Natural's Smart Energy program, too!  Minimal cost.  Maximum effect.

From Sally Gentry:

THIS FRIDAY March 6

Bring a shovel if possible.

Sporadic examples of existing riparian forest habitat may currently be seen
along Rail Trail. The plants that live in this area are accustomed to
flooding in the winter and low water levels in the summer. They have
adapted to be able to live in the challenging environment of the riparian
forest. The dense understory of this habitat provides refuge for many
different types of wildlife. Wood ducks, barred owls, otters, and
red-legged frogs prefer riparian habitats such as this. Long-term refuge
management goals include habitat restoration and improvement for the
continued survival of wildlife populations in the Willamette Valley.

Ankeny NWR is located off Interstate 5 at exit 243, Ankeny Hill Road, which
is about 10 miles north of Albany and 12 miles south of Salem. Driving
west over I-5 on Ankeny Hill Rd, stay straight (south) at next intersection and drive Wintel Rd about 1 mile to the Rail Trail parking area on the left.

For more information, contact Sallie Gentry at 541-757-7236

or John Gahr at 503-623-2749.

Sallie Gentry
Visitor Services Manager
Willamette Valley NWR Complex
26208 Finley Refuge Road
Corvallis, OR 97333
Office: 541-757-7236
Fax: 541-757-4450

Curious about keeping chickens in town?
The Corvallis Environmental Center will feature an array of backyard chickens and ducks living in Corvallis. Participants will learn how to design an effective coop and incorporate fowl into gardens of all sizes.

See mobile coops, straw bale coops, passive solar and automatic doors created by the eight families featured on the tour. Participants receive a self-guided map containing information on the coops and fowl-keeping facts.

The tour is sponsored by the CECs Edible Corvallis Initiative to increase home food production and help create a just and sustainable food system in the mid-Willamette Valley.

Details
What: Cooped up in Corvallis tour
When: Noon to 4 p.m., Sunday March 15
More: The self-guided tour is all over town. For information and to buy a map ($6 per person or $10 for a family) contact the Corvallis Environmental Center or First Alternative Co-op.