Corvallis Sustainability Coalition

TO PROMOTE AN ECOLOGICALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND SOCIALLY HEALTHY CITY AND COUNTY THROUGH DEMOCRATIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES CONSISTENT WITH OUR GUIDING OBJECTIVES.

RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC, FOSTERING A SECURE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM AND PROMOTING ECONOMIC VITALITY: THE FOOD ACTION TEAM CONTINUED TO OPERATE IT'S ON US CORVALLIS (IOU CORVALLIS), AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM TO HELP SUPPORT LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND FEED PEOPLE WHO NEED A MEAL. DURING 2021 IOU VOLUNTEERS INFUSED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 16,000 MEALS FROM 38 LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANTS, MANY THAT WERE OWNED BY BIPOC INDIVIDUALS OR FIRST-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS. THEY PARTNERED WITH A MOBILE PAYMENT APP (KUTO) TO PROVIDE ELECTRONIC GIFT CARDS FOR USE AT 24 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS, MAKING IT EASIER FOR CUSTOMERS TO ORDER MEALS AND TO SAVE RESTAURANTS SIGNIFICANTLY ON CREDIT CARD FEES. THIS STREAMLINED PROCESS ALLOWED RECIPIENTS OF IOU-FUNDED MEALS A CHOICE ABOUT WHEN AND WHAT THEY WERE EATING, AND PROVIDED A SENSE OF NORMALCY, ANONYMITY, AND DIGNITY. THE FOOD ACTION TEAM CONTINUED TO ENCOURAGE MORE FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH THEIR LOCAL FARMS AND THE PRODUCTS THEY OFFER, BY (1) SPONSORING FARM TO TABLE MONTH, CONNECTING 14 LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANTS WITH AREA FARMERS TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF MENU INGREDIENTS BEING SOURCED LOCALLY, (2) DISTRIBUTING THE 12TH EDITION OF THE CORVALLIS GARDEN RESOURCE GUIDE TO CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE GARDENERS, FOCUSED ON LOCAL RESOURCES FOR GROWING VEGETABLES, FRUIT, HERBS, MUSHROOMS, POULTRY AND BEES. AND (3) CONTINUED THE PROJECT TO GROW CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE VEGETABLES FOR LOCAL IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. THE ECONOMIC VITALITY TEAM CO-SPONSORED THE 11TH ANNUAL BUY LOCAL FIRST CAMPAIGN WHICH ENCOURAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO "THINK LOCAL FIRST" WHEN MAKING PURCHASES DURING THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON. THROUGH THE SAVING GREEN PROGRAM, SEVERAL CORVALLIS BUSINESSES INSTALLED ENERGY TRUST OF OREGON LED LIGHTING UPGRADES DURING 2021, SAVING THEM $38,000 ON THEIR POWER BILLS.

ENCOURAGING WASTE PREVENTION: THE COALITION CONTINUED THE NO FOOD LEFT BEHIND-CORVALLIS PROGRAM, WHICH REACHED OVER 10,000 PEOPLE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMAIL MESSAGING. THREE 15-MINUTE VIDEOS (IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH) WERE COMPLETED FOR SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, AND THE PUBLIC WITH ENTERTAINING LESSONS ON HOW TO PREVENT WASTED FOOD AT HOME AND SAVE MONEY IN THE PROCESS. A DOZEN "KITCHEN CONFESSIONS" BLOG POSTS WERE ADDED TO THE NFLB WEBSITE, SHARING FRESH FACTS, TIPS AND LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT PREVENTING WASTED FOOD. AT LOCAL FARMERS' MARKETS, OUR OUTREACH SPECIALIST DISTRIBUTED 180 COUNTER-TOP COMPOST PAILS AND MORE THAN 4,500 PRINTED SMART STRATEGIES (IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH). THE RECYCLING BLOCK CAPTAIN PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS EDUCATE NEIGHBORS ABOUT WASTE PREVENTION, DISTRIBUTED A SMART STRATEGIES HANDOUT ON HOW TO PREVENT WASTED FOOD. THE WASTE PREVENTION ACTION TEAM ALSO LAUNCHED AN INTERACTIVE, SEARCHABLE ONLINE WASTE PREVENTION DIRECTORY THAT FEATURES A SEARCHABLE FORMAT FOR REUSE, REPAIR AND RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES.

PROTECTING NATURAL RESOURCES, ACTING ON CLIMATE ACTION, SUPPORTING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, AND ENGAGING COMMUNITY: THE WATER ACTION TEAM PLANTED MORE THAN 1,200 NATIVE PLANTS AND IMPROVED NATURAL DRAINAGE PROCESSES AT 8 PROJECT SITES (2 SCHOOLS AND 6 PUBLIC AREAS) WITH A FOCUS ON REGENERATING URBAN WETLANDS AND STREAMS. AT THEIR LARGEST SITE, BALD HILL NATURAL AREA, THEY CONTINUED WORK TOWARD REGENERATION OF THE HEADWATERS OF NORTH DUNAWAI CREEK BY DISCONNECTING UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE PIPES AND CONSTRUCTING CREEK DIVERSION STRUCTURES OUT OF BRANCHES AND LOGS. THE COALITION CONTINUED ITS SOLARIZE CORVALLIS PROGRAM (A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OREGON CLEAN POWER CO-OP) TO ACCELERATE OUR COMMUNITY'S TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY. DURING 2021 THREE SOLARIZE CORVALLIS PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED: (1) 150 KW AT CORVALLIS HIGH SCHOOL FUNDED IN PART BY $120,000 FROM COMMUNITY INVESTORS, (2) 40 KW AND SOLAR BATTERIES AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WITH THE CONGREGATION RAISING ALL OF THE FUNDS, AND (3) 98 KW AT BLOCK 15 TAP ROOM AND BREWERY FUNDED IN PART BY $48,000 FROM COMMUNITY INVESTORS. THE ENERGY ACTION TEAM DEVELOPED THE COALITION'S HOME RETROFIT CLINICS TO PROVIDE PERSONALIZED 2-HOUR EVALUATIONS OF A HOME'S ENERGY USE AND CREATE A PATH TOWARD LOWER GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS. THE COMMUNITY INCLUSION ACTION TEAM CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ORIENTATION SESSIONS TO OTHER COALITION ACTION TEAMS IN THE USE OF THE EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT TO INFORM OUR EFFORTS TO INTEGRATE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INTO OUR ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, AND ALSO CO-SPONSORED THE CHAMPINEFU LECTURE SERIES, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE THE CORVALLIS COMMUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTAND, AND COLLABORATE WITH THE KALAPUYA CULTURE AND FOCUSED IN 2021 ON A NATIVE APPROACH TO FIRE, FOREST, AND WATER MANAGEMENT THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. THE TRANSPORTATION ACTION TEAM SPONSORED A SERIES OF WEBINARS: "RETHINKING STREETS" FEATURING DR. MARC SCHLOSSBERG AND "INTERSECTIONS FOR PEOPLE" WITH NICK FALBO, BOTH STRESSED SAFER STREET DESIGN TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO WALK AND BIKE. CHRISTY ANDERSON BREKKEN'S PRESENTATION ON TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION OUTLINED OREGON'S REGULATORY PATHWAYS TO DECARBONIZE ENERGY THROUGH OUR TRANSPORTATION CHOICES. THE LAND USE ACTION TEAM CONTINUED TO EXPLORE PARKING ISSUES, AND DELIVERED A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS TO THE CORVALLIS CITY COUNCIL, POINTING OUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PARKING AND SUCH ISSUES AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CLIMATE CHANGE. IN ADDITION, THE COALITION CONTINUED TO EXPAND AND DEEPEN ITS COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH ITS 386 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.

.HOUSING THE HOMELESS: THE HOUSING ACTION TEAM, IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, CONTINUED THE SAFEPLACE PROGRAM, A PROGRAM PROVIDING TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED LOCATED IN OR NEAR PARKING LOTS OF LOCAL CHURCHES, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION AND PLACEMENT OF MICROSHELTERS (PORTABLE, ONE-ROOM, WOOD-FRAMED STRUCTURES THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH HEAT, LIGHTING AND LOCKS). THE GOAL OF SAFEPLACE IS TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS, COUPLES, AND FAMILIES IN HOUSING TRANSITION BY PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING COUPLED WITH CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND PEER SUPPORT. ELECTRICITY WAS INSTALLED FOR NEWLY INSTALLED MICROSHELTERS AT ONE OF THE CHURCH PROPERTIES DURING THE YEAR. THE SAFEPLACE PROGRAM WAS INCORPORATED DURING 2021 INTO THE PROGRAMS OF ANOTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, UNITY SHELTER, THE UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION THAT INCLUDES PROGRAMS THAT SHARE ITS MISSION TO PROVIDE SAFE SHELTER THROUGH COLLABORATIVE CARE. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE MEN'S SHELTER, SAFEPLACE, AND ROOM AT THE INN (FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN). UNITY SHELTER PROVIDES THE OVERARCHING FISCAL AND OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT FOR EACH OF THE PROGRAMS. THE HOUSING ACTION TEAM AWARDED A GRANT OF $16,480 TO UNITY SHELTER TO SUPPORT ITS PROGRAMS. HOUSING ACTION TEAM MEMBERS ALSO DISTRIBUTED YARD SIGNS TO RECOGNIZE THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE MADE THEIR HOMES ALL-ELECTRIC AND SOLAR-POWERED.