Houston Environmental News Update April 8, 2014

Houston Environmental News Update April 8, 2014

COALITION NOTES

1. An Evening with Coulson Tough: Stories of the Early Development of The Woodlands. The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. is hosting a conversation with Coulson Tough at the George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library on April 8, 2014, at 7pm. Mr. Tough, for whom the elementary school is named, was responsible for building development at UCLA, University of California at Irvine and the University of Houston before coming to work for George Mitchell in the 1970’s. He oversaw the siting, design and construction of commercial buildings in The Woodlands. He was also responsible for public art in the new town, choosing and placing the sculptures that so enhance our community. The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. recognizes how the early development of The Woodlands reflected the vision of its founder and the people he entrusted to carry out that vision. TWG is proud of its early members who played a significant role in beginning The Woodlands current door-to-door recycling program. Its continuing goal is to educate The Woodlands area residents on environmental sustainability issues. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact Cinda Hitchcock at 281-363-2723.
2. Film Screening – Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek. The Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University is hosting a screening of the documentary, Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek, on Wednesday April 9, 2014 (6:30-8:30pm, Room 114, School of Public Affairs Building). The documentary follows the painful but inspiring journey of Derrick Evans, a Boston teacher who moves home to coastal Mississippi when the graves of his ancestors are bulldozed to make way for the sprawling city of Gulfport. Over the course of a decade, Derrick and his neighbors stand up to powerful corporate interests and politicians and face ordeals that include Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil disaster in their struggle for self-determination and environmental justice. Mr. Evans will be present to provide insight on the events shown in the documentary. For more information, contact Dr. Denae King at kingdw@tsu.edu.
3. The Chinese Economic “Bloom” – People, Plans and Plants for a Verdant Earth by David Creech. The Distinguished Lecture Series will continue on April 10, 2014, at 6:30pm, with a lecture by David Creech, Ph.D. and regents professor at Stephen F. Austin University. Join David Creech for an insider’s look at this emerging horticultural giant, and the people, plans and plants that are driving its growth. This revealing excursion travels through the hot economic engine of eastern China’s nursery and landscape industry, from coastal beaches right up into the wild mountains and ancient cultures of the Yunnan, where revered patriarch plants are part of over 17,000 native higher plant species that grow there. The lecture is cosponsored with The Mercer Society with additional support from Houston Advanced Research Center and Kava King Products. Cost is $18 per person. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
4. Earth Day Houston. Earth Day Houston is coming up on April 12, 2014, at Discovery Green. The FREE one-day celebration, sponsored by Waste Management, will focus on the merits of mindful, sustainable living while educating and encouraging Houstonians to preserve, conserve, and enhance our city and the Earth. Developed six years ago by Air Alliance Houston, Earth Day Houston is a community centered, family friendly event open to the public and free to all to attend. Planned activities include eco-focused zones featuring interactive environmental awareness activities highlighting land, air, water, sustainability, healthy living and wildlife and habitat. Remember to visit the Green Expo featuring green businesses showcasing their best environmental practices for a sustainable future and our Local Fare Market in support of locally-grown produce. As always, there will be kids’ activities throughout the festival. Find out more about the festival here!
5. Anything That Floats 2014. Oh buoyancy! This year’s Anything That Floats competition will be held at the Sesquicentennial Promenade on April 12, 2014, from 8am-1pm. The competition is organized by rdAGENTS, the Rice Design Alliance young professionals group. Teams of two to five people are invited to spend the morning constructing their craft, on the spot, out of provided discarded and donated building materials and their own tools. Two members of each team must then test the seaworthiness of their DIY device in a race for time across Buffalo Bayou. Each year, Anything That Floats teams are challenged with a new and different set of materials, which are revealed to them only at the beginning of the event. To compete, registration will be $25 for RDA members and $35 for non-members. Attending the race is free and open to the public. http://ricedesignalliance.org
6. Buffalo Bayou Bash. Join Bayou Buddies (Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s young professional affiliation) for their biggest fundraiser of the year on April 12, 2014, from 1-4pm at Sabine Prominade. Libations will be provided by Barefoot Wine and Bubbly and St. Arnold’s Brewery, with a crawfish boil for guests to eat. Entertainment activities include lawn games, pontoon boat rides, and live music. As part of the fundraiser, guests will have the opportunity to bid on live auction items including local culinary experiences, the latest in outdoor gear, and a private boat ride with a history guide to tour Buffalo Bayou. Pre-sale tickets are $25 for current Bayou Buddies members and $30 for non-members. On the day of the event, tickets are $35 for current Bayou Buddies members and $40 for non-members. Learn more at www.buffalobayou.org.
7. Willow Waterhole Music Fest 2014. The Willow Waterhole Music Fest is an exciting and unique city-wide event with a beautiful 279 acre greenspace as its backdrop! The Festival will feature a diverse range of music, performed by professional musicians and area schools. Artists include Kelly Dean Band, Kyle Turner, Texas Brass Band, Warren Sneed Band, Luther & the Healers, Mark Dini, Gisele & Friends. There will be 10 hours of free live music and refreshments available for sale. Bring a blanket or chairs out to the South Gazebo at Willow Waterhole on April 12, 2014, 11am-9pm, to enjoy this great event! www.wwmusicfest.com
8. Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale. Urban Harvest is having another fruit tree sale on April 12, 2014, 8am-noon, at the Eastside Farmers Market. You will find an excellent selection and receive expertise on fruit tree care from our sellers while you do your weekly shopping at the farmers market. Get there early because the trees sell out fast! http://urbanharvest.org
9. Exploration Green! Groundbreaking Celebration. Local elected officials, community leaders, residents and community groups will celebrate the groundbreaking of Phase 1 of Exploration Green on April 12, 2014, 10am-noon, at 16205 Diana Lane. Come join your neighbors as Exploration Green Groundbreaking begins transformation of a 1960s golf course to a 21st Century flood control, recreation, and conservation green space of nearly 200 acres. There will be a festival of activities for visitors including kite flying, trail walking and running, Easter Egg hunt, three leg races, snow cones, door prizes, and giveaways. Learn more at explorationgreen.org.
10. Prairie Chicken Week. Get to know one of the rarest birds on the planet! Celebrate this bird during Prairie Chicken Week, April 8-13, 2014. There will be three big events during the week. Visit the Houston Zoo on April 8th for a special lecture: “The Attwater’s Prairie Chicken: Past, Present, and Future.” On April 10th, go on a guided tour of the Attwater Prairie Chicken Breeding Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Then, end the week with the Booming-n-Breeding Festival at the APC National Wildlife Refuge on April 12th and 13th. Learn more here.
11. Earth Day Wonderweek at the Children’s Museum of Houston. From the sky, trees, plants, animal life, all of these aspects of life make our human life possible. For 44 years, Earth Day has inspired awareness and appreciation for the planet we call home. Spring into action and celebrate the wonders of the world during Earth Day WonderWeek at the Children’s Museum of Houston from April 17-23, 2014. Protect the environment by first learning about it. See how beans start to grow in a plastic bag and learn about different parts of a plant at EcoStation; create a fan out of recycled materials and learn how glossy paper can be recycled at Junktion; make your own Lemon tree with eco-friendly materials at Junktion; craft beautiful flowers by reusing newspaper at Junktion; create your own wonderful picture of Earth at the Alexander Art Academy; learn about the science of Earth through various activities such as creating your own elephant toothpaste or recycling at the Science Station; and much more! General admission is $9 per person and $8 for seniors 65+ and for active duty military personnel. Children under one and Museum Members receive free admission.
12. Spring Fling – Earth Day Celebration. Join the Nature Discovery Center in the park for a fun and educational event celebrating Earth Day. There will be guided nature hikes, environmental and science exhibitors, fun kids crafts and activities, food, and music. This is always a great event for the whole family! There’s no entry fee, and the walks, activities and crafts are free! The celebration will be held on April 19, 2014, from 10am-3pm. More at www.naturediscoverycenter.org.
13. The Progressive Forum – Closing Event. Earlier this week, Randall Morton, Founder and President of The Progressive Forum, announced the end of the theatrical events. For nine years, The Progressive Forum brought many great minds and presentations to Houston. Although the events are ending, the mission will be continued online. The closing event will be held on April 21, 2014, at 7:30pm, at the Wortham Center, Cullen Theater. The speaker, Bill McKibben, is cofounder of 350.org, which is “building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis.” The organization has coordinated over 20,000 climate demonstrations in over 188 countries and has led opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, which would connect high-carbon tar-sand oil to Houston refineries. Learn more about the closing event and buy tickets here. Read the letter from Randall Morton here.
14. Houston Renewable Energy Group (HREG) Quarterly Meeting. For HREG’s quarterly meeting on April 24, 2014, the guest speaker will be Mr. Barry Cohen – algae expert and executive director of the National Algae Association. Learn about the entire production process – from incubation to final product, which is commercialized into biofuels, nutriceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Mr. Barry will also talk about the latest developments in the biofuels industry and how high schools are getting involved. Following this presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to tour a Houston algae facility during the following week. You do NOT want to miss this! Learn more and register here.
15. Green Building Tour: H-E-B Montrose Market. The next green building tour will be held on April 25, 2014, 11am-1pm, at H-E-B Montrose Market. The building was certified by the US Green Building Council in 2012; LEED for New Construction – Silver level. The tour is free and open to the public. Learn more at www.houstontx.gov.
16. The WaterWeek Festival. The WaterWeek festival educates more than 1,800 students about the importance of protecting their water resources. This event is one of the most popular field trips in our region. Municipal water professionals and environmental educators provide hands-on activities, both indoor and outdoor, primarily suited for third through eighth grade students each day from 9:30am-1pm. The festival is held at the WaterWorks Education Center in northeast Harris County. Attendance is free and advance reservations are required. Download a WaterWorks Education Center Field Trip Request Form to register for one day of WaterWeek. Participation in the art contest is not required. Space is limited to 350 students per day. Learn more here. Monday, April 28 – Friday, May 2 from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.
17. Earth Day Selfie Photo Contest! Celebrate Earth Day all month long! Take a picture of you and your friends participating in Earth month-related activities to win cool prizes donated by exhibitors at Earth Day Houston. Get creative and have fun! Contest ends April 30, 2014. To participate, upload your image to Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter and use #EarthDayHOU. Winners will be selected at random & notified via social media. Learn more here.
18. Jones Park Photo Contest. Take to the trails at Jones Park to capture a winning shot for the annual photo contest! Participants can enter one of two divisions: Adult (ages 16 and older) and Junior (ages 15 and younger). Categories include wildlife, scenic/wildflowers, and people in the park. Only photos taken between May 1, 2013 and Monday, April 30, 2014 in Jones Park will be considered. The submission deadline is Wednesday, April 30 and mailed entries must be postmarked by Thursday, April 24. Visit www.hcp4.net for more details.
19. Bay Gazer Photo Contest. Galveston Bay Foundation is calling all bay enthusiasts with an eye for photography to submit their photos to the 2014 Bay Gazer Photo Contest and come out for the announcement of the winners at Bay Day Festival. There are three entry levels based on age from 11-13 yrs, 14-17 yrs, and ages 18 plus. Each participant may submit up to three photos. The photos will then be carefully selected and voted on by the public at the Bay Day Festival on the Kemah Boardwalk on Saturday, April 26, 2014. 1st place will win a cash prize! For the rules and more information, visit the Bay Gazer page.
20. GCBO Quintana Spring Fling and Auction. GCBO’s Quintana Spring Fling will be held daily the entire month of April at Quintana Neotropic Bird Sanctuary. There will be knowledgeable volunteers and staff on hand to answer your bird questions, keep a daily list, and sell water, snacks, and field guides. Stop by and visit! Additionally GCBO hosts an online auction that started on April 1, 2014, and will last until April 30, 2014. Don’t forget to go online and start bidding! Items will be added throughout the month. All proceeds raised from this auction will go toward GCBO’s coastal conservation programs.
21. H.P.A.R.D. Parks Master Plan II Survey. HPARD is in the process of evaluating and adjusting its Master Plan, last published in 2008. The plan gives direction for the growth of the city’s park system for the next twenty years. Since 2007, the City of Houston has been divided into 21 Park Sectors and park need analysis at this level is being done in Phase II of the Master Plan. Your input is needed, as a resident who uses the park system, to enhance this assessment by providing input on priorities of the items that need to be addressed first with available funding. Currently, a Park Master Plan Survey is being conducted and you can participate by taking the survey. You will need your Park Sector Number to complete this survey. To determine your park sector number: 1) Visit my mycity.houstontx.gov/public; 2) From the MyCity Map Viewer Bar, click on the Layers Icon and select the Parks Sectors layer from the drop down menu; 3) Click on the Locate Address Bar, enter your address and zip code to find your park sector number. The survey is available in both English and Spanish and the results can help shape the new Park Master Plan. Please take a moment to participate in the Parks Master Plan Survey.
22. Artist Boat Kayak Tours. Come take a 2-hour tour of Galveston Island’s Coastal Heritage Preserve! Located roughly midway along the length of Galveston Island, the Coastal Heritage Preserve is a project site, and critical piece in the West Bay Corridor Initiative, a multi-agency program to protect and restore critical habitats around West Bay. The Coastal Heritage Preserve represents the essence of bay coastal margin on Galveston Bay, with a full suite of habitats, from open bay water to salt, brackish, intermediate and fresh marsh, tidal flats, and upland prairie. It also exhibits a mix of ecologic, conservation, recreation, historic, and aesthetic values. Learn more about the Coastal Heritage Preserve here. Visit www.artistboat.org to register for a kayak tour. Tours are $10. Call (409)-770-0722 for more information.
23. Terry Hershey Stewardship Award Nominations. (From www.yourhoustonnews.com) Attention all bayou lovers! Bayou Preservation Association (BPA) announced Monday that the organization begins taking nominations now for the 2014 Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award. The deadline for nominations is April 15, 2014. Winners of the Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award will be announced and honored at the Bayou Preservation Association annual meeting in May. Established in 2010, the Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award recognizes those who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to aiding in the conservation, preservation, restoration or advocacy of Houston’s waterways. Do you know an individual or organization demonstrating a passion for the conservation, preservation, restoration or advocacy of Houston-area bayous and waterways? Submit a nomination for the person or organization to be the recipient of this prestigious award. To download a nomination form, please visit www.bayoupreservation.org. For information regarding the Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award, please call 713-529-6443. Read more at www.yourhoustonnews.com.

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COMMUNITY NOTES

1. Film Screening: The Ghosts in Our Machine. The South Texas College of Law/Houston is hosting a special screening of the critically acclaimed new documentary, The Ghosts in Our Machine. The Ghosts in Our Machine is a multi-award winning consciousness raising documentary that gently reveals one of the most haunting moral dilemmas of our modern world. While the provocative film Blackfish made waves for exposing the consequences of keeping orcas in captivity, The Ghosts in Our Machine illuminates the plight of many other animals rescued from and living within the machine of our modern world, from captive foxes to rescued dairy cows. The screening will be held on April 8, 2014, at 6:30pm at the South Texas College of Law/Houston. Katie Jarl, Texas State Director for The Humane Society of the United States, will speak about ongoing campaigns to address these issues. Learn more here. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required.
2. 2014 Fuller Challenge. The Buckminster Fuller Institute is looking for solutions to the world’s toughest problems. They just released the call for entries for their 2014 Fuller Challenge, “socially-responsible design’s highest award.” Landscape architects, architects, planners, artists, entrepreneurs, and students from everywhere are invited to go for the $100,000 prize for most outstanding strategy. The challenge is seeking global change-makers. Winners haven’t just taken on a building or landscape but a whole broken system. Last year, an amazing group of materials innovators at Ecovative took home the prize for their game-changing Styrofoam made of mycelium and agricultural waste. The year before, the Living Building Challenge won for showing the world how a green building could become a self-sustaining system. Submit your concept by April 11, 2014. Learn more at http://dirt.asla.org.
3. 5th Annual Paddlers’ Rally on the River. The Matagorda County Birding Nature Center invites all kayakers, canoeists and stand-up paddleboarders to Riverside Park to pay tribute to all of Texas’ rivers, creeks and bayous on April 12, 2014. Paddlers will cruise 9 miles on the Colorado River up to the LCRA dam at Bay City from the City’s Riverside Park, and then back. But, any human-powered boater may paddle a lesser distance by simply returning when desired. Although there is no fee to enter this fun-filled celebration of the countless contributions of our streams, or to enter the park that day, all participants are asked to register. The first 100 to do so will receive a commemorative t-shirt and welcome bag. Kayaks are available for $20/boat, single or tandem. Call 979-245-3336 or email mcbnc@mcbnc.org to enroll, reserve a kayak or receive additional information.
4. “Booming” -N- “Blooming” Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Festival. Enjoy The 20th Annual Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Festival from 7am-2:30pm on April 12-13, 2014, at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge. Go on tours to experience the beautiful and comical courtship dance of the Attwater’s prairie chicken in their natural habitat and to learn about the plight of the Attwater’s prairie chicken and see first hand how refuge staff work to keep this species from extinction. There will be a special presentation on both Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am-noon. Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist Jon Hays will speak about the interdependence of native prairie and North American grassland birds. Learn why native prairie is important to not only the Attwater’s prairie-chicken, but also many other species we enjoy so much, including the loggerhead shrike, scissor-tailed flycatcher, sparrows, meadowlarks and Northern bobwhite. More at www.fws.gov.
5. A Public Conversation on Religious Understandings of Science. The Religion and Public Life Program’s upcoming panel event, “A Public Conversation on Religious Understandings of Science” will be held on April 14, 2014, from 7-8pm at McMurty Auditorium, Duncan Hall, Rice University. Professor Elaine Howard Ecklund will present initial findings from her latest research in cooperation with the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program of the AAAS. This study is the largest survey to date of what religious people think about different scientific issues, from stem cells to evolution to climate change. Professor Ecklund will be joined by fellow panelists Dr. Jennifer Wiseman, senior astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Professor Philip Clayton, Professor of Theology at Claremont School of Theology; and Fr. Donald Nesti, director of the Center for Faith and Culture at University of St. Thomas. A reception will follow the discussion. Learn more at http://ssri.rice.edu.
6. Earth Day: Styrofoam Meltdown Party. Picture this: attending a party where you are enjoying a frosty libation served in a Styrofoam cup, knowing you can’t recycle the cup. Now picture recycling the cup at the party. Visit the Green Building Resource Center the day after Earth Day here to see a great ReUse in Houston display from the University of Houston, and enjoy some free libations here served in Styrofoam cups that you can leave guilt free! The Styrofoam Densifier donated to the GBRC by EcoProducts of the Future will be working away while guests can network and learn about the many entities in Houston that deal with reusing and recycling materials, assembled by the Materials Research Collaborative at the University of Houston. Come and network with like minded individuals and help take another step towards sustainable living! The Styrofoam Meltdown Party will be held on April 23, 2014, from 6-8pm. Learn more here.
7. LightsOut Houston. LightsOut Houston is a grass-roots effort to reduce non-essential energy use by switching off the lights. This simple act would result in $3 MILLION in energy savings! The 6th annual LightsOut Houston event will be April 24th, when buildings around the city go dark. In 2013, LightsOut Houston engaged over 140 million square feet of commercial buildings to participate. To participate, on April 24, 2014, at 10pm, turn off all unnecessary lights at your office, home, or wherever you may be and then change lighting habits. Turn off the lights when you are not in your office and encourage your employer to install occupancy sensors. Learn more at www.lightsouthouston.com.
8. Toshiba Celebrates Earth Day with Free Electronics Recycling. Bring your used electronics to Toshiba to be recycled and receive a free Toshiba gift! In honor of Earth Day and as part of its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and giving back to its local community, Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) will hold a free electronics recycling (“e-Recycling”) event at its Houston headquarters on April 25, 2014, 10am-4pm. Members of the community may bring in any used electronic items they want to dispose of safely. Items that will be accepted for recycling include: TVs, VCRs, DVD players, computer monitors, phones, cell phones, computer CPUs, inkjet printer cartridges, computer peripherals, scanners, printers and fax machines, and stereo equipment (no appliances, smoke detectors, alkaline batteries or hazardous materials). Please call 713-466-0277 ext. 3742 or ext. 2588 with any questions.
9. TCEQ Environmental Trade Fair and Conference. The 2014 Environmental Trade Fair & Conference is Texas’ premier environmental educational forum, considered by many to be one of the best in the country. The conference features topics such as the drought crisis, oil & gas, air quality, and waste management. Attendees may earn CEU credits. The conference will be held May 6-7, 2014, at the Austin Convention Center. Learn more about the conference here.
10. Walter B. Jones Awards Call for Nominations. NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2014 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management. The award categories for 2014 are: Coastal Steward of the Year; Excellence in Local Government (up to five may be awarded); and Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study (up to ten may be awarded). The hallmarks of the awards are innovation, resourcefulness, and a commitment to balancing the needs of America’s natural coastal and ocean resources with the needs of people. Nominations are open to individuals, organizations, and state and local government agencies and their employees. Federal employees and officials are not eligible. Entries must adhere to specific submission and judging criteria and must be received by April 15, 2014. Winners will be notified this summer. For more information, visit the Jones Awards webpage or contact Patmarie Nedelka at Patmarie.Nedelka@noaa.gov or 301-563-1127.
11. The Texas State Parks Photo Contest. Do you have a favorite photo that was taken in one of our Texas State Parks? Perhaps it’s the view from Enchanted Rock or the rim of Palo Duro Canyon, or treasured snapshots of family fun while gathered around a picnic table at Dinosaur Valley, paddling at Caddo Lake or building sandcastles on Mustang Island. Find those favorite photos or to take some new ones, because Texas State Parks is sponsoring the Picture Yourself in Texas State Parks Photo Contest. Each month Texas Parks & Wildlife features an Outdoor Activity of the Month, and in March 2014, it’s Photography Month. To encourage you to head out to a State Park and start taking pictures, TP&W is sponsoring a photography contest with three categories and three prizes. The categories are: Ages 17 and Under; Ages 18 and Over; and Instagram (for all ages) with the hashtag #myparkpic. If your photo is declared one of the three winners, you’ll receive a Hero3+ GoPro Camera, courtesy of Whole Earth Provision Co.! The contest began March 1, 2014 and runs through April 15th. The winning photos will be chosen by a team of Texas Parks & Wildlife photographers and staff. The winning photos will be published in Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine. All photos submitted will be available for reuse in Texas Parks & Wildlife publications and materials. Learn more here.
12. Houston Space Center No Impact Week. Could you go a full week without making an environmental impact on planet earth? How hard would it be to live and work without wasting precious resources? Could you live without creating any trash or using any electricity? Could you save money? Be healthier? Find out this April 19th when the No Impact Week comes to Houston! Space Center Houston is partnering with The No Impact Project for its first annual Earth Day Celebration and planning a No Impact Week Challenge. Space Center will host a kick-off celebration on Saturday, April 19, 2014. There will be activities, music, workshops, demonstrations and film screenings! If your organization is interested in having a booth at the event, coordinating an activity or getting involved in Space Center Houston’s No Impact Week Challenge please fill out this form or contact Lilly at lilly@noimpactproject.org or by phone at (347) 566-1593. Learn more about No Impact Week at http://noimpactproject.org.
13. Garden Haikus for Earth Day. Join Recipe for Success Foundation in celebrating National Gardening Month, National Poetry Month AND Earth Day this April by taking part in the third-annual Garden Haikus Earth Day Contest. Students with a budding interest in poetry or adults whose passion is in full bloom are invited to enter this online citywide contest. Submit your poem in the traditional haiku format to reflect spring garden themes or the fun of growing and eating healthy food. Winners will be selected from three categories: Seeds (Age 5 to 11), Sprouts (Age 12 to 17), Blooms (Age 18+). Multiple submissions welcome. Entry deadline is April 30, 2014. Find the entry form here.
14. 2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest. The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies is pleased to invite U.S. high school students to participate in the 2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest. This annual contest allows students the opportunity to show off their science and technology skills by submitting research projects focused on the use of remote sensing and analysis tools. Students are asked to identify a U.S. protected area of interest, and design a research project that identifies why the area is unique, why it significantly contributes to our society, how this area has changed over time, and ways remote sensing and geospatial tools can be used to monitor these environmental treasures. Participation is open to all U.S. students in grades 9-12. Entries may be submitted by individuals or student teams. Three cash prizes will be presented, with the first place student or team receiving $2,000, along with a feature in the magazine Apogeo Spatial. In addition to prizes for the winning students, the teachers of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entrants will receive a $200 Amazon.com gift card. Click here for full contest rules and to learn how enter. Entries are due May 5, 2014.
15. Win a GoPro Photo Contest. Catching waves, bagging peaks, chasing powder — public land is what makes it all possible. That’s why The Trust for Public Land works across the country to protect places where everyone can get outside, from the best of the backcountry to your go-to neighborhood parks and trails. Show where you go when you want an adventure. Submit a snapshot of someplace you like to get moving and you could win a GoPro camera. Need inspiration? Check out the GoPro footage above of blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer riding the rapids on the Colorado River. How it works: Submit your photo on Facebook—or post it to Twitter or Instagram and tag it #NeverStillLife. Rally your friends to vote for you on the contest page. Four winners will be chosen from the top entries to receive a GoPro camera. The contest ends May 16, 2014. Selfies welcome.
16. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on municipal access cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Houston, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Sugar Land, and on HCC TV. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area).
    • Natural Wasteland
    • Parks & Wildlife People: Greg Creacy
    • Texas Eagles on the Move
    • Outdoor Info: Tree Stand Safety
17. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • April 8, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate to strong winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • April 9, 2014: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone.  Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” or possibly higher levels on the west and northwest side of the Houston area, with highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.
    • April 10, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.

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

1. NRG increases its partnership with the Galveston Bay Foundation through $50,000 donation to support oil spill recovery (The Bay Area Citizen, 4/4/2014)
   With the oil spill response continuing in Galveston Bay and down the Texas coast and the pace increasing, the Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) received a $50,000 donation by NRG Energy—a $25,000 corporate donation matched with another $25,000 grant from the NRG Gulf Coast region—to aid GBF in oil spill recovery efforts in Galveston Bay. Currently, as the Volunteer Management Organization under a Memorandum of Agreement with the Coast Guard and the Texas General Land Office, GBF has mobilized hundreds of volunteers in the oil spill response effort.
   www.yourhoustonnews.com
2. 29 dead dolphins found since oil spill (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle, 4/4/2014)
   Scientists are trying to determine whether an oil spill two weeks ago in Galveston Bay contributed to a higher-than-normal number of dolphin deaths. At least 29 dead dolphins have been found in the Galveston area since a ship and barge collided, spilling nearly 168,000 gallons of thick oil into Galveston Bay. The number brought the total for March to 47, above the average of 34 dolphin strandings for the month and triple last years’ total of 15, said Heidi Whitehead, state operations coordinator for the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
   www.chron.com
3. HISD students part of first Whole Kids Farmers Market (The Examiner, 3/31/2014)
   Shoppers at Whole Foods’ Montrose-area store, 701 Waugh Dr., were able to stock their carts with fresh vegetables grown by students from nine Houston ISD schools during the Whole Kids Farmers Market on Saturday, March 29. Dozens of students were at the store to sell seasonal produce grown in their Urban Harvest-affiliated school gardens, such as beets, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, kale, lettuces, Swiss chard, snap peas, edible flowers, and herbs. The students also sold garden and craft products, such as pots, transplants, seed packets and potted plants, and students from Jefferson Davis High School Culinary Team whipped up samples. All proceeds will be reinvested in the schools’ garden or culinary programs.
   www.yourhoustonnews.com