Houston Environmental News Update Nov. 2, 2016

COALITION NOTES

1. VOTE EARLY! Early voting ends Nov. 4! Learn more at www.votetexas.gov.
2. Avenue CDC’s Art on the Avenue. Showcasing the work of over 250 artists, Art on the Avenue supports local artists and Avenue CDC’s mission of building affordable homes and strengthening communities. At the Preview Party on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, guests will have a first look at the art for auction and an opportunity to bid and purchase art prior to the Auction & Party on Saturday, Nov. 5. Celebrating 25 years, Avenue CDC is dedicated to revitalizing Houston’s Northside community and to improving the lives of low- and moderate-income residents. Avenue CDC builds homes and communities where families thrive. Learn more at AvenueCDC.org
3. Creating Sustainable Funding For Your Non-Profit. Executive Service Corps of Houston will be hosting a seminar for non-profits, “Creating Sustainable Funding for Your Non-Profit” on Nov. 4, 2016, 10 am – 12 pm at the Ensemble Theatre. In this highly engaging overview of the Benevon Model, attendees will learn how to implement a systematic process for engaging and developing relationships with mission-focused individual donors, make your organization more visible to the community, and how to identify and cultivate individual donors who are passionate about advancing your mission. The event is free to attend. Learn more and register at eschouston.org.
4. Plant wildflowers along the Bayou Greenways. For the third year in a row, Houston Parks Board is teaming up with the Houston Parks and Recreation Department for their 10th Annual Lady Bird Johnson Tribute Wildflower Planting. On Nov. 5 & 12, 2016, we’re planting hundreds of acres of wildflower meadows along the Bayou Greenways and could use some helping hands. This is a fun and easy volunteer opportunity for all ages. Visit Houstonparksboard.org to learn more about volunteering along the Bayou Greenways and to sign up. Additional volunteer opportunities are available for Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s 10th Annual Lady Bird Johnson Tribute Wildflower. For more information, visit the Houston Parks & Rec website.
5. 2016 Prairies & Pollinators Month – Greater Houston. Join the Coastal Prairie Partnership–and over fourteen partners–for a month of special hikes, plantings, and other events. The celebration is from Oct. 7, 2016 to Nov. 12, 2016, at multiple locations around the region. For a full calendar, including details and registration information about the following events, visit prariepartner.org
   • Nov. 5 – Prairie Heritage Festival at Seaborne Creek Park in Rosenberg, TX
   • Nov. 12 – Putting Down Roots on the Katy Prairie
   • Nov. 12 – Native Prairie Plant-A-Thon at Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center
6. Baytown Nurture Nature Series & Festival. On the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 – noon, the Nurture Nature Series brings a different topic to the public for education and enjoyment. The programs are free with regular admission to the nature center. All topics are family friendly and hands on. Enjoy a fun, educating morning with Baytown Nature Center, then picnic, hike or relax after. Each year the nature center hosts the Nurture Nature Festival on the first Saturday of November. This all-day event is also free to the public. On Nov., 5, 2016, learn about basic backpacking skills and knowledge. For more information, visit baytown.org.
7. Bayou Land Conservancy 20^th Anniversary Gala. Celebrate with Bayou Land Conservancy on Nov. 5, 2016, 6 pm – 10 pm. The Gala will feature a silent auction, a presentation by Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagel, and a locally sourced menu by Chef Rick from The Fresh Fork. Visit bayoulandconservancy.org for complete information, and to purchase tickets.
8. Community Biking Safety Course. Christ the King Evangelical Church and Bike Houston invite the Houston community to a bike safety course on Nov. 6, 1 pm – 5 pm, at Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2353 Rice Blvd, Houston, TX 77005. The beginning of the course will begin with classroom instruction at the church parking lot, followed by drills at the Rice Stadium parking lot. A leisurely 1 hour ride around the neighborhood will conclude the course from 4 – 5 pm. Instruction will be provided by a certified instructor from Bike Houston. Course is suitable for all ages. Participants should bring their own bikes; helmets required. Please register by emailing Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com.
9. University of Houston Sustainability Fest.  The UH Sustainability Fest on November 7, 2016, is a zero-waste event that provides information about the latest developments in sustainability in the Greater Houston area. Campus and community organizations engage attendees through interactive activities featuring upcycled crafting, sustainability trivia and prizes. Please visit www.uh.edu/Sustainability for full information. Attendance to the event is free and open to the public. Learn more on the UH Sustainability Facebook Page.
10. 32nd Annual Mayor’s Proud Partners Luncheon. Join Keep Houston Beautiful on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016, for their annual award ceremony. Mayor Sylvester Turner will present the keynote address and Proud Partners Awards to the dedicated volunteers, businesses and organizations to be honored at the luncheon. Learn more at KeepHoustonBeautiful.org.
11. Air Alliance Houston’s 2016 State of the Air Luncheon. On Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, from 11:00 – 1:00, join Air Alliance Houston for its annual educational luncheon featuring two wonderful speakers: local meteorologist Eric Berger and AAH board member Ernesto Paredes. A delicious three-course meal will be served. Tickets are $40. Learn more and register at airalliancehouston.org.
12. Intersections 2016. Intersections 2016 is a cross-disciplinary conference of quality of life, health, equity, development and environmental issues facing our growing region. The goal is to foster synergistic thinking and collaboration by bringing different people together, and to demystify the mechanisms for creating sustainable change in Houston. Nov. 10 – 12, 2016. CEC is proud to be a part of this conference presented by Houston Tomorrow. Register at intersections2016.org.
13. Buffalo Bayou Partnership Gala: Leafing through the Years. On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, join Buffalo Bayou Partnership as they celebrate Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s 30-year anniversary and look forward to its bright future at our annual Gala. Cocktails at 6:30, seated dinner at 8:00 pm, at The Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park. Learn more and purchase tickets at buffalobayou.org.
14. Memorial Park Urban Wild Bridge Bash. Take a walk on the wild side the the Urban Wild young professionals of Memorial Park Conservancy! Join MPC on Nov. 10, 2016, for a night of food, drink, music and fun on Memorial Park’s Living Bridge. Urban Wild is a community-driven Houstonians age 21 and up with a passion for helping the Conservancy make Memorial Park a premier park for all Houstonians. To join Urban Wild or buy a Bridge Bash ticket, visit Memorial Memorial Park Conservancy’s Facebook page.
15. Ignite Houston. On Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, from 6-9pm, Ignite Houston is returning as part of the Intersections 2016 conference presented by Houston Tomorrowat UHD. This year we have an incredible lineup of eight speakers sharing a diverse range of ideas in a rapid-fire format. The event will feature local beer from Saint Arnold Brewing Company, ice cream from Fat Cat Creamery and food Oddball Eats. Learn more and purchase tickets on the Ignite Houston facebook page.
16. Seed Fling Wingding Family Event Join Baytown Nature Center on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, for this family-friendly event to learn more about butterflies and bees in a fun, interactive way. With games, a butterfly costume parade, info tables, guided butterfly tours to throw milkweed seed bombs, and much more. Early Bird Registration (thru Nov. 11) is $9 for children, and $13 for adults. Register for the walk.
17. Artist Boat’s Float the Boat. Artist Boat’s annual fundraising event will honor Randi Faust and Carl Herman at the Ashton Villa on Nov. 12, 2016. The event will have live music by Alligator Handshake, silent and live auctions, raffle drawing, curated art auction, masquerade and costume contest, food, wine, and beer, and–most importantly–loads of fun! Learn more at artistboat.org.
18. TWRC’s Wild Night for Wildlife. Please join the TWRC Wildlife Center on Nov. 12, 2016, for its annual gala night fundraiser, “Wild Night For Wildlife,” held at the beautiful Sterling Country Club/Houston National Golf Course. The evening will include dinner, Las Vegas show by tribute artist Vince King, entertainment by Carter Blackburn Magic, casino, door prizes, silent auction and more. Proceeds support TWRC Wildlife Center. Come and enjoy a fun evening and help TWRC help save wildlife in need! Learn more at www.twrcwildlifecenter.org.
19. SPARK Week. Join the SPARK School Park Program the week of Nov. 14, 2016, at six school parks celebrating dedications and groundbreaking. Details will be posted soon at sparkpark.org.
20. Teacher Awards & College Scholarships available from TWA. Through generous funding from the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc. the Texas Wildlife Association Foundation is accepting applications for two funding opportunities awarding teachers and college freshman. The deadline for the Natural Resource-Excellence in Teaching Award is on Dec. 1, 2016. The deadline for college freshmen scholarship applications is on Nov. 14, 2016.
21. Webinar: Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in Breweries – Better Beer at Lower Costs. Presented by HARC’s Gavin Dillingham and Siemens Energy. The U.S. Department of Energy Southwest CHP TAP, in partnership with Siemens Energy, will present CHP in Breweries and Distilleries on Nov. 17, 2016 at 2:00 pm. Learn more at harcresearch.org.
22. Energy Corridor Recycles Day. The Corridor’s 8^th Annual Recycles Day will be hosted on Nov. 19, 2016, 9 am – 2 pm, at the Addicks Park and Ride, 14230 Katy Freeway, Houston TX 77079. Sustainably purge your home/office electronics, textiles, toys and more, plus security shred sensitive documents. Check out the facebook event for updated information and a full list of items that can be recycled. Visit energycorridor.org to learn more about the management district.
23. Call for Donated Auction Items. The Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club will be hosting their Annual Auction on Dec. 8, 2016. They are seeking auction items to be donated as early as possible. For more information about the auction and how to donate, please contact one of the following: Frank Blake at frankblake@juno.com or 713-528-2896 (central Houston); Art Browning at art.browning@gmail.com or 281-728-6327 (Cypress area), or Lorraine Gibson at 281-384-4104, or raineygib@aol.com (Pearland area). Visit sierraclub.org for more information.
24. Call to Action: San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site. On Sep. 28, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed removing the dioxin-contaminated wastes from the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site. The Galveston Bay Foundation enthusiastically applauds that proposed plan because removal is the only correct and permanent cleanup solution, while no containment alternative can be shown to reliably contain the waste over a long-term basis. However, the battle has not been won just yet and GBF needs your help! The EPA will base their final decision in part on comments it receives during the official public comment period that began on Sep. 29 and ends at midnight on November 28, 2016.  GBF encourages you to send your official comments supporting EPA’s plan to remove the dioxin waste TODAY, but be sure to send in your comments by Nov. 28. Visit GBF’s  Remove San Jacinto River Toxic Waste webpage to learn more about the issue, learn how to comment, and review sample comments.
25. Save the Date: Holiday with the Cranes. As Sandhill Cranes begin to arrive on Galveston Island to roost and forage, the Galveston Island Nature TourismCouncil opens registration for Holiday with the Cranes, Dec. 10 – 11, 2016. Several of the events sell out rather quickly so learn more and sign up soon at www.galvestonnaturetourism.org.
26. Houston Green Office Challenge. The 2016 Houston Green Office Challenge has launched! Once again, the City of Houston is challenging commercial building property managers, property owners and office tenants to improve the environmental and economic performance of their business operations. The Houston Green Office Challenge helps participants achieve strategies that reduce energy use, waste and water use, and provides an exciting way for businesses to make Houston a greener place to live, work and play. Learn more at houstongoc.org.
27. Every Kid in a Park. The Every Kid in a Park Program (EKIP) is a national initiative to connect youth with nature. By introducing students to public lands in their backyards and beyond at an early age, the innovative Every Kid in a Park Program delivers a nationwide call to action to build the next generation of outdoor stewards of our country’s spectacular and diverse public lands and waters. One of the great benefits for students is that this initiative provides free federal land annual passes to 4th graders and their families after they complete a field trip! The Houston EKIP Partnership brings sites with nature and culture-based field trips together with local teachers. The National Park Foundation has awarded $150,000 to facilitate field trips for 4th grade students from Title I schools in the Houston area to experience public lands and waters in their community during the 2016 – 2017 school year. Learn more, see if your school is eligible, and find out about great field trip opportunities at  http://www.esc4.net/EKIP. CEC is proud to support this project.
28. SCA Seeks School Year Conservation crew. SCA Houston Community Programs aim to build the next generation of conservation leaders and environmental stewards by getting local Houston youth out into their community and environment to do hands-on service to the land. The School-Year Program is voluntary and occurs on weekends, from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. During the course of the School-Year Program, youth attend five camping weekends at parks and nature areas around Houston. Applicants must be 15-19 years of age and be enrolled in school. Learn more at www.thesca.org.
29. Help for nonprofits’ IT/Database/Website Needs. The Executive Service Corps of Houston (ESCH), in partnership with the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, is now accepting applications for free IT help from student teams, under the direct supervision of a Decision and Information Science Center (DISC) faculty member and with the mentorship of ESCH Consultants, work on business projects. The CEC has used them for two projects: one for an IT assessment of our office hardware (which came in very handy when our file server failed two weeks later!) and consulting on our website. Learn more and request assistance at eschouston.org.
30. Additional Upcoming Events
    • 11/15/16: Kendra Gives Back Party to benefit Keep Houston Beautiful
    • 11/15/16: Galveston “Leave No Trash Behind” ribbon cutting (Artist Boat)
    • 11/15/16: White Oak Bayou Association Annual Meeting
    • 3/25/17: River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash®

COMMUNITY NOTES.

1. SEED: The Untold Story. This award-winning film is a feature-length documentary featuring Vandana Shiva, Dr. Jane Goodall, Andrew Kimbell, and Winona LaDuke, following passionate seed keepers protecting our 12,000-year old food legacy. They need to sell 57 more tickets to meet the threshold to show the film at theHouston Merq’E Stadium 23 & Imax theater on December 1, 2016. Learn more, view the trailer, and purchase tickets at http://gathr.us/screening/18300.
2. The Progressive Forum Reunion Event. Bring your friends to this casual, open-invitation mixer. Enjoy lively conversation as you meet new people,
   renew bonds and rekindle a sense of community  among progressives in Houston. Nov. 7, 2016, from 3:00 to 10:00 pm at Wights and Measures. Learn more and RSVP at eventbrite.com.
3. EPA’s EJ 2020 Action Agenda. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released the Environmental Justice 2020 Action Agenda (EJ 2020), the Agency’s environmental justice strategic plan for 2016 to 2020. EJ 2020 will further integrate environmental justice considerations in all of the Agency’s programs, strengthen EPA’s collaboration with partners, and demonstrate progress on significant national challenges facing minority and low-income communities. EJ 2020 builds on the foundation established by EPA’s previous strategic plan, Plan EJ 2014, as well as decades of significant environmental justice practice by the Agency, communities, and other environmental justice stakeholders. The EJ 2020 Action Agenda has three overarching goals:
   • Deepen environmental justice practice within EPA programs to improve the health and environment of overburdened communities.
   • Work with partners to expand our positive impact within overburdened communities.
   • Demonstrate progress on critical national environmental justice challenges.

   Learn more about the plan and download a copy at www.epa.gov.

4. Japhet Creek Clean-ups. Japhet Creek Nature Conservancy is hosting several creek clean-ups this fall, including  Nov. 12 & 19, 2016. Learn more about how to help at japhetcreek.org.
5. http://planhouston.org/
6. Gift of Guidance program. The Social Media Breakfast of Houston (#smbhou) is excited to invite qualified 501c3 organizations in Houston to apply for the 6th annual Gift of Guidance program with the Social Media Breakfast in Houston (SMBHOU). Learn more and apply at docs.google.com.
7. Brews for Big Bend. Join the BIg Bend Conservancy on Nov. 15, 2016, at Saint Arnold Brewery for Brews for Big Bend. For the $35 admission fee, you’ll enjoy Saint Arnold’s on tap all evening. Professional photographer Mike Marvins, whose book “Texas’ Big Bend” is a masterpiece of Big Bend imagery, will be on hand to discuss his craft. In addition, he’s donated one of his photos–suitable for framing–to be raffled off.  Submit your own photographs from the Park and see the best images included slideshow presented throughout the evening. Advance ticket sales only – no tickets sold at the door. Buy your tickets at www.bigbendfriends.org.
8. NOAA Marine Debris Research Federal Funding Opportunity. Deadline: December 19, 2016. NOAA’s Marine Debris Program is pleased to announce the FY2017 Marine Debris Research Federal Funding Opportunity. Proposals are due December 19, 2016.  The announcement can be found on Grants.gov at www.grants.gov.
9. Railroad Commission Rule Draft. The Railroad Commission is accepting comments on a draft of its rules in 16 TAC Chapter 1, relating to Practice and Procedure.  This is an informal working draft that has not been finalized and has not been submitted to the Texas Register for publication for public comment.  Due to some reorganization of several subchapters in Chapter 1, the informal draft presents the rules in their new organization, structure, and wording.  The draft is posted on the Commission’s website at the following link: http://www.rrc.texas.gov/legal/rules/draft-rules-for-informal-comment/. Comments must be in writing and emailed to Rules Coordinator atrulescoordinator@rrc.texas.gov.  The comment deadline is Friday, January 6, 2017 (5:00 p.m.).
10. 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.
    • Biking Tyler
    • DesertSkies
    • Charlie’s Cannon