Houston Environmental News Update July 21, 2015

CEC NOTES

1. CEC’s New Volunteer Program 
   On Wednesday, July 29, 2016, our Shell Summer Intern Morgan Greeves will be sharing what she learned as she developed CEC’s new volunteer program.If your organization is building a volunteer program of its own or looking to make changes to an existing program, Morgan can help give you ideas to get you started as well as share what the process has been like for her. Our discussion will start at 12pm, so bring your brown-bag lunch and your questions, and learn a little more improving your volunteer program. The presentation will be at the CEC office at 751 Silver Street. Please RSVP to volunteer@cechouston.org to get more specific directions.If you are interested in volunteering with the CEC, you can learn about some of our volunteer opportunities by visiting Volunteer Houston or VolunteerMatch.org, or by contacting volunteer@cechouston.org.
   We’d like to extend a big THANK YOU to the Shell Summer Intern Program and to Volunteer Houston for their support of this program.
2. Mid-Year Environmental Top Ten
   

   The year is more than half over, but we are already thinking about end-of-the-year top ten lists. What would you include on lists of the most most significant local environmental events, news articles, controversies, collaboration, or issues so far in 2015? Or how about a list of sleepers–the things most important to our environmental community that nobody knows about? Send suggestions to rachel@cechouston.org

3. New Subscribers
   

   Thank you to our new subscribers: Alexandra, Witt, Gabi, Matthias, Polly, Heather, John, and Mary. We hope you enjoy our emails. Please consider liking us on facebook.

4. CEC Events–Save the Dates
   • 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
5. City of Houston Electoral Forums–save the dates
   

   City of Houston is holding elections for a new mayor and for several city council positions. You may have seen our save the date notice for the environmental forum that CEC is hosting with several partners on September 3, 2015, for at-large council positions. (More info to follow!)

   CEC is not the only one hosting a forum related to environmental issues. Here’s a rundown of other forums of which we know being hosted by CEC member organizations–more details to follow:

   • Brays Bayou Association -  Mayoral Forum - Monday, August 17, 2015, at 7:30 at the Gathering Place 5310 South Willow Drive
   • Blueprint Houston – Mayoral Forum - Saturday, September 26, 2015, 9:30 AM at the HCC Main Campus
   • About 15 Organizations – Mayoral Forum - Thursday October 1, 2015, in the evening at Hermann Park Garden Center
   • League of Women Voters – Mayoral Debate – October 16, 2015

   A few other events are being considered; we’ll keep you posted.

COALITION NOTES

1. AIA+2030 Kickoff. The AIA + 2030 Series program is the result of a partnership between the American Institute of Architects Seattle, Architecture 2030, BetterBricks, and the City of Seattle. AIA Seattle and Architecture 2030 are now bringing the Series to other AIA chapters, including AIA Houston. AIA+2030 trains green-collar workers in the architecture and engineering fields to design buildings that use 60% less energy. The AIA+2030 Professional Series™ is a comprehensive, ground-breaking curriculum that includes ten, 4-hour sessions teaching strategies to reach 60% reduction in fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions. AIA+2030 gives design professionals the knowledge and leverage to create next-generation, super-efficient buildings—and provide firms with the skills that will set them apart in the marketplace. The AIA+2030 program was launched in Seattle in 2009, and has been extremely successful. The program will kickoff on July 22, 2015, 5:30-7pm at Architecture Center Houston. The following sessions will be held on Fridays from 8am-noon (breakfast provided). A total of 40 AIA learning units may be earned with 4.0 HSW (SD) hours earned per session. You may self-report your credits for GBCI. Learn more at https://aiahouston.org.
2. 31st Annual Mayor’s Proud Partner Awards – Call for Entries. It’s that time again! Keep Houston Beautiful is now accepting award applications for the 2015 Mayor’s Proud Partner Awards. Gather your organization’s leaders together and select that special project you would like to submit demonstrating your commitment to keeping Houston beautiful! ALL applications must be submitted online and are due no later than 5pm on July 27, 2015. Learn more and submit an entry at www.houstonbeautiful.org.
3. Wine, Cheese & Bats. On any summer evening, you may be able to look up at the twilight sky and spot the tiny fluttering bats overhead picking insects out of midair. In this nighttime event, come out for a classroom presentation about bats by Dr. Cullen Geiselman where she will give a summary of the world’s bat species, their habitats, and life histories. Next you’ll head out into the night for a ‘bat walk’ on the moonlit trails to spotlight and detect our local bat species using an ultrasonic bat detector! This event will be held on August 1, 2015, 7-10pm at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. The cost is $30 for members, $45 for non-members; and $15 for children ages 5-12. More at http://houstonarboretum.org.
4. Galveston Bay Foundation’s Quarterly Meeting. The Houston-Galveston region has become one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States, making land conservation increasingly important to the health and vitality of Galveston Bay. As one of only nine accredited land trusts in Texas, GBF has protected nearly 6,000 acres around the bay using a variety of land conservation tools. Come out to United Way Community Resource Center on August 4, 2015, 6-8pm, for an informative presentation by GBF’s Land Stewardship Manager, Matt Singer, to learn more about GBF’s ongoing efforts to protect these special places.
5. Summer Environmental Educators’ Exchange Meeting. The Summer Environmental Educator’s Exchange Meeting will be held on August 5, 2015, 6:30-8:30pm, at the Deer Park Prairie and in the old house that sits on the prairie. Attendees will meet in the house before going on a tour of the property. The Lawther – Deer Park Prairie Preserve is an unbelievable piece of living history, a rare remnant of our natural heritage – the coastal prairie – that is essentially the same today as it was thousands of years ago. To RSVP, contact EEE Secretary Edith Smith at smithedith@aol.com. http://hunstem.uhd.edu/EEE.
6. 2016 Terry Hershey Texas Women in Conservation Award Nominations. Audubon’s Texas Women in Conservation Program recognizes outstanding women leaders in today’s conservation movement throughout the Lone Star State, supports opportunities in Texas for girls and women to become more involved in conservation and environmental sciences, and engages women on important issues related to conservation in Texas. Audubon Texas and the Terry Hershey Award Program Steering Committee are seeking nominations of women conservationists who have shown leadership, innovation and passion for the landscapes and wildlife of the Lone Star State. Nominations are accepted from an individual or organization that complete and submit the nomination application by the deadline of Friday, August 14, 2015. Learn more and find the nomination form at http://texaswomeninconservation.org.
7. Texas Coastal Watershed Program Website. The Texas Coastal Watershed Program has just announced the launch of their new website: http://valuewetlands.tamu.edu. The website serves as a clearinghouse of programs that provide payments (either direct payment or financial assistance), technical services, tax deductions, low-interest loans, and regulatory assurances for conservation with an emphasis on wetland conservation. It is particularly applicable to private landowners (non-Federal and non-State property holders) on the upper Texas Coast. The mission of this website is to provide landowners with easily accessible information and program links on ways they can economically benefit by choosing sustainable land management. More at http://valuewetlands.tamu.edu.
8. Village Green Project. The Village Green Project is a community-based activity to demonstrate the capabilities of new real-time monitoring technology for residents and citizen scientists to learn about local air quality. The goal of the project is to provide the public and communities with information previously not available about their local air quality and engage communities in air pollution awareness. The monitoring technology is built into a park bench made from recycled materials and includes sophisticated instruments to measure two common air pollutants — fine particle pollution called PM2.5 and ozone – and meteorological conditions such as wind speed, temperature, and humidity. Weather conditions are important for understanding air quality. These projects can be found in numerous cities throughout the country, but not in Houston. However, Air Alliance Houston is trying to change that. There is currently a GoFundMe page where supporters can back the project. You can donate at www.gofundme.com. Learn more at www.houstoniamag.com.
9. The 2015 Eco-Summit Series. The Teaming With Wildlife Coalition: True to Texas is hosting a regional Eco-Summit in the area. The Coalition wants to facilitate collaboration at the local, regional, and state-wide levels to accomplish good things for the natural resources of our state. Do you have an idea that would help wildlife? Want to know more about conservation priorities in our area? Do you need partners for your natural resource-related cause? Want to find out more about the Texas Conservation Action Plan? Register now and participate for FREE. At each Eco-Summit there will be listening sessions and facilitated collaboration between local and regional organizations. Attendees will include individuals involved in creating the Texas Conservation Action Plan (TCAP), such as land owners, TPWD biologists, academia, conservation organizations, and elected officials. You’ll also have a chance to talk about your priorities for your area, and to work with others to advance your goals, and that of natural resources in Texas. The Houston Eco-Summit will be held on August 11, 2015, 8am-4pm at the Houston Zoo. Learn more and register at www.teamingtxwildlife.com.

COMMUNITY NOTES

1. Plan Houston Public Meetings. Mayor Annise Parker has kicked off efforts to create a general plan for the City of Houston. The purpose of the plan is to establish a common vision and goals to guide the city’s future and high level strategies to help city leaders achieve those goals. Learn more about the plan and the 12 policy directives proposed to achieve the community’s vision and goals by visiting http://planhouston.org. There will be multiple opportunities to provide your input. The Planning Commission will be holding public meetings to hear from residents and business owners. All meetings are from 6-7:30pm.
   • July 21, 2015: Trini Mendenhall Community Center (1414 Wirt)
2. Fauna of Deer Park Prairie vs. Sheldon Lake State Park Prairie. Texas Park & Wildlife Department Intern Pablo Pardo will talk about his summer wildlife surveys of two local prairies: the Deer Park Prairie (DPP) and Sheldon Lake State Park (SLSP) prairies. The surveys will create a baseline species list for DPP (a relatively undisturbed prairie) and SLSP a 10 year old restored prairie system. He plans to do small mammal trapping, amphibian/reptile trapping, bird observations, camera traps, acoustic loggers and possibly insect surveys in both prairies. This presentation will be held on July 22, 2015, at 6:30pm at Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion, McGovern Centennial Gardens, Hermann Park.
3. Climate Change, Heat Islands, and Public Health Webcast Series: Communicating the Connection between Climate Change and Heat Health. Climate change, the heat island effect, and public health are strongly connected. As temperatures rise due to climate change, the heat island effect (which causes built-up areas to be hotter than surrounding areas) is exacerbated, leading to increases in heat-related illnesses, deaths, and other health issues. This webcast will explore how public health and environmental professionals can effectively communicate and leverage these connections to raise awareness among the public and to promote progress on these issues. The first website in the series will be held on July 22, 2015, 1-2:30pm. Learn more at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com.
4. Moth Night Out Event at Trinity River Refuge. Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge will be hosting the third Annual Moth Night Out Event on July 25, 2015, as part of National Moth Week events occurring across the country. Interested folks will meet at the Refuge Headquarters building at 9pm to see and photograph some of the over 650 species of moths documented around the building’s security lights. Black lights and mercury vapor lights will also be used. Call the Refuge office at 936/336-9786 for more information.
5. Soil Microbiology Conference with Dr. Elaine Ingham, the Soil Foodweb. Dr. Elaine Ingham, the internationally acclaimed soil expert of our time,
   is coming to Houston. This seminar will be held on August 11, 2015, 8am-4pm at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This is a ‘Can’t Miss’ seminar for all landscape, land planners and farm professionals. This one event will make you hugely successful with skills and knowledge that will empower you and your business all your life. With Elaine’s information, you can harness the power of soil microbiology to make all landscapes and farms more profitable, easier to maintain, less costly and much more productive. Some of the areas covered will be: creating healthy soils and healthy plants; eliminating or dramatically reducing pest insect, disease and weed problems; increasing plant beauty/production while reducing fertilizer costs; reducing water needs; and using Natural Law to your advantage. The cost is $100 for OHBA members and $135 for non-members. Learn more and register at www.eventbrite.com.
6. 73rd Annual Bulb & Plant Mart. One of the largest and oldest horticultural events in Texas, the 73rd annual Bulb & Plant Mart, sponsored by the Garden Club of Houston, (GCH) will be held October 1-3, 2015, at St. John the Divine Church (2450 River Oaks Blvd). More than 500,000 top-quality bulbs from domestic and international suppliers from Amaryllis to Zantedeschia (Calla Lily) will be available at the Mart. Experienced as well as beginning gardeners will find an expanded collection of hard-to-find and unusual Crinums, Daylilies, Gingers, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and citrus plants, including unique offerings from the gardens of GCH members, grown specifically for the Mart. Visitors to the Bulb & Plant Mart will receive a Horticultural Guide for Houston, prepared by the Club. The booklet includes the botanical names and descriptions of the items for sale, information on planting and caring for plants, as well as a planting calendar for bulbs. Over 100 different bulb varieties can be pre-ordered before the Mart. All Pre-Orders will qualify for GCH’s sales tax exemption; minimum order is $30.00 and all orders save 10%. Orders must be received by September 1st. Learn more at www.gchouston.org.
7. Grant Applications for Clean Water Act Projects. The TCEQ and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board Exit the TCEQ administer federal grants for activities that prevent or reduce nonpoint source pollution. The TCEQ has released its Request for Grant Applications (RFGA) for Fiscal Year 2016 nonpoint source projects under the Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant Program. Applications will be accepted until September 4, 2015 (3pm CT). To access the grant application, visit the Electronic State Business Daily website. At the web site, in the “Browse Postings” section, in the line for “Agency Requisition Number,” enter 582-15-55292 and click “GO” to access this RFGA. The RFGA page contains links for “Package 1,” the RFGA instructions, ranking criteria, timetable, and other important information for applying, and “Package 2,” the application form in Word format. Learn more at www.tceq.texas.gov.
8. 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.
   • Bobcat City
   • Lone Star Land Steward: Sycamore Canyon Ranch
   • Mustang Island State Park
9. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.

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