Community Notes 10-26-2011

1. Texas Environmental Flows Science Advisory Committee (SAC). The next meeting of the Texas Environmental Flows SAC will be held on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 9:00 AM. The meeting will be held in Building F, Room 2210 of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality headquarters, located at 12100 Park Thirty-Five Circle, Austin, TX 78753. The agenda for the meeting will be posted to the group’s website upon development.More info at  www.tceq.texas.gov.
   
2. FarmFest 2011. The Last Organic Outpost, a non-profit that focuses on creating an urban green belt in low income areas throughout the city of Houston will be hosting FarmFest 2011 at Emile Community Farm (711 N. Emile) from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, November 5th. This is a free festival. There will be many demonstrations; seed saving, bee keeping, composting, water harvesting, etc. There will also be a fitness walk beginning at 10 AM. The festival will have music, fresh nutritious food, and plenty of children’s activities. Please bring your pocket book for the many jewelry and art vendors and Wheel of Farming. See a Certified Picker to help you pick your very own Farm Fresh Food for purchase from the Farm! www.lastorganicoutpost.com
3. Personal Document Shredding Drive. The Johnson Space Center Contractors (JSC) Environmental Partnership is hosting an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling and document shredding event from 8am-2pm on November 5th in the Space Center Houston parking lot. This free event provides an opportunity for anyone in the community to dispose of all electronics in an environmentally friendly manner. Sims Recycling Solutions is sponsoring the event and will recycle the collected material as an EPA certified recycler. Learn more at http://www.ci.seabrook.tx.us/.
4. 8th Annual Texas Beaming Bioneers Conference. The Bioneers Conference is a two-day conference about Issues That Matter: Environment & Nature, Health & Spirit, Social Justice and the Arts. This event will take place November 11-12 at the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church. Attend the conference to experience a world-class line up of inspiring local speakers, each outstanding in their field, talk about innovative ideas and solutions to challenges that face all Houstonians’ access to fresh local food and water for all, supporting our youth, recycling and energy for the future, and how to nurture our spirit and mind through community. More at http://www.blackwoodland.org/bioneers/.
5. America Recycles Day. On America Recycles Day, November 15th, local event organizers host events that inform millions of people on what is recycled in their community. America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. One day to educate and motivate. Registration is open for organizers to create a local event. If you cannot host an event, but would like to participate, visit http://americarecyclesday.org/ to find an event near you.
6. 3rd Annual Green Building Components Expo. The 3rd Annual Green Building Components Expo will take place on November 17th at the University of Houston College of Architecture (Atrium). Featured projects will include Sun Stop Solar, Gulf Coast Mod, Botanica Bio-regenerative Air Purifier, Z-Fab Housing, and Parametric Precast Concrete System. The event is free and open to the public. More information at http://www.uhgbc.org/.
7. Cullinan Park Nature Photo Contest. The Cullinan Park Conservancy is holding a Nature Photo Contest. People are encouraged to enter photographs of landscape, animals, birds, insects, fish, and reptiles who call Cullinan Park at Oyster Creek their home. To enter, send an email, one per image, to cullinanparkconservancy@gmail.com, giving the title of the piece, the name, address, and phone number of the entrant, and attaching the image file. Find out more at http://cullinanparkconservancy.ning.com/.
8. Sustainable Sites Survey. The Sustainable Sites Initiative is working with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), which manages the certification and credentialing programs for LEED Green Building Rating Systems(tm), to determine the feasibility and value of SITES professional credentialing and project certification. Please take the survey, and forward it on to colleagues who are interested in the design, construction, operations and maintenance of sustainable sites. Survey respondents will be entered to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards. The survey is open through November 2, 2011. Take the survey at http://www.zoomerang.com/.
9. 2010 Economic, Census Data on Coastal Communities. Census 2010 county population data along with 2010 economic data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of Economic Analysis has now been added to NOAA’s State of the Coast. You can find out if you are living in the fastest growing coastal county or if GDP has changed in the coastal portion of your state. Explore this data and more with interactive maps and updated summary statistics. NOAA’s State of the Coast can be found at http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/.
10. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/compliance/monitoring/air/monops/forecast_today.html
    • October 27: Green–Good–Moderate to strong winds, heavy cloud cover, cooler temperatures, and low incoming backgrounds should keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • October 28: Green–Good–Moderate winds, cool temperatures, and low incoming backgrounds should keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • October 29: Green–Good–Moderate winds, cool temperatures, and low incoming backgrounds should keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • On October 14, TCEQ issued an Air Pollution Warning – Level Orange for unhealthy levels of ozone in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria areas. During a Level Orange warning, active children and adults as well as people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exposure.