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July 4, 2018

Houston Environmental News Update July 4, 2018

Here in southeast Texas, hoping for a clear summer night to celebrate the Fourth of July by watching fireworks is always a dicey proposition, as we’re seeing again today.

But did you know that fireworks can have a big impact on air pollution? A NOAA study published in 2015 by the journal Atmospheric Environment found dramatic increases in particulate matter (no stranger to the Houston-Galveston area) during fireworks displays, varying based on the locality and magnitude of the display.

According to the NOAA study and others,

  • There is an average increase of particulate matter by 42% across US on July 4th.
  • The amount of particulate matter exceeds EPA safety threshold at 10 of the 315 tested sites.
  • Burning fireworks release air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter
  • Children are particularly at risk for particulate pollution as their defenses against such pollution is still poor
  • Individuals with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) are particularly at risk due to particulate pollution

On the bright side, so to speak, communities can celebrate with “green fireworks” that that replace perchlorate with nitrogen-rich materials or nitrocellulose that burn cleaner and produce less smoke, as reported by the American Chemistry Society.

In our region, CEC member organizations and agencies that are working to reduce air pollution of all types and its effects include:

Air Alliance offers a number of tools to allow you to check local air quality, including Air Quality Now information and the kuukibot twitter feed. While it does not appear to be working currently, you can always check real-time air quality at the Village Green Project air quality monitoring station at the Health Museum, which launched last year.

(The image of downtown Houston above is from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress.)

CEC NOTES

Houston Green Film Series: STRAWS
Please join CEC, the Houston Green Film Series, Rice Media Center, and additional partners for STRAWS (in recognition of Plastic Free July) on Wednesday, July 18, 2018. It’s estimated that daily more than 500,000,000 plastic straws are used once and tossed in the U.S. alone. They’re non-recyclable, so they wind up in landfills, litter streets and add to the estimated 8.5 million metric tons of plastic debris in oceans annually. Linda Booker’s Straws, with animation narrated by actor Tim Robbins, provides a clear understanding of the problems caused by plastic pollution and empowers individuals to be part of the solution (watch the trailer). Arrive at 6:30 p.m. for conversation, networking, and a light meal. We’ll begin the film promptly at 7 p.m. For more information, see the Facebook event.

Please save the date–or even better, register–for CEC’s Greater Houston Environmental Summit on Friday, August 10, 2018.

Annually, CEC hosts a networking and learning event for the extraordinary people who work at or are interested in the work of environmental organizations in the greater Houston region.

This year’s program includes:

  • Excellent Featured Speakers — See the full descriptions.
    •  Jennifer Romero, Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge
    •  Hannah Bailey, Houston Zoo
    • John W Nielsen-Gammon, Ph.D., Texas A&M & Texas State Climatologist
    • Jaime González, The Nature Conservancy
    • Glen Miracle, Laughing Frog Farm
    • Paula Paciorek, Galveston Bay Foundation
    • Elena Craft, Ph.D., Environmental Defense Fund
    • April Ward, Living Paradigm CDD
    • Amy Dinn Lone Star Legal Aid; and
    • A representative of the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC).
  • Table Talks: Small group discussions with experts on a variety of topics related to our post-Harvey theme, including impacts on our air and water quality, environmental justice initiatives, wildlife and landscape conservation, and efforts to build resiliency for our future.  A cross between a breakout session and speed networking.
  • Exhibit tables from CEC member groups and local businesses. (See the registration page to reserve your exhibit table.)
  • Delicious, locally-grown food from Pat Greer’s Kitchen.
  • A few surprises 🙂

Further event details are provided on the Eventbrite Registration page.

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.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

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

  1. Houston Cities H2O Challenge continues through September 28
    The Houston Cities H20 Challenge, sponsored by the Galveston Bay Foundation, in partnership with the Texas Living Waters Project, The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency and the City of Pearland, continues through September 28. The Challenge is a friendly competition designed to engage area residents and businesses in water conservation.The Houston Cities H2O Challenge invites all to take the pledge to conserve water for the Bay through various actions, such as tracking water usage or learning how to efficiently water outdoor landscapes. For more information, visit gbwb.org.
  2. Harris County Flood Control District Bond Program meetings
    Harris County Commissioners Court will hold a bond election on August 25, 2018, for the Harris County Flood Control District. Registered voters in Harris County will be asked to vote on up to $2.5 billion in bonds for flood risk reduction projects throughout the county. HCFCD is hosting a series of community engagement meetings, geared toward the county’s various watersheds, to gather input in order prepare an effective flood damage reduction program for the region at hcfcd.org. Numerous community engagement meetings are being held, including:

    • July 9, Pershing Middle School (Braes Bayou)
    • July 10, Kingwood Park High School (San Jacinto River)
    • July 17, El Franco Lee Community Center (Clear Creek)
  3. EPA seeks information on NAAQS ozone review
    The Houston-Galveston region is in non-attainment for ozone. On June 26, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Human Health Risk Assessment Program announced the Federal Register Notice for the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone-Call for Scientific and Policy-Relevant Information. The call for scientific and policy-relevant information for ozone is open to public comment through August 27, 2018. For more information on this document and the public comment period, visit the Federal Register and the EPA ISA webpage.
  4. EPA seeks proposals for Gulf of Mexico Program
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Program is soliciting proposals from eligible entities that address water quality improvement; coastal habitat and ecosystems enhancement, restoration and/or protection; environmental education and outreach; and community resilience in the Gulf of Mexico region and its watersheds. The closing date for proposals is July 31, 2018. For more information, visit epa.gov.
  5. Katy Prairie Conservation Workday
    On July 6, 2018, beginning at 8 a.m. the Katy Prairie Conservancy will hold a Conservation Workday at the Indiangrass Preserve, 31950 Hebert Road in Waller. Volunteers will put plants in the ground and collect native prairie seeds. For more information and to register, visit constantcontact.com.
  6. Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable
    On July 9, 2018, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., the Houston Galveston Area Council’s Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable will hold a meeting featuring presentations from Marlon Connley of the Trust for Public Lands and planning and landscape architect Tim May. The meeting will also include a discussion of the 2018 Parks and Natural Areas Awards celebration. For more information and to RSVP, go to constantcontact.com.
  7. NOAA hosts webinar series on latest National Climate Assessment
    Beginning July 9, 2018, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration will host an eight-week series of free public webinars on various aspects of the latest National Climate Assessment, also called the Climate Science Special Report. The first, “Climate Science: What’s New?”, will be presented by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist at Texas Tech University and a contributor to the report. For information on how to assess the full series, visit nodc.noaa.gov.
  8. A Complete Natural Resource Cycle for PreK-8 Educators
    From July 9-13, 2008, the Texas Forestry Council’s Texas Conservation Institute in Lufkin is offering a course entitled “Phase 1: A Complete Natural Resource Cycle,” geared toward classroom teachers of all grades, non-formal educators, or anyone interested in teaching youth about forestry and conservation education. Participants must be at least 18 years old. For more information, visit texasforestry.org.
  9. Summer Salon: Tracking Houston’s Economic Vitality
    On July 10, 2018, the Center for Houston’s Future will begin its Summer Salon series of breakfast discussions with a look at tracking the city’s economic vitality, featuring Patrick Jankowski of the Greater Houston Partnership; Andy Steinhubl of KPMG; lawyer and former Houston mayoral candidate Bill King; and Nathaniel Karp of BBVA Research. For more information on the series and to register, visit centerforhoustonsfuturedev.org.
  10. Webinar: Brownfields to Healthfields for Environmental Justice Organizations
    On July 11, from 10-11:30 a.m., Lone Star Legal Aid’s Environmental Justice Team and the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) will present a webinar on the basics of Brownfields to Healthfields (B2H) and how Houston-based community organizations looking for an equitable and just transition from Hurricane Harvey might be able to apply a disaster recovery lens to the existing EPA B2H program. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.
  11. Webinar: Using Citizen Science as an Education Tool
    On July 11, 2018, from 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m., the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration will present a free webinar, aimed at educators, titled “Using Citizen Science as an Education Tool.” The webinar will feature an overview of three citizen science programs and how citizen science is used to engage students. To register, visit register.gotowebinar.com.
  12. Instagram Scavenger Hunt and Happy Hour
    On July 11, 2018, beginning at 5:30 p.m., Rice Design Alliance’s rdAGENTS and Hermann Park Conservancy’s Urban Green young professionals groups are co-sponsoring an Instagram Scavenger Hunt to explore Hermann Park and the Museum District through photography in teams of four. The event will begin at Hermann Park’s McGovern Centennial Gardens and end at Pico’s, 3601 Kirby Drive. For more information and to register, visit ricedesignalliance.org.
  13. Nature Discovery Center’s Family Nature Night: Freaky Frogs
    On July 11, 2018, from 6:30-8 p.m., the Nature Discovery Center in Bellaire will present naturalist Eric Duran, who will display various common frogs of the Houston area and discuss their lives and habits. Participants will also learn the frogs’ calls, and try to make some frog calls. For more information and to register, visit naturediscoverycenter.org.
  14. Texas Sierra Club Houston Group: It’s Dolphin Time!
    On July 12, 2018, from 7:30-9 p.m., the Texas Sierra Club’s Houston Group will hold its monthly meeting, featuring a presentation by Kristi Fazioli, research associate with the Environmental Institute of Houston at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, on current research on Galveston Bay’s bottlenose dolphins, including life history, environmental and anthropogenic threats, conservation efforts, management tools and the impacts of Hurricane Harvey. The meeting will be held in Pecore Hall of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1805 W. Alabama Drive. For more information, visit sierraclub.org.
  15. Rotary Wine Appreciation Fellowship Dinner
    On July 14, 2018, from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Vox Culture and the Rotary E-Club of Houston invite supporters of education, the arts, scientific innovation, and the environment to the Rotary Wine Appreciation Fellowship Dinner at Archway Gallery, 2305 Dunlavy Street. For full information and to purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com.
  16. Science Teachers & Industry Workshop
    From July 16-19. the Harris County Department of Education, in partnership with the Texas Chemistry Council, is offering a “Science Teachers & Industry” workshop addressing the chemical industry’s concern for, and impact upon the health and safety of its workers, neighboring communities, and the environment. Academic, governmental, and industry experts present a full scope of environmental viewpoints  For more information and to register, visit spark.adobe.com.
  17. Call for Presenters at Texas Association for Environmental Education Fall Conference
    The Texas Association for Environmental Education will hold its fall conference, with the theme “Communicating and Connecting Our Diverse Natures,” Oct. 5-7 at the Lakeview Methodist Conference Center in Palestine, Texas. TAEE encourages all educators to consider presenting a session, and the Call for Presentations remains open. For more information and to submit a proposal, visit constantcontact.com.
  18. TCEQ Seeking Applications for Texas Environmental Excellence Awards
    The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is seeking applications for its 2019 Texas Environmental Excellence Awards, which will be presented at the Environmental Trade Fair and Conference in Austin on May 15, 2019. The last day to apply is September 28, 2018. For more information on how to apply, visit tceq.texas.gov.
  19. Lazy Gardener & Friends Houston Garden Newsletter
    The  “Lazy Gardner & Friends Houston Garden Newsletter”, produced by Brenda Beust Smith, John Ferguson, and Mark Bowen (along with a supporting cast of contributing writers and technical specialists), offers gardening tips, spotlights on local experts, and a calendar of events and announcements. To sign up for this free newsletter, visit constantcontact.com. Find back issues at natureswayresource.com.
  20. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife
    Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3 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.

    • Biologists use satellite transmitters to study Texas wildlife
    • Working to restore the disappearing coastal prairie landscape
    • Sheldon Lake State Park offers a natural oasis outside Houston

Additional Upcoming Events:

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

 

 

 

 

 

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