Environmental
Federation of Oregon
P.O. Box 40333
Portland, OR 97240
(503) 223-9015
info@efo.org

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Brown Bag Lunch Presentations

Video Presentations

Urban Forests and Seed the Future Campaign
This ten minute video explores the history of trees in Portland, the importance of maintaining an urban forest, and Friends of Trees' Seed the Future Campaign, a five year effort to plant 144,000 trees and seedlings in the Portland area by the year 2001. A speaker from Friends of Trees will share information about our urban forest and how you can help leave a legacy of trees for future generations.

Wetlands Restoration: Steps to Success
The Wetlands Conservacy's scientific director will present an informative video that discusses the importance of wetlands, cover some basic techniques of wetlands restoration, and highlight several of The Wetlands Conservancy's successes throughout northwestern Oregon.

Torrents of Change
This acclaimed video is a dramatic examination of the relationship between forest management practices and the severity of landslides and debris torrents, and the impacts on stream systems and fish. A representative from Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics will discuss the landslide issue from safety, forest management, and environmental perpspectives.

Slide Presentations

Why Some Rivers Dry Up In Oregon And What You Can Do About It
A representative from WaterWatch will show how water is used and managed in Oregon, why some streams are literally sucked dry, why stream flow restoration is so important for fish survival and recovery, and how average citizens can get involved. Note: Must borrow slide projector and screen.

Oregon's High Desert: Beauty in Peril
Oregon's high desert is a place of tremendous beauty and few human inhabitants. For those who have never visited Oregon east of Bend, the Sierra Club presents an opportunity to experience one of the state's most magical places and to learn about an environment in need of protection.

Oregon Wild
The Oregon Wild Campaign is Oregon Natural Resources Council's effort to permanently protect Oregon's most pristine national forests. Many of these areas are ancient forests providing drinking water and salmon habitat, yet still are susceptible to logging. The Oregon Wild Campaign acknowledges that these places are special and deserve to be enjoyed by our children and grandchildren, just as we enjoy them now. This slide show tells of our efforts to save these last, best places.

Columbia River Gorge: Natural Wonder, National Treasure
Designated a National Scenic Area in 1986, the Columbia River Gorge is home to a diverse array of native plants, including 16 species of wildflowers found nowhere else on earth! A representative from Friends of the Columbia Gorge will discuss the history of the Columbia Gorge from cultural, geological, and biological perspectives, as well as illustrate the economic benefits that have resulted from giving protection to this unique area.

What is happening in Oregon's High Desert?
Home to pronghorn antelope, majestic bighorn sheep, birds, and rare plants, Oregon's high desert is like no place else on the planet. Yet it is imperiled by human activities that have destroyed vegetation, eroded soils, and reduced biodiversity. A representative from Oregon Natural Desert Association will discuss legislation that has been proposed to protect some of the 13.5 million acres of public land in the high desert.

Protecting the Willamette River
Millions of gallons of pollution enter the Willamette River every year, from farmland fertilizers to oil from parking lots and streets. A speaker from the Oregon Environmental Council teaches how you can help make the Willamette a cleaner river.

Preserving Oregon for Our Children
Trust for Public Land has been acquiring some of Oregon's most scenic and most treasured areas and transferring them into public ownership for parks, open spaces and nature preserves. Take a visual journey to some of these places and find out how TPL has worked to reduce crime in neighborhoods and return heritage to native peoples through the transfer of lands into public ownership.

Tualatin Riverkeepers: A Success Story in Progress
The Tualatin River is a clean water success story. The past decade has seen a public/private partnership restore a once polluted river into a valuable natural resource for drinking water, recreation and wildlife habitat. Citizens are key to continued success, and the Tualatin Riverkeepers is leading the effort to activate hundreds of citizens to play stewardship roles in the watershed. Come learn the role you play in achieving a healthy watershed. Group can provide projector and screen if need be.

Gardening for Wildlife
A representative from the National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habitat program will show ways in which individuals can make simple, wildlife-friendly changes in the way they manage their yards, patios and gardens. The slide show will include ideas for decreasing lawn space, tips on locating bird feeders, selecting plant material, and attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Information about certifying your backyard as a wildlife habitat will be available. Note: Available in the Portland-metro area only.

Oregon's Last Great Places
Take a visual journey to several of the 53 preserves in Oregon that are protected by The Nature Conservancy of Oregon. Learn about The Conservancy's work identifying, researching, and protecting critical habitat.

Forest Ecology and Opal Creek
Opal Creek naturalist will present slides showcasing the beauty and grandeur of the Opal Creek forest. This old growth ecosystem, protected in 1996 as a Wilderness and Scenic Recreation Area, is home to 1000-year-old trees, deer, elk, black bears, and spotted owls. Discover the interesting ecological relationships between forests and their organisms.

Return of Wild Salmon
The return of salmon to their native streams is one of nature's grandest spectacles. Take a slide show journey with Oregon Trout educators to learn about the historical, cultural, and biological importance of wild salmon. Explore the current efforts to save salmon, and learn how community members can be involved in protecting and restoring these native fish and their ecosystems.

Speakers

How Much Bug Killer Can We Take?
A speaker from the Oregon Environmental Council will discuss the amount of pesticides that are being applied to our farms, parks and yards, what effect all these chemicals are having on our children and animals, and how we can limit the amount of pesticides going into our environment. Discuss Right-to-Know laws, which are the first step in controlling the amount of pesticides we use.

Native Plants of Oregon
This presentation on Oregon's native plants can be tailored to your interests. Topics can range from plant salvage to conservation to use of native plants in gardening.

Natural Step
Every one is talking about "sustainability," but what does it really mean? And how can you apply it to your life at home and at work? The Northwest Earth Institute's Natural Step presentation offers principles that companies, organizations, and individuals can use to evaluate whether or not they are moving toward sustainable practices. The Natural Step approach makes it clear how our economy is intricately tied to our ecology.

Simplicity: Living More Lightly on the Earth
How much is enough? When do material possessions add meaning to our lives and when do they detract? Do we engage in patterns of material consumption that damage the environment? A representative from Northwest Earth Institute will address these questions and discuss the meaning and practice of simplicity, along with steps that can be taken to move toward a life that is simple in means and rich in ends.

Workshops and Discussions

Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth
Recycling Advocates offers several workshops on things you can do in your home to reduce your garbage output and make your home more environmentally friendly. Topics include: "Using Worms For Compost", "Reducing Waste From Your Lunches", "Alternatives to Toxic Household Cleaners", "The Big Picture of The Recycling Process", and "How to Help Save The World Without Losing Your Mind or Your Friends".

Southern Oregon: Ecology and Economy
Headwaters offers a variety of speakers and slide shows with topics including: "Fire Hazard Reduction Project in the Rogue River National Forest", "Environmental Education for Students, Teachers, Citizens and Activists", "Environmental History of the Rogue Valley", "Forest Soil Ecology", "Community Sustainability and Public and Private Land Issues", and "Local and National Forest Issues and Upcoming Legislation".

How Can I Help?: Volunteering for Environmental Projects and Programs
Translating our concern for the natural environment into meaningful, gratifying action sounds great, but how do we get started? A representative from the Environmental Federation of Oregon will discuss clarifying our priorities and assessing our interests, needs, and available time. Information on a broad range of volunteer opportunities may suggest possibilities you hadn't considered. Making a match with the right projects and organizations can help you begin to make the difference you want for your community.

The Environmental Federation of Oregon (EFO) creates partnerships with businesses to make it easier for Oregonians to support community groups that are important to them.

EFO's Brown Bag Lunch presentations offer employees a fun educational experience without having to leave work! Employees enjoy audiovisual presentations, workshops, and speaker-led discussions on a range of environmental topics. Meanwhile, they also learn about ways they can get involved in helping create a better environment for Oregon, today and tomorrow.

To arrange a Brown Bag Lunch presentation at your workplace, call EFO at (503) 223-9015.