Coalition Notes 03-12-2012
- Greater Preservation Alliance is now Preservation Houston. Greater Houston Preservation Alliance is getting a new name and a new home. After serious consideration, GHPA’s Board of Directors voted to shorten the organization’s name to Preservation Houston; the Texas Secretary of State and Harris County Clerk recently certified the change. On Monday, March 19, Preservation Houston will be in its new office at 3272 Westheimer Road, Suite 2, Houston 77098 in the historic Lamar-River Oaks office building. The new contact information will be 713-510-3990 and contact@preservationhouston.org, although the current phone number and e-mail address will be forwarded for three months. Preservation Houston is also in the process of upgrading its website. The new web address is www.preservationhouston.org. The new name better reflects the organization’s current work.
- Give 5 for Conservation. On Saturday, April 21, the Katy Prairie Conservancy and four other Houston-area conservation groups — Bayou Land Conservancy, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Galveston Bay Foundation, and Houston Audubon — are collaborating for the inaugural Give 5% campaign! Participating local businesses will donate 5% of gross sales on Earth Day to our causes so if you have any shopping to do, here is where to do it so far:
- Bike Barn
- Carmelo’s Ristorante Italiano
- Haute Mommies & Bella Babies
- Houston Dairymaids
- M Penner
- The Houston Wave
- 13 Celsius
- Ruggles Green (CityCentre location)
- Tommy’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar
- Wild Birds Unlimited
- Wild Honey Pie Vintage Wear
In addition Croissant Brioche donated to the campaign. Check out the Give 5 website to find participating businesses as new ones sign up every day. We want to make sure that our own supporters visit, shop, and eat at participating businesses. The more they make, the more they donate!
- Activist Training – Clean Air and Water. Houston is the ninth smoggiest metropolitan area in the country and Galveston Bay is at risk because the Clean Water Act no longer protects our smaller streams and waterways. Keeping our air and water clean and safe in Texas isn’t always easy, but you can learn how to do it! Environment Texas and the Public Interest Network are holding an activist training in Houston on April 12th from 2-5 pm at the Houston Endowment. It’s free (though donations are welcomed and encouraged) and open to the public. Attend to learn the best ways to organize your community and meet fellow activists. Bring your family and your friends! Email tessa@environmenttexas.org for more information and to RSVP.
- Recycle Centers GIS Application. H-GAC recently re-launched the Recycle Centers GIS application with a new interface. The application now has improved driving directions and map tools, the ability to export search results, and updated links to recycle center websites. For more information about this application and other Community and Environmental Planning GIS applications, please visit www.h-gac.com/go/cegis.
- Organizations for Student Conservation Association Interns. The Student Conservation Association is looking for environmental organizations in need of Summer 2012 and Fall 2012 interns! SCA’s Houston Conservation Collaborative internship program partners with local organizations to provide full and/or part-time, paid conservation internships in the Houston area. SCA interns work on projects that rangevfrom trail construction and wildlife management to environmental educationvand marketing. For more information, email Christine Mansfield at cmansfield@thesca.org or call 713-520-1835.
- World Water Day Celebration. World Water Day is a day for people to come together and focus on the world’s invaluable water resources. The Galveston Bay Foundation, Texas Coastal Watershed Program, and Coffee Oasis are putting together a celebration for World Water Day on March 22nd from 6-9pm at Coffee Oasis (4650 Nasa Road 1). The celebration will include cups of coffee, intriguing conversations, live music, raffle drawings, kid-friendly activities, and information on how you can help to preserve, protect and enhance our water resources. Learn more at http://www.galvbay.org/.
- Save the Date:Â
- Mercer March Mart. Friday, March 23 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, March 24 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. www.hcp4.net/mercer/marchmart.
- Trash Bash March 31. Saturday, March 31. More at www.trashbash.org.
- Green the Prairie. April 21st from 8am to noon. http://www.facebook.com/
- Galveston Bay Oyster Appellation Tasting. April 21, 2012. www.galvbay.org.
- Registration open for Gulf Coast Green 2012. Tuesday, May 1, 2012. http://gulfcoastgreen.org/pages/default.asp.