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September 7, 2017

Houston Environmental News Update September 6, 2017

Scroll down to read notes from our member organizations and the community, or view the emailed version of the newsletter, which includes a green job listing.

We made it back to the office on Tuesday. We had a small window leak which soaked some non-essential papers, but the office was essentially unharmed.

We know that many members of our environmental community, including nonprofits and individuals, did not fare as well. If you are with an environmental nonprofit and need a space to work near downtown, we’d be pleased to share our office with you. We have five workstations available, printers, and a conference table–and we always have chocolate.

The photo above is of the Urban Harvest farmers market on Eastside Drive this past Saturday. The farmers who were able to participate are grateful for your support, and Urban Harvest is working with other farmers to support their recovery. Urban Harvest tells me the Eastside market will be open again this coming Saturday. The fall season of their farmer’s market at City Hall will be delayed one week, until September 20, 2017. In the meantime, Urban Harvest, like many CEC member groups, is supporting relief efforts (with the Houston Food Bank, for example) and continuing to recruit volunteers through VolunteerHouston.org.

We have tried to confirm the events listed below, but not all organizations have updated their websites. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts.

CEC NOTES

CEC soliciting film submissions Please consider submitting a short film (under 7 minutes) for possible inclusion in CEC’s Greater Houston Environmental Film Contest on November 15, 2017. Winning entries will be shown at CEC’s showing of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour on January 24 & 25, 2018.

Interested in Joining CEC’s Board of Directors?
CEC is soliciting applications for its 2018 Board of Directors. We are looking for people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help with our newsletter and website, events like the Film Festival and the Greater Houston Environmental Summit, fundraising, administration, and connecting our environmental community. It is arguably one of the best ways to learn about the amazing environmental work happening in the Houston region. To apply and learn more, please fill out our Volunteer Application online or send an email to rachel@cechouston.org, and we will follow up with you soon.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. Organics Recovery Roundtable 
    The Houston-Galveston Area Council hosts quarterly Organics Recovery Roundtables to promote the recovery of food waste and other organic materials and provide a forum for discussion of challenges, possible solutions, successes, and new ideas within the H-GAC region. This quarter is being held Thursday, September 7, 2017, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Houston-Galveston Area Council, 3555 Timmons Lane Second floor, Conference Room A, so be sure to register and attend.
  2. Understanding your City’s Heat Island: Webinar
    How can you tell if your city is an urban heat island? Where are the “hot spots” and cooler areas within the city? Do vulnerable populations, such as older adults or low-income individuals, tend to live in warmer neighborhoods? More and more communities across the United States are asking these questions, and wondering how to answer them. This 90-minute webcast, hosted by EPA’s Heat Island Reduction Program on Thursday, September 7, 2017, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM, will explore approaches for conducting a heat island assessment, starting with overarching considerations to guide the study design and finishing with case studies of two cities that have used different methods to characterize their heat islands. Register to view this webinar or learn more on their registration page.
  3. Image result for EPA logoEPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics: Webinar 
    The EPA is hosting another webinar to explain the process for gathering use and exposure information on five persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This webinar will take place on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 1:00 PM. It will provide background on new requirements for regulating certain PBT chemicals and explain how interested parties can provide useful information to EPA on these chemicals. Be sure to register for this webinar to save your seat and participate in the follow up comments.
  4. Mid-Main Houston, Urban Harvest, and Houston Food Bank

    Mid-Main Houston has partnered with Urban Harvest for a benefit for Houston Food Bank. Please join them Thursday night from 6 to 10 pm in #MidMain for some much deserved fun, #livemusic, #streetmarket, #localarts with friends and neighbors for a great cause. #HoustonStrong!

  5. NPSOT: Wildscapes Workshop and Native Plant Sale POSTPONED
    The Native Plant Society of Texas-Houston Chapter’s 2017 Wildscapes Workshop has been postponed, and will not be held on September 9, 2017. Visit npsot.org for the latest updates.
  6. urban harvest logoStarting a Community or School Garden Workshop  There are many reasons for starting a community garden: creating a strong sense of community and stewardship; developing a community’s identity and spirit; providing a space for communities to grow safe, nutritious food, and so much more. In this 4 hour comprehensive workshop, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Saturday, September 9, 2017, the presenters will take you through the process of building community, setting goals and exploring funding options, to the nuts and bolts of creating the garden and helping to ensure its sustainability. Registration is from 8:30 to 8:45 AM with the workshop following soon after.
  7. Brews and Barrels

    Conserve water. Protect Galveston Bay. Save money. And enjoy some local brews while doing it! Galveston Bay Foundation is partnering with Saint Arnold Brewing Company to host a unique Rain Barrel Workshop on Sunday, September 10, 2017. Rain barrels are an efficient, low-cost, low-maintenance method for collecting rainwater. They are placed at downspouts in order to reduce runoff and flooding, conserve freshwater, and reduce pollution reaching Galveston Bay via storm drains. Rain barrels can be used for watering a garden or houseplants, washing a car, and much more. Learn more at Galvbay.org.

  8. Image result for interfaith environmental network logoNative Plants for Houses of Worship
    The Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston invites the interested public to attend a free lecture on Native Plants for Houses of Worship. There are many actions that faith communities can take to be more planet-friendly and meet their needs at the same time. This lecture will take place on Sunday, September 10, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the University of St. Thomas, Robertson Hall, as well as online, via web meeting. The lecture will also be recorded, so if you can’t make it, you can still get a copy of the recording to review later. For more on the lecture and how to participate, visit their registration page.
  9. Image result for mercer botanic gardens logoCancelled–Mercer Botanic Gardens Lunch Bunch: Your Garden and Climate Change
    The event, scheduled for Wednesday, September 13, 2017, at Mercer Botanic Gardens, presented by Carolyn Newman of Citizen’s Climate Lobby, was cancelled due to flooding. The park is closed indefinitely due to flooding. Learn more at Mercer Botanic Gardens.
  10. Water Reuse and Resource Recovery: Trends and Opportunities
    The volume of water required to meet municipal demand has increased significantly over the last decade for cities with high population growth, including Houston. Many of these cities are becoming more reliant on nontraditional water sources — such as recycled, brackish, desalinated, and waste and process water — to meet that demand. To be fit for its intended use, water from these sources often requires specialized treatments that draw additional power from the electricity grid. This workshop by Rice University’s Baker Institute will raise awareness of water treatment techniques that can potentially increase the use of nontraditional water sources, while reducing their cost and environmental impact. Speakers will offer perspectives from their respective areas of expertise, providing participants with multidisciplinary views on the issues associated with this water-energy nexus. You can join in on Thursday, September 14, 2017, from 8:00 AM (registration) to 11:30 AM at James A. Baker III Hall. You can view the itinerary and list of speakers here.
  11. Image result for houston audubon logoClimate Change: Hard Truths and Positive Directions 
    The Houston Audubon is hosting a speaker event to discuss the need for honest discussion on the issue of climate change in Houston. There are solutions to the worst of these problems that can restore nature and move the human economy toward the natural cycles of the Earth, resulting in a circular economy that is the hope for the future of birds and people alike. Join the Houston Audubon and guest speaker Jim Blackburn, Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University, on Thursday, September 14, 2017, at 7:00 PM for a social and 7:30 PM for the presentation, at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (the MATCH).
  12. Image result for sierra club houstonEffects of Climate Change on Human Health
    The Houston Sierra Club invites you to join them and their guest speaker, Brett Perkison, for their General Monthly Meeting with a focus on climate change and human health. Perkison is a board certified physician in family medicine and occupational medicine from the University of Texas School of Public Health in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and University of Texas Health Science Center in the department of Family Medicine. His lecture will present an overview of climate change’s effects on human health, and how employers can reduce carbon emissions as part of workplace wellness programs. RSVP to attend this meeting on Thursday, September 14, 2017, at 7:30 PM inside St. Stephen’s Pecore Hall.
  13. Play Everywhere Challenge Grant
    Do you have a great idea for how to turn everyday places – like sidewalks, bus stops, plazas, and laundromats – into play spaces for kids across Houston? The Play Everywhere Challenge, powered by Target and KaBOOM!, will award a total of $720,000 in grants across Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Miami to turn these ideas into reality. Learn more about the Challenge here and be sure to submit your application.While the original deadline was Friday, September 1, 2017, the deadline is being extended until a date to be determined. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jonathan Grajeda (jgrajeda@kaboom.org), your Houston area outreach specialist.
  14. 2017 Gulf Star RFP
    The 2017 Gulf Star RFP and Application Form are now posted on the GOMA website here:  www. gulfofmexicoalliance.org. Deadline for submissions has been extended to September 15, 2017.
  15. TEXAS URBAN FORESTRY COUNCILUrban Forest Micro Grant Program Application Deadline
    The Urban Forest Micro Grant program was created by the Texas Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) to promote the benefits and the value of Texas urban and community forest resources, recognizing the contributions to public infrastructure and human health. Their goal is to engage citizens and their communities, and to expand support for sustainable urban and community forest management throughout Texas. The amount of each TUFC micro grant will be $500 with a 1:1 match requirement. The following parameters and selection preference criteria will help guide the review of each grant application and can be found on their application information page. The application (PDF) is due Friday, September 15, 2017.
  16. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 p.m. 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.
    • In Search of the Blue Sucker: Biologists on the Colorado River are searching for a rare fish. It’s called a Blue Sucker, and not much is known about this Texas native. We follow along as a research team searches rapids and riffles on the Colorado, hoping to find, and learn more about this elusive fish.
    • Water for Wildlife, and the Pictures to Prove It
    • Winter Wonderland for Waterfowl
  17. Additional Upcoming Events

http://cechouston.org/category/green-jobs/ 

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