Posted: Tuesday, January 6, 2009 12:00 am
Earth Year
By MAUREEN BEEZHOLD
For the Gazette-Times
Artist Hans Hoffman writes, "The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."
Is it time to eliminate the unnecessary in your life? As a nation we are being hurled into examining our relationship with stuff n whether it's the multitudinous "doo-dads", the fancier car or the bigger house. While there is no denying the economic meltdown is negatively impacting the poor and lower middle class, one could argue that perhaps refocusing our economy on something more sustainable than the accumulation of stuff might improve our health and well-being.
Interested in pursuing this further? Consider hosting the newly revised Northwest Earth Institute discussion course, "Voluntary Simplicity." Explore how to live more with less and create an action plan to make it happen. For more information contact 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org.
Here are other Earth-friendly opportunities to start the new year:
• Receive a free weed inventory: Trained weed spotter volunteers will conduct weed inventories on your property. You will receive a binder of personalized information and a native plant sale gift certificate. Contact Heath Keirstead at 753-7208 or hkeirstead@bentonswcd.org. (For more on the program, see the last item in this column.)
• "Exploring Deep Ecology:"
7 p.m. to 8:20 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Jan. 6. This nine-week Northwest Earth Institute discussion course explores the interdependency of life, how the biological and physical worlds interact and how our values and beliefs influence how we care for our planet and ourselves. Materials fee of $20 payable at first class meeting. Meet at Corvallis High School, Room 229, 1400 N.W. Buchanan Ave., Corvallis. Register at Benton Center, 757 N.W. Polk, or at first meeting. For more information contact Maureen at 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org. Sponsored by the Benton Center and Northwest Earth Institute.
• "Choices for Sustainable Living:" Noon to 12:50 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Jan. 13. This seven-session discussion course examines the ties between lifestyle choices and their impact on the earth. Bring your lunch to discuss sustainable buying, communities, business and visions of a sustainable planet. Materials fee of $20 payable at first class. Linn-Benton Community College, Room B118, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Albany. Registration at LBCC or at Benton Center, or at first meeting. For more information contact Maureen at 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org. Sponsored by Albany Community Education and Northwest Earth Institute.
• "An Evening of Native Plants:" 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Jan. 14. A presentation on the uses of native plants in the home landscape. Corvallis Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. Free. Contact 753-7208. Sponsored by the Benton Soil and Water Conservation District.
•"Naturalist Adventures with Tracking, Wild Edibles, Native Plants, and Birding:" 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 18. Meet at Avery Park Rose Garden, 1210 S.W. Avery Drive, Corvallis. For more information, contact Don Boucher, 753-7689 or bouchdon@peak.org.
• "Healthy Children/Healthy Planet: Raising Kids in a Consumer Culture:" Begins Jan. 21, 11 a.m. to noon every Wednesday, at the Timberhill Athletic Club, 2855 N.W. 29th St., Corvallis. $20 materials fee. This eight-week Northwest Earth Institute discussion course examines the influence of media and technology, advertising, and peer pressure on our children while looking at ways to increase creativity, joy and wonder. Contact 752-3517 or cnwei@peak.org for more information. Child care is available for a small fee. Sponsored by Northwest Earth Institute and the Timberhill Athletic Club.
• "Green Empowerment:"
4 to 5 p.m., Jan. 26, Bexell Hall, Room 416, Oregon State University College of Business, or 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 26, St. Mary's Catholic Church, 501 N.W. 25th St. Jason Selwitz will describe his work with Green Empowerment, a Portland nonprofit that works to implement renewable energy and water systems in developing economies like Nicaragua, Ecuador, Thailand and the Philippines.
• "The State of the Willamette River" panel discussion: 7 p.m. Jan. 29, Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. Join panelists from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Willamette Riverkeepers, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to talk about the state of the Willamette. Moderated by Todd Jarvis of the Institute for Water and Watersheds. Sponsored by the Corvallis Environmental Center and the Institute for Water and Watersheds.
• "Become a Weed Spotters Volunteer:" 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Thursday, Feb. 5 to March 12. This six-session volunteer training will familiarize you with the identification, costs and recommended control methods for some of our area's most invasive species. The trained volunteer will conduct at least four weed inventories in Benton County yards. The weed spotter volunteer will help identify weeds and provide residents with information about the invasive plants and additional actions and resources that will help reduce invasive weeds. Contact Heath Keirstead at 753-7208 or hkeirstead@ben