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June 9, 2015

Houston Environmental News Update June 9, 2015

CEC is excited to welcome Morgan Greeves, a summer intern who will be developing CEC’s volunteer program. We are also excited about the great events that we are planning. Read on for more information.

CEC NOTES

  1. Welcome Summer Intern Morgan GreevesIMG_0478

    The CEC is delighted to introduce you to Morgan Greeves, our volunteer coordinator for the summer. Morgan comes from the city of no plastic bags, Austin, TX, where she is an undergraduate student at St. Edward’s University studying environmental science and policy. She discovered this internship opportunity when she was researching environmental legislation for a class and ran across the CEC website. Morgan’s environmental passion is ocean conservation and she spent the previous summer scuba diving off the coast of Sicily in order to learn more about marine life. In her free time she enjoys eating her fiancé’s incredible cooking and looking at pictures of baby animals online.

    Morgan will be developing a volunteer handbook and recruiting volunteers, among other tasks. She will be calling many of our member groups to learn about their volunteer programs and policies. If you would like a summary of resources that Morgan identifies over the summer, please feel free to contact her at morgan@cechouston.org. CEC is grateful to the Shell Nonprofit Internship Program & Volunteer Houston for their support of this program.

  2. Photographer Jim Olive: How to Get Your Photos on the Front Page.

    Have you struggled to get your environmental story on the front page of the newspaper?  Do you have the tools necessary to make it happen?  Environmental non-profits face the challenge of money, manpower and the right material  – all in sync – to get the media’s attention.  Join us June 23rd, 6:30-8:00pm when CEC member Jim Olive will share how his environmental photography consistently gets published.  From Time magazine to the Galveston County Daily Press; from oil spills to earthquakes, Jim’s work over five decades continues to tell a compelling environmental story.  To view Jim’s qualifications and portfolio, visit www.stockyard.com and Facebook: Christmas Bay Foundation.

      

    Start with enviro-networking at 6:30pm, followed by the program from 7:00pm-8:00pm. Join us in the Havana Room, El Meson, 2425 University Boulevard in the Rice Village. linger for dinner with other like-minded souls after the event.

    Please register on Eventbrite as the room will fill up fast.  Suggested donation of $10 for members, $15 for non-members, cash bar. Because we expect to see out, members have three days head start before registration opens for non-members on Friday.

  3. CEC Events–Save the Dates
    • July 9, 2015: Happy Birthday CEC open house
    • September 3, 2015: Environmental Forum for Contested At-Large City of Houston Council races. Please contact rachel@cechouston.org if you would like to be a planning or promotional partner for the event.
    • November 17, 2015: CEC holiday open house
    • January 28, 2016: Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour
    • March 24, 2016: CEC’s Greater Houston Environmental Summit

COALITION NOTES

  1. Houston Bike Plan – Public Meetings. There will be four community meetings held in the evenings throughout the month of June at various locations around the city, where you can learn about the Houston Bike Plan project and existing conditions and provide your input on biking in Houston. Dates, times, and locations are listed below:
    1. Houston Bike Plan Public Meeting: June 9, 2015, 6-8pm at Palm Center Business Technology Center
    2. Houston Bike Plan Public Meeting: June 16, 2015, 6-8pm at HCC Memorial City Performing Arts Center
    3. Houston Bike Plan Public Meeting: June 23, 2015, 6-8pm at Baker-Ripley Neighborhood Center
  2. Houston’s Highway Futures: Collaborating with TXDOT. On June 10, 2015, 5:30-7:30pm, three of Houston’s Management Districts will discuss their involvement with TXDOT in the preliminary planning of IH-45, IH-10 and IH-69, the future highway system in and near Downtown Houston. The event will be held at Architecture Center Houston (315 Capitol Street #120). https://aiahouston.org
  3. Bright Ideas in Energy Efficiency for Religious Facilities

    On June 11, 2015, from 7:30-11:00 am, join a workshop to discuss energy efficiency strategies tailored to your house of worship! The interactive workshop features Bee Moorhead, our Executive Director, along with Jerry Lawson, National Manager of the ENERGY STAR Small Business and Congregations Network, Jim Brown, Principal of Energy Systems Associates and many others. We’d love to help find new solutions for energy efficiency for your congregation. Learn more and register on eventbrite.com.

  4. Seabrook Rain Barrel Workshop. Galveston Bay Foundation’s Rain Barrel Program works to conserve water and reduce stormwater runoff, pollution, and bacteria entering Galveston Bay. Each workshop is a unique and personal experience hosted by GBF’s Water Quality Team in partnership with local organizations and cities. Workshops consist of a presentation on the environmental benefits of collecting rainwater and proper rain barrel installation instructions and tips. Registration is $30, which includes one, 35-gallon barrel + one connector kit, and admission to the workshop for two people. Workshop registrees can purchase a maximum of 2 barrels + 2 kits. The next rain barrel workshop will be held on June 13, 2015, 9:30-11:30am at the Seabrook Community House. Learn more and register at http://galvbay.org.
  5. The Mercer Society Summer Color Plant Sale and Conference. The Mercer Society Summer Color Plant Sale and Conference is coming up on June 13, 2015, 8am-3pm. Learn all about xeriscaping and the techniques to conserve water in your yard and garden at the conference. Learn about rare and unusual plants that will give you a drought-tolerant landscape while utilizing water conservation techniques. Enjoy a guided Garden tour with Director, Darrin Duling. Participants will then have a private shopping experience at the summer plant sale featuring unique and hard-to-find species that thrive in Houston’s long, hot and humid summers! The cost is $55 for TMS members and $65 for non-members. Call 281.443.8731 or email msociety@hcp4.net for more information.
  6. Instagram Scavenger Hunt with rdAGENTS: #HOUOnTheRails. As METRO gets ready to roll out the East End (Green) Line and Southeast (Purple) Line, two much-anticipated additions to the MetroRail system, even more of inside-the-Loop Houston will be connected via public transportation. The young professional group of the Rice Design Alliance, rdAGENTS, is partnering with METRO to challenge you to explore these new lines and view the city through a different lens with an Instagram Scavenger Hunt, “HOUSTON: On The Rails.” The scavenger hunt will take place on June 13, 2015, starting at Market Square Park at 9:30am. Clues will be revealed that morning. Teams will need at least one smartphone, a good map or app (such as METRO’s T.R.I.P. app), and a public Instagram account. From 10am-12:30pm, teams of up to four people will solve the clues and ride MetroRail to their destinations to photograph iconic landmarks, architectural details, and other bits of Houston’s built environment. Teams will post their photos to Instagram using the hashtag #HOUOnTheRails. The first team to solve all the clues and meet back at Market Square Park is the winner! Registration is $20 per team through June 10 at noon. After that, registration is $25. Read more at www.ricedesignalliance.org.
  7. Conservation & Mitigation Banking Options for the Gulf-Houston Region. Houston Wilderness will be hosting a collaborative access program on June 18, 2015, 1:30-4:30pm. This discussion will be centered around mitigation banking & ILF options for the Gulf-Houston region. RSVP to rita@houstonwilderness.org.
  8. NPSOT Meeting: Foraging Texas by Dr. Mark Vorderbruggen.  Thursday, June 18, 2015, 7-9pm. Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, 4505 Woodway. Free. Native Plant Society of Texas – Houston Chapter event. Details:www.npsot.org. Come prepare for the zombie apocalypse by learning which plants are edible/medicinal! Dr. Mark Vorderbruggen has been a forager all his life, having learned the skill as a child from his parents in Minnesota. Knowing how to harvest nature’s free food fed him through the poverty years of childhood and on through getting a master’s degree in medicinal chemistry and a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry. For the last eighteen years, he’s worked as a research chemist in the oil industry using his knowledge of natural products to develop environmentally friendly replacements for traditional oil field chemicals.
  9. TWRC Wildlife Center Guest Speaker Series: Reptiles and Exotics with Gina Disteldorf. What reptiles are co-existing in your local ecosystems? What effects do they have on you, and what effects do you have on them? Local reptile and exotics expert, Gina Disteldorf, will share with you stories and advice from her lifetime of work with unique and fascinating creatures. Some of her largest and most unique education reptiles may even be in attendance! The presentation will be held on June 18, 2015, 7-8pm at the TWRC Wildlife Center. The cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. To RSVP, please contact education@twrcwildlifecenter.org.
  10. Summer Gator Tales 2015. Summer Gator Tales are back at The Wetlands Center (1724 Market St). This is a free pre-school program held each Wednesday from 10-11am until August 19, 2015. This is a fun, educational hour geared for young children with an adult. Learn more: Gator Tales Summer 2015.
  11. Buffalo Bayou Park’s Grand Opening – POSTPONED UNTIL FALL. Due to the recent flooding, Buffalo Bayou Park’s Grand Opening has been postponed until the fall. Look for updates at http://buffalobayou.org.
  12. CWI: Ag Programs and Invasive Species. The next Clean Waters Initiative Workshop will be held on June 24, 2015 from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM at H-GAC. The topic is Ag Programs and Invasive Species. Speakers will discuss a variety of agricultural programs currently underway, as well as invasive species mitigation techniques. Speakers include representatives from Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, Texas Forest Service, Texas A&M, Harris County, Armand Bayou Nature Center and Plum Creek Watershed. Learn more and register: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com.
  13. Project WILD Workshop. Project WILD invites you to explore and share the fascinating world of wildlife and ecosystems using fun, hands-on educational activities. During the 6-hour training workshop participants will sample activities and receive Project WILD K-12 activity guide. Activities are adaptable for all grade levels, integrated with core subject curricula and aligned to the TEKS. SBEC credit available for teachers. Anyone who works with children, including teachers, home-schoolers, informal educators and scout leaders are welcome. This workshop will be held at Blackwood Educational Land Institute on June 30, 2015, from 9am-4pm. The cost is $25. Register at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com.
  14. Houston Bayou Greenways Nature Website. A new Houston Bayou Greenways Nature website recently launched! The website serves as a repository for observations collected along the five major bayous in Houston: Brays, Buffalo, Halls, White Oak, and Sims Bayou. Observations may include photos, tracks, scat, carcasses, etc. found in the Houston area along all bayous covered and managed through the Bayou Greenways project. The purpose of this project is to enhance understanding of the distribution of wildlife and tree, & plant species that are observed along managed bayous and their corridors. Visit the website at www.inaturalist.org.

COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. HAUFC Meeting. The Houston Area Urban Foresty Council will be meeting on June 9, 2015, at 10am at the new Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion in the McGovern Centennial Gardens. Park in the new parking lot “C”, entering off of Hermann Drive at Crawford. Enter the garden through the main entry and turn to the right to the meeting space. The HAUFC provides an opportunity for those involved in forestry to work together to develop forestry projects in the greater Houston area. Learn more at http://haufc.org.
  2. Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Bringing Nature Home is a book written by Doug Tallamy that has sparked a national conversation about the link between healthy local ecosystems and human well-being. By acting on Douglas Tallamy’s practical recommendations, everyone can make a difference. Come out for a presentation and book signing by the author on June 9, 2015, 4-7pm at United Way of Greater Houston. The price is $55 for OHBA members and $75 for on-members. Register at www.eventbrite.com.
  3. Public Meeting: 10 Proposed Early Restoration Gulf Projects. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (Trustees) released a draft plan today that proposes 10 early restoration projects across the Gulf states at an estimated cost of $134 million. This includes two proposals involving Texas, a $45 million sea turtle restoration project and a $20 million bird rookery islands restoration project. The Draft Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessments (Draft Plan) is available for public review and comment through June 19, 2015. It is posted online at www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. There will also be a series of meetings throughout the Gulf Coast that will begin with an interactive open house during which Trustee staff will be available to discuss project details. The open house will be followed by a formal presentation and opportunity for the public to provide comments to Trustee representatives. One of those meetings will be held at Texas A&M University at Galveston Seawolf Parkway on June 10, 2015, 6-9pm. Learn more at www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
  4. Climate Change: Water as a Bridge to Mitigation and Adaptation. Beginning in the late 1980s, climate change issues were divided into two distinct policy categories: mitigation (carbon emissions reduction and sequestration) and adaptation (adjusting to the impacts of climate change). Climate change mitigation has faced challenging political obstacles, while adaptation has developed into an increasingly powerful operational framework centered on water management. However, these categories make little sense today. In the fourth talk in the Center for Energy Studies series on public policy and climate change, John H. Matthews, secretariat coordinator for the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, will discuss water as a bridge to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The event will be held on June 11, 2015, 12-1:30pm at James A. Baker III Hall, Rice University. Learn more and RSVP at www.bakerinstitute.org.
  5. Dow Black Skimmer Day. Dow Texas Operations will hold their annual Skimmer Day on June 27, 2015, from 9am-noon. This free public event provides a rare opportunity to view one of the largest nesting colonies of Black Skimmers on the Texas Gulf Coast. Black Skimmers are considered colonial waterbirds because they nest in large colonies, usually on bay islands. These unique birds have a lower mandible longer than the upper which enables them to employ a unique feeding style. They feed by flying low over the water, opening their bills and skimming the water with their lower mandible to catch small fish. According to colonial waterbird data, Black Skimmers have declined on the Texas coast by 70% in the last 40 years so this colony at Dow is of increasing importance. Meet at the Dow A-41 gate located on FM 523 which is 1 mile south of the Hwy 332 and FM 523 intersection for shuttles to the site. If you would like to volunteer to help with this event, contact Janice Waldron (JYWaldron@dow.com) or Gabriella Cone (GVCone@dow.com).
  6. EPA Extends Public Comment Period on Draft EJ 2020 Action Agenda Framework to July 14, 2015. As a result of robust feedback from stakeholders, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending the public comment period on the draft EJ 2020 Action Agenda (EJ 2020) framework until July 14, 2015. EPA is seeking public comment on EJ 2020, its next overarching strategic plan to advance environmental justice through EPA’s programs, policies and activities, and will support the cross-agency strategy on making a visible difference in environmentally overburdened, underserved, and economically-distressed communities. Stakeholders and the general public can review the framework and submit comments, by visiting  www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/ej2020.
  7. Teacher Trainings: Down Under Out Yonder (DUOY) and Intracoastal Waterway Wetlands Expedition (IWWE). A DUOY coral reef ecology underwater workshop for educators will be held from July 11-15, 2015. This 5-day expedition includes a 2-day Corals to Classrooms workshop followed by three days of diving the coral reefs of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, which harbors the northernmost coral reefs in the continental US, providing habitat for a variety of fish, turtles, and sharks. Participants return to their classrooms filled with innovative ideas for teaching biology, oceanography, geology, physical science, government, and environmental science. Another workshop, IWWE, a coastal habitat ecology workshop for educators, will be held from June 15-19, 2015. Cruise the estuaries of coastal Texas from the Louisiana border to Freeport by way of the Intracoastal Waterway during this five-day expedition. Along the way, participants explore diverse habitats as they learn about the natural and human threats to our living coast. Educators of all levels walk away from this experience with new knowledge and skills for educating students about coastal ecology (and economy). For more information, call 361-882-3939 or email info@gulfmex.org or visit http://www.gulfmex.org/education-training/duoy/.
  8. Houston Three By Three. Houston Three By Three is a program that includes three sessions with three speakers each who will discuss issues unique to the region, including innovative building skins created for hot-weather and high-wind environments, high performance facades, and the future face of Houston. The well rounded, informed dialogue will inform and inspire. This program includes the of the Facades+ 2-day conference into a quick-take morning forum with a local focus—Facades+AM—this time tailor-made for Texas and the Southwest region. Houston Three By Three will be held on June 18, 2015, at Hotel Icon. Learn more and register at http://am.facadesplus.com.
  9. Congressional Climate Message Day. On June 23, 2015, friends at Citizens’ Climate Lobby will be sending 900 volunteers to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, to lobby for legislation that prices carbon. You can help make their meetings a success by letting your representatives and senators know that their constituents support congressional action to address climate change. On June 22, 2015, you can participate by contacting Congress by phone and social media. Learn more at www.facebook.com.
  10. Additional Community Announcements
  11. 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.
    • Acquiring Powderhorn
    • Outdoor Info: Campfire Tips
    • I Love a Mystery
    • Building the Canyon
  12. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • June 9, 2015: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone. Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone levels to reach “Moderate” or possibly higher on the east and northeast side of the Houston area, with highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.
    • June 10, 2015: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone. Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” levels on the east, northeast, and north side of the Houston area, with highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.
    • June 11, 2015: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • June 12, 2015: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.

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