New Laws Tackle Single-Use Plastic
OREGON AND PORTLAND INTRODUCE NEW LAWS AIMED AT REDUCING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC. LEARN HOW THEY WORK AND WHEN THEY TAKE EFFECT
Volunteer Opportunities
Join in. Have fun. Make a difference!
Visit the full October Volunteer Calendar
Appreciations
Centurions
A special thanks to Master Recyclers who go above and beyond Certification! We have a special group of Master Recyclers called Centurions who have reported more than 100 hours. There are 103 of these committed individuals!
Stephanie King (Class 64) is inspiring change in East Multnomah County. She started her journey working to improve recycling and even encourage reuse at the Outlet Mall in Troutdale where she works. She also joined the Master Recycler team at Cracked Pots event at the Edgefield for the last three years. Then Stephanie really kicked it into gear helping the City of Gresham promote recycling and food waste prevention at the Farmers' Market, Earth Day events, Teddy Bear Parade, Strawberry Shortcake festival, and Rock the Block. She's also helped with innovative projects at several Multifamily communities, distributing recycling bags, joining a bulky waste event, and sharing ideas on reuse. Stephanie was caught on TV in Tigard recycling styrofoam at Agilyx.
Certified Master Recyclers
Thank you to all of you who completed your 30 volunteer hours this month! Your commitment to inspire change in our community is felt throughout the region!
Silvia with Laura Gumpert (Class 71)
¡Felicidades a Maria Silvia Tuyub Ke (Class 70) quien terminó sus 30 horas y es oficialmente certificado como una experta de reciclaje! Silvia asistió la clase por Trash for Peace. Ella ayudo a organizar un almario de ropa (y otras cosas) para su comunidad multifamiliar en Rockwood Station. También allí dio presentaciones a sus vecinos y familia sobre los temas del reciclaje, hogares sanas y como ahorra la comida.
Jorge at STEAM night
Jorge Turcios (Class 71) spent many of his volunteer hours going door-to-door in multifamily communities from Gresham to Hillsboro, ensuring residents have the information they need to recycle. He also offered toxics reduction & recycling education at the Virginia Garcia Health Fair, Woodlawn STEAM night, and Latino Cultural Festival.
Kaitii at Kenton SOLV cleanup
Kaitii Bandura (Class 71) is the general manager of the small business Posies Bakery and Café in Kenton. So Kaitii focused much of her volunteer hours in that area. She organized a SOLV cleanup day and talked with fellow businesses about tools and tips she learned in the class. She found some creative solutions for her neighboring businesses, including a local place to compost coffee and a local artist who wants plastic milk caps.
Emily at Lee Elementary
Emily Wolff (Class 72) is the first member of the spring Clackamas County class to complete her 30 hour commitment! Emily has been busy since their May graduation. She worked to add composting at Verdict Bar and Upscale cafe where she is a barista. She offered a series of presentations and engaged kids in doing a waste audit at Lee Elementary School. She also fell in love with Repair Fairs when she participated in the West Linn event. She has been learning the ropes on organizing these amazing community gatherings. So, she is clearly just getting started with her Master Recycler hours.
Katie with Congressmen Earl Blumenauer who shared his enthusiasm for food and sustainability.
Katie Ash (Class 72) shared her enthusiasm for sustainability all over the region. She started out talking about recycling with the Master Recycler team in the Milwaukie Farmers' Market and Foster-Powell National Night Out. She shared tips and resources on food waste prevention at the Good in the Hood event in NE Portland and supported the swap and bulky waste collection event at apartments in Rockwood. Along with these events, Katie spent many hours at work starting a green team at Northwest Housing Alternatives. She reported her most recent hours on her due date (although we are still waiting on that news)!
Conservation News
Connect the dots between your values + the impact of your actions during The People's Ecochallenge!
Ecochallenge.org's social change platform + curriculum connect a global community of advocates and changemakers, each doing what we can, in ways that are most relevant to us, to make this great spinning dot we call home a healthier, more equitable, more sustainable place. Welcome to The People's Ecochallenge!
Apply now: Investment and Innovation Program Grants
The next cycle of program grant applications are due October 11, 2019 for grants up to $75,000
The next deadline for the 2019 Investment and Innovation program grant cycle is October 11 for grants to support creative ideas, build resiliency and reduce health and environmental impacts of materials produced, used or discarded in the greater Portland area. For more information read the Program Grant Handbook.
Details about the Investment and Innovation program:
Provides funding for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations involved in reducing, reusing, recycling, composting or recovering energy from materials that may otherwise be discarded as waste
Focuses on strengthening the greater Portland area's reuse, repair and recycling systems, as well as on reducing environmental and health impacts in the local manufacture and use of products
Helps achieve the goals of the 2030 Regional Waste Plan, the blueprint for improving the greater Portland area's garbage and recycling system
Advances Metro’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by investing in projects that benefit communities and workers in the garbage and recycling systems, and increases access for historically underserved residents.
Offers two types of grants:
Program grants between $25,000 and $75,000 that can support personnel costs, operations and equipment associated with new or expanded programming. Proposals are due October 11 and grants will be announced January 2020.
Capital grants between $50,000 and $750,000 each, for large equipment and facility infrastructure improvements. Metro is not currently accepting applications for capital grants; the 2019 proposal deadline has passed and proposals are currently under review.
Metro recently awarded three 2019 program grants. See here for a list of grantees from the 2018 grant cycle.
How do I apply?
Applications are accepted through Metro's online application system ZoomGrants.
Jobseekers board
The board has some exciting opportunities right now (with some immediate deadlines)
Clackamas Bilingual Outreach Sustainability Analyst
Metro Parks Equity and Racial Justice Manager
Metro Recycling Information Program Coordinator
DEQ Building Material and Reuse/Repair Specialist