One of the highlights of the 2011 annual Town Hall Meeting was the “Community Scrapbook” slide presentation that told the story of sustainability progress made in Corvallis and Benton County in 2010.  Sixty Coalition partner organizations and action teams responded to the call for photos, and all 60 are featured in the slide program.  The accompanying narrative (link or listed?) helps tell their stories.

Kaci Buhl of the Coalition’s Communications and Marketing Committee created the “scrapbook” and presented the slides at the Town Hall Meeting on March 9, 2011, at the CH2MHill Alumni Center on the OSU campus.  The audience erupted into applause throughout Kaci’s presentation.

Taken together, these slides tell a remarkable story of a community in transition – one that is working to demonstrate the touchstones of sustainability: environmental quality, social equity, and economic vitality.

Below, you can read the notes to go with each slide.

Opening
Sit back and enjoy this community scrapbook, filled by people in Corvallis pursuing sustainability during 2010.

Abundant Solar
Abundant Solar installed panels in many commercial and residential buildings, including a new straw-bale home. They also converted their new work truck to use local waste vegetable oil.

Akro Construction
Akro Construction completed the first of its “Oregon High Performance Homes.” These homes have alternative sources of energy for heating and cooling.

Allied Waste
Allied Waste’s Pacific Region Compost became the first facility in Oregon permitted to accept food waste for composting. The PRC turned 170 tons of waste into compost.

Avery Addition Neighborhood Association
The Avery Addition Neighborhood Association started a garden at Peanut Park, working together to build six raised garden beds. They plan to grow a lot of produce and split or donate it.

Beaver Biodiesel
Beaver Biodiesel upgraded production systems to increase capacity, efficiency and quality. Now they can produce almost a million gallons per year of reasonably priced, renewable biodiesel.

Beit Am Mid-Willamette Jewish Community
The Mid-Willamette Jewish Community, known as Beit Am, started composting all of their food waste, and planted a row for the hungry, including potatoes for Stone Soup.

Benton County Fair & Rodeo
This valuable community space was preserved and renovated by donations from the community.

Benton County (1 of 2)
Benton County used grant funds to replace lighting fixtures and windows to reduce energy use.

Benton County (2 of 2)
They also used recycled concrete beams on a bridge and recycled asphalt on a road. They also installed three culverts that allow fish to pass.

Benton County Master Gardeners
Benton County Master Gardeners donated the harvest from their Plant-a-Row garden. This program provides fresh produce to local soup kitchens and food cupboards.

Benton Habitat for Humanity
Benton Habitat for Humanity completed two affordable homes with two families with six children.

Benton Habitat for Humanity Restore
Benton Habitat for Humanity ReStore diverted more than 662 tons of material from the landfill.

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District (part 1 of 2)
The Benton Soil & Water Conservation District launched a Soil Quality Project that values ecosystem services provided by the soil and helps farmers maximize the return on their investments.

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District (part 1 of 2)
They provided experience for 7 OSU students and educated 63 professionals about soil science.

Blue Sky
The Blue Sky program recruited 900 new residential customers, and partnered with eight local businesses. As a result, 7,000 trees were planted, and 53 million pounds of CO2 emissions were avoided.

Cirello’s Pizza & Pasta
Cirello’s Pizza made a commitment to offering pizzas made from local ingredients, including foods produced in Corvallis, Tangent, Philomath, Salem and Dayton.

City of Corvallis – Moose lodge
In this project, concrete was crushed and used as fill, timbers were re-used, and metals were recycled. The new parking lot has pervious pavement, re-used bike lockers, infrastructure for electric vehicle charging and drought-tolerant landscaping.

Community Alliance for Diversity
The Community Alliance for Diversity made our community welcoming and inclusive for all through such events such as the Pride Festival, Race Unity Picnic, and the Women’s History Dinner.

Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets
Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets redeemed more than $35,000 in Oregon Trail benefits and hosted two major public events: the Wheat Fleet and the Car Free Day Festival.

Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center
The Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center launched a new partnership with the Greenbelt Land Trust to provide a day’s paid work for unemployed individuals through the center’s Project HELP.

Corvallis Environmental Center (Edible Corvallis Initiative)
1.    The Corvallis Community Gardens served 100 families, completed a native garden, a berry patch, and installed irrigation for fruit trees.

2.    SAGE also hosted summer camps, field trips and a visiting Nobel laureate. SAGE has been growing, with a new grape arbor, bee garden and a cobb oven!

3.    Monthly local food tasting tables expanded to all Corvallis elementary schools. Bean dip and roasted delicata squash were both big hits!

4.    Avery House Nature Center allowed over 300 children to explore and connect with nature through nature education classes. They also offered adult workshops and family nature walks.

5.    Weatherization incentives inspired people to weatherize their homes and businesses. The Resource Efficiency Program logged over 2000 volunteer hours, and their efforts resulted in savings of over $100,000.00.

Corvallis High School
Corvallis High School students are purchasing another 3kW of solar capacity to add to their rooftop collection.

Corvallis Homeless Shelter Coalition
Over a million dollars were raised to support this new facility, which will provide a permanent home to some of Corvallis’s most vulnerable citizens.

Corvallis Local Foods
Corvallis Local Foods increased sales for local food producers by over $10,000. They began offering home-delivery using a bio-fuel-driven vehicle.

Corvallis Odd Fellows (1 of 2)
Last year, the Corvallis Odd Fellows partnered with others to add trees to the downtown area and serve the Buy Local Breakfasts on the first Saturdays of May, June and July.

Corvallis Odd Fellows (2 of 2)
They also got dirty last fall, helping out with the Crescent Valley native arboretum. And I hope you made it to the Eco-Film Festival last month.

Corvallis Pedicab
Corvallis Pedicab is becoming part of our everyday lives in Corvallis, and it’s catching on with  “Benny the Beaver.” For the Civil War game, they invited seven other pedicab services to help the crowds get around sustainably.

Corvallis School District/509J
The Corvallis School District saved $110,000 through energy conservation practices, and they received almost half a million dollars for lighting upgrades.

Crescent Valley High School
Students at Crescent Valley helped cut energy usage in the front office by performing monthly audits and taking action to encourage behavior change.

daVinci Days
da Vinci Days took a leap towards becoming a zero-waste event by starting a composting program. ONE TON of material was composted, cutting festival trash in HALF. OSU Campus Recycling managed the program with help from 70 volunteers.

Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon helped two farmers’ market restaurant booths launch their businesses, and they taught three low-cost classes in food processing at the Methodist church. Students made jam, pickles and salsa.

Energy Action Team (1 of 2)
The Coalition’s Energy Action Team helped launch the Community Carbon Challenge in the Jobs Addition Neighborhood, involving 285 residents in over 2000 energy-saving actions.

Energy Action Team (1 of 2)
They also trained 23 volunteers to be Energy Advocates ,who helped 87 people in Corvallis take recommended actions from their Home Energy Reviews.

Energy Trust of Oregon
Since 2002, Energy Trust of Oregon has been investing in energy efficiency and renewable power at more than 300,000 sites.

First Alternative Co-op
The Co-op rewards shoppers with a bean for every bag they bring. Shoppers voted with their beans to donate the savings to these local charities.

First United Methodist Church (FUMC)
The First United Methodist Church installed parking lights with energy-saving LEDs on a timer, to save energy. They also installed outlets for recharging electric vehicles.

Food Action Team (1 of 2)
“Corvallis Local 6 Connection” is a network of restaurants that use some ingredients from the local six-county area. The Coalition’s Food Action Team expanded the network and sponsored the first annual “Local Eats Week.”

Food Action Team (2 of 2)
They also launched the local gardening forum online. Now there’s a place to share observations and expertise about gardening right here in our town.

Green Currents
Green Currents installed over 44,000 gallons of rainwater storage capacity, to be used for flushing toilets, irrigation and more.

Greenbelt Land Trust
Thousands of people got involved with the Greenbelt Land Trust through events, tours and lectures,  they worked with 13 landowners on site-specific plans for conservation and stewardship.

Hospitality Vision
HospitalityVision promoted community events to visitors at local hotels, resorts, and visitor’s centers.

HOUR Exchange
The Corvallis HOUR Exchange sponsored four marketplace gatherings to promote local entrepreneurs. These gatherings build community networks and facilitate the use of Corvallis’ own local currency, “HOURS.”

Land Use and Housing Action Teams
The Coalition’s Action Teams for Land Use and Housing conducted a city-wide Neighborhood Inventory that focuses on walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods and neighborhood centers.

League of Women Voters of Corvallis
The League of Women Voters celebrated their 90th year of service, education and advocacy on many aspects of sustainability. On 10/10/10, they sponsored a Low Carbon Footprint Potluck, which featured foods that were low on the food chain.

Marys Peak Group – Sierra Club
The Marys Peak Group of the Sierra Club started a Native Plant Arboretum at Crescent Valley High School. They organized the effort and partnered with many local organizations and businesses.

Metzger Green Build
Metzger Green Build continues to provide solar energy and rain water collection to area homeowners.

Natural Areas Action Team
The Coalition’s Action Team on Natural Areas developed the first annual Week of Celebration last May, introducing hundreds of people to the abundant and beautiful open space in our community, and its flora and fauna.

Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a Charter Participant in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). That means they quantify sustainability and track their progress over time.

Oregon State University
OSU added Enterprise “WeCars” to their list of transportation options. The Energy Center became the first LEED Platinum-rated power facility on any university campus in the United States.

OSU Campus Recycling
During move-in, OSU Campus Recycling collect styrofoam for recycling. During move-out, they collect reusable goods and donate them to nonprofits. After serving over 2,000 people at the New Student Picnic, they had only 23 pounds of trash.

OSU Student Sustainability Initiative (1 of 2)
The Student Sustainability Initiative co-sponsored the Sustainaball, an event that brought the arts and sustainability together.

OSU Student Sustainability Initiative (2 of 2)
They also started offering sustainable cooking classes this year and gave over $19,000 in grant support for projects like the Kitchen on Wheels. This twice-weekly lunch cart served  affordable, sustainable meals on campus.

Roxy Dawgs
Opened in December, Roxy Dawgs provides Oregon-made foods using as many sustainable practices as possible. For example, their serving ware is compostable, provided by EcNow Tech.

Safe Routes to School
Covered bike parking was installed for Adams and Lincoln schools. Six area schools participated in monthly Walk and Bike to School days, with participation ranging from 40 to 80%!

Soilsmith Services
Soilsmith Services produced 2-3 hundred tons of compost. When farmers use compost and compost tea, they need less irrigation and fertilizer. It can also reduce problems with pests.

Solar Ki
By installing solar panels, Solar Ki makes it possible for local businesses and organizations to generate clean renewable energy.

Soup Cycle
SoupCycle is a new organic soup company that does bicycle delivery. Since last April, they have made over 1300 bicycle deliveries of soups like Brazilian Black Bean and Hungarian Mushroom.

Sundborn Children’s House
Hundreds of supporters of Sundborn Children’s House Montessori school partnered with others to create an enclosed play area with re-used materials and a living roof.

Sunwize
Local solar installer SunWize challenged Corvallis residents to install 60kW of solar power in 60 days! They met the challenge and SunWize donated $6,000 to the Corvallis High School Green Club!

Ten Rivers Food Web (1 of 3)
Ten Rivers Food Web worked with low-income residents to grow food for the OSU Emergency Food Pantry. They also showcased local farms, foods and culinary talent to 500 spectators at the first Chef’s Show-off.

Ted Rivers Food Web (2 of 3)
“Oregon Grains Bread” is an all-Oregon product with wheat, flax, and oats grown by local farms. At the Wheat Fleet, volunteers paddled the grains along their traditional route from fields near Eugene to mills in Corvallis.

Ted Rivers Food Web (3 of 3)
Volunteers brought farmers to A2R Farms for the first annual Fill Your Pantry Market, where hundreds stocked up on locally grown beans, grains, potatoes, honey and more.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship made the investment to install 40 solar panels. Returning about 6% annually for 15 years, monthly payments from the utility will pay back the endowment.

Waste Prevention Action Team (1 of 2)
The Coalition’s Waste Prevention Action Team used event displays, local cable TV, and a new block captains campaign to increase participation in the City’s curbside food waste collection program.

Waste Prevention Action Team (2 of 2)
They also distributed 1,000 copies of their new Reuse Directory, which includes a listing of local businesses and non-profits that accept every-day items for reuse.

Water Action Team
The Coalition’s Water Action Team launched the Three Waters Project at the South Co-op. They conserved over a million gallons of tap water, designed a discharge reduction plan and installed rainwater collection tanks.

Willamette Disc Golf
Did you know that disc golf is more sustainable than regular golf? It’s more compatible with native plants and animals; it doesn’t require chemicals, irrigation or daily mowing, and it’s more affordable. The Parks Departments for Corvallis and Benton County are collaborating with the club.

Willamette Seed & Grain
In 2010, Willamette Seed & Grain was established by three area farms and one processor. Through crop rotations and collective storage, the farms provide customers with a steady supply of beans, grains, and flour.

Corvallis – Big finish
EPA honored two communities in 2010, by naming them “Green Power Communities of the Year.” They were Park City, UT and Corvallis, OR. Commitments made by the City, the University, the Energy Trust of Oregon and community members like you made all the difference.