CEC Greater Houston Environmental Summit 2019

Friday, August 2, 2019
8:30 am to 3:00 pm
at the Community Resource Center of the United Way of Greater Houston

The Houston region’s environmental community will gather at the United Way of Houston’s Community Resource Center for our annual Greater Houston Environmental Summit. The theme this year is the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

These goals, or SDGs, set forth in 2015, are meant to be “the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all,” with a target date of 2030. The SDGs address numerous global challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. In addition to a welcome address by State Senator Carol Alvarado and several excellent presentations, we will again offer over a dozen small-format table talks. Pat Greer’s Kitchen is again providing lunch. A speaker list and menu will be available soon.

This year’s program includes:

• Welcome by State Senator Carol Alvarado 
• Excellent Featured Speakers 
• Table Talks – A cross between a break-out session and speed networking
• Delicious, locally-grown food from Pat Greer’s Kitchen
• Exhibit tables from CEC member groups and local businesses
• Great networking
• A few surprises 

Read on for more information about speakers, table talk leaders, exhibitors, menu, and sponsors. 

Welcome by State Senator Carol Alvarado

We are pleased to announce that State Senator Carol Alvarado will be providing the welcome address for the Summit. A native Houstonian, Senator Alvarado has extensive experience in public office, including terms in the Texas House of Representatives and as a member of the Houston City Council. While Carol’s primary legislative focus has been on economic development, public health and public education, she also has a history of championing environmental issues such as addressing the shipment of hazardous chemicals through neighborhoods and having air quality monitors installed in neighborhoods near chemical plants. And, she is a former board member of the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition!

Featured Speakers – See the full descriptions.

• Jim Blackburn – Rice University. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Lara Cottingham – Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Houston. SDG 13: Climate Action
• Thomas Garcia-Pratts – Founder of Small Places, LLC. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• Iris Gonzales – Director, Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER). SDG 10: Reduced Inequality
• Christopher Hudson – Instructional Development Specialist, Centerpoint Energy. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• Grace Rodriguez – Impact Hub Houston. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Rives Taylor – Regional Sustainability Leader, Gensler Architects. SDG 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
• Charriss York – Program Specialist, Texas Community Watershed Partners. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

In addition to giving a brief presentation, each featured speaker will answer questions at a Table Talk immediately following their presentation.

Table Talk Hosts – See the full description

• Juan Elizondo and students from Furr High School. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• Keith Koski – Manager, City of Houston Building Materials Reuse Warehouse, Department of Solid Waste Management. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• Alicia Mein-Johnson – Environmental Education Specialist, Citizens’ Environmental Coalition. SDG 4: Quality Education
• Paige Powell – Director of Operations, Air Alliance Houston. SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
• Jennifer Ronk – Sustainability & Advocacy Manager, Packaging & Specialty Plastics, The Dow Chemical Company. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• Nancy Brown – Public Outreach Specialist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service SDG 15: Life on Land
  Laurie Lomas-Gonzales – Wildlife Biologist, Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge. SDG 15: Life on Land
• A few surprises!

Menu from Pat Greer’s Kitchen

• Vegetable Fajitas with marinated Portobello Mushrooms with tortillas, Chipotle Abodo Sauce, Sour Kream, Pineapple and Tomato Salsas
• Tex-Mex Rice and Greens
• Black Bean Salad with Corn
• Green Leafy Salad
• Watermelon
• Strawberry Geezcake 
• Hibiscus Mint Tea
• Kombucha

SPONSORSHIP

We are grateful to the following sponsors:

• Lower Brazos Riverwatch

Become a sponsor! (PDF) Sponsorships are still available.

To learn about past events, visit http://cechouston.org/cec-programs/greater-houston-environmental-summit/.