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Houston Environmental News Update October 26, 2014
October 26, 2014

Houston Environmental News Update October 26, 2014

Early voting continues through Friday, and the election is next Tuesday, one week from today. Your vote is important to issues such as climate change, threats to Texas coastal lands, fracking rules, Texas education curriculum, wetlands, future water needs, failing infrastructure, access to healthcare for women, and transportation. Learn more in the nonpartison Voters Guide prepared by the League of Women Voters of Houston.

You can learn more about voting (including where and when to vote) at votetexas.gov.

CEC NOTES

  1. Last week to vote!!  Please support CEC by voting for us at Okra Charity Salon. October 31 is the last day to vote.

    Help CEC win by picking OKRA to host your parties, after-work mixers, or just to grab a few drinks and food to relax after a day of work. With each drink and food purchase, you can get a ticket to vote for CEC. To help CEC win, please be sure to stop by and vote for us!

    OKRA is located on Main St. and Congress, right next to the Metro rail. We will be hosting some CEC happy hours, dates TBA. 

  2. Kung Fu Saloon Drink for A Cause
    CEC has been chosen as the benefiting charity for Kung Fu’s monthly charity happy hour. Join CEC from 7pm-8 pm this Thursday, October 30. 15% of happy hour drink sales will come to CEC! Be sure to come by and have a drink with us. Kung Fu is located on Washington Avenue, between Dettering and Reinerman streets.

COALITION NOTES

  1. White Oak Bayou Association Annual Meeting. White Oak Bayou Association will be hosting their annual meeting on November 5, 2014, 6-8:1pm at the Historic Heights Firestation. Dr. George Guillen, Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at UHCL and Executive Director of Environmental Institute of Houston will speak on the ecology of Houston’s bayous. His research focuses on the interrelationship of channel morphology, habitat diversity, water quality and ecological health. The presentation will include a discussion of what channel restoration in White Oak Bayou can realistically achieve in terms of ecological revitalization. This meeting is open to the public. Please RSVP to tgall@tjgall.com.
  2. Mercer Botanic Gardens Presents Distinguished Lecture: Growing an Ark. Join Mercer Society and The Houston Museum of Natural Science for their Distinguished Lecture Series, which will be hosted in commemoration of Mercer’s 40th Anniversary. The next lecture will be held on November 6, 2014, 6:30-7:30pm, with Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson. Dr. Jackson is a leader in the international botanic garden community. For the past two decades, he has helped establish botanic gardens all over the world as well as develop and implement the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, which the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity adopted in 2002. Tickets are available to purchase at www.hmns.org, or by calling 713-639-4629. Tickets are tickets are $12 for TMS members and $18 for the general public.
  3. Run in the Park – 5K Run & Walk and 1K Kids Run. Run in the Park is Hermann Park Conservancy’s annual fun run, which includes a 5K run/walk and a 1K kids’ fun run! The event starts in Molly Ann Smith Plaza and circles the Park on the Marvin Taylor Trail under the Park’s historic live oaks. Family members and neighbors turn out to cheer on the runners and everyone enjoys the post-race party, which features music, food, drinks, and fun activities in Molly Ann Smith Plaza. The run will be held on November 8, 2014, at 8am. Registration is $30 for adults and $10 for children under 10. Register at www.hermannpark.org.
  4. Native Prairie Plant-a-thon. Volunteers are needed to plant 2,500 native coastal prairie grasses and forbs. This event will help the Sheldon Lake State Park continue the restoration of 400 acres from farmland to native prairie habitat and reestablish the diverse wildlife that it once had. Located in northeast Harris County, Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center is visited by thousands of children and adults each year who take guided nature walks, study ecosystems, go fishing, experience pond ecology, and see alternative energy in action. Restoring this prairie will enhance the educational programs at the Learning Center. You are invited to be a part of the ongoing restoration work on the Sheldon Prairie on November 8, 2014, 8am-noon. More at www.tpwd.state.tx.us.
  5. Annual Banquet of the Houston Peace and Justice Center. The Annual Banquet of the Houston Peace and Justice Center will be held on November 8, 2014, from 6-9:30pm at the University of Houston Hilton Hotel. Medea Benjamin, founder of Code Pink, will be accepting the Houston Peace and Justice Center’s annual National Peacemaker Award, and she will be the keynote speaker at HPJC’s annual awards dinner this year. Call Bill Crosier at 713-641-4941 or visit www.hpjc.org for more information.
  6. 34th Annual Martyn Farm Harvest Festival. November is quickly approaching and that means time for one of the most anticipated festivals in the Greater Houston area. Each fall since 1981 the Martyn Farm at Armand Bayou Nature Center, 8500 Bay Area Boulevard, has given visitors the opportunity to turn back the clock to circa 1900 to a simpler time on the Texas Gulf Coast. This annual harvest festival will be held on November 8-9, 2014, 10am-4pm. The community is invited to join the festivities, which include a pie-eating contest, wood carving, wagon rides, food, musical performances, and a General Store with home-made food and handmade toys and gifts! There is a $7 entry fee for adults; $3 for children (4-12) and seniors (60+). www.abnc.org
  7. Memorial Park Master Plan Update Meeting. Memorial Park is a city park serving all of Houston, with opportunities for recreational activities in a unique landscape that complements Houston’s neighborhood parks. Memorial Park is going through a major planning process that will restore, preserve and enhance the Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians for generations to come. The planning team will provide a status update at a public meeting on Monday, November 10, 2014, at 6:30pm at the White Oak Conference Center (7603 Antoine Drive, 77088). During this meeting, hosted by Council Member Brenda Stardig, Thomas Woltz (Nelson Byrd Woltz) and his team will share their progress on the design process, including ideas of how to organize the site. http://memorialparkconservancy.org.
  8. Coastal Resiliency Panel & Community Dialogue. The AIA Houston Urban Design Committee and the Houston Galveston Area Council will host a panel discussion and community dialogue on coastal resiliency on November 10, 2014, at 6pm at the George R Brown Convention Center. Representatives from Texas A&M University in Galveston and the SSPEED Center at Rice University will discuss their research and proposed solutions for storm surge protection in the region. Tom Colbert, AIA, and Chuck Wemple, HGAC, will moderate the panel in a collaborative conversation to include a Q&A with the audience. This event is free and open to the public. More at https://aiahouston.org.
  9. Prairie Month! October 6, 2014 to November 15, 2014 is Prairie Month! Join the conservation community for a series of fun and informative events in 
the Greater Houston region, celebrating and restoring 
our prairie heartland! Find an event near you by visiting http://prairiepartner.org.
  10. Feedback on Cedar Bayou Watershed Protection Plan. Cedar Bayou Watershed Partnership is looking for comments on their working draft version of the first 4 chapters of the Cedar Bayou Watershed Protection Plan. Your feedback helps ensure that the contents reflect the discussions and values of the community over the course of the project. Comments must be supbitted by November 10, 2014. Please email any comments to Justin Bower at justin.bower@h-gac.com, or call him directly at 713-499-6653. Learn more at www.cedarbayouwatershed.com.
  11. Energy Corridor Recycles Day. Energy Corridor Recycles Day will be held on November 15, 2014, 9am-2pm. You know you’ve got them. Motorola flip phones, stereos with blown amps, computers struggling to run Windows 95, rear projection televisions with the red color malfunctioning, and VCRs with “The Breakfast Club” tape stuck inside. They are everywhere, taking up space, sitting unused with potentially toxic metals that have no business discarded into landfills, left along roadsides or stashed in garages. Get ready to properly dispose of all those outdated electronics cluttering up your home and office. This is your chance to help remove the potential environmental threat of improperly disposed televisions, computers, telecommunications equipment, hard drives, game consoles and other electronics that can be laced with heavy metals. www.energycorridor.org
  12. Houston GREEN Film Series: Deep Down. Come out on November 19, 2014, 6:30pm, to the Rice Media Center for a screening of Deep Down: A story from the heart of coal country. “Through a complex human story that cuts across environment, economics, public policy, and culture, the story of Beverly May and Terry Ratliff reveals the devastating impact of our energy consumption against an explosive backdrop: Appalachia’s centuries-old struggle over the black rock that fuels our planet.” A light dinner will be served, courtesy of Dr. Pat Speck and Dry Bones Cafe. The film is free to the public, though donations are suggested and kindly appreciated. Learn more at www.facebook.com.
  13. 20th Annual Twilight Gala: Turning a New Leaf. Join Nature Discovery Center for the 20th Annual Twilight Gala, helping the greater Houston community discover, enjoy and value nature. For nearly three decades, the Nature Discovery Center has been sparking interest in science and nature, developing critical thinking tools, enriching educational opportunities for children, improving the teaching of science for teachers, and nourishing the inquiring minds of hundreds of thousands of people, particularly children. This year’s Twilight Gala fetes all that is new and renewed at the Center. From the fresh renovation of the 89-year-old Henshaw House to the renewal of the grounds for all of those that spend time in the four-acre outdoor classroom, Russ Pitman Park. The gala will be held on November 21, 2014, at the Houstonian Hotel. Learn more and purchase tickets online at www.naturediscoverycenter.org.
  14. Save the Date! H-GAC Fall Planning Workshop: Low Impact Development. Mark your calendars and plan to join the Houston-Galveston Area Council annual Fall Planning Workshop, to explore the world of Low Impact Development (LID). The workshop will be held on December 5, 2014, at the H-GAC offices.
  15. Jones Park Tree Planting Party. Fall planting season is here! Help re-establish native trees to areas in Jones Park on November 15, 2014 and December 13, 2014, from 9am-1:30pm. Wear long pants and sturdy, closed-toed shoes (preferably hiking boots), and prepare to get dirty! Bring a refillable water bottle, gloves, and tools like shovels, axes, loppers, and hand pruners, if available. Park staff will provide tools as needed. For more information or to sign up contact Rose Belzung Holmes at rbelzung@hcp4.net or call 281-446-8588. Pre-registration is required! Planting Party Flyer (3)
  16. Earth Day Art Contest. Earth Day celebrates our planet’s wonders. Show what you see when you think of clean air, water, and land. Show your vision of how we can honor, celebrate, and protect our environment. Students in grades 3 through 12 in the Houston area should enter their artwork by January 31, 2015. Find the rules at www.earthdayhouston.org.
  17. Additional Upcoming Events

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COMMUNITY NOTES

  • Grand Opening: Houston Community Toolbank. The Houston Community Toolbank invites you to their grand opening! Come out for FREE food and drinks and of course, the debut of the massive new tool warehouse, now serving the Houston nonprofit community. Learn about the variety of tools available and the lending program. Win great door prizes while you mingle with volunteers, sponsors, donors and the media! The grand opening will be held on October 28, 2014, 4-7pm at the Houston Community Toolbank (1215 Gazin Street). RSVP at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com.
  • Addicks and Barker Dam Safety Program Update. There will be a public meeting regarding the Addicks and Barker Dam Safety Program Update on October 29, 2014, at 6:30pm at the Bear Creek Community Center. The purpose of the meeting is to update area residents and business owners about the Addicks and Barker Dam Safety Program as part of a continued communication initiative by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District. The Addicks and Barker Dam Safety Program’s primary objective is to maintain public safety by ensuring the dams we own and operate are safe and that risks to the public are minimized. The update will begin at 6:30 p.m. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representatives will be available to answer questions immediately following. Learn more at www.swg.usace.army.mil.
  • Public Meeting: Texas High-Speed Rail Line. Texas Central Railway, the private company leading the construction of a high-speed rail line connecting Houston and Dallas, has begun public outreach to get input from citizens on the project and allow citizens to ask questions about the rail line proposal. Six public meetings will be/have been held in cities and towns that are likely to be along the route connecting the two terminal cities, according to Texas Rail Advocates. The meeting on October 29, 2014, will be held in Houston at the NRG Center. There will be an open house from 4:30-6:30pm, presentation 6:30-7pm, and a public comment session from 7-8pm. Learn more at www.texastribune.org.
  • Bellaire and West U Recycles Fest. On Saturday, November 1, make sure to join the cities of West U and Bellaire at the annual Recycles Fest. This year’s Recycles Fest event will take place at Loftin Park in Bellaire, 7008 South Rice. Activities will include: a recycled art contest, children’s scavenger hunt, recycled greeting card activity, Japanese block printing with styrofoam, children’s craft activities, scouting fun patch, rock wall climbing, inflatable bounce houses, and free, secure paper shredding. In addition to activities and events, Recycles Fest will feature educational speakers and training from industry professionals. Some of the topics are: residential solar power, Texans for clean water, recycling & kids and rain barrels. If you get hungry, food trucks will be on site for a quick snack. Pick up a treat from Bernie’s Burger Bus, Golden Frill, and Kona Ice while enjoying music from Tommy Blaze! Don’t forget, this festival is about recycling! Bring your recyclables! For more information, visit www.facebook.com.
  • Sunday Streets Houston. Sunday Streets Houston provides a family-friendly opportunity to be physically active. For four hours one Sunday a month, selected Houston streets are closed to motorized traffic allowing Houstonians to cycle, walk, run, dance, and socialize in the street. On November 2, 2014, 12-4pm, the Third Ward Route (Dowling and Elgin to Almeda and Arbor (via W Alabama) will be free of cars! More at www.gohealthyhouston.org.
  • Global Change By Humans: Narrowing Choices For Our Future Climate. Ron Sass, Ph D., Fellow of Climate Change at James Baker Institute of Public Policy, Rice University, will speak about new data relating to climate issues at the lecture on November 3, 2014, 7pm, at the United Methodist Church (12955 Memorial Drive). Dr. Sass is lauded for his work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), helping to establish guidelines and values for national greenhouse gas inventories throughout the world. The IPCC is the primary global organization addressing climate change, coordinating the efforts of more than 2,000 climate scientists from 154 countries. It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to the understanding of climate change. There is no charge for the event. For more information contact MDUMCearthministry@gmail.com.
  • Creatively Green Family Arts Festival. NRG Energy, Inc. and Young Audiences of Houston are pleased to announce the NRG Creatively Green Awards Program. This program will award two schools in Houston with an engaging and dynamic family festival that offers parents and children the chance to participate in hands-on art-making to better understand the importance of environmental sustainability. Winning schools receive the unique opportunity to host a family festival worth up to $7,000 – featuring Young Audiences artists – that will celebrate imagination and creativity while promoting a better understanding of individual and community responsibility to protect our planet. Learn more about the program at http://media.wix.com. Applications are due by November 3, 2014. Apply at http://survey.constantcontact.com.
  • Texas Stormwater Innovation Conference. The new green infrastructure paradigm offers opportunities for environmental improvement and cost savings but if the critical issues of performance, reliability and maintenance are not addressed this paradigm shift will not achieve the goals that inspired it. The Texas Stormwater Innovation Conference is a multi city tour that seeks to provide insight on Low Impact Development and explores Next Generation solutions that address these key issues in stormwater management. The conference will be in Houston at the Norris Meetings & Events Center on November 7, 2014, 8am-3:15pm. The cost is $35. Attend to be a part of the discussion of various solutions and opportunities in green infrastructure to promote greater implementation of Low Impact Development. www.constructionecoservices.com
  • Financing Sustainable Water. Developing rate structures that successfully balance revenue management, resource efficiency and fiscal sustainability is becoming more challenging than ever in a world of scarce supply, volatile weather and declining demand. Learn from experts about the newest resources and strategies that can help water managers to navigate these challenges at the workshop on November 12, 2014, 9:30am-2:30pm at United Way. Registration is $30, and lunch and meeting materials are provided. Participants will receive in-depth training on the new Alliance for Water Efficiency Sales Forecasting and Rate Model, an innovative, free and user-friendly tool that can help managers explicitly model rate structures and effects on revenue and water use. Learn more and register at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com.
  • Biennial Scientific Symposium. Register now for the Children’s Environmental Health Institute’s Eight Biennial Scientific Symposium: Prenatal Environmental Exposures as a Determinant of Early Childhood Disease. Hear global experts challenge us to elevate critical  thinking on ways to address the prevention of environmental health risks to children. Keynote speakers Jeanne Conry, MD, PhD, and Philippe Grandjean, MD, PhD, among other distinguished speakers will provide prevention-oriented research on how toxic chemicals in the environment harm our ability to reproduce, negatively affect pregnancies, and are associated with numerous health problems and chronic disease. The symposium will be held November 13-14, 2014, at McKinney Roughs Education Center, close to Austin Texas. Learn more and register at http://cehi.org.
  • The Texas Big Six 2040 Signature Workshop. With a horizon year of 2040, key representatives from Texas’ six largest cities, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, will speak about major plans, policies, and projects currently underway that will shape the livability, resiliency, and competitiveness of these cities and our region’s future. The workshop will be held on November 21, 2014, 8:30am-3:30pm at Texas Southern University – Barbara Jordan/Mickey Leeland School of Public Affairs (Cleburne St at Tierwester St). The cost is $50 for APA members, and $60 for non-APA members. Student rates available. Register at www.eventbrite.com. Registration for this event includes admission to the workshop, breakfast and lunch at the workshop, and admission to the mixer to be held the night before the event.
  • Climate Leadership Summit. The Climate Leadership Summit will be hosted in Houston and presented by the Rainforest Action Network. The goal of the conference is to bring together leaders involved with all aspects of environmental justice to learn strategies for implementation, hear from experts on the issues, and network to develop a stronger force to fight for environmental protection. The summit will be held December 13-14, 2014, at Sharespace (2201 Preston St). More at www.ran.org.
  • 2015 School Garden Grant. Created in partnership with FoodCorps, the School Garden Grant program provides a $2,000 monetary grant to a K-12 school, or a non-profit working in partnership with a K-12 school, to support a new or existing edible garden on school grounds. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2014. Learn more at www.wholekidsfoundation.org.
  • Additional Community Announcements  
  • 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). For a preview, visit TPWD’s YouTube Page.
    • The Paddlefish Project
    • Lone Star Land Steward: Sky Lewey
    • Battlefield of Answers
  • Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • October 28, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • October 29, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • October 30, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • October 31, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.

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