Coalition Notes 05-07-2012

1. H-GAC Regional Recycling Roundtable: Planning for Household Hazardous Waste Collection. May 10, 2012, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Houston-Galveston Area Council, Conference Room A, 2nd floor, 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, Texas 77027. There is no cost for this event. Learn about managing household hazardous waste in your community. Learn how to host a household hazardous waste collection event for your residents. Do you want to learn some tips for working with a household hazardous waste provider? Then join us at the upcoming Regional Recycling Roundtable to hear from Cheryl Burton-Fentress of Harris County and Kelby Neal of PSC. For more information or to RSVP please contact Erin Livingston at 832-681-2525 or erin.livingston@h-gac.com.
2. Children’s Museum Gets Wild About Wildflowers. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to experience the magnificent wildflowers which cover the Texas landscape in the spring, you know what a sight that is to behold! Now here’s your chance to get a little taste of that Texas spring time beauty at the Children’s Museum of Houston. Stop by and indulge in some of nature’s most beautiful inventions in CMH’s EcoStation exhibit, open from May 10th – 16th. Let your creativity garden grow while you learn about Texas native flowers, plants and more! www.cmhouston.org.
3. Fresh Air Friday: A Picnic in the Plaza! H-GAC Commute Solutions Program will host the tenth annual Fresh Air Friday event on May 11, 2012 at the Jones Plaza in Downtown Houston from 11am-1pm. Come out to learn about Commute Alternatives and Alternative Fuel Options while enjoying free food, and entertainment! For more information, contact Rick Guerrero at rick.guerrero@h-gac.com or 832-681-2589 or visit the website www.cleanairaction.org.
4. Invasive Plant Eradication Unit in Art Car Parade. Buffalo Bayou Partnership is thrilled to participate as first-timers in the 25th Annual Art Car parade. Mark Dion’s Invasive Plant Eradication Unit will be making an appearance to showcase those important native plants and nasty invasive species that live along Houston’s historic waterway. Thanks to the Houston Arts Alliance, co-sponsor of this environmental art project. Saturday, May 12. Line up at 9am. Parade 1-3pm. Allen Parkway along Buffalo Bayou FREE. More info at http://www.buffalobayou.org/publicartplan.html.
5. Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Program: Insects. Saturday May 12, 2012; 9 – 11 am. 103 Hwy 332 W. Lake Jackson, TX. www.gcbo.org. This month’s topic is “Insects” by Ed Barrios and Jerry Eppner – members of Cradle of Texas Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists. With recent rains, insects are making a comeback. Ed will discuss and demonstrate insects of the grasses and ponds that attendees and volunteers gather on the spot and Jerry will lead others to observe the dragonflies around the GCBO ponds. The Blitz is a co-operative effort of GCBO and COT chapter of Texas Master Naturalists to have GCBO more accessible with 2nd Saturday tours.
6. Houston Transit Symposium: Jarrett Walker. A Symposium Presented by Houston Tomorrow and Metro on May 14th from 8:30am-1pm. Houston’s Transit Future The Symposium will offer government officials, citizen leaders and local transit planners and engineers insights and details about the coming Metro Long Range Plan. Does light rail have a future in Houston? Are big changes coming to the bus network? Including presentations by Jarrett Walker, Author and International Transit Consultant; George Greanias, CEO and President, Metro; Christof Spieler, Metro Board Member, Director of Innovation & Technology, Morris Architect; Janis Scott, Transit Rider Extraordinaire; David Crossley, President, Houston Tomorrow. Fee. https://org2.democracyinaction.org.
7. Houston Area Urban Forestry Council Regional Workshop. Want to improve your water quality and stormwater management? Need help crafting an emergency management plan and tips for dealing with FEMA? Interested in the ecosystem benefits trees can provided to your community? Mark your calendars now for the Houston Area Urban Forestry Council Regional Workshop hosted by the Texas Emerging Communities program. The one-day workshop will be held in North Harris County on May 16 and in Pearland on May 17. Scholarships are available. http://www.haufc.org/ or mmerritt@tfs.tamu.edu.
8. Houston Green Film Series: The Greenest Building. The Houston Green Film Series continues on May 23rd at the Media Center (2030 University Blvd) at 6:30pm. The film, The Greenest Building, is a new hour-long documentary that presents a compelling overview of the important role building reuse plays in creating sustainable communities. The Greenest Building explores the myth that a green building is a new building and demonstrates how renovation and adaptive reuse of existing structures fully achieves the sustainability movement’s triple bottom line: economic, social, and ecological balance. This event is brought to you by the Rice University Environmental Club, Houston Tomorrow, Emerging Professionals of the Houston USGBC, Houston Green Scene, and Transition Houston in collaboration with the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on the Environment. Learn more at http://houstongreenscene.org/.
9. Central City Co-op Carwash Sale. It’s that time again!  Bubbles Car Wash Express Wash tickets at Central City! $8 wash gets you a clean car, and $4 toward Co-op’s annual Spring Fundraiser! Help us AND get a clean car! More info at http://www.centralcityco-op.com/.
10. Save the Date
• Bay Day – June 9th, 11am-4pm