Houston Environmental News Update August 17, 2016

I was all set to lead off this week’s newsletter by featuring the fabulous work of the Galveston Bay Foundation. Last week, GBF released the 2016 Galveston Bay Report Card and launched their Galveston Bay Water Brigade campaign, and tomorrow they have their annual membership meeting. GBF’s work is still amazing–and highlighted below and in the photo above. First, though, I’d like to tell you a tiny bit about the Climate Reality Training happening here in Houston right now.

1. Win the conversations. Be brave enough to engage people about the climate crisis, and persistent enough to win the conversation. Don’t be rude or argumentative–be pleasant and persuasive.
2. Use your spending power. Be thoughtful when you spend your money, and think about the climate. Just as important, use your voice to tell retailers and providers that you want more to be able to purchase responsible products and services.
3. Be involved in policy decisions. This involves voting, speaking with elected officials, and participating in your community.

This advice applies to just about any environmental issue–but is particularly important for the climate crisis.

If you are interested in a presentation by one of the participants in the training, please let me know and I will be happy to put you in touch with one of them.

-Rachel
rachel@cechouston.org

* Mr. Gore said it better than I did–and I apologize for any discrepancies.

News from Galveston Bay Foundation

Galveston Bay Foundation Quarterly Membership Meeting: Storm Surge Protection

The meeting will take place on Thursday, August 18, 2016 Brady’s Landing, 8505 Cypress Street, Houston, TX  77012. The meeting will feature a panel of experts to talk about mitigating hurricane storm surge, and how people who live in the Galveston-Houston Region can prepare themselves to deal with this weather disaster occurrence. Visit www.galvbay.org for a full list of panelists, and email ceverett@galvbay.org for more information. Please RSVP at this link: www.emailmeform.com.

2016 Galveston Bay Report Card
Last week, in partnership with HARC, GBF released the 2016 Galveston Bay Report Card. The report concludes that Galveston Bay scored a grade of C for the second year. That means that the bay and its rivers and bayous are faring well, in spite of significant challenges. Among other changes, the grade for water quality has improved from a B to an A, more information is provided about invasive species and toxins in sediments, and new tools are presented including a Find Your Watershed Tool. The website is engaging, easy to use, and suggests ways you can make a difference. www.galvbaygrade.org

Galveston Bay Water Brigade campaign
The Galveston Bay Foundation, through an effort of the Texas Living Waters Project, invites you to join the Galveston Bay Water Brigade and become a Brigade Member by pledging to conserve water for the Bay. Whether you are an individual, a business or organization, your commitment to conserve water can help ensure the fish and other critters of Galveston Bay get the water they need to survive for years to come. Become a Brigade Member today by taking your pledge atwww.gbwb.org and find money saving tips on how to conserve water. And remember, our Bay can’t live on salt water alone!

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CEC NOTES

Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour
Save the date! CEC will be hosting its third showing of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour on January 25 & 26, 2017, for two nights of inspiring short environmental films.

We will be hosting one final gathering of our film selection committee on Friday, August 25, 2016, at happy hour to watch potential films. If you are interested in helping to pick films for the January showing, please email rachel@cechouston.org.

We will feature two local environmental films at the January showing. To choose the films, we will have a screening on November 16, 2016, as part of the Houston Green Film Series. Mark your calendar! Right now, we are beginning to solicit films about local environmental efforts. Films must be no more than 7 minutes long and must be high-enough quality to be shown on the giant screen at River Oaks Theatre. Please contact rachel@cechouston.org for more information.

Finally, we’d like to give a big shout out to Bayou Land Conservancy, which is hosting a showing of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour tomorrow night at the Alamo Draft House at Vantage Park. They’ll be showing different films than we do, so please consider going and supporting their great organization.

Kroger Community Rewards Annual Renewal. Do you shop at Kroger? If so, did you know that your can link your Community Rewards card to the CEC? If you do, CEC will receive a portion of your purchase, with no direct cost to you! At www.KrogerCommunityRewards.com,  you can link or re-link your card to the CEC using organization # 91091. You must re-enroll annually (starting August 1) to continue giving back to the community starting September 1. Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377 and select option 4 to get your Plus Card number. If you do not have a Kroger plus Card, they are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger. Register online at www.KrogerCommunityRewards.com. Take a look at the bottom of your receipt; if you see CEC listed, then THANK YOU for supporting CEC.

COALITION NOTES

1. H-GAC Pedestrian and Bicycle Subcommittee Meeting. The meeting will be held August 18, 2016, from 9:30 – 11:30 am, at H-GAC’s offices at 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston TX 77027. The Subcommittee (of the Technical Advisory Committee) meets on a bi-monthly basis. All meetings are open to the public. Meetings are held the third Thursday of every even numbered month. Visit www.h-gac.com for more details.
2. Storm Surge Protection: Can we protect people and the Bay? On Thursday, August 18, 2016, at 6:00 pm, attend the Galveston Bay Foundation Membership Meeting and hear a panel of experts talk about current plans under consideration for mitigating hurricane storm surge in the Houston-Galveston region. To learn more and RSVP, visit www.galvbay.org/events.
3. BLC hosts Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour. Bayou Land Conservancy is thrilled to be hosting the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour on Thursday, August 18, 2016, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Alamo Drafthouse in Vintage Park. Enjoy an evening of inspiring, entertaining, and thought-provoking short films from the largest environmental film festival in the U.S. For more information, email info@bayouland.org or visit www.bayoulandconservancy.org/wsff.
4. NPSOT Monthly Meeting: Rewilding. David Renninger will share how the idea of conventional landscaping at MD Anderson Cancer Center was replaced with a new model of sustainability to benefit both people and nature at the institution’s 250-acre Houston campus. David will share his revelation of how human health and environmental health are inextricably linked, including practical examples of what we can do in our immediate landscape surroundings to improve health outcomes for both. His presentation will touch on the restorative effects of nature, native plants, urban wildlife, water conservation, and reduced impact maintenance. David Renninger is currently Director of Operations, Hermann Park Conservancy and was previously Project Manager, MD Anderson Cancer Center. This meeting of the Native Plant Society of Texas Houston Chapter will begin with a meet-and-greet at 6:45, with presentation to begin at 7:30.
5. Nominations Open–Terry Hershey Texas Women in Conservation Award. Audubon and the Texas Women in Conservation Award Program Steering Committee are now seeking nominations of women conservationists who, like Terry Hershey, have shown leadership, innovation, and passion for the landscapes and wildlife of the Lone Star State. Nominations can be submitted by email or mail by the addresses below and will be accepted now through August 19, 2016. To learn more, visit http://tx.audubon.org/conservation/terry-hershey-award.
6. 2016 AIA Sandcastle Competition. The Sandcastle Competition, rescheduled due to excessive rain earlier in the summer, will be on Saturday, August 20, 2016, on East Beach in Galveston, TX. AIA will continue to post updates on aiahouston.org, social media and in the AIA Friday weekly newsletter. Please contact Rhonda Lowe at rhonda@aiahouston.org or 713-520-0155.
7. Beat the heat with a bike tour of Houston’s splash pads. Don’t let the heat keep you from exploring your city. Houston Parks Board and BikeHouston are hosting a fun bike tour of Houston’s best splash pads on Saturday, August 20, 2016. This bike ride is a great way to stay cool and learn about the efforts being made to transform Houston into a bike-friendly city. Visit www.houstonparksboard.org for more information and to RSVP.
8. Monthly Volunteer Day at Buffalo Bayou Parks  Houstonians ages 9 and up are invited to join Buffalo Bayou Partnership for community-wide volunteer days at Buffalo Bayou Park happening this Saturday, August 20; every third Saturday of the month. Whether volunteering as a large or small group, or individually, your efforts will lead to a healthier environment and a more aesthetically pleasing amenity for all to enjoy. Volunteers will help with a variety of tasks, including but not limited to: trash pick-up, mulching and weed removal. We do ask that all volunteers bring their own work gloves. All other necessary work tools will be provided by BBP. Visit www.buffalobayou.org for more information.
9. August Green Building Education Seminar The seminar will be hosted August 24, 2016, from 6 pm – 8 p  at the Green Building Resource Center, 1002 Washington Avenue LEED certified buildings began populating Houston ten years ago. How are we doing now? From different viewpoints, the program director and our panelists will compare and contrast sustainability efforts in Houston, in Texas, and in parts beyond. Houstonians are as competitive as anyone else, but are we in the world of green building, energy conservation, or conversely, green washing? Jonathan will update you on the progress of the LEED Rating Systems. Maria will focus on global green building design through the Gensler architecture lens, Patrick will talk about teaching greenbuilding at the University of Houston, and Amanda will talk about the variety of green building projects on which she has consulted. Visit www.greenhouston.tx for more information about the organization. Call 832-394-9050 for more information about the meeting.
10. Swifts over Houston. Help the Audubon Society count local Chimney Swifts as part of their Swifts Over Houston program. You can join other birders at Pershing Middle School every Tuesday evening at dusk or check the website to find other count locations throughout Houston. Swift Night Out events will be hosted on August 26, September 9, and September 16, 2016. For more information on how to participate, visit www.houstonaudubon.org.
11. Parks Awards Application Period Now Open. The H-GAC Parks and Natural Areas Subcommittee (PNA) Awards applications will be accepted from Wednesday, August 10, to Wednesday, September 7, 2016. PNA Awards honor projects in four categories: Projects $500,000 or more; Projects under $500,000; Planning Process; and Policy Tools. Winning entries demonstrate best practices and collaboration between developers, local governments, engineering and planning agencies, businesses, resources, environmental groups, and citizens. Entries are evaluated on innovation, merit, and regional impact. These projects serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region. Winners will be notified in November, and the awards ceremony will be in January 2017. For more information, contact Mary Martha Gaiennie at 713-993-2468 or visit www.h-gac.com.
12. H-GAC Introduces the Our Great Region Awards. The Our Great Region Awards recognize outstanding projects in the region that are advancing the goals and strategies identified in the Our Great Region 2040 plan. Completed in 2014 by 24 partner organizations, the Our Great Region 2040 plan is a high-level plan providing tools and strategies that could be used to make the 13-county region an even better place to live, work, and prosper by the year 2040. The plan examines six major topic areas (transportation, environment, economic development, resiliency, housing and healthy communities) and presents Big Ideas and strategies in each that the region can work together toward. For more information about how to apply for the awards program, which opens September 1, 2016, visit www.ograwards.org.
13. Regional Recycling Roundtable Set for September 8, 2016. The next Regional Recycling Roundtable will be Thursday, September 8, from 10 a.m. to noon at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor. Han Zhang, Ph.D, Sustainability and Advocacy Manager, The Dow Chemical Company, will discuss circular economy and its role in recycling. A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them while in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials. H-GAC hosts quarterly Regional Recycling Roundtables to promote recycling and waste reduction and provide a forum for discussion about recycling issues within the region. To RSVP or be added to the list for notices of upcoming meetings, contact Erin Livingston at 832-681-2525.
14. ArCh seeks Volunteer Walking and Bicycle Tour Docents. The Architecture Center Houston  is in need of tour docents for their walking and bicycle tours. Training is offered Saturdays, 8:00am – 12:30pm, September 10 – October 1. You must be 18 + years of age. Visit their volunteer profile at www.volunteerhou.org  to sign up.
15. Air Alliance Houston comments on EPA EJ plan and VW settlement. AAH has submitted comment on the  EPA’s latest plan for environmental justice, the Draft EJ 2020 Action Agenda. They have also provided comments on the Volkswagon “Clean Diesel” settlement. VW will provide money for vehicle pollution reduction in Texas, and AAH has recommendations about how those funds should be spent, notably NOT as a replacement for existing NOx mitigation programs.
16. Bucket Brigade Interpretive Beach Tours. The Bucket Brigade is out on Galveston beaches providing FREE interpretive tours of the coastal and marine ecosystems! Tours last approximately 45 minutes and include hands-on exploration of questions such as “what is in out water”, “how is seaweed a good thing” and “how do I connect to the ocean” that is fun and educational for ocean-lovers of all ages! Tours are available at multiple Galveston beach locations, including Stewart and East Beaches, during the weekends in April and May and daily in the summer. Sign up for tours is on location. For more information on tour times and locations, please visit www.artistboat.org or call 409-770-0722. The Bucket Brigade is a program of Artist Boat and the Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees.
17. Houston Food Policy Workgroup. On September 14, 2016, at 11:30 am, join the HFPW  to discuss Agrihoods & Agricultural Districts. The mission of the Houston Food Policy Workgroup is to nurture the growth of a sustainable local food system, accessible to all, through education, collaboration, communication, and creation of a food policy council for the Houston region. Meetings are open to the public and generally include leaders from various diverse organizations in the Houston region working on food issues. The group meets to discuss and encourage the advancement of local food production and consumption, and has begun to take on projects to work towards the functions stated in the mission statement. The workgroup meets at 11:30 AM, on the second Wednesday of each  month.  All are welcome, as long as you RSVP. Email  caitlin.mcneely@houstontomorrow.org, and visit www.facebook/HoustonFoodPolicyGroup.com for more information.
18. Save the Date: STAR Texas Compost Council Summit and Training. Registration is now open for the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling’s (STAR) Texas Compost Council Summit and Training September 26-28, at the Lone Star Convention and Expo Center, Conroe. This training is the leading educational and networking event for industrial composters in Texas. More at: www.recyclingstar.org.
19. Save the Date: Bayou Preservation Association Symposium. Save the date for the Bayou Preservation 50th Anniversary Symposium from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, October 12, at the United Way Community Resources Center, Houston. This year’s keynote speaker will be Jenny Romer, the country’s leading expert on plastic bag law and ordinance structures. Registration is now open, and sponsorship opportunities are still available.
20. STAR Recycling Summit. Registration is now open for the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) 2016 Recycling Summit, October 16-18, 2016, at the Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade. Recycling professionals attend this event for educational sessions, equipment demonstrations, roundtable discussions, and training opportunities.
21. Texas A&M National Association of Environmental Professionals Career and Internship Expo. The annual NAEP Expo will be held at Texas A&M October 7, 2016. Environmental organizations are invited to host a table to network with environmental majors students.  Deadline for registration is September 1.
22. Save the Date for Trash Bash®. The 24th River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash® is Saturday, March 25, 2017. More than 102,588 volunteers have collected nearly 2,137 tons of trash, 15 tons of recyclable materials, and 10,135 tires. Learn how to volunteer to help clean up waterways in the Galveston Bay watershed.

COMMUNITY NOTES

1. Solarize Houston: Rooftop Solar Workshops
   Solarize Houston continues its mission to accelerate the use of solar energy for power generation in the City of Houston, by hosting workshops in August and September. Adaptive Solar Design co-Founder Richard Sherwood will lead both programs. The workshops will be hosted at Green Building Resource Center, 1002 Washington Blvd. On August 13, 2016, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, representatives of SolarEdge and Enphase will discuss inverter options for Solarize Houston installations.  At both sessions, we will also cover the basics of residential solar system.   On September 10, 2016, we will also discuss selecting electric purchase plans for owners of solar systems selling back to the grid.   It is free to attend.  You don’t need to be a Solarize Houston enrollee.  Everyone is welcome! Visit www.solarizehouston.org for more information about Solarize Houston. Email Steve Krebbs at solarizehouston@outlook.com for more information.
2. NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Region Grant Proposal. NOAA is now seeking proposals under the Gulf of Mexico Bay-Watershed Education and Training (Gulf B-WET) Program. The full FY17 Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) can be found at Grants.gov under funding opportunity number NOAA-NMFS-SE-2017-2005000. Applicants should apply through Grants.gov. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on October 28, 2016 to be considered for funding. Please see the FFO for all application details. The Gulf of Mexico B-WET program is an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. Funded projects provide meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs) for students, related professional development for teachers, and help to support regional education and environmental priorities in the Gulf of Mexico. Visit www.sero.nmfs.noaa.gov for more information.
3. Restoration Project Proposals. The Deepwater Horizon Texas Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) has announced the beginning of the next phase of Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) related restoration planning (see full announcement below). The Texas TIG is prioritizing current restoration planning efforts on restoration types that were not addressed previously by Early Restoration: 1) restore and conserve wetland, coastal, and nearshore habitats; 2) restore water quality through nutrient reduction (nonpoint source); and 3) replenish and protect oysters. The Texas TIG will also consider projects for engineering and design that focus on the three restoration types mentioned above. Despite the focus on these restoration categories, the Texas TIG will continue to consider any important opportunities for additional restoration and protection of avian resources and sea turtles. Project submittals for this round of restoration planning must be entered into the NOAA Natural Resource Damage Assessment website or the WWW.RESTORETHETEXASCOAST.ORG webpage project portals by August 31, 2016. All proposals received by that date will undergo review and consideration during the selection process.
4. Texas Environmental Excellence Awards. The Texas Environmental Excellence Awards (TEEA) honor achievements in environmental preservation and protection. As the state's highest environmental honor, the Office of the Governor and commissioners from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recognize outstanding projects from nine diverse categories: agriculture, civic/community, education, individual, innovative operations/management, pollution prevention technical/technology, water conservation, and youth. You can apply online at teea.org/apply; this page also contains helpful information on how to write an effective application. If you would like an example of a winning application, send your request to awards@tceq.texas.gov and include one (or more) or the award categories. The last day you can submit is September 30, 2016. Apply at www.teea.org. Read more: TEEA.
5. 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, Texas City, Galveston, 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.
   • Purple Martins
   • Black Bears in west Texas
   • Oil Spill Wildlife Response