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Houston Environmental News Update October 23, 2019
October 23, 2019

Houston Environmental News Update October 23, 2019

Climathon Houston 2019, Prairies & Pollinators, Protecting Children’s Health in Disasters, Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium, Green Jobs, and more

Have you ever participated in a hackathon? Over the past several years, ordinary citizens across the globe have been getting involved in using their tech skills (or learning new ones) to address challenges facing their communities. 

On Friday, CEC is partnering with Impact Hub Houston, the City of Houston and other organizations in participating in Climathon 2019, an opportunity to engage the nonprofit, startup and entrepreneurship communities to develop innovative solutions towards climate action and connect thought leaders and subject matter experts with designers, developers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and activists for more creative, effective, and viable solutions Entrepreneurs, students, developers, and more are invited to come up with innovative solutions to Houston’s climate challenges. 

For more information about how you can participate, visit houston.impacthub.net.

CEC NOTES

Environmental Educators Exchange: Kickerillo Mischer Preserve

All are welcome on Nov. 6, 2019 at Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve for the fall meeting of the Environmental Educators’ Exchange. Attendees will have the chance to meet Sarah Coles, the new State Coordinator for Texas Children in Nature. Come and go as your schedule allows. Canoe from 3:30 – 5 pm., network from 5 – 5:45 p.m., and take a night hike from 5:45 – 6:30 p.m.. Our goal is to provide a space to rejuvenate, network, and learn about trends in environmental education. All are welcome (including children). Find more information on Facebook or Eventbrite or contact alicia@cechouston.org.

Green Films

Thank you to everyone who came out to last week’s Wild About Houston Green Film Festival! Upcoming events include the November installment of the Houston Green Series: “How to Tell Your Story with Film & Video.” No film in December, but please join CEC at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 28 and 29, 2020.

Earth Day Houston

On April 22, 1970, 20 million people took to the streets and college campuses and hundreds of cities to protest environmental ignorance and demand greater protections for our planet. This first Earth Day sparked the passage of major environmental legislation in the U.S. including the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. 

October 22 marked six months to Earth Day, and on this day, CEC is pleased to announce its support for Earth Day 2020 and the EARTHRISE movement, which will mobilize across the globe. Together, we fight for a cleaner, safer, more just and sustainable world that protects and supports all of us.

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

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.

2019 Prairies & Pollinators

A regional celebration from Mid-September through Mid-November 2019. Includes nature hikes, classes, seed collecting events, festivals, film fests, etc., that celebrate the Coastal Prairies of our region. Full event details located at http://prairiepartner.org/2019-prairies-pollinators.

Harris County Flood Control District Community Engagement Meetings

The Harris County Flood Control District is holding a series of Community Engagement Meetings related to the 2018 Harris County Flood Control District Bond Program. As part of the preliminary engineering process conducted near the beginning of each project’s development stage, and prior to a formal Preliminary Engineering Report being presented to Commissioners Court for approval, the Flood Control District will conduct a public meeting in a primary project watershed to solicit public comments about the project. Learn more about the Program and the meetings here or see the Facebook event below.

Webinar: Pathways to Nature-Based Play

On Oct. 24, 2019, from 1-2:30 p.m., Early Childhood Investigations will host a webinar called “Pathways to Nature-Based Play: There Is One for You!” presented by Kay Albrecht, Ph.D., Halcyon Reese-Learned and Sharon Young. The webinar will explore ways to jump right into nature-based play, wherever you might want to begin by enhancing early childhood teacher’ ability introduce children to nature-based play both indoors and out. For more information and to register, visit earlychildhoodwebinars.com.

Going Green Lecture: Mycohile or Mycophobe

On Oct. 24, 2019, beginning at 7 p.m., The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. will present a Going Green Sustainability Lecture by Teri MacArthur, environmental education specialist for The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department, titled ” “Mycophile or Mycophobe–we all need mushrooms.” The lecture will be held at the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC). For more information, visit thewoodlandsgreen.

RESET Air | AP Education Intensive and Practicum Exam

On Oct. 25, 2019, the Texas Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council and McMac Cx will ch-host an Accredited Professional Education Intensive and Practicum Exam for RESET® Air, the world’s first sensor-based and performance-driven Building Standard and Certification Program. RESET Air is the only building standard based on continuous monitoring data, collected and reported by RESET Air Accredited Monitors and Data Providers. The event will begin with a free Breakfast Introduction Session at 7:15 a.m. The event will be held at Kirksey Architects. For more information and to register, visit usgbctexas.org.

Protecting Children’s Health in Disasters

On Oct. 25, 2019, from 8:30-10:30 a.m., Air Alliance Houston and Texas Children’s Hospital, in partnership with Harris County Public Health, will hold a breakfast discussion on protecting children’s health in environmental emergency situations. Speakers will share information about the location of environmental health risks to children in the Houston area and discuss disaster preparedness and response, highlighting various resources available for health care providers. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Houston Arboretum’s Fall Plant Sale

On Oct. 25-26, the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center will hold its Fall Plant Sale, featuring native flowers, shrubs, and trees – perfect for attracting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators to people’s yards or gardens. Proceeds benefit the Arboretum’s conservation and education efforts. For more information, visit houstonarboretum.org.

Nature Heritage Society Hill Hike

On Oct. 26, 2019, beginning at 8:45 a.m., the Nature Heritage Society will host a Hill Hike beginning at the Bessie Swindle Community Center. For more information, visit the Facebook event.

Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan Celebration

On Oct. 26, 2019, from noon-4 p.m., Buffalo Bayou Partnership will celebrate the culmination of the planning process for Buffalo Bayou’s East Sector. The event will feature live music, presentation of the master plan, and an opportunity to tour a new site overlooking the bayou. It will also include neighborhood vendors, St. Arnold Brewing Company, children’s activities, slabs and low riders. The first 100 people to attend will receive a free bike helmet, donated by BikeHouston. For more information, visit buffalobayou.org.

Cooling Our Planet by Restoring the Water Cycle

On Oct. 27, 2019, from noon-2 p.m., a presentation on how restoring ecosystems and their soils and can assist in reducing climate warming will be held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Webinar: The Earth Charter and Lutheran Social Statements

On Oct. 27, 2019, from 6-7 p.m., Christ the King Lutheran Church will hold a webinar featuring Lisa Brenskelle, head of the Lutherans Restoring Creation Team for the Texas Louisiana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, who will discuss the Earth Charter. The Earth Charter, while a completely secular document, is an ethical framework for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful society. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Buffalo Bayou Park and Beyond

On Oct. 28, 2019, from 6-7:30 p.m., the Buffalo Bayou Partnership will receive the 2019 Rudy Bruner Award Silver Medal for the transformation of Buffalo Bayou Park, followed by a panel discussion highlighting the proposed improvements along the bayou east of downtown. The event will be held at the Sunset Coffee Building. For more information, visit buffalobayou.org.

2nd Annual Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium

On Oct. 29, 2019, the Plastic Pollution Prevention Partnership will host the 2nd Annual Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium at Moody Gardens in Galveston. Registration will close at 200 people or October 26, 2019. For more information and to register, visit donttrashagoodthing.org.

Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) Fall Meeting

On Oct. 29, 2019, from 1-3 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) will hold its Fall Meeting. Topics will include the 2019 annual report, BIG Implementation Plan revisions, and Total Maximum Daily Load updates. Registration is requested. For more information, contact Steven Johnston at 832-681-2579.

Bayou Preservation Association 2019 Symposium: The Dirt on Watersheds

On Oct. 30, 2019, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., the Bayou Preservation Association will hold its 2019 Symposium, themed “The Dirt on Watersheds: The Quest for Healthy Soils.” The symposium will explore the application of healthy soil practices and the lessons learned from them for both large scale and individual levels. The event will also include a screening of the documentary Dirt: The Movie. It will be held at the United Way Community Resource Center. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bayoupreservation.org.

RAQPAC meeting: Harris County pollution plans

On Oct. 31, 2019, beginning at 2 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Regional Air Quality Planning Advisory Committee will host a meeting at the H-GAC offices, 3555 Timmons Lane. The featured speaker will be Latrice Babin, Ph.D., of Harris County Public Health, who will give an overview of the county’s pollution plans. Find the meeting materials at h-gac.com.

4th Annual Preserving Communities of Color Conference

From Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2019, the 4th Annual Preserving Communities of Color conference will take place at the United Way Community Resource Center. This year’s theme, â€œCommunity  Culture and Collaboration,” is focused on addressing the impact of structural discrimination, particularly racial discrimination and implicit bias in health, housing, the environment, and historic preservation within communities of color. For more information and to register, visit communitiesofcolorconference.org.

Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award nominations due Nov. 1

Each year, the Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award, awarded by the Bayou Preservation Association, recognizes individuals in the community who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to aiding in the conservation, preservation, restoration and/or advocacy of Houston’s waterways. Nominees can be from the non-profit, public or private sector. 2020 recipients will be honored at the Terry Hershey Bayou Stewardship Award Luncheon on May 5, 2020. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 1, 2019. For more information and to make a nomination, visit bayoupreservation.org.

Caring for Our Coasts Gulf Region Grants Program applications due Nov. 1

Restore America’s Estuaries recently announced the CITGO Caring for Our Coasts Gulf Region Grants Program for organizations and groups interested in hosting locally-based volunteer events in the Gulf of Mexico region. These grants are intended to provide groups with funding to host clean-up, restoration, or other educational events. If your organization is already planning a restoration event, or would like to begin, consider applying for a Gulf Region Grant. Applications are due Nov. 1, 2019 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. For more information, please visit estuaries.org.

Fall Planning Workshop: Building Equity into Planning

On Nov. 1, 2019, from 8:30 a.m.-noon, the Houston-Galveston Area Council will host its Fall Planning Workshop with the theme “Building Equity into Planning.” Topics will include: The State of Equity in Our Communities; Reaching Out to Our Communities/Including Equity in Planning; Measuring Equity in Our Efforts; and On-the-Ground Examples of Successful Equity in Planning. For more information and to register, visit h-gac.com.

47th Annual Herb Fair

On Nov. 2, 2019,. from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., the Herb Society of America South Texas Unit will hold its 47th Annual Herb Fair, offering a variety of herbs for gardening and herbal products. The event is free and open to the public. It will be held at the Judson Robinson Community Center. For more information, visit herbsociety-stu.org.

Seabourne Nature Fest

On Nov. 2, 2019, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter will hold the 8th Annual Seabourne Nature Fest at Seabourne Creek Park in Rosenberg. The free, family event will include a host of nature-oriented activities. For more information, visit the Facebook event.

2019 Gold Brick Tour

On Nov. 2-3, 2019, Preservation Houston will hold its 2019 Gold Brick Tour, an inside look at five outstanding historic preservation projects across Houston. All five locations will be open from noon to 5 p.m. both days of the tour. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit preservationhouston.org.

Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Meeting

From Nov. 3-7, 2013, the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) is holding its 25th biennial meeting on the Gulf coast in Mobile, Ala. The conference is intended to connect science and society in the collective goals of preserving coastal and estuarine habitats, resources, and heritage. More than 1,700 scientists and researchers from all over the world will collaborate and learn to be “Responsive | Relevant | Ready.” For more information and to register, visit cerf.science.

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.

  • Straddling the Texas-Louisiana border, swampy Caddo Lake in Northeast Texas has an unusual history and an enduring air of mystery
  • Killam Duval County Ranch is a real working ranch that has implemented planned grazing and strategic brush management resulting in habitat that is now thriving for both wildlife and cattle
  • Five generations of Stringos have shrimped the Gulf and Bays of Texas. But times are tough, and while most of the family have given up, there is one Stringo still on the water

Additional Upcoming Events