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  • info@cechouston.org
January 21, 2013

Community Notes 01-21-2013

  1. Texas Natural Resources/Environmental Literacy Summit. Join education, environmental, and natural resource leaders in advancing natural resource/environmental literacy as the new Texas Natural Resource / Environmental Literacy Plan is presented at the Summit. The Natural Resource/Environmental Literacy Summit Committee is proud Mrs. Laura Bush, Former First Lady, will serve as the keynote speaker for the Summit. The program will also feature special guest speakers Carter Smith, Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife; Bora Simmons, Director for the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education and Jose”Pepe” Marcos-Iga, North American Association for Environmental Education Board President. The summit will be held on January 25, 2013, 8:30am-4:00pm, at the TriPoint in San Antonio. Pre-registration ($35) ends on January 17, 2013. More at http://txcinc.wordpress.com/.
  2. Public Workshops: Brazos River Corridor in Fort Bend County. Fort Bend Green, along with other county partners on an initial steering committee, is developing a Recreation Master Plan for the Brazos River Corridor in Fort Bend County. There will be 3 public input meetings. If you would like to participate, you need only attend one of the workshops as the same information will be presented at each. Please RSVP by January 25, 2013, to Kim Icenhower ( kim@icenhower.com or 713-504-4378) for the workshop of your choice. 1st workshop: January 27, 2-4pm, at Brazos Bend State Park- George Observatory (21901 FM 762, Needville, TX). 2nd workshop: January 28, 6-7pm, at Irene Stern Community Center (6920 Katy Fulshear Road Fulshear, TX). 3rd workshop: January 31, 3-5pm, at the Sugar Land Recreation Center Multi-Purpose Room (234 Matlage Way Sugar Land, TX). More at http://cechouston.org/.
  3. Green Drinks Houston. On January 29, 2013, from 6-8 pm, join Green Drinks Houston in “The Lab” at Down House to hear a few words from Chris Cusack, co-owner of Down House, a local restaurant that features competition-level coffee, locally sourced cuisine, and a quality-focused bar program. Next, hear from the dynamic Sherry Eichberger about building a business focused not only on profits, but people and our planet too. Sherry Eichberger is the founder of One Green Street, a shop with purpose! One Green Street is an authentic Triple Bottom Line Business. More at http://cechouston.org/.
  4. Ride for The Future 2013 Summer Leadership Development Program. This summer, join Ride for The Future to learn community organizing, become a stronger leader, learn from and connect with community leaders, spend your summer on a bike, traveling across Louisiana and Texas, and more! Applications are available at rideforthefuture.org/apply. More information is available at http://rideforthefuture.org/. Food and housing are provided to all participants, and limited funds are available to help those who require further financial assistance in order to ride. Priority consideration will be given to members of directly affected communities. Applicants do not need to be current or past college students to apply. Applications are due January 30, 2013; extended deadline is March 1. The program will begin on May 20th and end on July 29th. Want to get involved but can’t ride the whole summer? Email Tara at tescudero@betterfutureproject.org about joining the riders for part of their journey or see if you can welcome them to your community.
  5. Biomimicry: Emulating Nature’s Genius to Inspire Innovation for a Sustainable Future. Learn about biomimicry at an adult lecture with Linda Paisley on February 6, 2013, at 7pm at the Nature Discovery Center (7112 Newcastle Street). Biomimicry offers a holistic and deeply rooted method for achieving true sustainability. Nature embodies more than four billion years of experience perfecting the designs and behaviors that make organisms and living systems thrive. Biomimicry is the investigation and search of nature for solutions to humanity’s form, process, and system design challenges. Attend for an exciting talk about cutting edge theory for urban planning, architecture, home living, and meeting environmental challenges. Linda Paisley is a certified Biomimicry Specialist, she has participated in Biomimicry Workshops in Peru, Arizona, and in Austin, Texas. Linda also serves on the Boards of the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center and the Blackwood Land Institute. Light refreshments are served. More here.
  6. 2013 OHBA Summit. The Organic Horticulture Benets Alliance (OHBA) hosts their annual OHBA Summit on February 9, 2013. The organic education conference will be held at the United Way Building, located at 50 Waugh Dr, Houston TX, 77007 from 7:30 AM- 4:45 PM. OHBA Summit is a valuable and intense series of educational seminars for elite horticulture professionals. Attendees are encouraged to create a personalized agenda for the day, to leave the Summit with solutions specic to ones professional and personal needs. Five of the most respected and inuential educators in the eld of Organics have been chosen to present proven results along with break-out Round Table Discussions to provide interactive, solution-based exchanges in a smaller setting. Learn more and register at http://www.ohbasummit.org/.
  7. 2013 Tree Planting Competition. The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council and Harris County Flood Control District are once again sponsoring the Texas Urban Forestry Council’s Regional Tree Planting Competition to be held in conjunction with local Arbor Day celebrations. This event is a regional competition and the 3 fastest planting times will be forwarded to the State as Regional winners where their times will be included in the finals for the State Competition. Each team will consist of 10 planting members and a non-working captain and scoring will be based not only on time, but also on correct hole depth/width, mulching, planting techniques, etc. The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council will be supplying the judges and timers for the event and again, the 3 top times will be sent to the TUFC for consideration in the State Award for best time. The competition will be on February 9, 2013, at the HCFCD Retention Basin. More at http://cechouston.org/. Contact Mickey Merritt, 713-688-891 or Matt Weaver, 713-688-8932 for more information.
  8. 2013 Texas Brigades Summer Program. The Texas Brigades is a wildlife-focused leadership development program for high school youth (ages 13-17). There are five different camps: Bobwhite Brigade, Buckskin Brigade, Bass Brigade, Waterfowl Brigade, and Ranch Brigade. You will be introduced to habitat management, hone your communication skills, and develop a land ethic. The state’s leading wildlife and fisheries biologists and land managers serve as instructors and mentors. Each camp is 4 ½ days long. Applications must be postmarked by March 15th. More at http://www.texasbrigades.org/.
  9. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Seabrook, and on HCC. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area). This week’s broadcast will include:
    • Adventure Racing
    • Parks & Wildlife People: Ronnie Sladek
    • Big Spring State Park
    • Billion Dollar Bats
  10. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • Because of the state holiday, no forecast was posted on Monday, January 21, 2013.