Community Notes 10-19-2011

1. FarmFest 2011. The Last Organic Outpost, a non-profit that focuses on creating an urban green belt in low income areas throughout the city of Houston will be hosting FarmFest 2011 at Emile Community Farm (711 N. Emile) from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, November 5th. This is a free festival. There will be many demonstrations; seed saving, bee keeping, composting, water harvesting, etc. There will also be a fitness walk beginning at 10 AM. The festival will have music, fresh nutritious food, and plenty of children’s activities. Please bring your pocket book for the many jewelry and art vendors and Wheel of Farming. See a Certified Picker to help you pick your very own Farm Fresh Food for purchase from the Farm! www.lastorganicoutpost.com
2. Personal Document Shredding Drive. The Johnson Space Center Contractors (JSC) Environmental Partnership is hosting an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling and document shredding event from 8am-2pm on November 5th in the Space Center Houston parking lot. This free event provides an opportunity for anyone in the community to dispose of all electronics in an environmentally friendly manner. Sims Recycling Solutions is sponsoring the event and will recycle the collected material as an EPA certified recycler. Learn more at http://www.ci.seabrook.tx.us/.
3. America Recycles Day. On America Recycles Day, November 15th, local event organizers host events that inform millions of people on what is recycled in their community. America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. One day to educate and motivate. Registration is open for organizers to create a local event. If you cannot host an event, but would like to participate, visit http://americarecyclesday.org/ to find an event near you.
4. Fiskars’ Project Orange Thumb – Community Garden Grants and Makeovers. Fiskars, a global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden, and outdoors, has started taking applications for 2012 Project Orange Thumb garden grants and makeovers. The Project provides tools, materials, and other support to help communities reach their goals for neighborhood beautification, community collaboration, and healthy, sustainable food sources. For more information, visit http://foundationcenter.org/.
5. National Forest Foundation 2012 Matching Awards Program. The National Forest Foundation (NFF) has started accepting proposals for its Matching Awards Program, which provides matching funds for direct on-the-ground and citizen-based monitoring projects benefiting America’s national forests and grasslands. NFF is interested in supported action-oriented projects that enhance the viability of natural resources while benefiting and directly engaging surrounding communities. To learn more, visit http://foundationcenter.org/.
6. Pew Environmental Group Releases Report on Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem. On 28 September 2011, The Pew Charitable Trusts released a new report, “A Once and Future Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem.” A team of 18 preeminent ocean scientists and other leading experts were assemble by the Pew Environment Group to identify strategies and specific actions for a successful recovery of the Gulf of Mexico. The report is available online at http://www.pewtrusts.org/.
7. Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer Expands Gulf Coast Coverage (CSC). NOAA’s Coastal Services Center has recently added Gulf Coast geography to its Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer. The viewer now contains all coastal counties in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Gulf Coast of Florida. The Digital Coast tool features coastal flooding scenarios, coupled with photos of well-known locations that illustrate potential inundation; uncertainty maps; flood frequency information; and social and economic vulnerability information. See the Viewer here: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/.
8. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/compliance/monitoring/air/monops/forecast_today.html
   • October 20: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone–Winds may be light enough and afternoon temperatures warm enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” or possibly higher levels on the east, southeast, and south side of the Houston area in the afternoon and early evening.
   • October 21: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone–Incoming background levels may be high enough and winds light enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” or possibly higher levels on the north and northwest side of the Houston area in the afternoon and early evening.
   • October 22: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone–Incoming background levels may be high enough and winds light enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” levels over most of East Texas in the afternoon and early evening.
   • On October 14, TCEQ issued an Air Pollution Warning – Level Orange for unhealthy levels of ozone in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria areas. During a Level Orange warning, active children and adults as well as people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exposure.