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January 28, 2013

Community Notes 01-28-2013

  1. Green Drinks Houston. On January 29, 2013, from 6-8 pm, join Green Drinks Houston in “The Lab” at Down House to hear a few words from Chris Cusack, co-owner of Down House, a local restaurant that features competition-level coffee, locally sourced cuisine, and a quality-focused bar program. Next, hear from the dynamic Sherry Eichberger about building a business focused not only on profits, but people and our planet too. Sherry Eichberger is the founder of One Green Street, a shop with purpose! One Green Street is an authentic Triple Bottom Line Business. More at http://cechouston.org/.
  2. Biomimicry: Emulating Nature’s Genius to Inspire Innovation for a Sustainable Future. Learn about biomimicry at an adult lecture with Linda Paisley on February 6, 2013, at 7pm at the Nature Discovery Center (7112 Newcastle Street). Biomimicry offers a holistic and deeply rooted method for achieving true sustainability. Nature embodies more than four billion years of experience perfecting the designs and behaviors that make organisms and living systems thrive. Biomimicry is the investigation and search of nature for solutions to humanity’s form, process, and system design challenges. Attend for an exciting talk about cutting edge theory for urban planning, architecture, home living, and meeting environmental challenges. Linda Paisley is a certified Biomimicry Specialist, she has participated in Biomimicry Workshops in Peru, Arizona, and in Austin, Texas. Linda also serves on the Boards of the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center and the Blackwood Land Institute. Light refreshments are served. More here.
  3. 2013 OHBA Summit. The Organic Horticulture Benets Alliance (OHBA) hosts their annual OHBA Summit on February 9, 2013. The organic education conference will be held at the United Way Building, located at 50 Waugh Dr, Houston TX, 77007 from 7:30 AM- 4:45 PM. OHBA Summit is a valuable and intense series of educational seminars for elite horticulture professionals. Attendees are encouraged to create a personalized agenda for the day, to leave the Summit with solutions specic to ones professional and personal needs. Five of the most respected and inuential educators in the eld of Organics have been chosen to present proven results along with break-out Round Table Discussions to provide interactive, solution-based exchanges in a smaller setting. Learn more and register at http://www.ohbasummit.org/.
  4. 2013 Tree Planting Competition. The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council and Harris County Flood Control District are once again sponsoring the Texas Urban Forestry Council’s Regional Tree Planting Competition to be held in conjunction with local Arbor Day celebrations. This event is a regional competition and the 3 fastest planting times will be forwarded to the State as Regional winners where their times will be included in the finals for the State Competition. Each team will consist of 10 planting members and a non-working captain and scoring will be based not only on time, but also on correct hole depth/width, mulching, planting techniques, etc. The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council will be supplying the judges and timers for the event and again, the 3 top times will be sent to the TUFC for consideration in the State Award for best time. The competition will be on February 9, 2013, at the HCFCD Retention Basin. More at www.haufc.org. Contact Mickey Merritt, 713-688-891 or Matt Weaver, 713-688-8932 for more information.
  5. Electronic Waste Recycling. The City of Houston Solid Waste Department and CompuCycle are providing monthly one day E-Recyclable collection events on the first Saturday of the month (February 2, 2013), 9am-3pm, at the Kingwood Metro Park & Ride lot. This is primarily for City of Houston residents, but CompuCycle says no one will be turned away. There will also be a mobile hard drive shredder to shred hard drives on-site for residents. For more information and a list of accepted items, visit http://cechouston.org/.
  6. The Urban Houston Framework Project. The Urban Houston Framework project is looking at “urban centers” and developing a framework for urban areas that encompasses regional sustainability principles. The framework developed from this study, with the help of your provided participation, will be used to assist the City in revising and/or developing new policies and a toolbox for each tier – large, medium and small – that promotes urban centers which encourage combined activity of “live, work and play.” Recommendations from this 5-10 min poll will help provide housing choices for everyone; promote more walkable, bikeable areas with a balance of housing and jobs; and provide safe, reliable and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote public health. Take the poll at http://www.urbanhouston.metroquest.com/. The poll closes on January 30th. For more information email urbanhoustonframework@houstontx.gov.
  7. Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame – Edward Parten. Edward Parten of Kingwood, owner of a construction firm, has been selected as the 2013 inductee into the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. Parten has worked to improve many important issues concerning fisheries. He collaborated with TPWD on such issues as possession limits, the freshwater fishing stamp and grass carp control. He also worked on fish habitat improvement projects on a number of Texas reservoirs and helped raise funds for projects at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. Honors Parten has received for his efforts include being named to the Texas State Bass Tournament Hall of Fame and Conservationist of the Year Award from the Texas B.A.S.S. Federation Nation. Read more at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/.
  8. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Seabrook, and on HCC. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area). This week’s broadcast will include:
    • Working on the Mountain
    • Parks & Wildlife People: John Taylor
    • Cedar Hill Bike Trails
    • The Virtual Bat
  9. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • January 29: Green–Good. Moderate to strong winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • January 30: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • January 31: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.