Agency: Hands On Greater Portland

Description: It’s 2009: Green is the new black, we’re recycling more than ever, and Portland is leading the country in many sustainable initiatives. But despite the push for a more sustainable way, we are still a society vastly motivated by consumption and the collection of material goods.

How many different components had to come together to make that shirt on your back? Just how much e-waste is created each year as we ditch our old computers for the newest model? What happens to all of the “stuff” we put out on the curbside, whether in recycling bins or trashbags?

During March and April, this TeamWorks team will delve into the cycle of extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal that underlies the consumer markets of today, and explore ways that local organizations are working to make this process more sustainable. We will begin by watching the 20-minute short film, “The Story of Stuff” as a springboard for discussion, and then embark on a series of related volunteer projects to deepen our understanding of the issues on a local level. We’ll replace pesticides with human-power at a local park, help clean up areas of a restored landfill, prepare computer parts for recycling, tour one of Metro’s processing centers, and more. If you've ever been curious to dig deeper into some of these issues, now's your chance!

TeamWorks teams consist of approximately 10-12 individuals, led by a Hands On volunteer leader, who commit to volunteering for every project in the series, so please check your schedule before signing up! Questions can be directed to melia@handsonportland.org or 503.200.3370.

Team Schedule!

Tues, March 24: Kickoff w/ Story of Stuff video and discussion
6:30 - 8:00pm
Hands On Greater Portland offices, N.W. Portland
We’ll meet each other, watch the Story of Stuff, and have our first discussion on the topic. Feel free to watch the video before coming to the meeting if you’d like to have time to think about it before hand. “The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.”

Sat, March 28: Volunteer at the Better Living Show
10:00am – 3:00pm
Portland Expo Center, N. Portland
We’ll kick off our first volunteer project at the Better Living Show, coined the Northwest's largest sustainable lifestyle show. We’ll spend most of the time helping out with registration and the front door, and then we’ll have the chance to roam free, attend some workshops and presentations, and consider how the expo may or may not promote a more sustainable style of consumerism.

Sat, April 4: St. John’s Landfill Watershed Re-vegetation Project
9:30am – 12:30pm
St. John’s Landfill, N. Portland
In 1940, a N. Portland lake was designated as a landfill and served as the region’s primary garbage disposal site for the next 50 years. We’re going to see just how much it’s changed, thanks to the City of Portland’s restoration efforts since 1980! After the introduction, we’ll help out with some beautification/clean-up of the much-improved watershed.

Sat, April 11: Help Keep Portland Parks Pesticide-Free
9:00am – 12:00pm
Lair Hill Park, SW Portland
Put your work gloves on and get ready to be a part of the person-power that keeps five of Portland’s parks pesticide-free. We’ll be helping weed and mulch shrub beds, thus keeping potent pesticides out of the land and air. In the process, we’ll consider some of consequences of using pesticides in our “production” of pretty parks, food crops, and more.

Sun, April 19: The Lifecycle of a Garment: Guest Speaker Jil Zilligen & a Field trip to Goodwill
12:00pm - 4:30
EcoTrust Building, NW Portland & Goodwill Outlet, SE Portland/Milwaukie
Join Jil Zilligen, former Vice President of Enrivonmental Initiatives at Patagonia, Inc. and former Chief Sustainability Officer with Nau, Inc., for an informative discussion on the lifecycle of a garment. What does it take to make a sustainable piece of clothing and why should we care? We’ll meet at the Natural Capital Center (the “EcoTrust” building), a sustainably restored gem in Portland’s Pearl District, and get a short tour of the building. We’ll peak into Patagonia, a clothing company that has taken some serious steps towards supporting environmental and sustainable initiatives. Finally, we’ll trek over to the east side to visit "The Bins," Goodwill's biggest outlet store, to learn about what it's doing to make sure clothing gets a second -- or third -- chance at life.

Sat, April 25: Free Geek’s Electronic Recycling Dept.
12:00pm – 4:00pm
Free Geek, S.E. Portland
Free Geek’s mission is “to recycle used technology to provide computers, education, internet access and job skills training to those in need in exchange for community service.” We’ll get an introduction to their facility and then get to try our own hand at electronics recycling as we help prepare materials for a second chance at life.

Sat, May 2: Tour of Metro’s Central Transfer Station & TeamWorks Wrap-up
10:00am – 1:00pm
Metro Transfer Station, N.W. Portland
Ever wonder just where your trash and recycling actually goes? Or how toxic chemicals get properly “disposed”? We’ll find out just that as we take a tour of Metro’s central transfer station, where everything is brought, sorted, and ultimately “dealt with,” whether that means recycled into a new life or left to the landfill. Once we finish the tour, we’ll meet up as a group to debrief all that we’ve done, what we’ve learned, and how we can continue to be active in promoting a more sustainable future for Portland, Oregon, and beyond.

Impact Areas: Environment, Health & Wellness, Other

Interests: The interests recommended for this project are:
Community Enrichment, Health, Environment, Education

Skills: The skills helpful for participation in this project are:
Working with People, Like to Work on Events, Yard Work & Gardening, Facilitation/Conversation, Trail work & Planting