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Houston Environmental News Update July 24, 2019
July 24, 2019

Houston Environmental News Update July 24, 2019

Greater Houston Environmental Summit, Bird of Houston contest, Houston Climate Plan Stakeholder Movement, Green Jobs, Green Film: Ay Mariposa, and more

Next Friday, August 2, the Houston region’s environmental community will gather at the United Way of Houston’s Community Resource Center for our annual Greater Houston Environmental Summit. The theme this year is the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Those goals, or SDGs, set forth in 2015, are meant to be “the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all,” with a target date of 2030. The SDGs address numerous global challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. In addition to several excellent presentations, we will again offer over a dozen small-format table talks. Pat Greer’s Kitchen is again providing lunch. A speaker list and menu will be available soon.

Early registration ends on Friday, July 26.

Eventbrite - 2019 Greater Houston Environmental Summit: Sustainable Development Goals

We are pleased to announce that State Senator Carol Alvarado will be providing the welcome address for the Summit. A native Houstonian, Senator Alvarado has extensive experience in public office, including terms in the Texas House of Representatives and as a member of the Houston City Council. While Carol’s primary legislative focus has been on economic development, public health and public education, she also has a history of championing environmental issues such as addressing the shipment of hazardous chemicals through neighborhoods and having air quality monitors installed in neighborhoods near chemical plants. And, she is a former board member of the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition!

CEC NOTES

Houston Green Films: Ay Mariposa

The Houston Green Film for August 21 will be “Ay! Mariposa!“, a documentary about two women and a rare community of butterflies standing on the front lines in a battle against the proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall. We will be joined by the director of the National Butterfly Center. Upcoming films: September 18–“Hot Grease“, October 16– Wild About Houston Green Film Festival.

Environmental Educators Exchange: Pearland’s New Delores Fenwick Nature Center

The next quarterly meeting of the Environmental Educators’ Exchange will be on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, at 4 p.m. (Note different time.) Location: Pearland’s new Delores Fenwick Nature Center. Free registration on Eventbrite.

Earth Day Houston

Earth Day Houston, part of the 50th worldwide observance, will be held at Discovery Green on Sunday, April 19, 2020.

Candidate Forums and Questionnaires

7 days of being engaged in the community

Are you organizing a candidate forum or questionnaire for the November 2019 election? CEC is gathering information about election-related activities within our environmental communities. Let us know what you are planning, and we’ll keep you in the loop. CEC is interested in either hosting, coordinating, and/or supporting the efforts of local environmental nonprofits leading up to the election. Send your comments to rachel@cechouston.org. Note: the filing deadline for the November City of Houston elections is August 26, 2019. CEER Houston will be hosting a mayoral candidate forum on Saturday, September 21, 2019.

Interested in serving on the CEC Board or a Committee?

CEC is seeking individuals who might be interested in joining our board of directors in January 2020, or volunteering to serve on one of our committees starting this year. Over the next few months, we are hosting information sessions for prospective board and committee members to learn more about the commitment and opportunities. Upcoming sessions include the evenings of July 29, September 23, and October 15. For more information (including directions to our top secret world headquarters), please email rachel@cechouston.org.

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 endeavored to confirm the opportunities listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts.

Houston City Council approves wastewater consent decree

On Wednesday morning, July 24, 2019, the Houston City Council voted to approve the consent decree with the EPA and State of Texas, addressing more than a decade’s worth of Clean Water Act violations emanating from its aging wastewater infrastructure. Through the consent decree, the City of Houston will commit to spend $2 billion dollars on wastewater infrastructure improvements over the next 15 years. Bayou City Waterkeeper filed a citizen suit in September 2018 and, along with others, called for transparency and the opportunity for public engagement as City Council reviewed and subsequently voted for the consent decree. In a statement, BCW Executive Director Jordan Macha said, “We are encouraged that the City has offered commitments to incorporate elements of public participation into their planning and reporting processes. Our hope is that the City looks to the best practices offered by other cities and provides the public with meaningful opportunities for engagement – as we outlined in our letter to the Mayor and City Council on Monday, July 22.”

Bird of Houston voting underway

Houston Audubon’s “Bird of Houston” contest has completed its nomination stage, and voting is now underway. Voting will be done in a brackets-style format. Houston Audubon took the top eight birds with the most nominations and paired them up. Each pair will face off in a head-to-head competition until just the winner remains. Round One runs through July 30, Round Two runs July 31-Aug. 7, and Round Three runs Aug. 8-15. The winning Bird of Houston will be announced at the start of Bird Week festivities, from Sept. 21-28, in honor of Houston Audubon’s 50th anniversary. All voting will be done online at houstonaudubon.org/birdofhouston.

Air Alliance Houston’s Breakfast with Bakeyah

On July 25, 2019, beginning at 8 a.m., Air Alliance Houston will host a breakfast discussion with Executive Director Bakeyah Nelson, on community concerns and talking points ahead of the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Policy Council planned July 26 vote on whether TxDOT will receive $100 million to begin funding Segment 2 of their I-45 highway expansion project. There will also be updates on AAH’s upcoming plans. The event will be held in the offices of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, 1019 Commerce St. RSVP to info@airalliancehouston.org or call 713-528-3779.

Snakes of Texas

On July 25, 2019, from 6:30-8 p.m., the Houston chapter of the Native Prairies of Texas Association will hold its monthly meeting featuring a presentation from Laura and Adrian Berg of Crossbone Corns on “Snakes of Texas.”  The meeting will be held at the American Red Cross building. For more information, visit houstonprairie.org.

Cypress Creek Wateshed Partnership meetings

On July 25, 2019, the newly formed Cypress Creek Watershed Partnership will hold its first two public meetings. Residents, business owners, property owners, government staff and officials, and other stakeholders are invited to join this locally led project to identify and address water quality issues in the Cypress Creek Watershed for Harris and Waller counties. The first meeting will be from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Weekley Community Center in Cypress. The second will be from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Barbara Bush Library in Spring. For more information, visit cypresspartnership.weebly.com.

Rural Recycling Workshop

On July 25, 2019, from 1-3 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Cooperative Teamwork & Recycling Assistance will host a Rural Recycling Workshop to discuss issues and brainstorm potential ways to work together to enhance rural recycling centers and recycling programs in the region. The workshop will be held at the George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview Drive, Richmond. Registration is requested. For more information, contact Becki Begley at 713-993-2410 or Rachel Hering at 512-236-1134.

Houston Climate Plan Stakeholder Meeting

On July 25, 2019, from 4-5 p.m., Mayor Sylvester Turner and representatives of the City of Houston Sustainability Office will present recommended strategies for the Climate Action Plan. The strategies will highlight action across four key areas: building optimization, decarbonization, transportation, and materials management. The event will be held in the Legacy Room at Houston City Hall. For more information, visit greenhoustontx.gov.

Milby Park Cleanup

On July 26, 2019, from 9 a.m.-noon, the Natural Resources Management Program of the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department will host a volunteer cleanup of the riparian restoration area at Charles H. Milby Park, 2001 Central St. Volunteers will clean up litter and plant trees. To RSVP, send an email toNaturalresources@houstontx.gov.

Ann Hamilton Trail Walking Tour

On July 27, 2019, the Katy Prairie Conservancy will offer a free walking tour of the Ann Hamilton Trail in the Indiangrass Preserve. Participants will learn about the history and value of the coastal prairie and KPC’s role in preserving these vanishing lands. For more information, visit katyprairie.org.

Moth Night Out Event at Trinity River Refuge

On July 27, 2019, beginning at 9 p.m., Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge will host its Sixth Annual Moth Night Out Event. Interested folks will meet at the Refuge Headquarters building to see and photograph some of the over 900 species of moths documented around the building’s security lights. Black lights and mercury vapor lights will also be used. Stuart Marcus, refuge manager, has identified a mind-boggling 900 moth species along the Trinity River. The Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters building is located at 601 FM 1011 in Liberty, directly across the street from the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center. All ages are invited, but the event will last until late in the evening. For more information, call (936) 336-9786.

2019 EPA Region 6 Stormwater Conference

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 annual stormwater conference will be held July 28-Aug. 1, 2019 in Denton, Texas. The theme of the conference is “Responding to Change: Dynamic Stormwater Management in Economic, Political, and Climatic Transitions.” The agenda includes a variety of general and breakout sessions, plenary speakers, and field trips. For more information and to register, visit tamuk-isee.com.

Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy

On July 28, 2019, from noon-2 p.m., Houston environmentalist Tim Mock will lead a discussion summarizing the academic paper “Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy,” published in July 2018 by Jem Bendell, a sustainability professor at the University of Cumbria. In the paper, Bendell asks society to shift its focus to one of resilience, relinquishment, restoration and reconciliation. The event will be held at the First Unitarian-Universalist Church. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

2019 AIA Sandcastle Competition registration deadline on July 29

The 33rd Annual AIA Sandcastle Competition, a fundraising event for AIA Houston and ArCH Foundation, will take place Aug. 24, 2019 at East Beach in Galveston. More than 60 teams have their eyes and shovels set on winning the prestigious Gold Bucket Award. Sculptures are rated on originality of concept, artistic execution, technical difficulty, carving technique, and utilization of the site. The deadline for registration is July 29. For more information, visit aiahouston.org.

H-GAC Disaster Debris Webinar

On July 30, 2019, from 10-11:30 a.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council will offer a multimedia-guided webinar for participants to explore considerations in disaster debris management for wildfire and other debris generating incidents. The webinar will examine lessons learned from past incidents, including tornadoes, the Bastrop and Tri-County fires in 2011, and challenges in debris operations as a result of terrorism-related incidents. For more information and to register, visit register.gotowebinar.com.

Our Great Region Awards applications deadline July 31

The Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Our Great Region Awards recognize outstanding projects in the region advancing the goals and strategies identified in the Our Great Region 2040 plan. The application period closes Wednesday, July 31. Plans, programs, projects, or polices that implemented or are implementing a strategy of the Our Great Region 2040 plan within the 13-county H-GAC planning region in the past three years are eligible to apply. More information is available in the 2019 application guide or by emailing ourregion@h-gac.com. Learn more at ourregion.org.

Flood Resiliency and the State of City Infrastructure

On July 31, 2019, from noon-2 p.m., the Bayou City Initiative will host a public forum on the state of Houston infrastructure with Public Works Director Carol Haddock and an update on recovery efforts from City of Houston Chief Recovery Officer Steve Costello. The event will be held at the BakerRipley Leonel Castillo Community Center. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Project WET Educator Workshop

On Aug. 1, 2019, from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., the City of Houston’s WaterWorks Education Center, 12550 Water Works Way, Humble, will host an Educator Workshop of Project WET. This workshop will help teach all levels, formal and non-formal, on diverse water topics that educators can use to reach children with objective, experiential, science-based water education. The workshop meets CEU requirements for educators and is provided by the Harris County Department of Education. Educators will receive 7 hours of continuing education credits. Register for $10 at hcde-texas.org. Use Workshop #12586.

Galveston Bay Foundation Meet and Greet

On Aug. 1, 2019, from 5:30-7 p.m., the Galveston Bay Foundation will host a “Meet and Greet” at Java Lava Brew in the Houston Museum District. GBF staff will discuss water quality, the health of Galveston Bay, and the connection between the City of Houston and Galveston Bay. Java Lava Brew is offering half off beer and fish and chips during the event, and donating 25% of its earnings during the event to GBF. For more information, visit the Facebook event or the website.

Sierra Club Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Workshop

On Aug. 3, 2019, from noon-5 p.m., the Sierra Club Houston Group will hold a free “Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Workshop” workshop for members (become a member here), at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. This workshop discuss the “Jemez Principles” and how equity, inclusion, and justice can be a part of all local Sierra Club activities. A “potluck” Sierra Social, open to everyone (members and non-members), will be held after the workshop from 5 to 6:30 pm. For more information about the workshop and “Sierra Social” contact Brandt Mannchen at 281-570-7212 or brandtshnfbt@juno.com.

Artist Boat Teacher Development Workshop

From Aug. 5-9, 2019, Artist Boat will host a Teacher Development Workshop for middle and high school teachers on how to effectively teach climate change through hands-on activities, lesson plans, NOAA tools and resources and more. The workshop will be held at Beverly Hills Intermediate School and include daily field trips to Moody Gardens, National Weather Service, Coastal Heritage Preserve, and the Port of Houston. Contact Amanda Reinhart at arinehart@artistboat.org or call 409-770-0722 to register.
For more information, visit artistboat.org.

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.

  • Meet the team of biologists who are called out to respond to Texas oil spills
  • Special rainwater catchment systems called “guzzlers” provide water for bighorn sheep and other animals
  • Goliad State Park & Historic Site offers cultural history and a host of outdoor activities

Additional Upcoming Events