Even the most passionate recycling enthusiast can get a shade greener this weekend by visiting an environmental art exhibit that showcases ways to create more and waste less. GLEAN runs through Sunday, Sept. 30 at Disjecta Contemporary Art Center of Portland.

If you're a trails fanatic, make the trek to Metro from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 25 for the second annual Regional Trails Fair. You'll learn the latest news about projects across the region, with more than 25 booths staffed by local trails partners.

After 16 months of careful construction and equipment installation, the Oregon Zoo's new Veterinary Medical Center will open its doors on Thursday, Jan. 19. The public can peek inside Jan. 20-22, when the zoo will offer behind-the-scenes tours.

Learn about recent research on the impact of the built environment on health at a free presentation at Metro, 600 NE Grand, Portland, on Friday, Nov. 4, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Dr. Lawrence Frank, the author of Health and Community Design: The Impact of the Built Environment on Physical Activity, will present information from his book and lead a discussion on public health, land use and transportation.

Who could resist a trip to "the source?" I've always been fascinated by the underground network of pipes and pumps that supply our freshwater and remove our waste water. Turning the tap, I wonder where does this water come from, how did it get here, how pure is it and how was it purified? So when offered the opportunity to tour the Bull Run Watershed – source of drinking water for 20 percent of all Oregonians – I was happy to accept.

Metro is pleased to offer the following events for the month of March 2011.

Attracting birds and beneficial insects to your back yard has never been easier. The Columbia Land Trust and Audubon Society of Portland have joined forces to offer the Backyard Habitat Certification program. Get technical support and discounts on plants and other supplies when you participate in the program. Come to Leach Botanical Garden (6704 Southeast 122 Ave., Portland) on Feb. 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. to find out more.

If you watched the first episode of the spoof hit “Portlandia” on the Independent Film Channel, you know that a locally grown, organic chicken named Collin ended his life as a trendy restaurant entrée. But you probably didn’t realize that Collin’s buddies are alive and well – at a Metro natural area. They’re actually egg-laying hens at Wealth Underground Farm, which leases Metro land near Forest Park and doubled as a filming location for “Portlandia.” Wealth Underground also shows exactly why Metro leases 580 acres of natural areas to farmers.

Metro now accepting applications for inaugural Trash-to-Art program

Every day, workers and machines at Metro's Central Transfer Station go through more than one and a quarter million pounds of trash. Recycling and composting programs help reduce the amount of waste that heads to the station but there are still items that aren't or can't be recycled, at least until now. Metro has joined with other organizations to start a new recycling program; making art out of trash. Metro has partnered with Cracked Pots and the new operator of Metro Central transfer station, Recology, to choose artists in the Portland metropolitan area to participate in the inaugural 2011 Pacific Northwest Art Program.

Metro’s Regional Travel Options program works closely with businesses, non-profit groups and public agencies across the region to promote and support the use of travel options to reduce pollution, decrease congestion and help create a healthier community. Read about some of the accomplishments Metro and its travel options partners achieved during 2010.