Houston Environmental News Update April 1, 2014

Houston Environmental News Update April 1, 2014

COALITION NOTES

1. Volunteering with GBF for Oil Spill in Galveston Bay. Under the terms of a pre-existing Memorandum of Agreement with the Coast Guard and the General Land Office, the Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) will serve as the Volunteer Management Organization in response to the oil spill in Galveston Bay that took place on Saturday, March 22, 2014. A GBF representative is currently at incident command working with the incident command team. Individual volunteers have not yet been activated by incident command, but persons who are interested in serving as volunteers should they be needed may sign up now by visiting www.galvbay.org. Additional developments and updates on the incident will also be posted on the  Galveston Bay Foundation Facebook page.
2. Oil Spill Update. Find updates on Houston Audubon’s website, Facebook page, and FAQ section which are being updated. More than a week ago there was a collision of a bulk carrier and a barge dumping up to 168,000 estimated gallons of oil into the water just a few miles off shore of the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary and many other sensitive bird habitats. See HARC’s interactive map of the spill in relation to known waterbird and shorebird areas. The good news is, oil has not reached our Bolivar sanctuary shores and birds in varying degrees of oiling are congregating there for refuge. Houston Audubon is working to support the efforts of Texas Parks and Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service with wildlife reconnaissance by providing independent count data pertaining to oiled birds.
3. Green the Prairie – Call for Volunteers. Volunteers are needed to to assist with planting 2,500 native coastal prairie grasses across 400 acres of farmland. Come out on April 5, 2014, 8am-noon, to Sheldon Lake Environmental Learning Center. Volunteers are a vital necessity for restoring the natural beauty of the surrounding lands, so please download and either email, fax or mail this volunteer form.
4. Walk for the Woods Project! The 3rd Annual Walk for the Woods Project will be held on April 5, 2014, at 10am at Neighborhood Centers, Inc – Ripley House. Walk for the woods is a 5K walk that will take you on a journey through Houston’s historic East End, where many of The Woods Project’s students live and play. This walk raises money for The Woods Project, which is an organization that seeks to develop leadership capacity and life skills in low income youth through a series of outdoor education/environmental awareness programs at wilderness sites in the United States. Save the date for this great event and learn more at www.thewoodsproject.org.
5. Memorial Park Conservancy’s 4 The Park Fun Run. Come out for the 4-mile run/walk, kid’s 1k, and post race party benefiting Memorial Park Conservancy! The event will be held on April 5, 2014 from 6:30am-noon. When you run for the Park, you are supporting very important work, like the planting of 90,000 seedlings throughout the Park! Register here and find updates at www.facebook.com. Registration is $35 for adults and kids 13 and older and $10 for kids 12 and under. You can also skip the run and just donate to the park! All support is greatly appreciated.
6. Houston Rockets Dog Walk benefiting Hermann Park Conservancy. Bring your furry friend to Hermann Park on April 5, 2014, for The Dog Walk sponsored by the Houston Rockets. The Walk will follow a picturesque, one-mile path around McGovern Lake and the Jones Reflection Pool. Participants will receive one ticket to the Rockets’ April 6 game vs. Denver, a commemorative T-shirt for the owners, and a giveaway for your pup. A portion of the proceeds will go to the creation of a dog park within Hermann Park. The Rockets will host an after party at Lake Plaza with various vendors, goodies and prizes for owners and doggies alike. For info or to register, click here.
7. Prairie Celebration of the Lawther – Deer Park Prairie Preserve. Celebrate the Deer Park Prairie with a sit-down evening dinner at Monument Inn. Proceeds from the event will support conservation of Deer Park Prairie and future education programs. The dinner will be held at the Monument Inn in La Porte on April 5, 2014, at 7pm. Dinner speakers includes Dennis Jones, TPWD Park Interpreter at San Jacinto Battleground on prairie history, Pat Merkord, Executive Director of NPAT, on the future of Deer Park Prairie, and ending remarks by Jaime Gonzalez, President of Coastal Prairie Partnership. There will be a fundraising silent auction, cash bar, door prizes, and more. Menu include choice of shrimp, fish, chicken or vegetarian plus dessert. Cost is only $40/person. Registration is required; deadline is Tuesday, April 1, 2014. Learn more and register here or email HNPAT@texasprairie.org. There will also be free scheduled tours of the prairie for friends, neighbors, and supporters are on the hour from 8am-5pm. Tours last about 40 minutes. Find a list of tour options here.
8. Rock the Corridor EnergyFest! EnergyFest 2014 will Rock the Corridor on April 5, 2014, from 12-5pm. The festival will feature a lineup of musical performers, food, and fun at Parkway Village Plaza (Briar Forest and Eldridge Parkway). In an encore appearance, KHOU-11’s Lilly Jang is returning as master of ceremonies. At last year’s inaugural EnergyFest, Jang was all smiles as she emceed the entertainment expo stage, while tweeting to a host of followers about the experience. EnergyFest 2014: Rock the Corridor will spotlight live music, a beer garden featuring local craft beers such as Saint Arnold and Karbach, food from Energy Corridor restaurants, plus pet adoptions from BARC Animal Shelter, and for families, a rock climbing wall, face painting, balloon animals and bounce house. Make plans to Rock the Corridor on April 5! Download a festival map/brochure here.
9. Earth Day at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. Join the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center to get outside and explore the Arboretum for Earth Day on April 6, 2014! This annual free family event, held from 10am-2pm will feature: guided habitat hikes, face painting, intro to geocaching, puppet show, native plant sale, wildflower planting, and citizen scientists! Refreshments and discounted memberships will be available for purchase. www.houstonarboretum.org
10. An Evening with Coulson Tough: Stories of the Early Development of The Woodlands. The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. is hosting a conversation with Coulson Tough at the George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library on April 8, 2014, at 7pm. Mr. Tough, for whom the elementary school is named, was responsible for building development at UCLA, University of California at Irvine and the University of Houston before coming to work for George Mitchell in the 1970’s. He oversaw the siting, design and construction of commercial buildings in The Woodlands. He was also responsible for public art in the new town, choosing and placing the sculptures that so enhance our community. The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. recognizes how the early development of The Woodlands reflected the vision of its founder and the people he entrusted to carry out that vision. TWG is proud of its early members who played a significant role in beginning The Woodlands current door-to-door recycling program. Its continuing goal is to educate The Woodlands area residents on environmental sustainability issues. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact Cinda Hitchcock at 281-363-2723.
11. Film Screening – Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek. The Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University is hosting a screening of the documentary, Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek, on Wednesday April 9, 2014 (6:30-8:30pm, Room 114, School of Public Affairs Building). The documentary follows the painful but inspiring journey of Derrick Evans, a Boston teacher who moves home to coastal Mississippi when the graves of his ancestors are bulldozed to make way for the sprawling city of Gulfport. Over the course of a decade, Derrick and his neighbors stand up to powerful corporate interests and politicians and face ordeals that include Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil disaster in their struggle for self-determination and environmental justice. Mr. Evans will be present to provide insight on the events shown in the documentary. For more information, contact Dr. Denae King at kingdw@tsu.edu.
12. The Chinese Economic “Bloom” – People, Plans and Plants for a Verdant Earth by David Creech. The Distinguished Lecture Series will continue on April 10, 2014, at 6:30pm, with a lecture by David Creech, Ph.D. and regents professor at Stephen F. Austin University. Join David Creech for an insider’s look at this emerging horticultural giant, and the people, plans and plants that are driving its growth. This revealing excursion travels through the hot economic engine of eastern China’s nursery and landscape industry, from coastal beaches right up into the wild mountains and ancient cultures of the Yunnan, where revered patriarch plants are part of over 17,000 native higher plant species that grow there. The lecture is cosponsored with The Mercer Society with additional support from Houston Advanced Research Center and Kava King Products. Cost is $18 per person. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
13. Anything That Floats 2014. Oh buoyancy! This year’s Anything That Floats competition will be held at the Sesquicentennial Promenade on April 12, 2014, from 8am-1pm. The competition is organized by rdAGENTS, the Rice Design Alliance young professionals group. Teams of two to five people are invited to spend the morning constructing their craft, on the spot, out of provided discarded and donated building materials and their own tools. Two members of each team must then test the seaworthiness of their DIY device in a race for time across Buffalo Bayou. Each year, Anything That Floats teams are challenged with a new and different set of materials, which are revealed to them only at the beginning of the event. To compete, registration will be $25 for RDA members and $35 for non-members. Attending the race is free and open to the public. http://ricedesignalliance.org
14. Willow Waterhole Music Fest 2014. The Willow Waterhole Music Fest is an exciting and unique city-wide event with a beautiful 279 acre greenspace as its backdrop! The Festival will feature a diverse range of music, performed by professional musicians and area schools. Artists include Kelly Dean Band, Kyle Turner, Texas Brass Band, Warren Sneed Band, Luther & the Healers, Mark Dini, Gisele & Friends. There will be 10 hours of free live music and refreshments available for sale. Bring a blanket or chairs out to the South Gazebo at Willow Waterhole on April 12, 2014, 11am-9pm, to enjoy this great event! www.wwmusicfest.com
15. The WaterWeek Festival. The WaterWeek festival educates more than 1,800 students about the importance of protecting their water resources. This event is one of the most popular field trips in our region. Municipal water professionals and environmental educators provide hands-on activities, both indoor and outdoor, primarily suited for third through eighth grade students each day from 9:30am-1pm. The festival is held at the WaterWorks Education Center in northeast Harris County. Attendance is free and advance reservations are required. Download a WaterWorks Education Center Field Trip Request Form to register for one day of WaterWeek. Participation in the art contest is not required. Space is limited to 350 students per day. Learn more here. Monday, April 28 – Friday, May 2 from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.
16. Jones Park Photo Contest. Take to the trails at Jones Park to capture a winning shot for the annual photo contest! Participants can enter one of two divisions: Adult (ages 16 and older) and Junior (ages 15 and younger). Categories include wildlife, scenic/wildflowers, and people in the park. Only photos taken between May 1, 2013 and Monday, April 30, 2014 in Jones Park will be considered. The submission deadline is Wednesday, April 30 and mailed entries must be postmarked by Thursday, April 24. Visit www.hcp4.net for more details.
17. Artist Boat Kayak Tours. Come take a 2-hour tour of Galveston Island’s Coastal Heritage Preserve! Located roughly midway along the length of Galveston Island, the Coastal Heritage Preserve is a project site, and critical piece in the West Bay Corridor Initiative, a multi-agency program to protect and restore critical habitats around West Bay. The Coastal Heritage Preserve represents the essence of bay coastal margin on Galveston Bay, with a full suite of habitats, from open bay water to salt, brackish, intermediate and fresh marsh, tidal flats, and upland prairie. It also exhibits a mix of ecologic, conservation, recreation, historic, and aesthetic values. Learn more about the Coastal Heritage Preserve here. Visit www.artistboat.org to register for a kayak tour. Tours are $10. Call (409)-770-0722 for more information.

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COMMUNITY NOTES

1. H-E-B Earth Day Video Contest. This Earth Day, H-E-B wants to know… How Do You Remember to Grab Your Reusable Bag? Or How Can H-E-B Help You Remember to Grab Your Reusable Bag? Submit a video with your ideas and tips by March 30th for a chance to win $5,000 for you and $5,000 for the environmental non-profit Environmental Organization of your choice. Be one of the first 50 contestants to share your video and receive a prize! To enter, record a 60 second video and upload it to YouTube. Share the YouTube link with H-E-B for the chance to win! Learn more at www.heb.com.
2. Civic Scientist Lecture Series: Advancing Civic Science in America. Come out to Rice University on April 1, 2014, 4-5:30pm, for an interactive panel session on the current state of science in America with three eminent civic scientists — Neal Lane, Ph.D.; John Mendelsohn, M.D.; and David Eagleman, Ph.D. The panelists will discuss topics such as scientific research, STEM education and science funding, drawing on their expertise and extensive involvement in engaging the public and decision-makers on these matters. Following the panel, audience members will be encouraged to share their thoughts with the panelists, who will provide commentary. This event, also a part of the Shell Distinguished Lecture Series, is co-hosted by the Baker Institute Science and Technology Policy Program, the Baker Institute Student Forum and Rice Empower. A light reception will follow. Learn more at http://bakerinstitute.org.
3. 2014 Low Impact Development (LID) Workshop. (SSPEED) Center presents “2014 Low Impact Development (LID) in Houston” on April 3, 2014, from 8:30am-5pm at Rice Universtiy. This one day event will cover the theory and practice of low impact development for Houston and will have a distinguished group of speakers that include academia. The speakers include Dr. Phil Bedient, Rice University; Dr. Michael Deitz, The University of Connecticut; Dr. Franco Montalto, Drexel University and Dr. Allen Davis, The University of Maryland; the engineering community including Charles Penland, Walter P Moore and Bob Adair, EcoServices; and architects including Joe Webb, Webb Architects; and Kathleen English, English Architects. The goal of this workshop is to advance the state of knowledge in Houston for LID as it relates to the high intensity rainfalls and runoffs experienced in the Gulf Coast. This workshop is open to all engineers, architects, planners, developers, city and county officials, and students interested in LID. The size of the room is 60 for this event, so register early. The conference registration fee includes handout materials, snacks and lunch. Professional Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) will be awarded, upon request. Up to 7 CEU’s can be awarded for this event. The cost is $50, $25 for students. More at http://sspeed.rice.edu.
4. Planning for Disaster Resilience Symposium. This symposium commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center (HRRC) by bringing together past and current HRRC faculty fellows to discuss contributions to the fields of hazards and urban planning research, emphasizing the importance of the intersection of urban planning and hazards as critical for community resilience. Panel discussion topics include: Hazard Mitigation; Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning; Recovery and Adaptation; and Interpretations for Practice. The symposium will be held April 4-5, 2014, at the Texas A&M University at College Station, Langford Architecture Center. The cost is $100 ($35 for students). Learn more at http://hrrc.arch.tamu.edu.
5. Policy Priorities Conference: Developing Solutions to the Most Pressing Threats to Texas Water, Land, Air and Human Health. This event will bring together over a 100 experts and advocates from across Texas. Attendees will endeavor to find consensus positions across partisan lines on eminent domain, climate change, hydraulic fracturing, water supply, electricity needs, and chemical safety issues to develop a list of priorities for the 2015 legislative session. Texans from all walks of life have come together in recent years to fight for the right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and protect their property and way of life. Attendees seek to build on these alliances and work together to achieve our common goals. The conference will be held on April 5, 2014, starting at 8:30am in Howson Hall at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin (4700 Grover Ave, Austin, TX 78756). Come learn and share your knowledge to improve this state. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Space is limited and we ask that you RSVP in order to secure a seat and so we can order adequate food. RSVP: mhaertner@citizen.org.
6. Celebrate the Streets of Houston. Sunday Streets HTX is a pilot initiative to promote and improve the health of Houstonians. Sunday Streets HTX will open a stretch of streets normally reserved for vehicle traffic to allow cycling, walking, dancing, socializing and provide a family-friendly opportunity to be physically active. A portion of a great Houston street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 11am – 3pm during the first Sunday of each month in April, May, and June 2014. With no cars on the road, you’ll be able to enjoy these streets for walking, running, dancing or riding with friends and family as never before. Sunday Streets HTX is not a street festival. It is a family fun opportunity to be physically active and enjoy active transportation. The next Sunday Streets HTX event will be held on April 6, 2014, at White Oak/Quitman Route. Learn more at www.gohealthyhouston.org.
7. Film Screening: The Ghosts in Our Machine. The South Texas College of Law/Houston is hosting a special screening of the critically acclaimed new documentary, The Ghosts in Our Machine. The Ghosts in Our Machine is a multi-award winning consciousness raising documentary that gently reveals one of the most haunting moral dilemmas of our modern world. While the provocative film Blackfish made waves for exposing the consequences of keeping orcas in captivity, The Ghosts in Our Machine illuminates the plight of many other animals rescued from and living within the machine of our modern world, from captive foxes to rescued dairy cows. The screening will be held on April 8, 2014, at 6:30pm at the South Texas College of Law/Houston. Katie Jarl, Texas State Director for The Humane Society of the United States, will speak about ongoing campaigns to address these issues. Learn more here. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required.
8. 2014 Fuller Challenge. The Buckminster Fuller Institute is looking for solutions to the world’s toughest problems. They just released the call for entries for their 2014 Fuller Challenge, “socially-responsible design’s highest award.” Landscape architects, architects, planners, artists, entrepreneurs, and students from everywhere are invited to go for the $100,000 prize for most outstanding strategy. The challenge is seeking global change-makers. Winners haven’t just taken on a building or landscape but a whole broken system. Last year, an amazing group of materials innovators at Ecovative took home the prize for their game-changing Styrofoam made of mycelium and agricultural waste. The year before, the Living Building Challenge won for showing the world how a green building could become a self-sustaining system. Submit your concept by April 11, 2014. Learn more at http://dirt.asla.org.
9. 5th Annual Paddlers’ Rally on the River. The Matagorda County Birding Nature Center invites all kayakers, canoeists and stand-up paddleboarders to Riverside Park to pay tribute to all of Texas’ rivers, creeks and bayous on April 12, 2014. Paddlers will cruise 9 miles on the Colorado River up to the LCRA dam at Bay City from the City’s Riverside Park, and then back. But, any human-powered boater may paddle a lesser distance by simply returning when desired. Although there is no fee to enter this fun-filled celebration of the countless contributions of our streams, or to enter the park that day, all participants are asked to register. The first 100 to do so will receive a commemorative t-shirt and welcome bag. Kayaks are available for $20/boat, single or tandem. Call 979-245-3336 or email mcbnc@mcbnc.org to enroll, reserve a kayak or receive additional information.
10. “Booming” -N- “Blooming” Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Festival. Enjoy The 20th Annual Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Festival from 7am-2:30pm on April 12-13, 2014, at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge. Go on tours to experience the beautiful and comical courtship dance of the Attwater’s prairie chicken in their natural habitat and to learn about the plight of the Attwater’s prairie chicken and see first hand how refuge staff work to keep this species from extinction. There will be a special presentation on both Saturday and Sunday from 10:30am-noon. Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist Jon Hays will speak about the interdependence of native prairie and North American grassland birds. Learn why native prairie is important to not only the Attwater’s prairie-chicken, but also many other species we enjoy so much, including the loggerhead shrike, scissor-tailed flycatcher, sparrows, meadowlarks and Northern bobwhite. More at www.fws.gov.
11. A Public Conversation on Religious Understandings of Science. The Religion and Public Life Program’s upcoming panel event, “A Public Conversation on Religious Understandings of Science” will be held on April 14, 2014, from 7-8pm at McMurty Auditorium, Duncan Hall, Rice University. Professor Elaine Howard Ecklund will present initial findings from her latest research in cooperation with the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program of the AAAS. This study is the largest survey to date of what religious people think about different scientific issues, from stem cells to evolution to climate change. Professor Ecklund will be joined by fellow panelists Dr. Jennifer Wiseman, senior astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Professor Philip Clayton, Professor of Theology at Claremont School of Theology; and Fr. Donald Nesti, director of the Center for Faith and Culture at University of St. Thomas. A reception will follow the discussion. Learn more at http://ssri.rice.edu.
12. Bay Gazer Photo Contest. Galveston Bay Foundation is calling all bay enthusiasts with an eye for photography to submit their photos to the 2014 Bay Gazer Photo Contest and come out for the announcement of the winners at Bay Day Festival. There are three entry levels based on age from 11-13 yrs, 14-17 yrs, and ages 18 plus. Each participant may submit up to three photos. The photos will then be carefully selected and voted on by the public at the Bay Day Festival on the Kemah Boardwalk on Saturday, April 26. 1st place will win a cash prize! For the rules and more information, visit the Bay Gazer page.
13. The Progressive Forum – Closing Event. Earlier this week, Randall Morton, Founder and President of The Progressive Forum, announced the end of the theatrical events. For nine years, The Progressive Forum brought many great minds and presentations to Houston. Although the events are ending, the mission will be continued online. The closing event will be held on April 21, 2014, at 7:30pm, at the Wortham Center, Cullen Theater. The speaker, Bill McKibben, is cofounder of 350.org, which is “building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis.” The organization has coordinated over 20,000 climate demonstrations in over 188 countries and has led opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, which would connect high-carbon tar-sand oil to Houston refineries. Learn more about the closing event and buy tickets here. Read the letter from Randall Morton here.
14. Walter B. Jones Awards Call for Nominations. NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2014 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management. The award categories for 2014 are: Coastal Steward of the Year; Excellence in Local Government (up to five may be awarded); and Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study (up to ten may be awarded). The hallmarks of the awards are innovation, resourcefulness, and a commitment to balancing the needs of America’s natural coastal and ocean resources with the needs of people. Nominations are open to individuals, organizations, and state and local government agencies and their employees. Federal employees and officials are not eligible. Entries must adhere to specific submission and judging criteria and must be received by April 15, 2014. Winners will be notified this summer. For more information, visit the Jones Awards webpage or contact Patmarie Nedelka at Patmarie.Nedelka@noaa.gov or 301-563-1127.
15. The Texas State Parks Photo Contest. Do you have a favorite photo that was taken in one of our Texas State Parks? Perhaps it’s the view from Enchanted Rock or the rim of Palo Duro Canyon, or treasured snapshots of family fun while gathered around a picnic table at Dinosaur Valley, paddling at Caddo Lake or building sandcastles on Mustang Island. Find those favorite photos or to take some new ones, because Texas State Parks is sponsoring the Picture Yourself in Texas State Parks Photo Contest. Each month Texas Parks & Wildlife features an Outdoor Activity of the Month, and in March 2014, it’s Photography Month. To encourage you to head out to a State Park and start taking pictures, TP&W is sponsoring a photography contest with three categories and three prizes. The categories are: Ages 17 and Under; Ages 18 and Over; and Instagram (for all ages) with the hashtag #myparkpic. If your photo is declared one of the three winners, you’ll receive a Hero3+ GoPro Camera, courtesy of Whole Earth Provision Co.! The contest began March 1, 2014 and runs through April 15th. The winning photos will be chosen by a team of Texas Parks & Wildlife photographers and staff. The winning photos will be published in Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine. All photos submitted will be available for reuse in Texas Parks & Wildlife publications and materials. Learn more here.
16. Request for Concept Papers for AmeriCorps VISTA Program. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) Texas State Office seeks Concept Papers for the AmeriCorps VISTA program from innovative, high-performing and outcome-driven organizations that share the AmeriCorps VISTA mission to provide long term solutions to poverty. This Request for Concept Paper (RFCP) is for placement of VISTA members contingent on Fiscal Year 2014 federal budget decisions. Organizations interested in sponsoring an AmeriCorps VISTA project in Texas are invited to submit a Concept Paper to the Corporation for National and Community Service Texas State Office through the online eGrants system. Learn more at www.nationalservice.gov. The deadline for Concept Paper Submission is April 14, 2014.
17. Houston Space Center No Impact Week. Could you go a full week without making an environmental impact on planet earth? How hard would it be to live and work without wasting precious resources? Could you live without creating any trash or using any electricity? Could you save money? Be healthier? Find out this April 19th when the No Impact Week comes to Houston! Space Center Houston is partnering with The No Impact Project for its first annual Earth Day Celebration and planning a No Impact Week Challenge. Space Center will host a kick-off celebration on Saturday, April 19, 2014. There will be activities, music, workshops, demonstrations and film screenings! If your organization is interested in having a booth at the event, coordinating an activity or getting involved in Space Center Houston’s No Impact Week Challenge please fill out this form or contact Lilly at lilly@noimpactproject.org or by phone at (347) 566-1593. Learn more about No Impact Week at http://noimpactproject.org.
18. 2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest. The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies is pleased to invite U.S. high school students to participate in the 2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest. This annual contest allows students the opportunity to show off their science and technology skills by submitting research projects focused on the use of remote sensing and analysis tools. Students are asked to identify a U.S. protected area of interest, and design a research project that identifies why the area is unique, why it significantly contributes to our society, how this area has changed over time, and ways remote sensing and geospatial tools can be used to monitor these environmental treasures. Participation is open to all U.S. students in grades 9-12. Entries may be submitted by individuals or student teams. Three cash prizes will be presented, with the first place student or team receiving $2,000, along with a feature in the magazine Apogeo Spatial. In addition to prizes for the winning students, the teachers of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entrants will receive a $200 Amazon.com gift card. Click here for full contest rules and to learn how enter. Entries are due May 5, 2014.
19. Win a GoPro Photo Contest. Catching waves, bagging peaks, chasing powder — public land is what makes it all possible. That’s why The Trust for Public Land works across the country to protect places where everyone can get outside, from the best of the backcountry to your go-to neighborhood parks and trails. Show where you go when you want an adventure. Submit a snapshot of someplace you like to get moving and you could win a GoPro camera. Need inspiration? Check out the GoPro footage above of blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer riding the rapids on the Colorado River. How it works: Submit your photo on Facebook—or post it to Twitter or Instagram and tag it #NeverStillLife. Rally your friends to vote for you on the contest page. Four winners will be chosen from the top entries to receive a GoPro camera. The contest ends May 16, 2014. Selfies welcome.
20. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on municipal access cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Houston, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Sugar Land, and on HCC TV. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area).
    • Above Texas: Under the Water
    • Parks & Wildlife People: Alejandro Farias
    • The Last Stand
21. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • April 1, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • April 2, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • April 3, 2014: Yellow–Moderate–Ozone. Smoke and haze from Mexico and Central America should cover South, Central, and North Central Texas, mainly along and west of a line from Port Lavaca to Bonham and along and east of a line from Del Rio to San Angelo to Abilene to Wichita Falls. The daily PM2.5 AQI could reach “Moderate” levels over most of this area.

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ECONOTES Featured News Articles–For dzens of additional headlines, visit the CEC website. (You can let us know about articles, too. E-mail news@cechouston.org).

1. Oil spill puts wildlife in harm’s way (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 3/24/2014)
   The heavy oil spilled into Galveston Bay showed signs Monday of harming one of the nation’s great natural nurseries, with biologists finding dozens of oiled birds on just one part of the Bolivar Peninsula. Scientists found the birds on a wildlife refuge just two miles from where a partially sunken barge leaked as much as 168,000 gallons of thick bunker fuel oil after colliding with another vessel Saturday. The concern comes as tens of thousands of birds are passing through the upper Texas coast on their annual flight north. But the worry also extends to the bay’s oyster reefs and the shrimp, crabs and fish that rely on the coastal marshes for shelter and food.
   www.chron.com
2. Houston architecture periodical ignites air-toxin, cancer-risk debate (Lora Hines – Houston Chornicle, 3/25/2014)
   Editors of a niche Houston architecture and design periodical and related website focused their most recent issue on urban development and its effects on the environment, knowing they probably would spark debate among the quarterly publication’s readers. Yet, reaction to Cite magazine’s posting to its OffCite blog regarding air quality and cancer risk stood out, catching readers’ attention, as well as that of Houston media. Using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data and maps, Cite illustrated the region’s cancer risk by census tract, indicating areas closer to the Houston Ship Channel, the city’s center and its freeways have higher cancer risks than others.
   www.chron.com
3. Whooping crane flock increases in Texas (Matthew Tresaugue – The Columbus Dispatch, 3/23/2014)
   The population of endangered whooping cranes wintering along the upper Texas coast has increased significantly despite persistent drought conditions, a new federal survey concludes. The Fish and Wildlife Service estimated 304 whooping cranes were present in December at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge but said that the flock’s size could be anywhere between 260 and 354 birds. That’s up from a year ago when the federal agency estimated 257 cranes — with a range of 178 to 362 birds — at the refuge, about 170 miles southwest of Houston.
   www.dispatch.com