By Maureen Beezhold | Posted: Saturday, June 16, 2007 12:00 am
In Bill McKibben's new book, "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future," the Harvard-trained economist notes that Americans' notions about happiness are not holding up under scientific scrutiny.
Besides devastating the Earth's resources with our rampant consumerism, we are no longer at the top of the world's happiest citizens, having dropped to No. 23. Fewer than one in three Americans claim to be happy.
Juliet Schor, in her book "Born to Buy," notes that studies suggest that American children today have higher levels of anxiety than the average child psychiatric patient in the 1950s. Summer in the Willamette Valley offers numerous opportunities to go against that trend. Engage with the outdoors, community discussions and events. You (and your children) might be happier!
Upcoming events:
• Wetland Management Workshop: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. June 23, E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area, 29555 Camp Adair Road, Monmouth. This workshop will include presentation on wetland management for owners and a tour of restoration projects and lunch. Be prepared for all weather conditions and some walking. Register by June 15 by calling 503-623-9680 or michael.ahr@or.nacnet.net.
• Educational Paddle Trip on the Willamette River: 9 a.m. June 23. Travel by canoe, kayak or raft with resource professionals and learn about the river's fish, wildlife and water and history. Participation is limited to 50. Call 503-223-6418 or amy@willamette-riverkeeper.org. A limited number of canoes will be available to borrow.
• Corvallis City Club - Sustainable Development: Green Buildings: 11:45 a.m. June 25. $12/lunch, $5/no lunch. Panel includes Tim Smith and Lisa Pedersen of SERA Architects, Bruce Hecht of Corvallis Co-Housing, and Wolfgang Dilson of Akro Construction. This will be an opportunity to learn about sustainable development and explore building practices in our city. Register in advance. For information call 757-1505.
• Voluntary Simplicity: 6:30 p.m. to 7:50 p.m., beginning June 26 for 9 weeks, Benton Center, room 107, 757 N.W. Polk Ave. Explore the distractions that prevent us from taking care of ourselves, each other and the planet. Learn about reducing your stress by examining time and work balance, reducing the stuff in your life, and simplifying. Materials fee of $16, payable at first class. Register at the Benton Center or at http://sis.linnbenton.edu. For more information call 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org. Sponsored by Corvallis NW Earth Institute and the Benton Center.
• Weed Watcher Training: 9 a.m. to noon June 27, Elijah Bristow State Park, Highway 58, 16 miles southeast of Eugene. Learn how to survey for, identify, document and report new invasive plants. For private citizens, watershed or neighborhood groups or anyone concerned about invasive species. Register for training at 541-914-0701 or tsiemens@tnc.org.
Nature center
Avery House Nature Center Nature Play Preschool
• What Earth Is Made Of: June 19 through July 17
• Amazing Animal Life: July 24 through Aug. 21
Ages 2-3, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ages 4-5, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.$7 a class or $30 per session.
Register for above programs by calling 753-9211 or ecenter@peak.org. or www.corvallisenvironmentalcenter.org.
Youth sessions
Youth Garden Project: Four summer units for grades 6 through 12
• Wildlife in the Garden: June 25-29, 9 a.m. to noon. Learn about garden critters and how they work together to create a thriving ecosystem and how you can support that system through companion planting and natural pest control.
• Garden Art and Literature: July 9-20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. See the garden in a whole new light as we draw on it for creative inspiration and make art using garden objects. Examine garden poetry and literature from writers like Wendell Berry and Michael Pollan.
• Menus and Me: July 30-Aug. 10. Using daily shared lunches made together from the garden harvest as a centerpiece, we will examine issues of food distribution and nutrition while creating a basic cookbook for users of the South Corvallis Food Bank.
• Seed Saving: Planting a Revolution: Aug. 20-24. Discussion about the loss of plant diversity and its effects on what we eat today will serve as focus for exercises in seed saving, vegetable breeding and construction of a solar dehydrator.
These programs offer learning in small groups through discussion and hands on work. All food grown in the garden is donated to local food banks and soup kitchens.
Cost is $12 per session and scholarships are available.
Register by calling the Corvallis Environmental Center at 753-9211.
Chintimini for kids
Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Wildlife Encounters this summer:
Three youth summer camps, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• June 25-29, Wildlife Rangers (ages 9-12)
• July 30-Aug. 3, Junior Wildlife Rehabilitators (ages 12-15)
• Aug. 27-31, Wildlife Rangers, ages 9-12
Three Family Wildlife Days, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.:
• June 30, Raptors of the Sky
• July 14, Wild Babies
• Aug. 18, Animal Hospital
Registration is required. For fees and registrations forms visit www.chintiminiwildlife.org/summer
programs.htm or call 745-3029 or email cbarnes_cwc@comcast.net
Maureen Beezhold coordinates the local chapter of the Northwest Earth Institute and is assistant coordinator for the Corvallis chapter of the Oregon Natural Step Network. For information on any of these projects, call 752-3517.