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Houston Environmental News Update February 23, 2022
February 24, 2022

Houston Environmental News Update February 23, 2022

Welcome Paige Powell as interim executive director; Call for Artists: Houston Inspira, How to Stop Plastic Waste, Whooping Crane Festival, TWRC Wildlife Center Chili Cook Off, Green Jobs and more

Dear Friends,

As the new Interim Executive Director of Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, I would like to express how honored I am at the opportunity to help guide this organization through its current leadership transition. I am deeply committed to the environmental movement and take seriously the charge of carrying our collective work forward. 

In the next few months, as we begin reviewing our staffing and structural needs, we plan to send out a member survey to capture your thoughts as to what CEC means to you, its role in the Greater Houston Region, and how you would like to see us grow. It is my hope that we can become more efficient and effective in the execution of our mission for the benefit of all our endeavors.

To that end, I would like to place a formal call for board-level committee members to help guide and implement CEC’s important work. We are in need of experienced professionals who are interested in helping support our programs, communications, membership, and development. Please email me or our 2022 Board President Steve Stelzer about getting connected. 

We are gearing up for a great Spring season, with lots of wonderful events and campaigns already underway. If you’d like to get involved, you can:

Of course, you can always make a donation to support our work and help ensure that we have the organizational capacity to serve our beloved environmental community through the rest of 2022 and beyond.

Thank you so much for all that you do.

Paige P. Powell
Interim Executive Director
Citizens’ Environmental Coalition

The photo above is of red maple flowers, iNaturalist Photo 13407100, (c) astamatis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Cropped.

CEC NOTES

Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers

Engage your students with lessons outdoors or virtually. Sign up today at hereinhouston.org.

Join fellow environmental educators every other Friday morning for a quick check-in to collaborate. Bring your coffee (or tea) and ideas for things that are working in your programs (or questions about things that are not). The Zoom call is hosted by regional board members from the Texas Association for Environmental Education. The next meeting will be held Feb. 25, 2022 from 8:30-9 a.m. Click on this Zoom link to join. Email Alicia at amein@hcp4.net for any questions.

Call for Artists: Houston Inspira public health storytelling campaign

Citizen’s Environmental Coalition is proud to be an Environmental Partner with the City of Houston in the just-launched the Houston Inspira project.  Houston Inspira, an EPA-funded project, seeks artists, musicians, playwrights, dancers, writers, and all creatives to engage with communities to educate, inform and activate via storytelling in all forms/disciplines. The project, headed by Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, will occur in five Complete Communities – Acres Homes, Alief/Westwood, Kashmere Gardens, Near Northside, and Second Ward. This project will focus on risks communities face from elevated levels of environmental pollutants, primarily PM2.5 (strongly associated with concrete batch plants) and benzene both of which can increase and exacerbate the health risks associated with COVID-19. The selected storyteller will work with the City of Houston, environmental and community stakeholders over a six-month period in a selected community. A virtual information session will be held on Feb. 28, 2022. The deadline for artists’ submissions is March 31, 2022. Houston artists/creatives can learn more about the project and apply at moca.submittable.com.

Earth Day Houston: April 10, 2022 from 12-5 p.m.

Presented in partnership with the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, Discovery Green’s citywide Earth Day celebration is designed to educate, inspire and encourage action. Learn more about attending, exhibiting, and volunteering at Earthdayhouston.org.

Exhibitor spaces are available starting at $150 for nonprofit organizations, government entities, and small, local businesses. Register here. Early bird fees end and fees increase after March 10! Exhibitor Deadline: 3/31/22

Call for Presenters: Are you an educator with a 20-minute presentation that you would like to share with the Earth Day Houston crowd? Sign up to join us on the “infotainment” stage at Green Mountain Energy Earth Day Houston Festival 2022. For more information, email earthday@cechouston.org.

Please scroll down to read about public engagement opportunities and notes from our member organizations and the community.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Learn about additional public comment opportunities at cechouston.org.

Vote: Texas Primaries

Early voting for the Texas primaries runs through Feb. 25, 2022, with Election Day on March 1, 2022. Not sure whether you are registered or how to register? Want to see what will be on the ballot, or where to vote? You can visit votetexas.gov or contact the elections office for your county (listed below).

As always, we encourage you to visit the League of Women Voters of Houston website–and their national voting website vote411.com–to learn more about elections. The League is a nonpartisan organization that believes in the power of every person to create a more perfect democracy and provide helpful information about candidates and recent changes to the Texas Election Code.

H-GAC Transportation Policy Council Meeting

On Feb. 25, 2022, beginning at 9:30 a.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Policy Council will hold a virtual meeting. During the meeting, members of the TPC will vote on the Final Draft of the 2022-updated Regionally Coordinated Transportation Plan (RCTP), now available online. Find the full meeting agenda and details on how to attend at h-gac.com.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

We have endeavored to confirm the opportunities listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts, particularly in light of concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Examining Houston’s reputation as a car city 

Understanding Houston recently released a report examining Houston’s reputation as a car city, saying that is is not “immutable.” “In fact, 58.8% of Houstonians believe that a much-improved mass transit system is vital to the success of the city, according to the 2020 Kinder Houston Area Survey, despite the fact that 80% of Houstonians drive to work alone in a personal vehicle (2019 American Community Survey). However, research has shown that people often choose to commute by car, even when other travel modes like public transportation, walking or biking might save them time and money, making any major shifts in how people choose to get around a foreseeable challenge.” Read the full report at understandinghouston.org.

H-GAC announces winners of the 2021 Parks and Natural Areas Awards

A total of 18 projects across the Houston-Galveston area region were honored February 11 for serving as models for best management practices in parks, natural areas, and water quality as part of the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s annual Parks and Natural Areas Awards recognition ceremony. The full list of awards recipients, along with descriptions of the projects, visuals, and a map of where in the region they are located, is available at h-gac.com.

Trash Free Texas Adopt-A-Spot Webinar

On Feb. 24, 2022, beginning at 9 a.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council will host a webinar on the Trash Free Texas Adopt-A-Spot Map. The Adopt-A-Spot Map is a free web-based tool that helps to connect volunteers to places in need of routine litter cleanup while allowing cities, counties, and organizations to maintain control of their own litter cleanup programs. Participants will hear from Trash Free Texas staff and partners and are encouraged to ask questions about how the tool can help meet their cleanup goals. To register, visit zoom.us.

Port Houston’s Community Grants Program

Port Houston’s Community Grants Program is a community outreach initiative focused on investing resources into meaningful projects and programs that enhance local communities while advancing our mission and vision as a part of Port Houston’s 2020 Strategic Plan. The Community Grants Program offers the opportunity for qualifying organizations to apply for funding through an open, competitive application process. Port Houston is particularly interested in supporting programs or services that align with its current outreach priorities: Community Outreach, Economic and Workforce Development, Environmental Stewardship, and Maritime Commerce. An online public workshop about the program is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2022, from 1-2 p.m. Letters of Interest are due March 4, 2022. For complete information about the program and to register for the workshop, visit porthouston.com.

Maintaining a Solid Waste Program in Difficult Times

On Feb. 24, 2022, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council will hold a Solid Waste Workshop featuring experts working in household hazardous waste and recycling about finding new solutions and strategies during challenging times. Speakers wil be Cheryl Burton- Fentress, program manager of the Harris County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility; and Adrian Hernandez, executive director of Keep Pearland Beautiful which operates the Stella Roberts Recycling Center. For more information and to register, visit h-gac.com.

How to Stop Plastic Waste and Close the Loop

On Feb. 24, 2022, beginning at 7 p.m. The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N will host a virtual Going Green lecture by Jennifer Ronk, a senior sustainability manager for Dow. She will discuss why the old model of a take-make-waste economy needs to transition to a more sustainable circular model where resources aren’t wasted and people’s needs are met equitably. Ronk will discuss initiatives in the U.S. and across the globe, especially Texas-specific initiatives to usher in this transition. Ronk will also discuss the challenge of plastic pollution and marine debris and the work that is being done to help keep oceans safe. For more information, visit thewoodlandsgreen.org.

CAST 24/7

From Feb. 24-26, 2021, the Science Teachers Association of Texas will virtually present up to 100 sessions, including popular CAST21 workshops and brand-new sessions focused on a variety of a topics, such as the newly adopted TEKS. Many sessions will include live Q&A with engaging presenters. Once broadcast, sessions will be available through May 31, 2022!. For more information, including a full schedule, and to access the content, visit s6.goeshow.com.

Whooping Crane Festival

From Feb. 24-27, 2022, the Whooping Crane Festival in Port Aransas will celebrate the annual return of the cranes to their wintering habitat at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The Texas Coastal Bend is the only place to see the world’s last naturally occurring population of Whooping Cranes. The four-day event will feature renowned speakers, birding trips, boating trips, nature tours, photography workshops, a trade show, and more. For more information, visit portaransas.org.

Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities grants

EPA has announced the availability of $20 million in competitive grants to conduct ambient air monitoring of pollutants in communities with environmental and health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. EPA will award funds to support community and local efforts to monitor their own air quality and to promote air quality monitoring partnerships between communities and tribal, state, and local governments.The application period will be open until Feb. 25, 2022, 11:59 PM EST and EPA expects to award the grants in summer 2022. To learn more, visit epa.gov.

North Jetty Cleanup

On Feb. 26, 2022, from 9 a.m.-noon, Houston Audubon will host a volunteer cleanup of trash at the North Jetty bordering the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, a site designated as a “Globally Important Bird Area”. Houston Audubon will provide gloves, grabbers, and trash bags. Volunteers will meet at the North Jetty parking area at the end of 17th Street in Port Bolivar. To register, visit volunteersignup.org.

TWRC Wildlife Center’s Second Annual Chili Cook Off

On Feb. 26, 2022, from 3-6 p.m., the TWRC Wildlife Center will hold its Second Annual Chili Cook Off at John Knox Presbyterian Church, 2525 Gessner Road. The event will include chili tasting, a beer tasting, a raffle, a silent auction, face-painting, yard games, and TWRC’s Animal Ambassadors. For more information, register a recipe and purchase tickets, visit twrcwildlifecenter.org.

Earth Church

On Feb. 27, 2022, from 6-7 p.m., Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church will host a webinar featuring environmental attorney and Rice University professor Jim Blackburn, who will discuss his new book, Earth Church, co-authored by artist Isabelle Scurry Chapman. Earth Church is a book about Earth-based spirituality, a subject that will become much more prominent in a future defined by a changing climate and the creation of a new economic system that is circular rather than linear. At the center of Earth-based spirituality is the Earth itself, that wonderful planet without which we would not be. Blackburn will weave a narrative around the poetry and art of Earth-based spirituality. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Volunteer Engagement Training Program

From March 1-10, 2022, United Way of Greater Houston will offer a six-module course (developed by Points of Light, facilitated by Volunteer Houston) to empower volunteer managers and coordinators – both formal and informal – to return to their organization and to their team with ready-to-use tools, best practices, and innovative ideas that, when fully adopted, will boost volunteer engagement in a way that naturally fosters long-term volunteers. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Texas Land Conservation Conference

From March 2-4, 2022, the Texas Land Conservation Conference will be held at the Hilton Austin Airport. The conference brings together experts from around the state and nation to discuss a variety of conservation-related issues, providing an opportunity for learning and engagement in order to advance land and water conservation in Texas. For more information and to register, visit cvent.com.

Texas Energy Summit

From March 2-4, 2022, the Texas Energy Summit will be held at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. The conference focuses on the intersection of air quality and energy with sessions on energy management, renewable energy, storage, zero emission fleets, sustainability, and resiliency. It will explore policies and programs that improve air quality, foster economic development, advance new technologies, and reduce costs and waste. For more information and to register, visit texasenergysummit.com.

World Wildlife Day

World Wildlife Day will be celebrated March 3, 2022 under the theme “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration”. The celebrations will seek to draw attention to the conservation status of some of the most critically endangered species of wild fauna and flora, and to drive discussions towards imagining and implementing solutions to conserve them. All conversations will be inspired by and seek to inform efforts towards the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero hunger) 12 (Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns), 13 (Climate Action) 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land). To learn more, visit wildlifeday.org.

Clear Creek Watershed Partnership public meetings

On March 3, 2022, the Clear Creek Watershed Partnership – a group of residents, governments, businesses, landowners and other organizations dedicated to improving water quality for the communities of the  Clear Creek Watershed of Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Brazoria counties – will hold its first public meetings, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., and from 6-8 p.m. The meetings will cover the water quality challenges facing Clear Creek communities, and a voluntary effort to address sources of pollution impacting our communities’ health and natural environment. For more information and to register, visit clearcreekpartnership.weebly.com.

The Water Forum, “The Water/Energy Nexus“

On March 3, 2022, from 4-6 p.m., the South Texas Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Texas Industrial Energy Efficiency Program will hold he annual Water Forum, themed “The Water/Energy Nexus,” as part of its dinner meeting at The Bougainvilleas. Jason Isaac, director Life: Powered, a project of Texas Public Policy Foundation. will give the keynote, address, “Raising America’s Energy IQ.” There are hybrid options to attend available. For more information and to register, visit stsaiche.regfox.com.

The Face of God film discussion

From March 3 through April 7, 2022, Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church will hold a weekly online Lenten discussion on faith and climate change leveraging The Face of God, a film about God and nature, faith and climate change, and the experience of communities around the world facing and experiencing changes in their lives now. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

50th Anniversary Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta

On March 5, 2022, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Paddlers have the chance to make history as the largest canoe and kayak race in Texas observes this milestone year. Participants, ages 12 and up, are invited to race along a 15-mile-long stretch of Buffalo Bayou in support of the transformation and revitalization of this historic Houston waterway. Spectators are invited to cheer at the starting point and along the race route. At the finish line at Allen’s Landing, there will be hundreds of colorful canoes and kayaks, music, fun and activities from local businesses and sponsors. For more information, visit app.etapestry.com.

Bolivar Flats Beach Cleanup

On March 5, 2022, from 9 a.m.-noon, Houston Audubon will hold a volunteer cleanup of the shoreline at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. The event will help prepare the sanctuary for the thousands of migrants coming through during spring migration and help provide clean habitat for our beach nesting birds. Houston Audubon will provide gloves, grabbers, trash bags, and water to refill your reusable containers. For more information and to register, visit volunteersignup.org.

18th Annual NatureFest

On March 5, 2022, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center will host the 18th Annual NatureFest. Nature lovers of all ages are invited to celebrate a day of discovery. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the diverse natural world around them through guided tours, kids fishing, presentations, live animals and over 30 educational exhibits. For more information, see the Facebook event.

Native Plant Landscaping Certification Program

On March 5, 2022, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., the Houston and Clear Lake chapters of the Native Plant Society of Houston will offer an online course on native landscaping. Participants will the value of including and preserving native plants in landscapes and become familiar with 45 native Texas plants recommended for your landscape and five plants to avoid. This class is 100% online and the content is specific to the greater Houston area. The cost of this class is $45.This class is 100% online and the content is specific to the greater-Houston area. On March 12, a similar program will be offered specifically for the Montgomery/Grimes/Liberty Counties area. Learn more and register at npsot.org.

Texas Envirothon Teacher Workshop

On March 5, 2022, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., the Environmental Institute of Houston will hold the Texas Envirothon Teacher Workshop for high school teachers. This free workshop is an opportunity for team advisers and teachers to participate in specialized training and get answers about the current issue. Participants will also have an opportunity to network with experienced team advisers. Participants do not have to bring a team to attend the workshop. For more information and to register, visit uhcl.edu.

2022 Tree Planting Competition

On March 5, 2022, from 10 a.m.-noon, the Harris County Flood Control District, Houston Urban Forestry Council and partnering organizations will hold the 2002 Tree Planting Competition at the Curtis M. Graves Detention Basin, 6400 Homestead Road. Teams consist of 11 members and will plant 100 small trees to help restore critical wetland habitat in Houston. This event is open to all experience levels and trophies will be awarded to the top three fastest times. Registration is open until Monday, Feb. 28. For more information or to register, visit haufc.org or by contacting Mickey Merritt, mmerritt@tfs.tamu.edu, 713-688-8932.

Spring 2022 Collision Monitoring Training

Houston Audubon‘s Bird-Friendly Communities Program is coordinating this year’s regional collision monitoring program. Collision monitoring is a statewide community science effort supporting Lights Out Texas. Volunteers spend roughly 2-3 hours each morning before sunrise during spring migration locating birds that have been injured or killed due to striking a building. Volunteers will walk a 2-mile pre-defined route around 10 buildings downtown and collect data on any birds that they find. Volunteers do not need to have expert knowledge on birds – data is entered into iNaturalist where others can help identify or confirm the species. Kits with all the materials needed are provided. This data will be used to help scientists better understand the factors that contribute to nighttime collisions, the species most susceptible to collisions, and the best strategies to reduce collisions. Collision monitoring will run from March 15 – May 15, 2022. A mandatory training will be held March 7 at 6 p.m. Register at volunteersignup.org.

Texas Business Sustainability Challenge

The Texas Business Sustainability Challenge is directed towards organizations, and provides employee engagement during Earth Month. Any size organization can participate, and organizations (teams) will compete against other teams across the state. The challenge enables employees to track points for different sustainable actions, as well as help the company track metrics for carbon footprint, water conservation, and diverted waste. Join to play against companies like Reliant Energy, BAE Systems, Canva, Tokio Marine HCC and others. Registration is through March 11, 2022 and costs $500. Organizations can learn more and register at earthshare-texas.org.

CONTESTS

Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest

The Texas General Land Office’s 26th Annual Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest is accepting entries. All public, private, and home-schooled students in kindergarten-sixth grade are invited to submit artwork depicting why the Texas coast is important or special to the student. Prizes include inclusion in a 2023 calendar and event tickets to Texas destinations, and a grand prize of airline tickets and a cruise. The teacher of the student with the winning artwork will also receive recognition and prizes. The deadline to enter is March 2, 2022. Find full information at texasadoptabeach.org.

Take Care of Texas Art Contest

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is hosting the Take Care of Texas Art Contest for kindergarten-fifth grade students to depict positive ways to help keep the air and water clean, conserve water and energy, and reduce waste. Students submit their artwork of how they, along with their friends and family, help keep the air and water clean, conserve water and energy, and reduce waste. The students that submit the best art can win a tablet or laptop computer. The deadline to enter is March 4, 2022. Find full information at takecareoftexas.org.

‘Ridge to Reef’ Student Art Contest

The Science Without Borders® Challenge is an international contest that engages students and teachers in ocean conservation through art. This annual competition inspires students to be creative while promoting public awareness of the need to preserve, protect, and restore the world’s oceans and aquatic resources, contributing to the overarching goals of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. The Challenge is open to primary and secondary school students 11-19 years old, with scholarships of up to $500 awarded to the winning entries. The theme for this year’s 10th annual Science without Borders® Challenge is “Ridge to Reef.” All entries must be received by March 7, 2022, at 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET). Find full information at livingoceansfoundation.org.

Junior Duck Stamp Contest

The Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest is the culmination of the Junior Duck Stamp educational program, opens to students Grades K-12. After studying waterfowl anatomy and habitat, students may express their newfound knowledge by drawing, painting or sketching a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species. Original works done in the following styles will be accepted: hyper-realism, impressions, cartoon, caricatures, comics, pop whimsical, fantasy, cubism, folk, ethnic and tribal. Only 2-dimensional entries will be accepted. The Texas Contest entry deadline is March 15, 2022. Entries should be sent to Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge. 601 FM 1011 (PO Box 10015) Liberty, TX 77575. If you have any questions/concerns, contact Felice Yarbough at felice_yarbough@fws.gov. (Image: Selina Yuan)

Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students

EPA and partners have launched the Environmental Justice (EJ) Video Challenge for Students to enhance communities’ capacity to address environmental and public health inequities. The goals of the challenge are to 1) inspire students at accredited colleges and universities in the United States and its territories to work directly with communities in the identification and characterization of EJ challenges using data and publicly available tools, and 2) help communities (including residents and other stakeholders) address EJ challenges and/or vulnerabilities to environmental and public health hazards using data and publicly available tools. Submissions are due April 1, 2022. Learn more about the challenge and how to participate at epa.gov.

Ocean Awareness Contest

The 11th annual Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate. The 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest—THE FUNNY THING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE—challenges students to learn about climate change and its impact on the ocean, and to explore new ways to communicate the urgency of the climate crisis.The deadline for submissions is June 13, 2022. For more information, visit bowseat.org. (Image: Student artist Luyi Song)

Reminders About Ongoing Opportunities

  • Your Body Your Air. The Houston Public Library invites you to learn about types and sources of air pollution in Houston and the effect they have on our bodies in The Health Museum’s new exhibit Your Body Your Air. Created in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, Your Body Your Air can be seen at various Houston Public Library locations through February 2022. Learn more at houstonlibrary.org.
  • Living the Change. On Tuesdays through May 17, 2022, the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston hosts a weekly online course developed in response to the Walk on Earth Gently multifaith statement presented at the COP23 UN Climate Change Conference. This program focuses on making personal lifestyle changes in three areas: transportation, energy, and food. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

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.

  • Tim Roberts wrote the book on Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site, literally. He spent two years writing a detailed account of the resources at Hueco Tanks, which led to its designation as a National Historic Landmark
  • Eisenhower State Park is all about the water. Campsites sit high on bluffs overlooking Lake Texoma. Boaters flock to the park’s marina and ramps. Swimmers enjoy lake access by land and by boat. Even hikers eventually end up taking a cool dip in the refreshing waters that make this park special
  • When paddlefish were stocked in Caddo Lake in 2014, it was truly an experiment. No one could be certain the fish would survive or stay put, but years later it seems they have done both. A new hope for the progress of a very old fish

Additional Upcoming Events

Check out the latest Green Jobs at cechouston.org/green-jobs/.