Houston Environmental News Update April 4, 2018

CEC needs your help! We are looking for volunteers–especially corporate and high school groups–to help make Earth Day Houston on April 22, 2018, a huge success. If you have two-and-a-half hours that day, we’d be grateful for your help. Please email earthday@cechouston.org if you are interested in volunteering, and please let us know if you represent a group.

If you can’t wait ’til Earth Day to visit with us, come by the Houston Repair Cafe at TXRX Labs on Saturday, April 7, 2018, where you can get your knives sharpened; bicycles, toys, and small appliances repaired; and clothing mended, among other things. CEC is proud to be a sponsor of this event, hosted by Transition Houston, the Green Building Resource Center, and many other partners.

CEC NOTES

Earth Day Houston: Call for Volunteer Groups
Please mark your calendars for Earth Day Houston on Sunday, April 22, 2018, from noon to 6 p.m. at Discovery Green! Hosted in partnership with the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, Discovery Green’s citywide Earth Day celebration–presented by Green Mountain Energy–is designed to inspire, educate, and encourage action.

• Over eighty exhibitors and a foodie farmers market with dozens of vendors.
• Earth Talks: Short, engaging talks from local experts about compelling environmental issues. Speakers include Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, tropical disease expert Dr. Peter Hotez, plastic pollution youth advocates Caolin and Lila, sustainable design house Magpies & Peacocks, NASA, HARC’s Lisa Gonzalez, and more.
• Compost, recyclables, and trash: Volunteer recycling ambassadors will help visitors make wise disposal choices. While Earth Day Houston 2018 won’t be a zero-waste event, we are setting a baseline for future events by tracking and weighing all garbage destined for the landfill–and measuring waste being diverted for recycling and composting.
• Make a difference: You will be challenged to make commitments to protecting and improving our environment. And if doing good isn’t enough, we’ll have prizes.
• Acoustic music and pop-up activities–including live animal and plant demonstrations, story time, an electric car petting zoo, recycling superheroes, and functioning solar panels–throughout the day.
• Alternative transportation, including bike rides, a bike valet, and Metro passes will be available.

If you are interested in being a sponsor or corporate volunteering, please email earthday@cechouston.org.

Bring Your Broken Items to Houston’s Repair Cafe
On April 7, 2018, from 1-5 p.m., Houston’s Repair Cafe invites you to bring in a broken item and meet local people who have offered to share their skills to help you make repairs. Acceptable items include clothing, small appliances, and bicycles. If you are interested in volunteering, the Repair Cafe is calling for all handywomen, handymen, handy kids, handy teens and families, tinkerers, and sewers. Volunteers are also needed to guide and assist with general coordination. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.

Today begins EarthShare of Texas’ partnership with H-E-B. For the next month, remember to give $1, $3, or $5 to EarthShare of Texas when you shop at any H-E-B or Central Market. 100% of those funds go to the 42 environmental charities-including CEC and many of our member organizations-that belong to EarthShare of Texas. Through this partnership H-E-B and its customers have donated almost $1 million to EarthShare of Texas. Help us make that $1 million mark this year.

Houston Green Film Series: “Disobedience” – April 18, 2018
Climate change is real, and it’s up to the will of the people to reverse its adverse effects. This is the argument that drives Disobedience, produced by the activist organization 350.org. Disobedience introduces us to inspiring groups of people who are advocating for a better way of life for their families, their communities and their planet. For a closer look, watch the trailer. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with local activists who will talk about whether, when, and how civil disobedience relating to environmental issues is appropriate for Houston. April 18, 2018, at Rice Media Center. 6:30 p.m. conversation, networking, and a light meal; 7 p.m. screening. Free to the public, although donations are kindly appreciated. Find more information at the Facebook event.

We have tried to confirm the events listed below, but not all organizations have updated their websites. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts.

1. H-GAC Now Accepting Applications for Solid Waste Grants
   Each year, H-GAC receives pass-through funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to fund solid waste grant projects throughout the 13-county region. The application period closes on April 19, 2018, at 5 p.m. For more information, visit h-gac.com or contact Erin Livingston at erin.livingston@h-gac.com or 832-681-2525.
2. H-GAC 2045 Regional Transportation Plan Public Meetings
   Our economy depends on a safe and reliable transportation system. Are we taking the right steps today to ensure a better tomorrow? Join us for a public meeting. Meetings are scheduled throughout the region through April 26, 2018. For more information, visit 2045rtp.com. Upcoming meetings:
   • 4/5/18 – Harris County Public Meeting, Leon Grayson Community Center
   • 4/11/18 – Liberty County Public Meeting, Cleveland High School Cafetorium
   • 4/12/18 – Chambers County Public Meeting, Eagle Pointe Golf Club
3. Join or Create a Team for the Drawdown EcoChallenge
   Drawdown EcoChallenge is a 21-day engagement program focused on carbon reduction. The Challenge takes place April 4-25, 2018, and follows actions highlighted in Drawdown, a meticulously researched book which describes solutions to global warming that already exist. Drawdown EcoChallenge provides tools and inspiration to turn intention into action, and gives participants a fun and social way to think about and act on proven solutions to reverse global warming. Over eighty actions within seven Challenge categories provide participants with diverse options to reduce carbon usage. Drawdown EcoChallenge is free and open to the public. Participants can join an existing team, create a new one, or join the Community team. For more information, visit drawdown.ecochallenge.org.
4. “My Water Pledge” Challenge
   The 7th Annual Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation has started, but its only here for 30 days. Do your part this Earth Month (April 1-30) by taking one minute to go to MyWaterPledge.com and make your pledge to conserve water and energy on behalf of your city. The Wyland Foundation is giving away over $50,000 in prizes like an all-new 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid to a deserving charityand $5,000 toward home utilities. More importantly, we were beat out by Dallas last year, so we need to up our game.
5. Loam Agronomics Tour
   On April 6, 2018, beginning at 1 p.m., the Houston Food System Collaborative will meet for a tour of Loam Agronomics, a 288-acre sustainable farm located in Richmond, Texas, within the master-planned community Harvest Green, to learn about the farm’s operations. The tour will last approximately two hours. For more information, please email libby@urbanharvest.org.
6. FernGully: The Last Rainforest screening
   On April 6, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. the Creation Care team of Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2353 Rice Blvd., invites area families to enjoy a free screening of FernGully: The Last Rainforest. Before the screening, there will be live animals for the kids to meet. Popcorn and lemonade will be provided. Please contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions. For more information, visit the Creation Care team’s Facebook page.
7. Nature Discovery Center’s Spring Fling Festival
   Join the Nature Discovery Center in Bellaire for a celebration of nature at its annual Spring Fling Festival on April 7, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This year’s festival will feature a food truck, interactive nature stations, live animal encounters, and children’s crafts and activities. For more information, visit naturediscoverycenter.org or contact Eric Duran at eduran@naturediscoverycenter.org.
8. Encounter: Meeting Points on Buffalo Bayou
   Join the Buffalo Bayou Partnership on April 7, 2018, from 1-4 p.m., for a free self-guided tour of six Buffalo East Sector installations by students from the University of Houston Graphic Design Program. These interactive installations express ideas about the bayou’s relation to the East End and Fifth Ward communities. Enjoy entertainment and food trucks at the North York Boat Launch with beer generously provided by Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Participate in activities at each site and share your ideas related to the Partnership’s future plans along the bayou’s East Sector. EastEndBikeRide will also be leading a social pace bike ride to the Meeting Points, starting at D&W Lounge. For more information, visit buffalobayou.org.
9. Galveston Bay Foundation’s 30th Anniversary Celebration
   Join the Galveston Bay Foundation for its 30th Anniversary Celebration, “Celebrating the Past, Present and Future of the Galveston Bay Foundation,” on April 7, 2018 from 5-9 p.m. at the Texas Corinthian Yacht Club. Find more information and purchase tickets at galvbay.org.
10. Spring Fling at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary
    Spring Fling is an opportunity to see and celebrate the return of migratory songbirds as they arrive at stopover habitat along the Teas Gulf Coast. This is great time to enjoy the wide variety of species that migrate through Texas dressed in their spring finery. This year, Spring Fling will take place at the Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary from April 7 to May 6 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily. For more information, visit gcbo.org.
11. Solarize Houston for Houses of Worship (and Their Members)
    On April 8, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston invites you to learn how you and/or your house of worship can go solar for less by leveraging Solarize Houston, a program of the Houston Renewable Energy Group, a local nonprofit dedicated to promoting renewable energy solutions and businesses. PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy), a very attractive financing option for houses of worship and other commercial properties, will also be covered. You may attend this event in person or online via web meeting. Please register for this event at eventbrite.com. For more information, please contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com.
12. Balance: Celebrating Women in Design – 2018 RDA Architecture Tour
    Join the Rice Design Alliance April 7-8, 2018 from 1- 6 p.m. for its 43rd annual city-wide architecture tour. BALANCE: Celebrating Women in Design highlights seven women whose efforts on six projects demonstrate their leadership and indefatigable commitment to a better Houston. For more information, visit ricedesignalliance.org.
13. Houston TX-PACE Service Provider Training
    Join TX-PACE (Texas Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy) on April 10, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. to noon, for an interactive discussion with subject matter experts about the details of the TX-PACE program including technical requirements and application process. Attendees will learn how to use the program to finance energy efficiency, water conservation, resiliency, and distributed generation improvements. For more information, visit eventbrite.com.
14. Texas Water Development Board Financial Assistance Workshop on April 10
    The Texas Water Development Board offers funding for public work infrastructure, including drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects. The TWDB will hold a workshop for area public officials on April 10, 2018, beginning at 9 a.m., in the Training Room of the City of Sugar Land Public Works Building, 111 Gillingham Lane. To register, please send an email to srfworkshop@twdb.texas.gov.
15. Annual Meeting of the Upper Oyster Creek TMDL Implementation Plan Group
    On April 11, 2018, from 1:30 -3:30 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will host a public meeting as part of the ongoing effort to address water quality issues in Upper Oyster Creek. The meeting will be held at the City of Sugar Land City Hall in the Cane Room. A TMDL Implementation Plan (I-Plan) provides a road map for area governments, individuals, community groups, and business and industry to meet water quality standards. Attendees will discuss project progress over the last year and ideas and plans for the future. Stakeholder participation is an important part of achieving success in these efforts, so H-GAC and TCEQ encourages any stakeholders to come share successes, ideas, and feedback. For more information, visit upperoystercreek.com or contact Justin Bower at Justin.Bower@h-gac.com or at 832-746-2140.
16. Exploration Green Nature Park wetland planting events
    Wetland planting events are coming up at Exploration Green Nature Park in Clear Lake City on the following Saturdays  April 14 and 21, and May 5 and 19, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Children are welcome to participate with family members. Parking is at 16203 Diana Ln, Houston 77062. For more information, visit explorationgreen.org.
17. Baytown Nature Center’s Nurture Nature Festival
    The Baytown Nature Center, 6213 Bayway Drive, is hosting its annual Nurture Nature Festival on April 14, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This free, family event introduces visitors to the reptiles, birds, fish and native plants of the Baytown area through fun activities for all interests and levels and includes exciting children’s games, informational exhibits, live animals and a variety of food. For more information, visit baytown.org.
18. Faith Climate Action Week
    From April 14-22, 2018, Interfaith Power & Light is sponsoring Faith Climate Action Week, focusing on how faith communities can take action to protect our climate. This year the theme is “Charged with Faith: Leading the way to a clean energy future.” Find more information and preregister here.
19. Booming & Blooming Attwater Prairie Chicken Festival
    The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is hosting the Booming & Blooming Festival at the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Festival at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Widlife Reserve in Eagle Lake from April 14-15, 2018. The event includes chicken viewing tours, bird walking and car tours, and a children’s art display. For more information, visit fws.org.
20. Help Woodland Park win “Meet Me at the Park Earth Month” funding
    Woodland Park in The Woodland Heights has been nominated to receive funding for the Meet Me at the Park Earth Month campaign, which kicked off April 1, 2018. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is collaborating with The Walt Disney Company to help fund local park improvement projects in 16 U.S. cities, including parks here in Houston. Every day in April you can vote for Woodland Park to receive a $20,000 grant.When you vote for your favorite park, you’ll also be entered into a sweepstakes to win a GoPro Prize Pack! The park with the most votes at the end of April will receive the funding. You can vote at meetmeatthepark.org.
21. H-GAC Texas Stream Team seeks volunteer monitors
    The H-GAC Texas Stream Team is seeking volunteers interested in conduction water quality monitoring in the greater Houston-Galveston area. Volunteers must be certified through a one-day training course on Friday, May 4, 2018, at Buffalo Bayou Partnership, 1019 Commerce Street. Find more information and register for the free training here.
22. Implementing the GBRA-TAP Agreement on Whooping Crane Expansion
    In 2016, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) and The Aransas Project (TAP) reached agreement to work together on habitat and inflow issues surrounding San Antonio Bay and the endangered whooping crane. During 2017, GBRA and TAP worked with a consulting firm to flesh out key concepts and tasks for moving forward to implement the promise of the agreement. Four key concepts emerged that will form the foundation for work under the agreement: (1) whooping crane habitat expansion, (2) realizing the potential of the Guadalupe delta, (3) ensuring sufficient fresh water inflows to maintain a refugium area in San Antonio Bay during drought conditions and (4) working with landowners within the watershed to establish a market for buying and selling ecosystem services that would, among other things, augment base flows in the Guadalupe and San Antonio River systems. Click on the PDF for a full description of the implementation of the agreement: GBRA-TAP March 2018 Report (1).
23. TWRC Wildlife Center seeks volunteers, including shift supervisors
    TWRC Wildlife Center is in its busy season right now and the wildlife babies are really coming in. They are looking for multiple volunteers, including shift supervisors. They are also looking for baby squirrel and baby opossum feeders. These are volunteer positions. For more information on the volunteer positions, go to twrcwildlifecenter.org or call 713-468-TWRC.
24. 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.
    • K-9 Texas Game Wardens
    • Trailer Camera photos
    • Sunset at the Rita Blanca National Grasslands

Additional Upcoming Events

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