Calendar
Join us for the Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable on Monday, July 8, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor.
The PNA Roundtable serves as a forum for discussion of issues related to parks and natural areas, promotes the PNA Award Program, and maintains a regional inventory of parks. The PNA roundtable facilitates information exchange and planning efforts between various stakeholders and collaborators to protect and preserve parks and natural areas across the region. To register visit events.r20.constantcontact.com/register.
The films presented by the Houston Green Film Series are free to public and funded by volunteer efforts, in-kind contributi
“There has to be a fuel revolution.”
-Donnie Tipton of Going Green Grease Recycling
Set in Houston, Texas in the shadow of the nation’s oil industry, Hot Grease tells the surprising story of how the biodiesel industry is turning an ostensibly worthless raw material, spent kitchen grease, into a renewable energy source capable of fueling cars, buses and fleets of trucks throughout the country.
The millions of gallons of cooking oil that our country’s restaurants use to fry up chicken, fries, and donuts used to end up as waste in landfills and pollutants in our waterways. But today, thanks to innovators, entrepreneurs, and politicians, it’s being turned into a functional fuel: biodiesel. Biodiesel reduces carbon emissions up to 85% compared to petroleum fuel, the equivalent of removing over 19 million cars from our highways. This film dives into the untapped market of biodiesel as it rapidly becomes a commodity and individuals dedicate their livelihood to making it an accessible fuel choice in Houston.
This month’s panelists & exhibitors:
Chris Powers, Houston Biodiesel
Jody Gibson, Energy Institute High School
Michael McClere, Dependable Cooking Oil
Alona Hernandez, Houston Public Works
Ted Driscoll, Galveston Bay Foundation
Free to the public, though donations are kindly appreciated. Rice Cinema is located at 2030 University Blvd, near Stockton and University.
- 6:30 PM Reception & Refreshments
- 7:00 PM Film Screening
- 8:00 PM Panel Discussion
- 9:00 PM The conversation continues at Valhalla, Rice University’s Graduate Student Pub
For questions about transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event go to https://park-trans.rice.edu/
Join us for this important Environmental Forum to discuss topics that are focused on the City of Houston. You are encouraged to bike or travel electrically by taking the Green Line to the Coffee Plant/Second Ward light rail station. The house is one block away at 317 Sampson Street. Please bring your own chair and reusable water bottle.
The event is sponsored by 350.org Houston, Citizens Climate Lobby Houston, Energy & Environmental Democrats, Environment Texas, Houston Climate Movement, and Houston Renewable Energy Group. #oursharedhouston
Join us for the Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable on Monday, July 8, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor.
The PNA Roundtable serves as a forum for discussion of issues related to parks and natural areas, promotes the PNA Award Program, and maintains a regional inventory of parks. The PNA roundtable facilitates information exchange and planning efforts between various stakeholders and collaborators to protect and preserve parks and natural areas across the region. To register visit events.r20.constantcontact.com/register.
H-GAC’s Parks and Natural Areas Summit and Awards Ceremony will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, February 14, 2020, at H-GAC Conference Room B, Second Floor. The Summit will include presentations on trends and topics related to parks and natural areas.
The event will also include the annual Parks and Natural Areas Awards recognition ceremony. These projects serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region. Projects will be honored in three categories: Planning Process, On-the-Ground Projects Over $500,000, and On-the-Ground Projects Under $500,000.
A light breakfast will be served. Registration and breakfast begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by topic speakers at 9:30 a.m. The awards program will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by networking until noon.
Agenda
9:00 a.m. Â Â Registration and Breakfast
9:30 a.m.   Presentation – Claire Hempel, Design Worskshop, Equity In Parks
10:00 a.m. Presentation – Katie Coyne, Asakura Robinson, TBA
10:30 a.m. Parks and Natrual Areas Annual Awards Ceremony
11:30 a.m. Networking
The Parks and Natural Areas roundtable serves as a forum for discussion of issues related to parks and natural areas and promotes the Parks and Natural Areas awards program. The roundtable facilitates information exchange and planning efforts between various stakeholders and collaborators to protect and preserve parks and natural areas across the region.
Join the Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable on Monday, March 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor.
Attendees will learn about the Nature and Eclectic Outdoors’ Healthy Outdoor Communities initiative and Exploration Green, an award-winning parks and natural areas project in the region. They’ll also discuss the time and date for the spring field trip.
The PNA Roundtable meets the second Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November and is open to anyone interested in participating.

With the Wild About Houston Film Festival coming up this October, the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition is taking a look back at some of our favorite films from festivals past.
Join the community for a fun evening of inspiring films. Find ways to get involved with our member organizations right here in the Gulf Coast region.
Submit your own films for the October festival, too. First check out the submission guidelines and then submit a film via this Google Form.
A Zoom link will be emailed to you prior to the show, so that we can all watch films together and interact in the chat. Kid/family/pet friendly. Pop some popcorn and join us!

Hurricanes dominate our headlines. Let’s unite our community in the movement for climate justice. Come together to virtually watch and discuss this award-winning documentary with local activists and raise funds to support frontline communities in Houston. Purchase tickets here.Â

In 2015, the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition brought the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour to Houston for the first time, selling out the first showing and sharing the festival with an audience of thousands in following years. Despite the enthusiastic reception, CEC quickly realized that, while the WSFF was inspiring and meaningful, it did not showcase local environmental stories, issues, and heroes.
So CEC decided to create its own, local green film festival.
The CEC is proud to virtually host the third annual Wild About Houston Green Film Festival on Wednesday, October 21, and Wednesday, November 18, 2020. Each night features different films from our region.
CEC would like to use this festival to tell local environmental stories, highlight the work of CEC’s member organizations, and to inspire our residents and visitors to make a difference in the environment and our quality of life.
Be a sponsor, or a promotional partner! Email Alicia at alicia@cechouston.org for information.
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour is returning to the Bayou City on January 29, 2021. Hosted for the seventh straight year by the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, this ever-popular film fest will be a virtual experience.
The January festival is just one of many offerings as part of the Houston Green Film Series. The lineup in January features national and international films that awe and inspire action to protect and preserve our environment. The festival also provides a broader audience for us to share three winners of the Wild About Houston Film Festival that highlight local environmental treasures and initiatives.
The auction has some GREAT items in 2021, including a pontoon boat ride through Armand Bayou Nature Center, a private cistern tour from Buffalo Bayou Partnership, custom art made by an ambassador animal at the Delores Fenwick Nature Center in Pearland and a private tour of Deer Park Prairie with Native Prairies Association of Texas. Bidding is open on this Google Form through February 1 at noon.