Houston Environmental News Update September 27, 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.
Happy National Voter Registration Day! Here in Texas, we’ve got an election on November 7, 2017. The deadline to register in time to vote in the November election is October 10, so you’ve still got time!
Some of our favorite resources for voters are the League of Women Voters of the Houston Area, Texas League of Conservation Voters, and the Environmental Voter Project. Not sure whether you are registered or how to register? You can visit votetexas.gov or contact the voter registrar for your county.
We have tried to confirm the events listed below, but not all organizations have updated their websites. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts.
CECÂ 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.
Support the environment through workplace giving! EarthShare of Texas
Does your employer offer workplace giving? Many companies and businesses that offer workplace giving have charitable campaigns underway. CEC–and several of its member organizations–participate in workplace giving through EarthShare of Texas. Contributions made through these campaigns make a huge difference to the CEC. THANK YOU if you already give!
COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES
- Sabine Woods and Sea Rim State Park John Haynes
ONC/OG Upcoming field trip to the Texas Ornithological Society’s Sabine Woods Sanctuary in Jefferson County for ONC/OG members, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017. This will be led by John Haynes, local patch expert. Meet at entrance at 8:00am, State Hwy 87, Sabine Pass, TX 77655. Limited to 16. Contact Nina Rach, nrach@autrevie.com, if you are interested in reserving a spot. - Post-Harvey Clean-ups on Sept. 30, 2017
- Cypresswood Bike Trails, Hosted by GHORBA
- Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve, hosted by Harris County Pct. 4
- Boat Ramp Trash Bash, hosted by Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center
- 2017 High Performance Schools Summit
The day has finally come for the US Green Building Council Texas Chapter’s morning of presentations and dialogue at their 2017 High Performance Schools Summit at the Houston Zoo to explore the intersection of high performance schools and enhanced learning environments. If you missed their early bird special, you can still come bright and early to register at 7:30 AM on the day of their Summit Thursday, September 28, 2017, or skip the line and register at usgbc.org. For the full event schedule and list of guest speakers, visit usgbc.org. - Pier & Beam Fall Party
Join Pier & Beam, Preservation Houston’s next-generation member group, for our annual Fall Party membership and fundraising event Thursday evening, September 28, 2017, at Lucille’s in the Museum District. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the group has decided to forego its usual Fall Party format in favor of an event that will raise funds to help Preservation Houston offer support to the owners of flood-damaged historic homes and buildings. All Fall Party tickets include a tax-deductible donation to Preservation Houston that will be used to assist the owners of those properties with consulting and recovery services. Learn more at preservationhouston.org. - Instant Impact Workshop
Join H-GAC on Friday, September 29, 2017, for the Instant Impact Workshop to learn about lighter, quicker, less expensive ways to create more vibrant streets. Registration will be at 8:30 AM and the workshop will begin 9:00 AM. Local and national experts will share Instant Impact strategies for temporary and cost-effective ways to enhance a plan and gain quick wins for your community. Following presentations, they invite you to explore Instant Impact displays to learn how they can be used for your next plan. - Volunteer Clean-up at Millby Park
Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s Natural Resources Management Program is hosting a volunteer hurricane cleanup day at the Milby Park riparian restoration at 2001 Central St, Houston, TX 77017 on Friday, September 29th, from 9:00AM-12:00PM. Please help save newly planted trees from Hurricane Harvey’s damage! Help out with straightening bent saplings, removing trash washed up from Sims Bayou, and cutting debris from trees. To participate, please RSVP to naturalresources@houstontx.gov . - National Public Lands DayÂ
Ready to participate in the National Environmental Education Foundation’s annual National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 30, 2017? To encourage people to join in and visit their public lands, NPLD is a fee-free day for all federal public lands and many state parks. Whether you volunteer on NPLD, enjoy some boating, hiking, fishing, or camping, or simply learn more about your public lands and the plants and wildlife that live there, NEEF invites you to take this day to enjoy the great outdoors and celebrate the lands that give us so much. Enter your zip code or address to find an NPLD event near you.- Memorial Park Conservancy: Connecting people, places and pollinators
- Spring Creek Greenway with Bayou Land Conservancy (Spring/The Woodlands)
- Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center: Boat Ramp Trash Bash
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William Goodrich Jones State Forest (Conroe): Connecting people, places and pollinators
- Sam Houston National Forest Big Creek Scenic Area
- Fall Prairie Day & Bioblitz at Deer Park Prairie
On Saturday, Sep. 30, 3017, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, join the Houston Chapter of the Native Prairies Association of Texas for their Fall Prairie Day & Bioblitz at Deer Park Prairie. Activities include surveys of birds, insects, plants, and butterflies, as well as volunteer opportunities, walks, and, if you RSVP, lunch. - Educator Day Science Expo at the Houston Zoo
Come learn what the Houston Zoo has to offer at the Zoo’s annual Educator Day. On Saturday, Sept., 30, 2017, learn about a variety of programs for all age groups as well as meet the Zoo’s science partners around the city and see what they have to offer. Take part in on-grounds tours and sessions on incorporating nature, wildlife and project-based learning into your classroom. Registration includes admission to the Zoo, free resources, activities, and much more. - Fall Plant Sale: HMNS
Interested in Butterfly Gardening? The perfect opportunity to get started awaits you twice each year, at the Cockrell Butterfly Center’s semi-annual plant sales. Once in spring and once in fall, the Houston Museum of Natural Science offers a wide variety of nectar plants for butterflies and host plants for their caterpillars. Plenty of experts are on hand to answer your butterfly gardening questions and help you to create the perfect butterfly habitat – right in your own backyard. September 30, 3017. Learn more at hmns.org. - Blackwood Farm to Table Dinner
Join Blackwood on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, for a 7-course Farm to Table Dinner at Blackwood Educational Land Institute, in partership with Long Spoon Catering and Education. Reservations may be made online at blackwoodland.org. A portion of the proceeds from this dinner will be donated to a family of six affected by Hurricane Harvey. - ‘A Texas Plan for the Texas Coast’ with Jim Blackburn
Come hear Jim Blackburn, Dean of Texas’ Environmental Movement, talk about Houston flooding – its causes and solutions. He’ll also talk about his new book, A Texan Plan for the Texas Coast. Blackburn will present maps and graphics about Harvey’s impact in the context of his 15-point plan for Houston’s redevelopment after Harvey that was recently published by the Baker Institute at Rice. Blackburn will be signing copies of his book which will be available for purchase. Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, at the new LifeHTX event space. Learn more on the CEC Calendar. - Family Outdoor Camping at Baytown Nature Center
Can’t wait to go camping? Wondering how to build a campfire? How to pitch a tent? Join the Baytown Nature Center on October 7 & 8, 2017, to learn the basics of camping. Campers must bring their own camping gear, sleeping bags and fishing gear. Dinner and breakfast will be provided. Pre-registration and pre-payment required by October 1. -
Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Saint ArnoldThe Urban Harvest Farmers Market is bringing the bounty of the garden and delicious food vendors to the Saint Arnold Brewery on Sunday, October 1, 2017. Shop local and grab a beer in the comfort of our air-conditioned beer hall. Saint Arnold Brewing Company is brewing up a special brew “Urban Harvest No.2” that is a blend of Fancy Lawnmower with Java Pura’s Panamanian Hartmann Estate Geisha Coffee. Learn more on facebook.
- LINK Houston announces new Executive Director
LINK Houston, an advocacy organization focused on mobility and transportation equity, announced the hire of its first executive director, Oni Blair, as well as its commitment to prioritizing mobility options as part of the Harvey recovery effort.LINK Houston is a new non-profit organization that grew from a series of community conversations convened by Houston Endowment and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation-Houston (LISC) in 2016. This process examined how to promote equitable transportation by aligning policies, systems, and funding streams to better serve under-resourced communities, and ensure resident involvement in decision-making about transportation. The planning process resulted in start-up funding from Houston Endowment to launch LINK Houston this year. Read the full announcement at linkhouston.org. - Scenic Houston Action Alert
Proposed new TxDOT rules could double the height of billboards along Texas roadways, from 42 ½ feet to 85 feet! Tell TxDOT commissioners that oversized billboards are unsightly and a driver distraction. To learn more about the issue from Scenic Houston and Scenic Texas, visit scenictexas.org. Work by Scenic Houston has contributed to removal of 85% of billboards in the City of Houston. - Pliable: Rice Design Alliance and Rice Architecture Fall 2017 Lecture Series
The Pliable series features three internationally renowned practitioners who advocate for the immediacy of material investigations and fabrication in architecture, whether low-tech or high-tech, analog or digital. Through their research and design, all three offer up nimble responses to unforeseen material and fabrication challenges and opportunities. On the surface, these three designers are linked by their innovative work with textiles. Upon closer examination, they are reshaping contemporary practice in compelling, provocative ways through material-based research and with repercussions for all design fields. The three lectures will be on October 4, 11, and 25. All lectures will begin at 7 p.m. in Match Box 4 at Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston (MATCH) at 3400 Main Street. Pre-lecture reception begins at 6:15 p.m. Learn more and register at ricedesignalliance.org. - Relaunch of The Progressive Forum
After a three-year hiatus, The Progressive Forum is back! The relaunch event, on Nov. 6, 2017, will feature Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the nation’s premier defender of civil liberties. Learn more at progressiveforumhouston.org. - Environmental Protectors Implementing Change (EPIC)
The Eddie V. Gray Wetland Center and the Baytown Nature Center are hosting a free service learning club for high school teens with an interest in conservation. Environmental Protectors Implementing Change (EPIC) is an afterschool club that meets at the Wetlands Education Center to learn about and solve coastal environmental problems through hands-on projects. Learn more at baytown.org. - NPSOT Native Landscape Certification Program
Did you miss getting into a Level 1 or Level 3 NLCP class last Spring? Don’t wait any longer to get your place in the upcoming Fall 2017 Houston-area classes. Take Level 1 and learn the 5 ecoregions and 4 soil types for the Greater Houston Area. Learn about 45 natives that thrive here, including trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, grasses and ground covers. Take Level 3 next and learn about 45 more natives, how to install and take care of your plants with a maintenance schedule for all 90 natives. The level 1 class will be held on Oct. 14, 2017, and Level 3 on Nov. 4, 2017. Learn more at npsot.org. - 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.
- Help for the Horned Lizard: Texas horned lizards are icons of wild Texas, but they are getting harder to find. Learn what may be causing declines of this legendary critter, and what’s being done about it.
- Leave No Trace: The mantra of the true outdoors lover is “Leave no traceâ€. Here’s some ideas for leaving the environment better than you found it.
- Young Guns: There’s a crisp bite in the air on a cool December morning. The mist covers the pond, as pintails fly overhead. It’s duck hunting season. Join us as we follow two boys as part of a special hunt just for youngsters.
- Additional Upcoming Events
- 10/5/17: Sierra Club Climate Change Reading Group
- 10/7/17: Hermann Park to Port Bike Ride
- 10/7/17: Buffalo Bayou Kids Day
- 10/7/17: Outdoor Nature Club to Cullinan Park
- 10/7/17: Benefit for the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston
- 10/12/17: USGBC Texas Energy Summit
- 10/12/17:Â Bayou Preservation Association Gala
- 10/14/17: Mercer Botanic Gardens annual Garden Party
- 10/14/17: BikeHouston Moonlight Ramble
- 10/15/17: Journey of the Universe Film Screening
- 10/17/17: Katherine Hayhoe Talking Climate: Why Facts are Not Enough
- 10/18/17: Confronting Climate Change: What Can the U.S. and Japan Contribute to Creating Sustainable Societies?
- 10/19/17:Â Bayou Preservation Association Water Quality Summit
- 10/20/17:Â Picnic For Cullinan Park
- 10/21/17: Bike Around the Bay
- 10/21 & 22/17: Nature Discovery Center Pumpkin Patch
- 10/24/17: HARC People & Nature–Governor Bill Ritter
- 10/27/17: Creatures & Cocktails Night Hike
- 10/28/17: Brays Bayou Invasive Species Round-Up and Carpathon
- 10/29/17: HREG Repair Cafe
- 11/4/17: Seed Fling Wingding Festival at Baytown Nature Center
- 11/4/17: Greens Bayou Regatta
- 11/2/17:Â Buffalo Bayou Partnership Gala
- 11/9/17: Memorial Park Bridge Bash
- 11/11/17:Â Rice Design Alliance Gala
- 11/14/17: White Oak Bayou Association Annual Meeting
- 11/17/17: Nature Discovery Center Twilight Gala
- 12/9/17: AIA Gingerbread Build-Off