April 4th, 2025

April Change for Good: ScienceWorks

ScienceWorks: Growing Sustainably, Connecting Community

At ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum, we believe that learning should be an adventure—one that inspires curiosity, fosters creativity, and brings people together. As we look to the future, our focus is on sustainable growth: improving our visitor experience, adapting to a changing world, and deepening our connection with the community. This April, we are honored to be the Ashland Food Co-op’s Change for Good recipient, giving our community a unique opportunity to support our mission. Your donation helps us create a more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable museum experience for everyone.

Building a More Sustainable Future

Sustainability isn’t just about the environment—it’s about building a resilient, inclusive space where everyone belongs. ScienceWorks is committed to making our facility more sustainable and accessible, ensuring that future generations can continue to explore, learn, and grow. Through strategic partnerships and innovative projects, we are taking steps to improve our infrastructure and minimize our environmental footprint.

One excitig initiative is our collaboration with Wheel the World, a program dedicated to assessing and improving accessibility for travelers with disabilities. This effort will help make ScienceWorks, as well as local businesses and attractions, more inclusive and welcoming. By participating in this initiative, we are strengthening our commitment to providing a space where all visitors can fully engage with hands-on science exploration.

Engaging, Hands-On Learning

Education is at the heart of everything we do. This year, we are expanding our hands-on workshops, interactive exhibits, and special events to reach even more learners. One of our upcoming projects is the Vesper Meadows: Inspired Art traveling exhibit, which will highlight the Vesper Meadows Restoration Preserve, connecting visitors to the science of conservation and ecosystem recovery. Through exhibits like this, we aim to inspire a deeper understanding of our local environment and the importance of sustainability.

Additionally, we are growing our educational programs to better serve underserved communities. By expanding outreach efforts and offering new workshops, we can help foster the next generation of creative thinkers and problem solvers. Science should be accessible to all, and your support ensures that we continue breaking down barriers to science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education.

Join Us for Earth Day!

Mark your calendars for Friday, April 25, as we celebrate Earth Day at ScienceWorks! This special event will feature an afternoon of hands-on activities, local vendors, and interactive experiences focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship. Earth Day is a call to protect our planet for future generations, and we invite you to join us in learning, exploring, and taking action for a more sustainable future.

Why Your Support Matters

ScienceWorks thrives because of our community. Your donation is more than just a gift—it’s an investment in curiosity, education, and connection. It helps us create engaging exhibits, expand programming, and improve our facility to better serve visitors of all ages and abilities.

When you round up at the register in April, you are directly contributing to these efforts. Your generosity supports:

New interactive exhibits like the Vesper Meadows: Inspired Art traveling exhibit
Expanded educational programs for underserved communities
Sustainability initiatives to make our museum more planet-friendly and accessible
Inclusive experiences through collaborations like Wheel the World

We are all part of an interconnected ecosystem, and by lifting each other up, we create a thriving, vibrant community. ScienceWorks is proud to be a place where people of all backgrounds can come together to explore, discover, and grow.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Together, we can shape a brighter, more sustainable future—one that sparks curiosity, fosters innovation, and strengthens our community. See you at ScienceWorks!

More Co-op News

March 25th, 2016

5 Edible Plants to Start in Your Garden Now

Spring is most definitely upon us, and we are lucky enough to live in Southern Oregon where the weather during this time is usually (ahem) co-operative enough to let us get some plants in the ground in between the hail storms and rainbows. There are actually many plants that do quite well in this time of transition, as they prefer the cooler temperatures that we get here this time of year, before the real heat sets in. Here are a few that we have right now at the Co-op, direct from local, organic farms. Plant these in your garden now for best results!

March 16th, 2016

UPDATED Organic Raw Macadamia Nuts Recalled Because of Possible Health Risk

UPDATED 3/17/16

Ashland Food Co-Op of Ashland, Oregon issues the updated press release to clarify that we re-packed and sold Organic Raw Macadamia nuts in random weight bags at our retail store in Oregon only between January 5th, 2016 and February 4th, 2016. We do not have any internet sale or distribute affected product outside Oregon.

February 15th, 2016

Garden of Life Raw Meal Recall

Garden of Life has issued a voluntary recall on all Raw Meal products shipped after August 15, 2015.

Please see the below link to Garden of Life’s blog for all lot numbers that they are recalling, as well as details of the recall.

February 11th, 2016

Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine

Rachel Rose, Assistant Produce Manager, shares her winter produce picks.

The cells in our bodies are all made using the building blocks that we provide in the food that we eat, the air that we breathe and the water we drink. If we want healthy bodies, feeding ourselves and our families the cleanest healthiest foods is a real good start. We are what we eat!

Burdock root

February 4th, 2016

Behind the Scenes: The Deli

Welcome back to our Behind the Scenes blog series. We recently took you into the colorful world of Produce. Now we’d like to introduce you to the department that enters beast mode daily: the Deli.

Did you know?

December 30th, 2015

31 Reasons to Visit the Co-op

Happy 2016! It’s a brand new year, new month, new day. No doubt many of you’ve made a variety of resolutions to make this year the best yet. The Co-op can help you succeed. How? Let us tell you. Here are 31 reasons why you should visit the Co-op every day this month to improve your life and your community.

December 18th, 2015

Behind the Scenes: Produce Department

You shop for groceries at the Co-op. For lunch, you often stop at the Deli for a quick meal from the Hot Bar. You meet friends outside on the plaza, give each other long hugs, and catch up on life. After a long week, you swing by for the Friday beer and wine tastings at the Kiosk. But how well do you really know the Co-op?

December 15th, 2015

2015: A Year to Remember

Can it really be that time of year again? 2015 was full of so many things for which to be grateful. Here’s a list of some of the highlights.

We celebrated the 10-thousandth person to become a Co-op owner! Co-op ownership is a way to help create a more humane and democratic way to do business locally. A robust cooperative economy is one way to take a stand against corporate misbehavior.

October 28th, 2015

Smart Chicken® Holiday Giving Challenge

The holiday season is upon us. Amidst the shopping frenzies, family gatherings, and parties it can be hard to remember this is also a season of giving. Luckily, you have us and we are making it easy for you to give back.

During the month of November, Co-op shoppers can nourish their own families and help fight hunger in the Rogue Valley.