Houston Environmental News Update May 27, 2014

COALITION NOTES

1. A LEED v4 look at Concrete Technologies. The Green Building Resource Center will host Lionel Lemay for an educational seminar on May 28, 2014, from 6-8pm at the Houston Permitting Center. Lemay will discuss new strategies for reducing the environmental impacts of concrete on the built environment, transparency reporting with Environmental (and Health) Product Declarations and Corporate Sustainability Reports, as well as proactive approaches to natural disasters regarding policies, design methodologies, and construction technologies within the context of LEED v4 Barry Stiles will discuss an alternative local paving product and how it will aid in stormwater quantity and quality improvements including retention and detention capabilities. Patrick Thiel will also discuss an alternative type of concrete chemistry and deployment, and its environmental footprint benefits. For more event information, click www.greenhoustontx.gov. This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to steve.stelzer@houstontx.gov.
2. Lunar Solar Power Extravaganza! Lunar Solar Power is having an extravaganza to make people aware of the possibility of using Lunar Solar Power to get out of the fossil fuel trap. From 4:30-6pm on May 27-28, 2014, volunteers are needed to hold up large signs across Highway 59 at rush hour. The signs read, “Climate change is surely real; Mother nature needs to heal; We need power from the moon; And we need it really soon; It’s possible, it’s practical, let’s do it; lunarsolarpower.org.” Will you join? If you want to participate, email greiter10@gmail.com with the times you are available.
3. Herman Park Centennial Exhibition Opening. Hermann Park will commemorate the opening of their Centennial Exhibition with a reception and lecture on May 28, 2014. Barrie Scardino Bradleys, author of Houston’s Hermann Park: A Century of Community will be the guest speaker. A reception, book signing and exhibition viewing will begin at 6 pm, followed by a lecture at 7 pm. Books will be on sale before the lecture. The event will take place in the first floor auditorium of the library’s Julia Ideson Building. A new exhibit on the history of Hermann Park will be on view upstairs in the library’s Tudor Gallery. The exhibition will be on view May 24 through July 26, 2014. The exhibition is presented in partnership with Hermann Park Conservancy, Houston Public Library, the City of Houston, and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. Click http://hermannpark.org for more details of the event.
4. Help the City of Galveston Break a World Record in Recycling! Galveston residents are forming teams to collect aluminum cans and break the Guinness World Record for most aluminum cans collected in an 8 hour period. They are asking any willing residents from the Houston-Galveston area to help accomplish this goal. City of Galveston personnel will be at Stewart Beach from 11 am – 7 pm on May 31, 2014. Ecostations will also be set up to collect other recyclables. This record-breaking attempt will be happening in conjunction with the AIA Sandcastle competition. Click https://aiahouston.org for event details.
5. AIA Sandcastle Competition. The AIA SandCastle Competition is a fund-raising event for AIA Houston and ArCH Foundation as well as one of the top five revenue generating events for the City of Galveston. This year over 60 teams have their eyes and shovels set on winning the prestigious Golden Bucket Award. Firms begin months in advance generating ideas, developing designs, and assigning duties. On the day of the event the teams, stretched along the beach front, meticulously sculpt their piles of sand and work non-stop for five hours. The judging of the sculptures is rated on originality of concept, artistic execution, technical difficulty, carving technique, and utilization of the site. Bring a picnic and check out the projects on May 31, 2014, at East Beach Galveston. Parking is $10. Learn more at https://aiahouston.org.
6. Summer Salon I: Business in the Arts. The Center for Houston’s Future is hosting Summer Salon Series, which is a series of casual breakfast conversations, bringing big-picture thinkers and regional experts together with broader audiences, for an extended deep-dive discussion of our Indicators research, with a focus on the next steps for creating a sustainable and competitive Houston. Summer Salon I: Business in the Arts will cover how art and commerce intersect. Panelists include: Bobby Tudor, Chairman and CEO of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co.; Ric Campo, CEO of Camden Property Trust and Board Chair of Houston First; and Dave Thompson, Principal of ttweak, the consultancy behind the “Houston It’s Worth It” campaign. This first breakfast will be held on June 4, 2014, from 7:30-9:30, at the Junior League of Houston. The cost is $20 and includes a full breakfast buffet. For more information, visit www.futurehouston.com.
7. Cedar Bayou Watershed Partnership Meeting. The Cedar Bayou Watershed Partnership is a group of local stakeholders from the communities surrounding Cedar Bayou, whose purpose is to seek voluntary ways to restore and protect the local waterway. There is an upcoming Cedar Bayou  Watershed Partnership Meeting on June 5, 2014, from 5:30-7:30pm at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center. Attendees of this meeting will be hearing an update on project progress and modeling results; reviewing new elements of the Watershed Protection Plan; discussing upcoming partner activities; and listening to your ideas, concerns, and feedback. Never been to a meeting before? It’s not too late to get involved! This meeting is open to anyone who has an interest in the public health, economy, and environment of the Cedar Bayou watershed, and shaping decisions affecting the water quality in the community. Stop by the meeting to make your voice heard! Learn more at www.cedarbayouwatershed.com.
8. Teaching Prairies to City Slickers. Native Prairies Association of Texas needs trained storytellers to serve as ambassadors between the diverse, urban population and our misunderstood local prairies. These storytellers will serve as volunteer ambassador Meadowlarks. Are you interested in becoming a Meadowlark and making a huge difference? All you need to do is attend a special two-part training which consists of an evening teaching theory class (taught indoors at 3015 Richmond Ave., Houston TX) and an outside field trip to an urban prairie site that enables students to practice what they have learned. The next training will be held on June 4, 2014, from 6-8pm (teaching theory), and June 7, 2014, from 9-11am (field trip and practice) at Willow Waterhole Prairie. This event is free, but registration is required! Learn more and register at http://prairiepartner.org.
9. National Trails Day Creek Bash. Join volunteers and staff to clean up the paddle trail along Spring Creek at Jones Park on June 7, 2014, at 9am. All ages are welcome to assist with the clean-up effort, and those ages 16 and older may canoe the creek to remove debris. Be prepared to get dirty and wet! Wear close-toed shoes, no sandals or flip-flops. Reservations are required and may be made beginning Wednesday, May 28. Learn more at www.hcp4.net. To make reservations, call 281-446-8588.
10. Funk & Soul at the Waterhole! Willow Waterhole will be hosting another musical event featuring three funk and soul acts that will provide a “funky blast of super-coolness!” There will be performances by Jazz R’ Boyz, Collective Hallucination Featuring Ant Boogie, and The Breakdown (a Prince tribute band). Come out for a great afternoon! Bring blankets and chairs. There will be refreshments for purchase. This is a free event that will be held on June 7, 2014, from 3-6pm at the Willow Waterhole Conservation Reserve. Learn more at www.facebook.com.
11. 2014 Clean Fleet Technologies Conference (CFTC). The 2014 Clean Fleet Technologies Conference (CFTC) will take place June 10, 2014, from 8am-4pm at Sugar Land’s Constellation Field. CFTC is a day-long conference highlighting alternative fuels, clean vehicle technologies, and vehicle efficiency improvements. Speakers, exhibitors, and vehicle displays will highlight the latest technologies and funding for cleaner on- and off-road fleets. The keynote speaker will be John Nau, President & CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors. Register at www.mysolutionis.com.
12. Letter from Robert L. Rayburn of Bayou Preservation Association. Robert L. Rayburn, President of the Bayou Preservation Association, recently released a letter addressed to the BPA Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Watershed Representatives, BPA members, and friends of the bayous. The letter addressed the state of Buffalo Bayou with regards to the Memorial Park Demonstration Project. “The Bayou Preservation Association’s mission has always been and continues to be a focus on protecting and restoring the richness and diversity of our waterways through activism, advocacy, collaboration and education. The Memorial Park Demonstration Project clearly demonstrates a protection and restoration intent based on long-term solutions to issues threatening our bayou system, and is focused on providing a synchronized planned solution that will encourage riparian restoration for the entire system.” Read the full letter: BPA Letter.
13. Galveston Bay Wetland Permit and Mitigation Assessment. Lisa Gonzales, Vice President of HARC, is leading a team to research the federal wetland permitting and mitigation process. HARC, partnered with Texas General Land Office and Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, is using the project to research and examine the implementation of the permitting process in Texas, and its effectiveness in preserving the rapidly diminishing freshwater wetlands in the Houston-Galveston region. The permitting and mitigation process is critical in maintaining wetland function and ecosystem services. Learn more at www.harcresearch.org.
14. Houston Catalyst Awards. Houston Tomorrow will host its second annual Houston Catalyst Awards ceremony to honor those whose ideas and actions change and improve the quality of Houstonians’ lives. There is now a new student category, Emerging, in order to foster and encourage new talent in leadership, innovation, and initiative in quality of life issues.  There is a high school competition ($500 cash award) and a college/university competition ($1,000 cash award). To apply, respond to the following question with a 4-minute YouTube video and maximum 500-word essay: “The goal of Houston Tomorrow is to improve the quality of life of the Houston region such that Houston will be home to the healthiest, happiest, most prosperous people in the United States by its 200th birthday in 2036. Big issues such as limited resources, impacts of climate change, and automobile dependency are a few of the challenges to attaining that goal. What would you suggest as a large-scale catalytic change that would lead Houston towards a successful birthday celebration?” Team submissions are acceptable and welcomed. Award entries must be received on or before July 31, 2014 to HoustonTomorrowCatalystAwards@gmail.com. Award recipients will be announced at The Houston Catalyst Awards Ceremony to be hosted by Houston Tomorrow in September 24, 2014. Learn more about the new category at http://catalyst.houstontomorrow.org.
15. Mayor’s Proud Partner Award. Submissions are now being accepted for the 30th Annual Mayor’s Proud Partner Awards. Are you committed to building a strong community and fostering an environment of stewardship? Apply for the Mayor’s Proud Partner Award so you can be recognized for your efforts! Applications are due July 21, 2014. Submissions will be evaluated on program, project, or individual efforts, completed during the last year, to create a cleaner and more beautiful environment. Find the application at http://forms.houstonbeautiful.org.
16. Hermann Park Giveaway. Enter a contest to win a Hermann Park Conservancy Centennial Membership (includes train and boat tickets, a commemorative t-shirt, window sticker, membership card, free train rides on member days and more, good for 1 year). The prize is valued at $600. Enter at http://houstonfamilymagazine.com! The deadline to enter is May 30, 2014.
17. 2015 Earth Day – Call for Proposals. In honor of the 10 Year Celebration of Earth Day Houston, Air Alliance Houston is accepting submissions for ideas and partnerships for next years festival, which will occur on April 11, 2015. For example, do you know a great way to expand the Kids’ Parade? Can you form a group that will organize group bike rides to the festival? Was there something missing at the festival that you would love to see next year? Send your ideas to Sara Heald, Festival Director, at sara@airalliancehouston.org. The submission deadline is October 31, 2014. Read more at earthdayhouston.org.
18. Garden Architecture. Garden Architecture features images and stories about many of Houston’s historic gardens, a juried presentation of recent public and private garden design including Hermann Park Centenial Gardens, Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University, Market Square Park, Levy Park and master plans for the Buffalo Bayou Park and Houston Arboretum. The exhibit will showcase a vignette garden designed and installed inside Architecture Center Houston by McDugald Steele. The exhibit is created for both architecture and landscape architecture design professionals, gardening enthusiasts, and will appeal to anyone interested in the history and growth of Houston as seen through the lens of our local gardens. This exhibit is sponsored in part by McDugald Steele and the Architecture Center Houston Foundation. The exhibit will run from May 22, 2014 – July 18, 2014 at Architecture Center Houston. More info at https://aiahouston.org.
19. Coastal Waters Institute. Artist Boat is currently recruiting middle school teachers for FREE professional development training over the summer. There will be two opportunities for a four-day, hands-on field and classroom-based professional development. Sign up for the training July 14-17, 2014, which will focus on the Galveston Bay Watershed or for the training July 21-24, 2014, which will focus on the Coastal Bend Bays Watershed. Participants enrolled in this professional development will receive 32 CPE hours, Artist Boat’s Coastal Waters Institute Curriculum with 24 professionally developed and creative lessons aligned with TEKS, an unforgettable training experience about the environment, a day on the water via kayak and vessel, and hands-on training in TEKS aligned curriculum. Learn more by calling 409-770-0722.
20.  Artist Boat Programs. Artist Boat received two $150,000 grants from the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) Center and the Texas General Land Office through the U.S Department of the Interior, Coastal Impact Assistance Program to serve oil and gas corporations. Through these grants, Artist Boat is offering Watershed Education Training (WET) — a unique program that includes an on-site Eco-Art Workshop and an Eco-Art Kayak Adventure. The second grant offers Stewardship Training in the Coastal Zone for Petrochemical Industry workers. This program includes a training workshop, a training experience at the NRG Energy EcoCenter nursery, and a marsh restoration adventure Artist Boat is excited to be able to offer this program to a new audience in our area. These fun-filled, hands-on, teambuilding experiences will promote meaningful dialogue among oil and gas workers about their specific relationship to the environment through non-consumptive use of the ecosystem and provide a springboard for future partnerships or initiatives to engage corporations in improving environmental quality. If you would like more information about Artist Boat’s Eco-Art Adventures for petrochemical workers or to schedule a program for your company, contact Anna Deichmann at asdeichmann@artistboat.org or (409)770-0722. Read more at www.facebook.com.
21. Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Class. The Woods Project is offering two 16-hour Wilderness First Aid (WFA) classes in June to help prepare folks for the unexpected.This fast paced, hands-on training is designed to meet the needs of trip leaders, camp staff, outdoor enthusiasts, and individuals working in remote locations. It will introduce you to caring for people who become ill or injured far from definitive medical care. Classroom lectures and demonstrations are combined with realistic scenarios where mock patients will challenge you to integrate your learning. At the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge, skills, and ability to make sound decisions in emergency situations. This course does NOT include CPR. The first class will be held from June 21-22, 2014. The second class will be held June 23-24, 2014. The cost is $225 per person. Learn more and register at www.thewoodsproject.org.

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COMMUNITY NOTE

1. Toxic Pollution Reduction. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed new regulations for oil refineries that would reduce the amount of cancer-causing pollution these companies spew into the air throughout the United States. The proposed updates include some needed improvements to prevent cancer and save lives, such as fenceline monitoring and a fenceline standard for the carcinogen benzene which would require refineries to measure toxic air pollution as it goes into the local community’s air. Read more http://earthjustice.org. When these proposed updates are fully implemented, EPA estimates toxic air emissions, including benzene, toluene, and xylene, would be reduced by 5,600 tons per year. Volatile organic compound emissions would be cut by approximately 52,000 tons per year. Additionally, these cost-effective steps will have no noticeable impact on the cost of petroleum products at the approximately 150 petroleum refineries around the country. EPA will take comment on the proposal for 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. The agency plans to hold two public hearings, near Houston and Los Angeles, and will finalize the standards in April 2015. View the full press release at http://yosemite.epa.gov.
2. 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 for a few hours! On June 1, 2014, Washinton/Market Sq (Studemont to Milam) will be closed from 11am – 3pm. With no cars on the road, you’ll be able to enjoy this street 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. Learn more at http://aggregator.time.ly!
3. Low Impact Development (LID) Conference – Call for Abstracts. The Low Impact Development (LID) Conference aims to provide the latest information, research, and case studies on LID and green infrastructure around the world. The conference will take place in Houston January 17-21, 2015. The deadline for abstract submission is June 23, 2014. Conference topics include Green Streets and Highways, bioretention, and soil and plant research. Abstracts should address the design, performance, and policy aspects of LID and Green Infrastructure use in Texas and in low relief coastal areas. For a full list of conference topics and instructions on how to submit an abstract, please click www.asce.org.
4. Houston Community Sustainability – Missed the Symposium? Did you miss the Shell Center for Sustainability Symposium and Mixer on March 26, 2014? Now you can catch up on the excellent presentations on Houston Community Sustainability and the Quality of Life Atlas! Read the program and download the presentations and watch the videos.
5. Recovery Implementation Grant. The FWS Ecological Services Program provides Federal financial assistance on a competitive basis to States, other Federal agencies, landowners, educators, non-profit organizations, researchers, and other partners to secure information about endangered, threatened or candidate species, to aid in the recovery of these species, to avert listing of species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act, and to help conserve the ecosystems upon which these species depend. This Recovery Implementation funding opportunity is intended for projects that will contribute to the recovery of FWS-managed endangered and threatened species in the United States. Applications are due by July 31, 2014. Learn more www.grants.gov.
6. Algae Production Workshop – Call for Presentations. The National Algae Association is announcing a Call for Presentations for the next Algae Production Workshop to be held in Texas in July 2014. We will be focusing on five(5) areas: HP for astaxanthin, feeds, food, CO2 sequestration, and wastewater. If you would like to make presentation, can add value to these topics, and can assist in the fast-track commercialization and deployment of the algae production industry, please submit your presentation by June 15, 2014 to info@nationalalgaeassociation.com. These workshops are open and collaborative forums to learn and share information in the different methods and commercial processes involved in the algae production industry. Learn more at www.nationalalgaeassociation.com.
7. World Oceans Day Photo Contest. Share the beauty and importance of the ocean, through your photographs! The inaugural World Oceans Day Photo Contest allows people from around the world to contribute their favorite photos under five themes: underwater seascapes; underwater life; above water seascapes; humans’ positive interaction/experience with the ocean; and youth images. Winning images will be recognized at the United Nations on Monday, 9 June 2014 during the United Nations event marking World Oceans Day 2014. Learn more at http://worldoceansday.org.
8. Building Better Communities Grant. National Recreation and Park Association is pleased to partner with the American Water Charitable Foundation (AWCF) to implement the Building Better Communities program. Building Better Communities is designed to create and enhance nature-based playgrounds and natural play spaces for children, while also providing educational messaging and demonstration areas about water stewardship and conservation. Building Better Communities projects are supported with funding from AWCF and implemented through annual grants administered by NRPA. Applications for the 2014 grants are due May 30, 2014. Read more at www.nrpa.org.
9. 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).
   • The Inspired Artist
   • Lone Star Land Steward: Thomsen Foundation
   • Geocaching Changed My Life
   • Fishing the Late Shift
10. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • May 27, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and lower background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • May 28, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and lower background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • May 29, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and lower background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
    • May 30, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and lower background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.

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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. Seeing Stars in Dripping Springs (Forrest Wilder – Texas Observer, 5/20/2014)
   As Texas booms, the state is less and less able to brag that the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. In the big cities and the sprawling suburbs, and even in Far West Texas near the McDonald Observatory, light pollution is increasingly limiting our ability to enjoy the night sky. But the Hill Country town of Dripping Springs is showing that the starry skies can be preserved or restored even as the state grows. Associate Editor Forrest Wilder writes about the growing dark skies movement and how unlike many environmental woes—climate change, for instance, or the extinction of species—light pollution is eminently reversible.
   www.texasobserver.org
2. Opposition to bayou erosion project grows louder (Kiah Collier – Houston Chronicle, 5/20/2014)
   A $6 million plan to tame a mile-and-a-quarter stretch of Buffalo Bayou is drawing an ever-louder outcry from several prominent environmental and conservation groups who say the project aimed at reducing erosion and improving water quality would only make things worse. Opposition to the so-called Memorial Park Demonstration Project, targeting a segment of the historic bayou that snakes between Memorial Park’s secluded southern edge and the River Oaks Country Club golf course, has grown more vocal as a deadline to submit feedback to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approaches.
   www.houstonchronicle.com
3. Texas Gets Poor Marks on Pedestrian Safety (Cathaleen Qiao Chen – The Texas Tribune, 5/20/2014)
   Houston pedestrians better cross with care. The city is the seventh most dangerous in the nation for people on foot, according to a new report from the National Complete Streets Coalition at Smart Growth America, a nonprofit that advocates for neighborhood safety. Texas ranked as the 10th most dangerous state for walking commuters, with nearly 4,200 pedestrian deaths between 2003 and 2012. That’s roughly 10 percent of such deaths nationally during that time period, according to data compiled from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics.
   www.texastribune.org