The CEC was founded in 1994 as a grassroots effort to take action on a number of environmental issues. Our mission is to provide learning opportunities and technical outreach to Corvallis area residents and businesses, giving them the tools to make ecologically, socially, and economically sound choices. The CEC educates people about issues of sustainability, wise use of natural resources, and the importance of local ecosystems and natural areas. Each year we reach more than 10,000 people directly through programs and outreach activities. See our Vision & Principles
Avery House Nature Center (AHNC) provides classes and activities for all ages, helping community members connect with nature through science-based inquiry, journaling, art activities, group projects, and field trips.
Edible Corvallis Initiative (ECI) is a community based, collaborative program to promote an environmentally and economically thriving foodshed in the mid-Willamette Valley. Programs under the ECI include:
- Starker Arts Garden for Education (SAGE)
- Farm to School
- Community Gardens
- Backyard Fowl
- Corvallis Community Harvest Fruit & Nut Tree Project
The Resource Efficiency Program (REP) works with small to medium businesses/organizations in Benton County providing the education and assistance needed to reduce the amount of natural resources (materials, energy and water) that they consume.
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“Teaching this ecological knowledge – which may be called ‘principles of ecology,’ ‘principles of sustainability,’ ‘principles of community,’ or even the ‘basic facts of life’ – will be the most important role of education in the next century.”
-Fritjof Capra
