Houston Environmental News Update December 17, 2013

Houston Environmental News Update December 17, 2013

COALITION NOTES

1. BBP’s Unsilent Night: “Holiday Musical Parade”. Join Buffalo Bayou Partnership, in collaboration with the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston and Musiqa for a free interactive holiday event, Unsilent Night from 6-9pm on December 19, 2013. New York composer, Phil Kline, created this 43-minute piece, written specifically to be heard outdoors in the month of December. It takes the form of a street promenade in which the audience becomes the performer. Each participant gets one of four tracks of music that can easily be downloaded on your smart phone – you will be downloading this app when you arrive. When participants play their different “parts” simultaneously, it helps create the special sound of the piece. Revelers will walk a carefully chosen route along Buffalo Bayou’s Sabine Promenade with holiday stations along the way including cookies and hot chocolate. Prior to the musical parade, Whole Foods Market will have tasty treats available for purchase, including their s’more station, St. Arnold Brewing Company will be serving up some free pours of theirtasty local brew and root beer and plenty of holiday surprises! http://cechouston.org/
2. Winter Native Plant Sale. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is holding a week-long Winter Native Plant Sale to find over 100 Houston area native species that can enrich your landscape, beautify your yard, and simplify your life! This plant sale will include trees, shrubs, vines, fern, groundcovers, grasses and meadow forbs, and more! The sale began on December 14, 2013 and will end on December 22, 2013 at 4pm. View a list of available plants here. More at http://cechouston.org/.
3. Trail Maintenance Hike in the Sam Houston National Forest – Houston Sierra Club Outing. Enjoy a trail maintenance hike on the Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. The part of the trail to be maintained will be chosen depending on which sections are still closed due to drought killed tree salvage logging that has yet to be completed. Bring your daypack, two quarts of water, lunch, hiking shoes, hat, insect repellent, and clothes to fit the weather. And don’t forget to bring your sense of camaraderie, humor, and adventure! Everyone will meet at 8am on December 21, 2013, in the parking lot behind the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) at I-45 North and Greens Road for possible carpooling (then drive to the National Forest). Learn more at http://www.meetup.com/.
4. Critter’s Christmas at Jones Park. Decorate a tree outdoors to welcome critters to the yard this holiday season! Learn how to make an edible treat for birds and other wildlife. Visitors of all ages are invited to attend. Critter’s Christmas is happening on December 21, 2013, at 10am at Jones Park. http://cechouston.org/
5. Winter Solstice Celebration. Join Houston Arboretum & Nature Center for a celebration of the winter solstice on December 21, 2013 at 7pm. Throughout time, the winter solstice has been a time of preparation for the winter months ahead. A mid-winter feast was often held before deep winter set in. Most wine and beer made during the year were fermented and ready to drink. Come out on the meadow deck to observe the winter solstice. Attendees will relax with wine & cheese while learning about the history of the solstice celebration. The cost is $15 for members; $30 for non-members; $15 for children with the minimum age of 9. http://www.houstonarboretum.org/
6. A Conversation on Water Conservation — Prop 6 Has Passed; Now What? Join the Houston Area Womens League of Votes as they investigate water conservation issues for 2014 in the local Houston area, now that Proposition 6 was approved by voters in early November. Topics include dealing with drought, drainage and infrastructure challenges, managing our collective water resources, safeguarding water quality, and improving and innovating technologies to help save water. Come and be a part of the conversation! The event will be held on January 8, 2014 from 2-4pm at the United Way Building. For more information please contact the LWV office at 713-784-2923 or lwv@lwvhouston.org. Reservations not required, but please RSVP for headcount purposes. http://cechouston.org/
7. Herman Park Conservancy’s Centennial Art Project – Call for Volunteers. Artist Patrick Dougherty will be constructing a site-specific work in Hermann Park in January 2014 as part of Hermann Park Conservancy’s Centennial Art Project, Art in the Park. Volunteers are needed to assist the artist with harvesting and bundling saplings at an off-site location January 7 and 8, and are also needed for constructing the sculpture in Hermann Park January 8 through 24. Volunteers will work under the direction of the artist and his assistant and will receive free t-shirts made exclusively for volunteers. Over 250 volunteer shifts are available! This is an incredible opportunity to work hand-in-hand with an internationally-renowned artist on a work that will stand in Hermann Park for years to come. Volunteers will collect saplings from the future home of Generation Park, what will be the largest master-planned enterprise park in Houston located at Beltway 8 and Sam Houston Tollway. Volunteers will then work on-site in Hermann Park to construct the sculpture. Sign up for multiple shifts, or just help out for a day! For a look at the artist’s creations, visit: http://www.stickwork.net/. To view job descriptions and to sign up, visit http://2014hpc100.theregistrationsystem.com/.
8. 2013-2014 Texas Christmas Bird Counts. The Texas Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) will soon begin! The 114th annual Christmas Bird Count is scheduled for December 14, 2013, to January 5, 2014. Organized by the National Audubon Society, this all-volunteer effort takes a snapshot of bird populations to monitor their status and distribution across the Western Hemisphere. The results are compiled into a database that is shared with federal, state, and private authorities. Past data can be viewed at the Audubon’s website. Counts are open to birders of all skill levels. Novices are placed in groups with more experienced birders. New to CBCs? Join the fun! Discover new areas to bird which may not be normally accessible and take advantage of this great opportunity to bird with some of the foremost birding experts. Be part of a long-standing holiday program that ultimately helps protect our extraordinary birds! There is NO FEE to participate in Christmas Bird Counts! For a list of the CBCs and their details, visit http://www.houstonaudubon.org/.
9. CultureMap’s 2014 Community Service Project. One of the things CultureMap loves most about Houston is its philanthropic spirit. In the spirit of giving this holiday season, CultureMap is hosting their first-ever Charity Challenge. 12 charities have been selected to compete. You can vote for your favorite every day, once a day from December 9, 2013, to December 20, 2013. The winning organization, announced January 6th, will become CultureMap’s community service project for 2014. Plus, CultureMap is throwing in an advertising package and a $2,500 cash donation. Now it’s up to you. Ready, set, vote! Some of CEC’s partner organizations are competing, including Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Memorial Park Conservancy. Vote at http://houston.culturemap.com/.

Back to top

COMMUNITY NOTES

1. Memorial Park Demonstration Project – Informational Meeting. The Harris County Flood Control District has scheduled an informational meeting from 6-8:30pm on December 17, 2013 at Lamar High School, 3325 Westheimer Road, to share details of a proposed restoration project on a section of Buffalo Bayou bordering Memorial Park. The Flood Control District is partnering with the City of Houston and River Oaks Country Club on the proposed project, which is titled the Memorial Park Demonstration Project. The purpose of this proposed project is to stabilize the bayou, using natural channel design techniques to repair erosion, reduce sediment deposition, improve water quality, preserve flood capacity and improve aquatic habitat. Through this informational meeting, the Flood Control District is reaching out to the public in advance of the federal permitting process and any mandatory public hearings or comment periods associated with the project. An overview of the proposed project will be presented beginning at 6:30pm, followed by a question and answer session and an opportunity to provide comments. Residents can also submit comments in writing at the meeting and through Flood Control District’s website at www.hcfcd.org/mpdp. More at http://cechouston.org/.
2. Night Hike at Memorial Park (5 miles). It’s time for another night hike, and Memorial Park beckons! These night hikes are great for first time hikers. They are a good way to introduce your kids to hiking and assess their fitness level and attention span before bringing them on one of the regular hikes. This hike is not stroller friendly…the trails are narrow and bumpy. Come out on December 19, 2013 from 6:30-9pm. For more details and to RSVP, visit http://www.meetup.com/.
3. Free Ride Fridays in Energy Corridor. Free Ride Fridays is offering Energy Corridor residents and employees free rides every Friday until September 2014 on METRO’s 75 Eldridge Crosstown bus. The route reaches major Energy Corridor employers and retailers, as well as METRO Park & Rides that connect commuters to downtown Houston, the Texas Medical Center and other significant employment hubs. Introduced by The Energy Corridor District (ECD), Free Ride Fridays seeks to encourage commuters to try the comfortable buses on the 75 Eldridge Crosstown route, leaving their cars behind during the busy holiday shopping season and beyond, explains John Nunez, the ECD’s Transportation Manager. Stops include the Addicks and Mission Bend Park & Rides, Fleetwood Station Post Office, Kendall Library & Community Center, Market Square at Eldridge Parkway, Parkway Village Shopping Center, Ray Miller Park and Terry Hershey Park. Learn more at http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/.
4. Environmental Health and Safety Training 2014. Registration is open for a Environmental Health and Safety course that will take place March 12-14, 2014 at Texas Southern University. The Environmental Health and Safety Training is a unique three day symposium which will cover a variety of environmental compliance-related topics and will present the most current regulatory information. The symposium targets HBCUs and others who have a need to know more about environmental compliance and provide the knowledge needed to avoid costly fines. This course is FREE! Learn more at register at http://www.dscej.org/.
5. Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs. The Texas Water Development Board is now accepting applications for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs. All eligible projects submitted by 5pm on March 3, 2014, will be included in annual Intended Use Plans for the next three years. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides funding for wastewater collection and treatment, nonpoint source pollution control, and estuary management projects. For more information, go to www.twdb.texas.gov/. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund provides funding for projects that will bring or keep existing public water systems into/in compliance with drinking water rules and regulations, and for source water protection projects. For more information, go to www.twdb.texas.gov/.
6. Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, is currently accepting applications for the third annual Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. The award recognizes outstanding K-12 teachers and their local education agencies nationwide for excellence in integrating environmental education into their lessons and demonstrating the connection between health and the environment for their students. Successful applicants demonstrate creativity, innovation, community engagement and leadership as students learn more about civic responsibility and environmental stewardship. Applicants have until February 28, 2014 to apply for the award under updated criteria released in November. Up to twenty teachers nationwide will receive award plaques and a financial award of $2,000 to support their professional development in environmental education. Each teacher’s school will also receive a $2,000 award to help fund environmental education activities and programs that support the teacher. More at http://www2.epa.gov/.
7. 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).
   • K9 Wardens
   • Fisheries for the Future
   • Wild Things: Nature’s Clean Up Crew
   • Buck Fever
8. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
   • December 17, 2013: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone.  Winds may be light enough for the daily PM2.5 AQI to reach “Moderate” levels in the Houston with highest concentrations in the morning and evening.
   • December 18, 2013: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
   • December 19, 2013: Green–Good. Moderate to strong winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.

Back to top

ECONOTES Featured News Articles–For dozens of additional headlines, visit the CEC website. (You can let us know about articles, too. E-mail news@cechouston.org).

1. Houston’s growing alternative-fuel fleet among nation’s largest (Simone Sebastian – Fuel Fix, 12/13/2013)
   The nation’s oil capital has become a model for progress in electrically powered vehicles, boasting the nation’s third-largest municipal hybrid fleet, according to new report from advocacy group Electrification Coalition. More than half of the vehicles in the city’s light-duty fleet are hybrids, according to the report. Among the city’s alternative-fuel vehicles are 27 Nissan LEAF battery electric vehicles and 15 Toyota Prius plug-in electric hybrids. The report applauds the city for reorganizing its fleet management to better support electric vehicles, including promoting their use in an employee car-sharing program and creating a network of charging stations.
   http://fuelfix.com/
2. Why Doesn’t Texas Want Clean Air? (Elena Craft – EDF Texas Clean Air Matters Blog, 12/10/2013)
   Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard arguments over two critically important clean air protections – the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule and the Standards for Mercury and Air Toxics. Texas has fought tooth and nail against both of these major pollution protections – protections that together have been estimated to prevent up to 45,000 deaths, 19,700 heart attacks and 530,000 asthma attacks. For the past five years, improvement in the state’s air quality has stagnated and continues to remain at concentrations deemed unhealthy for citizens.
   http://blogs.edf.org/
3. Houston mayor says climate change presents difficult choices (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – My SA News, 12/10/13)
   Local, state and federal governments need to make tough decisions to help blunt the effects of climate change, Houston Mayor Annise Parker said Tuesday. For instance, Parker acknowledged that physical barriers may be necessary to insulate the refining facilities in low-lying Southeast Texas from storm surges and flooding made more common by a warming planet. Parker’s comments came during a one-day swing through the nation’s capital that began with the first meeting of the White House’s new Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience. President Barack Obama launched the 26-member panel last month to guide the federal government in strengthening infrastructure and preparing communities to deal with the effects of climate change. Although she is one of 16 local government officials on the panel, Parker has a unique perspective as the mayor of the capital of the U.S. oil and gas industry.
   http://www.mysanantonio.com/