Coalition Notes 03-05-2012

1. Houston-Galveston Regional Plan Community Meetings. Please come to make sure that environmental perspectives are represented at these important 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. For more info, visit  http://www.ourregion.org/events.html. Remaining meetings:
• Wed., March 7, 2012, Pasadena. 6:00pm – 8:00pm @ J.D. Walker Community Center.
• Wed., March 7, 2012, Magnolia. 7:00pm – 9:00pm @ Magnolia City Hall.
• Thurs., March 8, 2012, Sealy. 6:00pm – 8:00pm @ Hill Community Center.
• Tues., Mar 20, 2012, Angleton. 6:00pm – 8:00pm @ First Presbyterian Church.
2. 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.
3. Organizations for Student Conservation Association Interns. The Student Conservation Association is looking for environmental organizations in need of Summer 2012 and Fall 2012 interns! SCA’s Houston Conservation Collaborative internship program partners with local organizations to provide full and/or part-time, paid conservation internships in the Houston area. SCA interns work on projects that rangevfrom trail construction and wildlife management to environmental educationvand marketing. For more information, email Christine Mansfield at cmansfield@thesca.org or call 713-520-1835.
4. Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy General Meeting. Come learn more about the Willow Waterhole Conservation Reserve, ask questions, and meet others interested in the park on March 8th at 7pm at Westbury H.S. Lecture Hall (Atrium Entrance – South Side, 11911 Chimney Rock Road). The special guest speaker is John H. Lienhard, author & voice of The Engines of Our Ingenuity and Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and History at the University of Houston. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/events/.
5. 2012 Call of the Wild Speaker Series – Dr. Michael Lannoo. The next of the 2012 Call of the Wild Speaker Series will be March 9, 2012, 7pm at the Houston Zoo Brown Education Center. Dr. Michael Lannoo of the Indiana University School of Medicine will present on A Window into the Global Amphibian Crisis: Discovering the Biology of North America’s Most Secretive Frog as it Approaches Extinction. 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. EarthShare – Digital Footprint. Earthshare has released two articles regarding environmental implications of information technology (IT) infrastructure. As the IT field grows, efforts need to be taken to monitor and reduce the impact on the environment. Ways to reduce your digital footprint include choosing efficient devices, utilizing green apps for energy monitoring, checking your power settings, and donating or recycling electronics. Read more at http://www.earthshare.org/greentips/ and http://www.earthshare.org/information-technology/.
7. 2012 Buffalo Bayou Regatta. The Buffalo Bayou Regatta is quickly approaching on March 10th, starting at 7700 San Felipe and finishing at Sesquicentennial Park. This regatta, a 15-mile USCA-sanctioned race, is Texas largest canoe and kayak race. All ages are encouraged to participate, whether entering competitively or paddling for pleasure. Register online at  http://www.buffalobayou.org/regattabayou.html.
8. RDA Lecturer Wins Pritzker Prize. The Rice Design Alliance is pleased to announce that lecturer Wang Shu has been awarded the Pritzker Prize, architecture’s highest honor. Shu was the third speaker in RDA’s 2011 fall lecture series, Chinese Architecture, which examined Chinese approaches to architecture amid rapid growth. Shu’s work presents a contemporary and progressive approach that acknowledges the rich tradition of Chinese architectural practices. This is not the first time that RDA has featured speakers before they become Pritzker Prize winners. RDA brought Thom Mayne, Richard Meier, Aldo Rossi, Robert Venturi, Rafael Moneo, Renzo Piano, Frank Gehry, and Glenn Murcutt to Houston before they won the grand prize for architecture. More in the RDA press release.
9. Save the Date: 
   • Mercer March Mart. Mercer Arboretum is excited to announce the 2012 March Mart Plant Sale, scheduled for Friday, March 23 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, March 24 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Members of The Mercer Society (TMS) can shop early at a March Mart “Members Only” sale on Thursday, March 22. VIP members can shop from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and TMS members can shop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information on becoming a TMS member, and to learn the varying levels of membership, visit Mercer’s website at  www.hcp4.net/mercer/marchmart. Related events: Volunteer training on March 14 or 17.
   • Trash Bash March 31. One of the state’s largest waterway cleanup events is just around the corner! River, Lakes, Bays, ‘N Bayous Trash Bashâ is celebrating its 19h year and you’re invited to join the party. More than 6000 Texans will gather at 17 locations across the Houston-Galveston area to participate on Saturday, March 31. More at www.trashbash.org.
   • Green the Prairie. Volunteers are needed to plant 3,000 native coastal prairie grasses. This event will continue the restoration of 400 acres of farmland to native prairie habitat and reestablish the diverse wildlife that it once had. Located on the NE edge of Houston, the Sheldon Lake Environmental Learning Center is visited by over 6,000 children and adults each year who take guided nature walks, study ecosystems, go fishing, experience pond ecology, and see alternative energy in action. To register and for more information, e-mail sheldonlake@tpwd.state.tx.us.