Coalition Notes 02-27-2012

1. Houston Green Film Series: Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action. The Houston Green Film Series will be screening a film on February 29th from 6:30-9pm at the Rice University Media Center. The film, Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action, follows Native American leaders in their struggle against powerful energy companies and government agencies to protect the environment for all Americans. There will be a panel discussion following the screening. To learn more, visit http://www.houstontomorrow.org/.
2. Name that Turtle. Dr. Kim Reich of the Sea Turtle and Fisheries Ecology Lab at Texas A&M University at Galveston is carefully watching a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle in the new Ocean and Coastal Studies Building at the University. Now others can watch, too! The Turtle Cam link is http://www.galveston.com/turtlecam/. The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is sponsoring a Name-the-Turtle Contest. An elementary or middle school class may send its choice of one name in a letter to Name the Turtle Contest,  P. O. Box 681231, Houston, Texas 77268-1231. The letter should include the name and mailing address of the school with the teacher’s name and e-mail address. A winner will be announced by April 1, 2012 with a prize for the school.
3. ScrapDaddy donates fish for Air Alliance Houston & Earth Day. Air Alliance Houston is pleased to announce that Mark Bradford, also known as ScrapDaddy, has donated a sculpture of a fish for public education to its Earth Day Houston 2012 event. It is an art piece to show people what may become of the plastic they discard on our streets and along our bayous. This giant fish will be stuffed with the plastics which fill our bayous! The fish will make its debut at the gallery showing for Mark David Bradford’s art on February 29, 2012, at the Deborah Colton Gallery. Please RSVP to:  713-869-5151 or to info@deborahcoltongallery.com. The fish already has quite an impressive possible public schedule. It will travel to Trash Bash, Earth Day Houston, Earth Day at The Houston Arboretum, Art Car Parade, Kid’s Day along Buffalo Bayou in October.
4. Road to Rio +20. Road to Rio +20 is a discussion with local business leaders and government officials regarding the green building policies, programs, and technologies that are contributing to a sustainable future and green economy. This discussion will take place on March 7th from 3-6pm at the Green Building Resource Center, 2nd Floor (1002 Washington Ave, Houston, TX). RSVP by February 29 by emailing rsvpevents@usgbc.org. Visit http://usgbctexasgulfcoast.org/ for more information.
5. 2012 Call of the Wild Speaker Series – Dr. Michael Lannoo. The next presentation of the 2012 Call of the Wild Speaker Series will happen on March 9th at 7pm at the Houston Zoo Brown Education Center. The presentation is called A Window into the Global Amphibian Crisis: Discovering the Biology of North America’s Most Secretive Frog as it Approaches Extinction. The speaker is Dr. Michael Lannoo of the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Lannoo and his graduate students have spent the last three years learning about population biology and landscape use of the Crawfish Frogs. Purchase tickets for the presentation at http://www.houstonzoo.org/lectureseries/.
6. Baytown Marsh Matters. The latest edition of Baytown’s Marsh Matters is now available. In it you will find information about spring break camp and summer science camp. Mark you calendars for the monthly Nurture Nature Series the first Saturday of each month at the Baytown Nature Center at 10:00 am. The topic for March 3 is “Green Animals.” Bring the family and enjoy the morning program, then stay to picnic, walk the trails, go birding or just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Read all about it at www.baytown.org.
7. Sustainable Communities Regional Plan Community Meetings. Around 4 million additional residents are expected to move to the Houston Galveston region in the next 30 years. Therefore, the Houston Galveston Regional Plan is important for ensuring sustainability. The 13- county plan explores opportunities to improve the region’s most important resources, including clean air and water, good jobs, safe and attractive neighborhoods, affordable housing, transportation choices, and open spaces and parks. In February and March of 2012, meetings will take place in different parts of the region to discuss the plan and allow residents to provide input. To find a meeting near you, visit  http://www.ourregion.org/events.html.