The 2023 Salem Environmental Education’s adult education series, Zoom to Sustainability, delivers a variety of informative presentations via Zoom that enable attendees to consider actions related to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Programs include: February – Maximizing Your Garden: Part 1, April – Electric Cars, June – Marine Energy, August – Maximizing Your Garden: Part 2, November – TBD. Check this website for more details as the programs near.

Registration is required and details of the presentation and directions for linking to Zoom will be provided before each presentation at this website and the SEE Facebook page. The programs are free and open to the general public.

Tuesday, February 7, 7:00 p.m.

Join Oregon State University Marion County Master Food Preservers in learning how to plan your garden for food preservation. Explore how to optimize your current growing space or plan for a new garden, choosing plant varieties, timing your plantings, and selecting which preservation methods support your goals. Learn how to maximize your garden to access delicious, high-quality food items that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Presenter Sarita Contreras is an Education Program Assistant for Food Preservation and Community Horticulture at Oregon State University Extension in Marion County. With a background in Public Health, Sarita is driven to find ways to support and increase food accessibility by sharing food security and safety programming with our Oregon neighbors. This is a two-part program where part one will focus on the garden and part two will focus on preservation, Part two is on Wednesday, August 9.

A recording is saved below for those wishing to view the program.

Wednesday, April 12, 7:00 p.m.

This presentation will describe current efforts to harness energy from the ocean environment,
including power from ocean winds, waves, and tides. Half the presentation will cover the
emergence of floating offshore wind as a viable commercial-scale energy technology, and the
potential for its development in federal waters off Oregon’s coast; the other half will cover the
Pacific Marine Energy Center (PMEC) and its work to accelerate research and development of
wave, tidal, in-river, and offshore wind energy technologies – including an overview of Oregon
State University’s PacWave testing facilities.

Jason Sierman is a Senior Energy Policy Analyst with the Oregon Department of Energy. His
areas of focus span a variety of power grid topics, such as utility power planning, transmission,
storage, and offshore wind. Prior to his current role, he was an Energy Policy Analyst with the
Department’s Siting Division that supports Oregon’s Energy Facility Siting Council.

The program is free and open to the public. The registration link is: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ocean-energy-tickets-576338021537

Wednesday, June 14, 7:00 p.m

This presentation covers why you would want to select an electric vehicle, considerations for picking an electric vehicle, and ways to fuel your electric vehicle, along with other associated information.

Presenter Evan Elias is an Energy Analyst with the Planning and Innovation Division at the Oregon Department of Energy and has held this position for the last 5 years of his 26 years with the agency. Among Evans current work projects, he analyzes information and data regarding Oregon’s transportation sector fuel use, which focuses on alternative fuels and transportation electrification. He led the development of the Oregon EV Dashboard and a well-received program that provides Consumer Owned Utilities with data to help them understand where EVs are likely charging in their service territories. Evan is a strong cross agency collaborator and has worked with sister agency ODOT, to produce transit bus and school bus life cycle cost tools that assist in screening alternative fuel options.  He is also a contributing author for the ODOE Biennial Energy and Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Reports.

Wednesday, August 9, 7:00 p.m.

Join Oregon State University Marion County Master Food Preservers in learning how to plan your garden for food preservation. Explore how to optimize your current growing space or plan for a new garden, choosing plant varieties, timing your plantings, and selecting which preservation methods support your goals. Learn how to maximize your garden to access delicious, high-quality food items that can be enjoyed throughout the year. This is part two of a garden series with a focus on preservation.

Presenter Sarita Contreras is an Education Program Assistant for Food Preservation and Community Horticulture at Oregon State University Extension in Marion County. With a background in Public Health, Sarita is driven to find ways to support and increase food accessibility by sharing food security and safety programming with our Oregon neighbors.