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Houston Environmental News Update November 11, 2015
November 11, 2015

Houston Environmental News Update November 11, 2015

Please join the CEC in honoring and thanking all who served in the United States Armed Forces.

We give extra thanks to those veterans who have been part of environmental programs within the U.S. Armed Services and in their communities. With well over a million employees and extensive land holdings, the US Military has a tremendous impact on the environment, including being one of the largest single users of energy in the world. And, of course, the environment–including climate change–has an impact on the US military, as highlighted recently by US Secretary of State John Kerry in an address to service members. Thanks for keeping us safe!

CEC Open House, Thursday, November 12, 2015

Please join the board, staff, and friends of the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition on Thursday, November 12, 2015, for our holiday open house and volunteer appreciation celebration. We don’t have enough opportunities to meet our newsletter subscribers (about 5,000!), so please come and introduce yourselves! Light refreshments, great company, and pictures with Santa. Learn more on our facebook event page.

CEC NOTES
  1. New Subscribers Thank you to our new subscribers: Tina, Leighton, Morganne, Virginia, and two Melissas. We hope you enjoy our emails. Please consider liking us on facebook.
  2. CEC Events–Save the Dates
    • 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
  3. Cancelled: Forum for Mayoral Runoff Candidates

    Unfortunately, the follow-up forum proposed by the organizers of the Mayoral Forum for Parks, Bikes, & Waterways has been cancelled. The two candidates declined to participate, but don’t let that stop you from voting!

COALITION NOTES

  1. Two Landmark Sustainability Initiatives Adopted. “Mayor Annise Parker and Houston City Council… approved two significant ordinances that will improve Houston’s quality of life and protect public health: an anti-idling ordinance for motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 14,000 pounds; and a commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. ‘Adopting these ordinances are more key milestones for my administration,’ said Mayor Annise Parker. ‘While we are excited to join the ranks of other Texas cities that have also passed idling reduction policies, we are proud to be the first city in Texas that has adopted a commercial PACE program. We all have to work together in improving our air quality and quality of life.’” Read more at www.houstontx.gov. Also, on November 10, 2015, Mayor Annise Parker and Houston City Council approved a 20-year, $80 million solar energy contract. Read more in the article by Mike Morris in the Houston Chronicle.
  2. 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/houston.
  3. 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.
  4. 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 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.
  5. Southern Plains & Prairies Conference. Coastal Prairie Partnership (CPP) and Native Prairies Association of Texas (NPAT) are excited to announce the 2015 Southern Plains & Prairies conference (formerly the State of the Prairie conference) from November 12-14, 2015. This year’s conference will bring together the best minds in prairie conservation from throughout the states of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and beyond. These experts will provide practical methods to restore, conserve, manage, enjoy, and educate about our valuable and vulnerable prairies. Our conference experience is designed for a broad audience: private landowners, natural resource professionals, governmental agencies, educators, landscape architects, naturalists, volunteers, and others looking for real-world solutions. Each experience and presentation will be rated from novice to expert to assist our guests in choosing the learning experience which best suits their needs. The Houston Zoo and prairies throughout Greater Houston will be the classroom at this year’s conference. The presenters and experiences will focus on three key areas: techniques and theories of prairie restoration; the economics of prairie restoration, management, ecosystem services, and recreation; and (creating connected, diverse prairie landscapes. Learn more and register at www.southernplainsconference.org.
  6. Chronic Wasting Disease “Town Hall” Meeting. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Texas Wildlife Association will be hosting a series of “town-hall” style meetings for hunters to educate them about Chronic Wasting Disease, its history, symptoms, and transmission, as well as informing hunters how they can participate in monitoring efforts and reminding hunters of safe carcass handling practices. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required. The Houston meeting will be held on November 12, 2015, 6:30-8:30pm at United Way. www.texas-wildlife.org
  7. Houston Audubon November Speaker Event: Bird-Friendly Communities. Join the conversation about Houston Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Communities initiative—a new program that aims to transform Houston into a greener, birdier city! Houston Audubon is proud to lead efforts to preserve urban wild spaces and to encourage all Houstonians to experience the joy that comes from making room for birds and other wildlife in decisions—whether through planting native plants, building owl boxes, or advocating for more natural spaces in our neighborhoods. Learn how better bird habitat in Houston supports all urban wildlife and makes Houston a happier, healthier place for people too. The speaker event will be held on November 12, 2015, at 7pm at United Way (50 Waugh Dr). Speakers will include Houston Audubon’s new Bird-Friendly Communities Program Manager, Sarah Flournoy; Education Director, Mary Anne Weber; Conservation Director, Richard Gibbons; and Conservation Specialist, Flo Hannah. Learn more at www.houstonaudubon.org.
  8. Keeping Us Moving: Great Places – More Choices Workshop. On November 13, 2015, 10:30am-4pm, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) will host the Keeping Us Moving: Great Places-More Choices workshop at the Norris Conference Center located at Houston’s CITYCENTRE. This half-day event will provide a collaborative forum around topics related to the Livable Centers and pedestrian/bicyclist programs. The program will include a luncheon with keynote speaker Adam Thies, the former director of planning and development initiatives for the City of Indianapolis and a nationally recognized leader in urban planning. The cost to attend is $45. Register at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com.
  9. 2015 Run in the Park. Hermann Park Conservancy is excited to host the twelfth annual Run in the Park on November 14, 2015, at 8am. The scenic 5K course will circle around the beautiful Park under the historic live oaks. The Run consists of a 5K run/walk, a 1K kids’ fun run, and post-race party in Molly Ann Smith Plaza. Whether you are a weekend jogger, competitive runner, or just like to walk with friends and family, Run in the Park is an event you do not want to miss! Grab your friends and family and sign up now for a fun-filled morning in Hermann Park! The cost is $30. Register at https://thedriven.net.
  10. Kuhlman Gully Cleanup in Gragg Park. Lawyers Against Waste, a committee of the Houston Bar Association, is partnering with Bayou Preservation Association and sponsoring a cleanup of Kuhlman Gully in Gragg Park on November 14, 2015, from 9am-noon. Volunteers will be picking up trash along Brays Bayou, removing invasive plants, and preparing for a paddling trail down Brays Bayou in the East End of Houston. The Committee welcomes volunteers over the age of 18, volunteers from age 16 to 18 with parent or guardian consent, and volunteers from 12 to 16 with parent or guardian supervision at the event. Morning refreshments will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants and closed toe shoes and to bring gloves, sunscreen and insect repellent. Tools will be provided. For more information on the event, contact the HBA office at 713-759-1133. To register: www.hba.org.
  11. Putting Down Roots Restoration Day on the Katy Prairie. Help KPC Put Down Roots on 55 acres of newly reconstructed prairie! Volunteers will work together to transplant native prairie plants in order to restore vital prairie habitat. These plants will help feed monarch butterflies and native birds for years to come! This restoration day will be held on November 14, 2015, 9am-noon at the Indiangrass Preserve. Learn more and register at www.katyprairie.org.
  12. Buy Recycled Boutique with the 3R Bazaar Festival. The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. (TWG) is pleased to announce the 15th year of its Buy Recycled Boutique with the 3R Bazaar festival celebrating Texas Recycles Day. This is a pre- holiday tradition featuring jewelry, decorative art, glassware, children’s toys, purses, garden supplies. Loyal shoppers come annually for many one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends. Being made from recycled and repurposed products such as glass, plastic, aluminum, computer parts, tires, etc., all products come with an interesting story. The Boutique will be held 9am-1pm on November 14, 2015, at The Woodlands Township Environmental Services building (8203 Millennium Forest Drive). http://events.americarecyclesday.org
  13. Energy Corridor Recycles Day. More than 2.4 million tons of electronic waste – many laced with toxic heavy metals – are thrown into landfills or incinerated every year in the United States. Help keep the environment safe and dispose of your old e-waste sustainably at The Energy Corridor Recycles Day 2015, 9am-2pm on November 14, 2015, at the Addicks Park and Ride. At the seventh annual Energy Corridor Recycles Day, one of Houston’s largest e-cycling events, volunteers will make it easy to properly dispose of unused electronics, household recyclables, clothes and even toys, while securely shredding documents. You don’t even have to get out of your car. Load up your televisions, computers, phones, hard drives, monitors, telecommunications equipment, game consoles and other electronics and bring them to Energy Corridor Recycles Day where they will be disposed of properly. Learn more at http://energycorridor.org.
  14. HPJC 2015 Peacemaker Awards Dinner with Chris Hedges
    Saturday, November 14, 2015 – 5:30pm – 9:30pm. Investigative journalist Chris Hedges will be the keynote speaker and receive HPJC’s National Peacemaker Award at this year’s Peacemaker Awards Dinner. Local peacemakers, who will also receive awards, are:
    Sissy Farenthold will be hosting a special reception the afternoon of Nov. 14 before the dinner, for Chris Hedges and the local peacemaker awardees. Attendees at the reception will be given a choice of Mr. Hedges’ books and can request he autograph the book while chatting with him. There will also be an open reception at the UH Hilton just before the dinner. KPFT’s Egberto Willies, host of KPFT’s “Politics Done Right” (Thursdays, 3-4 pm), will be the Master of Ceremonies for the dinner. The dinner reservations deadline is Nov. 7, 2015 (although we can take reservations up to Nov. 12 for the reception hosted by Sissy Farenthold). Reserve Seats for the Dinner and Reception Now!   More information is available at www.hpjc.org.
  15. University of Houston Sustainability Fest. Sustainability Fest is a zero-waste event that provides information about the latest developments in sustainability. Campus and community organizations engage attendees through interactive activities featuring electric vehicle test drives, upcycled crafting and sustainability trivia. Other features include a weather balloon launch, bike maintenance workshop, bike social ride, acro-yoga demonstration and giveaways. The Sustainability Fest will be held on November 17, 2015, 11:30am-1:30pm at Lynn Eusan Park. Attendees are encouraged to take the Metrorail purple line, a bus (25, 80, 29, 4, 9, 54), bike or carpool. If you’re driving to campus, visitor parking is available in the Welcome Center Garage. RSVP: www.facebook.com.
  16. CWI: An Overview of Texas Land Trends (Webinar). You can attend a CWI without ever leaving your desk! Please join H-GAC via webinar for the next CWI Workshop: An Overview of Texas Land Trends. This webinar will be held on November 17, 2015, from 1:30-2:30pm. Dr. Roel Lopez, Director of the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources and Professor in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University, will describe the current findings of the Texas Land Trends Report. The report provides an overview on the status of and recent changes in land use, ownership size, and land values of privately owned Texas farms, ranches, and forests, collectively known as working lands. The goal is to provide public and private decision-makers with timely information to support the conservation of working lands and identify areas to target future conservation efforts. Register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com.
  17. Fall Environmental Educators’ Exchange. The Fall Environmental Educators’ Exchange meeting will be held on November 18, 2015, 4:30-6:30pm at the urban farm, Finca Tres Robles with Farmer/Owner/Founder Tommy Garcia-Prats. Finca Tres Robles is Houston’s first private farm inside the 610 Loop, located in Houston’s East Side just 4 miles from Houston’s City Hall. The meeting will include networking and refreshments, a guided tour of Finca Tres Robles, and EEE Affairs and EEE Roundtable Forum. RSVP: Contact EEE Vice-President Justin Myers juemyers@yahoo.com. For more info, visit http://hunstem.uhd.edu/EEE/.
  18. Native Seed, Plant Grow-Out BMPs & Urban Wildlife Habitat Meeting. Join Katy Prairie Conservancy, the Santa Ana NWR, and Houston Wilderness for presentations and a roundtable discussion on Native Seed, Plant Grow-out BMPs & Urban Wildlife Habitats – November 19, 2015 from 9:30-11am. in the HW Conference Room. Please RSVP to rita@houstonwilderness.org if you will be able to attend.
  19. Transition Houston Permablitz at Japhet Creek. Get ready to have some fun at Japhet Creek! Participants will be preparing edible garden beds, sharing skills and building community at Transition’s upcoming Permablitz on November 21, 2015, 8:30am-1pm at Japhet Creek (4500 block of Billy Street; you may park on either side of the street). RSVP at www.transitionhouston.org.
  20. Fall Planning Workshop for Local Governments – Realizing our Potential. Each year, H-GAC presents a fall planning workshop for local governments featuring presentations on best planning practices for communities. This year, the event will be held on December 4, 2015, 9am-noon at Houston-Galveston Area Council. At this half-day event, hear how communities are marketing themselves, engaging stakeholders, and quickly implementing on-the-ground projects to create a vibrant place to live, work, and play. There is no cost to attend this workshop. www.h-gac.com.
  21. Additional Upcoming Events  

COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. GridNext: Advancing Clean Energy on the New Texas Grid. Come join thought leaders from across the utility industry and renewable energy sectors in creating a vision for the grid of the future and advocating for its implementation. TREIA provides a platform for a diverse clean energy industry membership to connect through quality conferences, in-person events, timely insights and policy information, and highly effective business development networking opportunities. TREIA is taking its annual conference to the NEXT level. Connect with thought leaders and businesses across the Texas energy industry at the first ever GridNEXT conference being held November 11-13, 2015, at the Westin Galleria. Come be part of the conversation. Texas is the nation’s largest and fastest growing consumer of electricity, making it the biggest market in the country. Yes, everything is bigger in Texas! GridNEXT engages stakeholders on the grid modernization challenges facing clean energy integration. If you have a stake in renewable energy economic development in the state of Texas, this event is for you. More at www.treia.org.
  2. Foraging Wild Edibles and Eco-Hike. College Sustainability at Lone Star College-Kingwood hosts a free Foraging Wild Edibles and Eco-Hike on the last Saturday of every month. Due to rains last month, the next event will be held on November 14, 2015. It is held along the trails in the Lowlands at LSC-Kingwood and led by Master Naturalist David Renninger II. Learn how to identify edible and useful plants for both fun and for survival. Enjoy a leisurely hike on ADA compliant trail and boardwalks in part of the 200 acres of bottomland hardwood forest, wetlands, palmettos and cypress groves. For more information contact david.l.burre@lonestar.edu or visit http://college-sustainability.org.
  3. Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream. Where on earth are we going, and what can we do about it? The Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium is a profound inquiry into a bold vision: to bring forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on Earth. If you are ready to explore what this vision means for you and the opportunity to create an inspiring future, you are invited to attend. This event will be held on November 14, 2015, 8:30am-3pm at the Green Building Resource Center. www.greenhoustontx.gov.
  4. Sam Houston Trails Coalition Awarded Matching Funds for Sustainable Trail Maintenance. “The Sam Houston Trails Coalition is pleased to announce the receipt of a $5,000 grant from the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to purchase equipment and supplies for the continued expansion and maintenance of hiking, biking, equestrian, and motorized multi-use trails in the 164,000 acre Sam Houston National Forest. As user demand increases for the Sam Houston National Forest, the NFF award positions the trails coalition to support the U.S. Forest Service in managing over 250 miles of official trails, providing an outdoor destination for Houston and the surrounding region’s growing population. These combined efforts provide valuable access to nature for diverse outdoor recreation while protecting natural resources and educating the public accordingly.” Read more at www.sharetrails.org.
  5. New Childcare Guidelines Include Nature. “The new guidelines set forth for childcare centers by the Texas Workforce Commission offer incentives for centers to include ‘outdoor learning environments.’ With help from National Wildlife Federation, the new policies were adopted this spring. The guidelines acknowledge the importance of nature to a child’s positive physical and mental development. Through a ranking system, childcare centers can earn points for offering natural play areas, providing access to living things- like trees, and allow children to be physically active outdoors.” Read more at http://texaschildreninnature.org.
  6. Oyster Harvesting Closed Along Portions of Texas Coast. ” The Texas Department of State Health Services announced today that commercial and recreational oyster harvesting in most areas of Texas coastal waters will be closed on Nov. 1 due to excessive rainfall or red tide, depending on the area. Normally, the public can harvest oysters from Nov. 1 through April 30. Christmas Bay and certain areas of Galveston Bay will be open for oyster harvesting on Nov. 1. All other areas along the coast will be closed to commercial and recreational harvesting of oysters, clams and mussels until further notice.” Read more at www.dshs.state.tx.us.
  7. Fall 2015 Interfaith Environmental Stewardship Event. Calling those of all faiths, or no faith at all, to care for our shared environment on November 22, 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).
  8. Sunday Evening Conversations on Creation – The State of the Air. Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church invites you to a series of web meetings to talk about creation. Planned as a regular, ongoing monthly series held the last Sunday of each month (except December), conversations will be on a variety of topics, both purely environmental as well as theological. To get the series started on November 29, 2015, at 6pm, Dr. Dan Cohan, an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University, will address the State of the Air. This talk will cover climate change, as well as other forms of air pollution. If you would like to join the conversation, contact Lisa at gcs.lrc@gmail.com to receive an invitation to the talk.
  9. Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency (CATEE) Conference 2015. The Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency (CATEE) Conference is a premiere educational conference and business exhibition connecting public and private decision makers and thought leaders. Its purpose is to help communities improve decisions that determine the energy and water intensity of the built environment – and reduce related emissions. The CATEE Conference will be held at the Hotel Galvez & Spa in Galveston from December 1-5, 2015. http://catee.tamu.edu
  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. Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program – 2016 Request for Proposals. The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program seeks to develop nation-wide-community stewardship of local natural resources, preserving these resources for future generations and enhancing habitat for local wildlife. Projects seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such as erosion due to unstable streambanks, pollution from stormwater runoff, and degraded shorelines caused by development. The program focuses on the stewardship and restoration of coastal, wetland and riparian ecosystems across the country. Its goal is to meet the conservation needs of important species and habitats, providing measurable and meaningful conservation and educational outcomes. For more information on the priorities of the 19 designated locations, go to www2.epa.gov. NFWF will host a webinar for potential applicants on November 18, 2015. This RFP closes February 3, 2016. More at www.nfwf.org.
  12. Additional Dates of Note.
  13. 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 Night’s Watch

    • Lone Star Land Steward: Carpe Diem Ranch
    • The Rock Art of Texas, Captured Moments
  14. Air Quality Forecast http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • Nov. 11, 2015: Green–Good. Moderate to strong windsand/or lower incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • Nov. 12, 2015: Green–Good. Moderate to strong winds, increased cloud cover with light precipitation, and/or lower incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • Nov. 13, 2015: Green–Good. Moderate winds, cooler temperatures, and/or lower incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” rangee.
    • Nov. 14, 2015: Green–Good. Moderate winds, cool temperatures, and/or low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.