Coalition Notes 03-18-2013

1. Buffalo Bayou Partnership at the OKRA Charity Saloon. BBP been chosen as 1 of 4 charities that you can support in March by voting at the OKRA Charity Saloon. All of the proceeds for March will be donated to the charity that receives the most votes this month. Learn more at http://www.friedokra.org/charity-bar.html.
2. Public Comment – Transportation Improvement Program Projects. The region’s Transportation Policy Council (TPC) is soliciting public comment on candidate 2013-2016 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) projects. Approximately $600 million of funding requests remain eligible for consideration from applications submitted last summer by local governments, METRO, TxDOT and other regional partners. A list of candidate projects is available on the H-GAC website at http://www.h-gac.com/taq/tip. Projects range from pedestrian and bicycle projects in Houston’s uptown area and over a dozen other locations, road striping, highway improvements, land acquisition, bus service, park and ride facilities, and planning projects. Two public comment meetings will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at noon and at 6:00 pm at H-GAC offices. Comments are due by April 6, 2013, and may be to publiccomments@h-gac.com. Following the public comment period, a program of projects will be submitted to the TPC for its consideration at its April 26 meeting.
3. Cypress Creek Greenway Initiative. Working with the Bayou Greenway Initiative, the Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition, and the Houston-Galveston Area Council, two consultation firms conducting a study concerning the implementation of the Cypress Creek Greenway are requesting  feedback from residents and local officials. CDS Spillette Alliance—an urban consulting and market research group—and Marsh Darcy Partners—a real estate and planning firm—have produced a survey to gather feedback, and they will host three open houses in March for further input from the community. The open houses will be from 6:30-8:30pm on March 19, 2013, at Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church (13131 Fry Road, Cypress), on March 21, 2013, at Cypress Creek Christian Church (6823 Cypresswood Drive, Spring), and on March 26, 2013, at Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens (22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble). More at http://impactnews.com/.
4. Going Green Sustainability Lecture: Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Your House. Going Green Sustainability Lecture Presented by The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. on March 19, 2013, 7-8pm, at the South Regional County Library. The speaker, Ronald Keichline, Global Sustainability Coordinator, will be presenting “Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Your House.” Much of the attention for “green” homes is focused on new construction – from innovative building materials and advanced architectural designs to high-tech gad­gets and next-generation Energy Star appliances, these shiny new homes get all the attention. But what about the rest of us, living in homes that were built long before these practices became more common? What can we do to improve them? There is hope! Studies suggest that improving energy effi­ciency of existing buildings can have a better overall life cycle impact than starting over. And it’s much less expensive! But there are also challenges and trade-offs to be considered. More at http://www.thewoodlandsgreen.org/. This is a free event.
5. Houston Green Film Series: Complete Streets in Film. Complete Streets is the concept that street design should prioritize the safety of all users of all modes from all neighborhoods. Houston Tomorrow and the Houston Coalition for Complete Streets will be hosting Houston Complete Streets April 13 – 20, 2013. Continue the Houston Green Film Series with a Complete Streets cram session to prepare for Houston Complete Streets Week. The event will be on March 20, 2013, 6:30-9:30pm, at the Rice University Media Center. There will be a series of short films including many from StreetsFilms.org as well as local and state governments across the nation. An expert panel following the film will be comprised of Houstonians working on the health, economic, and environmental benefits of Complete Streets. Light dinner kindly donated by Dr. Pat Speck and Dry Bones Cafe. A $5 donation is suggested and greatly appreciated. More at http://www.houstontomorrow.org/.
6. Alliance for Clean Texas (ACT) Lobby Day. With the 83rd Texas Legislative Session underway, people are signing up for the Alliance for Clean Texas (ACT) Lobby Day, March 20, 2013, at the Capitol. CEC member organizations that participate in ACT include Air Alliance Houston, Environment Texas, Environmental Defense Fund, Sierra Club–Lonestar Chapter, Texas Campaign for the Environment, and The Nature Conservancy. Learn more and register at http://www.acttexas.org/.
7. Root Ball 2013. Enjoy indoor and outdoor seating, savory buffet, tasty beverages, music by Klockwork and dancing under the canopy of leaves at Trees For Houston’s “Root Ball 2013: Club Coco.” The ball will be held on March 21, 2013 at 7pm at the Bayou Club (8550 Memorial Dr). Individual tickets start at $350; tables start at $5,000. Proceeds benefit Trees For Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to planting, protecting and promoting trees along parkways, thoroughfares, neighborhoods and schools. More at http://houston.culturemap.com/.
8. Texas Stream Team Certified Water Monitoring Training. Come to the first training session of the year and become a Texas Stream Team Certified member of Galveston Bay Foundation’s Volunteer Water Monitoring Team. At this training session, participants will learn about the history and importance of citizen monitoring and complete the first two of three phases of the certification. All three phases are very hands-on. Phase I is held in a classroom group setting, Phase II provides the group an opportunity to conduct the monitoring procedures in the field, and Phase III is conducted as a one-on-one session with the trainer and volunteer at the volunteer’s monitoring site. This training will take place at the Starfleet Marina in Kemah, TX, on March 22, 2013, from 9am-4pm. The training is FREE! You must register by March 19th; space is limited. To register or for more information contact the Water Quality Team at waterquality@galvbay.org or (281) 332-3381 Ext. 215.
9. March Mart. March Mart is brought to you by volunteers at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens and The Mercer Society; this is the place to find all your year-round garden plants. Visit Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens on March 22, 2013, 8am-4pm for this sale! Special treats also entice the discerning plant collector! Whether you are new to gardening, new to the Houston area, or very experienced there is a new treasure awaiting the perfect spot in your heart and garden. Knowledgeable volunteers will inspire you with their amazing plant options. The Members Only Plant Sale is Thursday, March 21; please call 281-443-8731 for details. http://www.hcp4.net/mercer/
10. Fresh Air Friday. H-GAC is helping commuters get more out of their day at Fresh Air Friday, an annual event that explores the variety of commute alternatives available to help save time and money. H-GAC and other local organizations will share tips on commute alternatives, showcase hybrid vehicles and share information on how to improve air quality. Local food vendors will provide free food and drinks to attendees throughout the Plaza. Fresh Air Friday will also feature giveaways throughout the afternoon and the official healthcare sponsor, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, will provide free health screenings for attendees. Come to Jones Plaza on March 22, 2013, 11am-1pm for Fresh Air Friday! http://cechouston.org/
11. River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash. Once a year thousands of volunteers gather along the Texas waterways to do their part in cleaning up the environment and participate in the largest statewide event to educate the public about the importance of our water resources. Trash Bash occurs rain or shine, on March 23, 2013, at various locations around the state. Trash Bash is a half day event and begins between 8:00/8:30 am in the morning and ends at 1:30 in the afternoon. Pick a cleanup site near you. To learn more and to register, visit www.trashbash.org.
12. Earth Day GreenUp. Earth Day 2013 marks the third annual community-wide stewardship project for The Woodlands Township. Connect with neighbors and the outdoors by joining or leading a cleanup crew bagging trash from streets, pathways and streams. You gather your friends, and they provide the bags! Earth Day GreenUp will take place on March 23, 2013 from 8am-2pm in The Woodlands. More at http://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/ and http://www.thewoodlandsgreen.org/.
13. HANC Spring Fling. Celebrate spring with the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center on March 23, 2013 from 10am-2pm. HANC will be ringing in spring with a baby animal petting zoo and selling baskets of butterfly-friendly native flowers to get your yard ready for the season! There will be discounted prices for members on baskets and a bake sale with a variety of homemade treats. Hanc the Owl will also make an appearance, dressed in his spring finest! This is a free event! Visit http://www.houstonarboretum.org/ for more information.