Houston Environmental News Update October 14, 2015

CEC is excited to be participating in several upcoming events that are being presented by coalitions of our member groups.

One of these events is coming up next week: the first ever People + Nature Conference, being presented October 20-22, 2015, by the Katy Prairie Conservancy, Houston Tomorrow, the Shell Center for Sustainability, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and a host of conference sponsors and participating institutions. The conference will

CEC NOTES

1. New Subscribers
   Thank you to our new subscribers: Nadeem, John, Jasmin, Nicole, Katherine, Kandi, and Rachel. We hope you enjoy our emails. Please consider liking us on facebook.
2. CEC Events–Save the Dates
   • October 28, 2015: Volunteer Networking Meeting
   • November 12, 2015: CEC Holiday Open House and Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
   • January 27 & 28, 2016: Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour
   • March 24, 2016: CEC’s Greater Houston Environmental Summit

COALITION NOTES

1. University of Houston October Sustainability Meetup. Interested in sustainability issues and want to connect with others who share the same curiosity? Come out for the Sustainability Meetup on October 14, 2015, featuring Donna Kacmar, FAIA, director of the UH Materials Research Collaborative, who will cover sustainable architecture. A tour of the Materials Research Collaborative is available between 5-6pm. October’s meetup is from 6-7:30pm at the College of Architecture, Room 143. Food and refreshments will be served, and anyone is welcome to attend. Time will be allotted for a Q&A session and networking. Learn more at www.uh.edu and RSVP at www.facebook.com.
2. OKRA Charity Saloon – Scenic Houston. Scenic Houston is one of the charities selected by the OKRA Charity Saloon for the month of October. For every drink purchased you can vote for one of the Charities. The Charity with the most votes receives the November profits from the Saloon. Come out to The Original Okra Charity Saloon (924 Congress) during October and cast your vote! Learn more at http://friedokra.org.
3. Certified YardWise Master Composter Training Program. A Certified YardWise Master Composter Training Program will be held October 15-18, 2015, at the Green Building Resource Center. Certified YardWise Master Composters (MC) complete a 20-hour training course by approved MC instructors, as well as 20 hours of volunteer community service in public compost education and awareness (within six months of completing the course). MC training courses will provide at least 16 hours of classroom time to be supplemented with four hours of hands-on training. The cost is $40 per person. Learn more at www.greenhoustontx.gov.
4. Regional Confusion and Population Size – Affordability in Houston. The Shell Center for Sustainability recently released a report that addressed regional confusion and population size and how those factors affect affordability in Houston. The report examined gentrification, housing affordability, and quality of life. The report, “The Fifth Houston Sustainability Indicators Report: Opportunity Among the Houston Districts,” was written by Lester King, a research fellow at the Shell Center for Sustainability. Read about the report at https://shellcenter.rice.edu. For more information or to download a copy of the report, visit http://houstoncommunitysustainability.org.
5. 7th Annual Roots & Shoots Sporting Clays Classic. The 2015 Roots & Shoots Sporting Clays Classic will be held on October 16, 2015, 8am-1pm at the Greater Houston Gun Club. Come out for a day of fun and fundraising benefiting Trees For Houston! This will be a 72 target tournament. Find more details at www.treesforhouston.org.
6. Coastal Heritage Preserve Volunteer Opportunity. Artist Boat and CITGO are proud to announce volunteer workdays at the Coastal Heritage Preserve! Volunteers will help Artist Boat staff and agency partners steward the land by inspecting the land for invasive fire ants and treating the mounds, trimming back and managing the invasive Macartney Rose, and restringing the fence line surrounding the Preserve’s borders. If you’re interested in learning more about these volunteer work days or would like to sign up for this event, please contact Nate Johnson at njohnson@artistboat.org. Learn more: AB_CITGO_OctoberWorkdays. The upcoming volunteer workdays:
   1. Managing Macartney Rose – October 16, 2015, 1-5pm
   2. Fire Ant Hunt – October 22, 2015, 9am-1pm
   3. Fence Line Friday – October 30, 2015, 10am-1pm
7. 2015 EaDo Pub Crawl. The Fourth Annual EaDo Pub Crawl benefitting Air Alliance Houston and EaDo Management District is coming up on October 16, 2015, 5-9pm at Aah Coffee! (2018 Rusk St). Enjoy food trucks, local artist vendors, live music, and awesome 8th Wonder beer! A $15 Pub Crawl ticket gets you: a Limited Edition EaDo Pub Crawl pint glass, one free pour at 8th Wonder Brewery, and drink specials at participating venues. Register or check-in at AHH, Coffee! between 5 and 7pm, and then crawl to Lucky’s, Little Woodrow’s, EaDo’s, and Neils’s Bahr. Pick up your pint glass at 8th Wonder Brewery (2202 Dallas) between 8 and 9pm to fill it with delicious, local beer. Get your tickets here: http://2015eadopubcrawl.ezregister.com.
8. City of Houston Mayoral Debate
   October 16, 2015, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Dunham Theater at Houston Baptist University. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters. To be broadcast on KPRC. Learn more at http://lwvhouston.org/ Note: The League is also hosting a series of conversations with the candidates. More information is available on the LWV website. Please visit cechouston.org for  information about other forums, questionnaires, and activities hosted or sponsored by CEC member organizations.
9. Prairie Month. Celebrate Prairie Month from October 8, 2015, to November 14, 2015. Join the conservation community for a series of fun and informative events in 
the Greater Houston region, celebrating and restoring 
our prairie heartland! There will be Prairie Pandemonium at Armand Bayou Nature Center (October 17), Not-So-Scary Prairie Trick-or-Treating on the Katy Prairie (October 31),Refuge Van Tours at Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge ( November 7), Putting Down Roots Restoration Day on the Katy Prairie (November 7), 2015 Southern Plains & Prairies Conference (November 12-14), Prairie Plant-A-thon at Sheldon Lake State Park (November 14), Putting Down Roots Restoration Day on the Katy Prairie (November 14), and more! Learn more about these events at http://prairiepartner.org.
10. ABNC Prairie Pandemonium. Volunteer to help restore one of the last remaining stands of Texas coastal tallgrass prairie! ABNC Prairie Pandemonium will be held on October 17, 2015, 8am-noon. Volunteers will become part of a planting effort to transplant native grasses and wildflowers into ABNC’s restored prairies. Volunteers will need to bring sturdy shoes and clothes that can get muddy. Tools and work gloves will be provided. To register, contact zach@abnc.org. Volunteers must be 12 years of age or older. Those under 18 must be accompanied by and adult. PP Flyer 2015
11. 22nd Annual Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival. Pick up the perfect pumpkin for your front porch during the Nature Discovery Center’s 22nd Annual Pumpkin Patch fall festival to be held in Russ Pitman Park from October 17-18, 2015, 11am-4pm both days. Winner of the 2014 Macaroni Kid Gold Daisy Award for Best Fall Festival in SW Houston/Fort Bend County, this two day festival features a lawn covered with hundreds of pumpkins, and a 4 acre nature park filled with games, activities, food, and crafts. Special activities at the event include the Tub-of-Fun ride, horse drawn wagon rides in the neighborhood, a 65-foot obstacle course, a rope bridge, and more. Vendors will sell gifts and crafts in the park throughout the event. Admission to the festival is free, but tickets are required for food, games and activities. Pumpkins will be sold for cash or tickets. Pumpkin Passes, available for purchase at the event, save you money and eliminate the need to keep track of tickets while you enjoy the event. Proceeds will directly impact the science and nature based educational programming the Center offers to children, families, and schools throughout the year. For more event information call 713.667.6550 or e-mail Anne Eisner at aeisner@naturediscoverycenter.org.
12. Moonlight Over Mercer: Dine, Dance, and Donate. Moonlight Over Mercer will be held on October 17, 2015, at 5pm at Mercer Botanic Gardens, Tree House Courtyard. Relax under an autumn night’s canopy of stars, enjoy savory appetizers, a gourmet cocktail buffet, and complimentary wine and beer as the DJ Brothers entertain. Plus, you can peruse the silent and live auction items to find some unique and extraordinary treasures to take home. Tickets are $75 per person. Call 281-443-8731 for reservations. More at http://themercersociety.org.
13. People + Nature Conference. The reinvention of Houston is already underway. Our bayous are being reconnected with trails and new bike lanes are opening. More people travel Main street via rail on transit per mile than on any other modern light rail line in the nation, pockets of wild nature are being embedded in our cities, and our signature parks are being greatly transformed. The 2015 People & Nature Conference will bring together the best minds in urbanism and conservation to accelerate this progress. Our offerings are designed to attract urban planners, biologists, landscape architects, decision makers, child and parks advocates, health professionals, conservationists, and more. 100% of proceeds raised from this conference will benefit the new Houston Children in Nature Collaborative. Please help support our work to make Houston a greener, healthier, and better connected city and region. The People + Nature Conference is a 3-day event with inspiring speakers, a design charette, educational field trips, and much more. The conference will take place October 20-22, 2015. Learn more and register at www.peopleandnatureconference.org.
14. Savor Houston, A Masquerade Night Benefiting The American Lung Association in Texas. Savor Houston will be held on October 22, 2015, 6-10pm at Nouveau Antique Art Bar (2913 Main St). Guests will enjoy enticing creations from Houston’s hottest restaurants. The evening will also feature a silent auction and silver spoon drawing, along with masquerade-themed entertainment! Participating restaurants include: Tony’s, Brennan’s of Houston, Rainbow Lodge, Benjy’s, KUU, Pinkerton’s Barbecue, Adair Kitchen and others! Admission tickets are $75, includes tasting and two beverages. Purchase Tickets Online: http://action.lung.org.
15. 2016 T-shirt Design Contest: River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash®. Calling all artists in Grades 1-8: Help design the 2016 Trash Bash t-shirt! In addition to being printed on more than 5,000 shirts provided to the volunteers, three winning students will receive cash prizes, recognition on the Trash Bash® website, and framed artwork. Entries must be postmarked by 5pm on October 23, 2015. Find the rules and contest entry form at www.trashbash.org. The River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash® is the largest single day waterway clean-up event in the State of Texas. The mission is to clean up and promote a healthy Galveston Bay Watershed. The next event will be held on April 2, 2016.
16. 12th Annual ASES Houston Solar Tour in Pearland. The 2015 12th Annual Houston Solar Tour is a self-guided tour that offers visitors the opportunity to learn about solar energy systems, energy efficiency, and sustainable building technologies by visiting residences and businesses in the Houston area that use these technologies in real world applications. Tour sites are open from 9am-1pm on October 24, 2015. Presented by the Houston Renewable Energy Group. Learn more at www.houstonsolartour.com.
17. HANC ArBOOretum! Happy Halloween! At ArBOOretum all the little goblins and ghouls and their parents are invited to play, learn, and have an enchanting day enjoying Halloween festivities at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. Kids will love the Trick or Treat Trail where they learn about native creatures while walking one of our nature paths. Come have a ghostly good time in the SUPER-natural environment. All proceeds for this event support the Arboretum’s wide variety of education and conservation programs. ArBOOretum will be held on October 24, 2015, 12-4pm. The cost $15 for ages 3 and up. Get $2 off admission for buying tickets early! HANC members get free admission and VIP early entry from 10am-12pm. Learn more at http://houstonarboretum.org.
18. Halloween Fun Willow Waterhole Park. Come out for Halloween Fun at the South Gazebo at Willow Waterhole Park on October 24, 201, 5:30-8:30pm. There will be a costume contest, movie (Hocus Pocus), kids train rides around the park, and face painting. Bring your blankets and chairs. Free admission and free popcorn! Learn more at www.willowwaterhole.org.
19. Fall 2015 Interfaith Environmental Stewardship Event. Calling those of all faiths, or no faith at all, to care for our shared environment on October 25, 2015, from 1:30-4:30pm. Participants will engage in hands-on environmental stewardship by clearing brush/trash and planting native plants at the Willow Waterhole Conservation Reserve in Houston. This event will offer activities for all ages and skill levels, so bring the whole family, your neighbors and your friends. Meet at The Gathering Place, 5310 South Willow Dr., Houston 77035 to sign in. Metro bus line 7 stops nearby. Tools/supplies will be provided. This event is organized by Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church, Congregation Brith Shalom, and the Dialogue Institute of the Southwest, in partnership with the Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy. The conservancy requires signing of a waiver to participate. Contact Lisa at gcs.lrc@gmail.com for more information or to sign up to help (and receive a copy of the waiver form).
20. The Woods Project’s Fall Luncheon: Celebrating Transformative Experiences. The Woods Project will be hosting their annual luncheon October 27, 2015, 11:30am-1pm at The Junior League of Houston. They are thrilled to announce Javier Loya, President & CEO OTC Holdings Group, will be the keynote speaker. He will share his insight on what low income students need to find success in school and life. The Master of Ceremonies will be Mike Feinberg, KIPP co-founder. Students from TWP 2015 summer program will be joining luncheon guests to share personal stories about their summer trip experiences and how TWP has changed the way they see themselves and the bigger world around them. Learn more and register at www.thewoodsproject.org.
21. Green Office Challenge. The Houston Green Office Challenge is a friendly competition for commercial office tenants that acknowledges participants for their achievements in greening their operations through Mayoral and media recognition. The Green Office Challenge helps participants move down the path towards environmental sustainability and, in some cases, towards third-party green building certification through the ENERGY STAR and LEEDâ„¢ rating systems. Office tenants in the City of Houston are invited to participate in the Green Office Challenge. The Challenge will evaluate the “greenness” of their operations using the innovative “Green Office Scorecard.” Tenants will be recognized for implementation of green strategies that address office energy and water use, waste, transportation, and outreach. The deadline for activity submission is October 30, 2015. Sign up at www.greenpsf.com.
22. Sunday Supper at Sparrow. Urban Harvest joins culinary forces with restaurateur Monica Pope and a coterie of notable Houston chefs to host “Sunday Supper at Sparrow,” a multi-course dinner that features a bounty of ingredients sourced from select responsible local farms. The chefs — all of whom support Urban Harvest’s philosophy of encouraging community, good nutrition and sustainability through organic gardening — have pledged to impress guests with sophisticated combinations that highlight and enhance the ingredients’ natural flavors. Urban Harvest’s Youth Education Program, the beneficiary of the event, explores healthy nutrition, food systems, native habitats and ecosystems through garden activities implemented in Houston-area schools and community centers. Although supported by after school grants, parent associations, community groups and local businesses, the initiative is subsidized mostly by the efforts of Urban Harvest staff and active volunteers. The dinner will be held on November 8, 2015, 5-8pm at the Sparrow Bar. Tickets from $175; tables from $2,500. Learn more at http://urbanharvest.org.
23. Houston Bike Challenge. Bike Houston, the Energy Corridor District, and Love to Ride are promoting the Houston Bike Challenge. This is a fun, free competition to encourage people to experience the joys and benefits of riding a bike. Participating Houston businesses will compete against each other to see who can get the most staff to ride a bike during the Challenge from November 1 to November 30, 2015. Prizes include movie and restaurant vouchers, bike gear, and more. Registration is free. More information, including how the competition works and how to register, is available at www.lovetoride.net.
24. Dinner and Conversation with Nicholas Kristof. Join Center for Houston’s Future on November 11, 2015, at 6pm at the River Oaks Country Club, for a discussion on Civic Vitality. This topic has become a recurrent theme in the work of the 2015 guest of honor, New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof. He won his first Pulitzer in collaboration with his wife, Sheryl WuDunn for their coverage of the Chinese democracy movement and its suppression in Tiananmen Square. Kristof received his second Pulitzer in recognition of his “graphic, deeply reported columns that, at personal risk, focused attention on genocide in Darfur and that gave voice to the voiceless in other parts of the world.” In their latest book, A Path Appears, Kristof and WuDunn shine a light on the work of people actively engaging with the world to battle oppression and expand opportunity. Moderating the conversation will be Chris Knapp, perhaps Houston’s foremost advocate of impact investing, and whose community engagement leadership runs from the University of Houston Honors College to the Hermann and Memorial Park conservancies to Workshop Houston and Peckerwood Garden. Learn more and reserve your seat by visiting https://interland3.donorperfect.net.
25. 2016 Earth Day Art Contest. Air Alliance Houston is now accepting submissions for the 2016 Earth Day Art Contest, open to Houston-area students in the third through twelfth grades. Cash prizes will be awarded to multiple winners in each category. Art will be auctioned off to raise money for the winning artists’ schools, as well as Air Alliance Houston’s educational programs. The artwork must be submitted by January 31, 2016. Find the contest guidelines at www.earthdayhouston.org.

COMMUNITY NOTES

1. Plan Houston. On September 30, 2015, Houston’s City Council adopted Plan Houston, a tool for more effective governance. Plan Houston will enable the City to enhance services to current residents and help the City prepare for anticipated growth. This effort will improve coordination between City departments and government agencies and ensure efforts of the City and its partners are as effective as possible. Plan Houston makes the City’s operations more pro-active, efficient and transparent. The plan can be found online at http://planhouston.org. Read more at http://planhouston.org.
2. 2015 EcoChallenge. You are invited to challenge yourself to better care for the environment during the upcoming online EcoChallenge. Participants choose one action to reduce their environmental impact and stick with it for the two week challenge period (October 15-29, 2015). There are many possible challenges to choose from in the categories of: water conservation, energy efficiency, sustainable food options, alternative transportation, trash reduction, civic engagement, and connect with Earth. Or, you can create your own challenge by using the “choose your own” option. Individuals, families, and other groups can participate. The Eco-Challenge is a competition, with points tallied and prizes at the national level to incentivize your active participation. For more information, see www.ecochallenge.org. Sign up today and challenge yourself to become a better steward of our shared environment.
3. Deadline for Comments on Project Deficiency Report for Houston-Galveston Navigation Channels (HGNC) Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Galveston District announced the release of the Draft Project Deficiency Report (DPDR), Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA), and the Draft General Conformity Determination (DGCD), and their public comment periods, for the Houston Ship Channel Project Deficiency Report, Houston-Galveston Navigation Channels. The USACE, Galveston District has prepared a DEA in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Public Law 91-190, and regulations for implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA, 40 Code of Federal Reulations 1500-1508. Comments are needed from interested parties to assist in collecting facts and recommendations concerning the tentatively recommended corrective actions to the exiting authorized 45-foot deep Houston Ship Channel. All comments and questions on the documents should be addressed to: andrea.catanzaro@usace.army.mil or(409) 766-6346. The deadline for comments is October 15, 2015. Read more at www.swg.usace.army.mil.
4. 2015 Conference on Volunteering and Service. Points of Light’s Conference on Volunteering and Service is the largest convening of volunteer, national service and civic leaders in the world. Each year, thousands of people who really care about the future of volunteer service convene in one place – to learn from, share with and get inspired by one another – to work together to increase the number of volunteers in the world and the impact of the work they do. The 2015 Conference will examine how the next generation of change-makers are creating new pathways for direct action and unleashing power to make a difference in the world. Join us as we unite in service to help 21st century volunteers discover and use all of their assets – time, talent, voice and money – to build strong, vibrant communities around the world. The conference will be held October 19-21,2015. www.volunteeringandservice.org
5. Discussion Course:  A World of Health. You are invited to join a series of six conversations on the connections between human health and the environment, using the discussion course A World of Health: Connecting People, Place, and Planet, from the Northwest Earth Institute. Discussions will take place on Wednesdays from 6-7pm at Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church, corner of Rice Blvd. and Greenbriar in Houston, beginning on October 21, 2015. There are Metro bus stops nearby for lines 27, 41, and 84. The book which serves as the source material for our discussions is available for purchase at www.nwei.org. If you plan to participate, purchase the text and read the material for session 1 prior to October 21. Please contact Lisa at gcs.lrc@gmail.com to sign up or for more information.
6. Neches River National Wildlife Refuge Field Day. The Neches River National Wildlife Refuge will be hosting a Field Day on October 24, 2015, 2-4pm. The Neches River National Wildlife Refuge was established to protect a wintering, nesting, and migratory habitat for migratory birds of the central Flyway and to ensure protection of the bottomland hardwoods for their diverse biological value. The program for the field day will be speakers on the wildlife and habitat of the Neches River Refuge. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event! Learn more about the refuge: www.fws.gov.
8. Illustrated talk about Rescuing Eden: Preserving America’s Historic Gardens. Peckerwood Garden Foundation and the ICAA present author Caroline Seebohm in an illustrated talk about her new book, Rescuing Eden: Preserving America’s Historic Gardens. The talk will be held on November 5, 2015, 6-8pm at Canopy (3939 Montrose Blvd). Admission is $20 for general tickets and $15 for PGCF and ICAA members, includes refreshments (memberships available online or at the door). Buy tickets at https://squareup.com.
9. Public Comment Meeting – Gulf of Mexico Restoration Plan. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (Trustees) propose a comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem restoration plan for the Gulf of Mexico. The draft plan is based on an assessment of impacts to the Gulf’s natural resources—and on the services those resources provide—following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan (PDARP) and Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) is available for public review and comment through December 4th. There will be a series of public input meetings throughout the Gulf Coast region. A meeting will be held at the Hilton Galveston Island Resort, Crystal Ballroom (5400 Seawall Blvd) on November 10, 2015, at 6pm. Learn more at http://tpwd.texas.gov.
10. Save the Date – 10th State of the Bay Symposium. The Galveston Bay Estuary Program and partners have made great progress in protecting the bay’s ecological and economic health over the past 20 years! Don’t miss an opportunity to hear from regional leaders and local experts, and connect with other leading scientists and natural resource management experts. January 13-14, 2016 at the Moody Gardens Hotel and Convention Center in Galveston, TX. For more information on the Galveston Bay Estuary Program and the latest symposium updates, visit http://gbep.texas.gov.
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.

    • The Dove Hunter

    • Wild Game Cooking: Buffalo Dove Breasts
    • Big Bend Plants
    • The Spirit Rises
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.
    • October 14, 2015: 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.
    • October 15, 2015: 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 north and northwest side of the Houston area.
    • October 16, 2015: 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.
    • October 17, 2015: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone. Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” levels in the Houston area.

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