To all the birds I've loved before

Visit the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, March 29 from 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Sherwood to celebrate the dedication of the new Wildlife Center. The free event includes a ribbon cutting ceremony, tours of the new Wildlife Center, guided nature walks and educational activities for everyone.

The celebration continues from 6 - 9 p.m. at Tualatin High School when author Richard Louv will speak about the importance of bringing children into nature and sign copies of his book, Last Child in the Woods. Enter to win a prize package including four tickets to the event and a copy of Last Child in the Woods. The winner will be drawn on Friday, March 14. Clean Water Services employees are not eligible.

Sanitation for the global population

Next time you flush the toilet, think about this: 2.6 billion people — some 41 percent of the global population — do not have access to latrines or any sort of basic sanitation facilities. Draw attention to this issue by celebrating World Water Day on March 20, 2008.

To put the spotlight on sanitation, the UN General Assembly declared 2008 the International Year of Sanitation. The goal is to raise awareness and accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to reduce by half, the number of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015. Learn more about our award-winning treatment facilities or contact us for a tour.

Full sale ahead

Get a head start on your spring planting. Visit some local native plant sales and get beautiful, drought tolerant plants that require fewer chemicals and protect water quality. Use our Native Plant Finder to decide which plants will suit your landscape and get a free poster to help identify species.

Tail end of voting

There's still time to cast your vote for your favorite canine of 2007. Join over 300 other dogs and their human companions who have taken the Canines for Clean Water pledge. Keep your watershed clean by scooping the poop and throwing it in the trash. The top dog will win a $25 gift certificate for environmentally friendly pet items. Polls close Friday, March 14, so vote now!