For the last After Dark event of the season, we’re kickin’ it country-style.

Break out your boots and get ready to two-step and line dance to our live band, or challenge your friends to a game of cornhole or horseshoes.

Plus, see who can stay on our mechanical bull for the longest ride! Some of our favorite party animals will also visit Masihara Pavilion so guests can learn more about them and the important role we all play in saving animals in the wild.

Price is reflective of online purchase and includes event entry and activities plus one drink. Online sales end at 12:00 p.m. on the day of the event. Tickets are available for $45 at the door. Additional food and beverage available for purchase.

Do you want to know how it’s done?  Bill Swann, solar expert, leads this free workshop that addresses the basics on how to install and operate a solar system. Ideal for those with a technical background or DIYer in need of guidance or troubleshooting with their solar installation project. Hands-on experience will be provided with the installation of a ground-mount system.

This five-day (40 hour) intensive training course adheres to the Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) Wetland Delineator Certification Program criteria, but has been updated and expanded upon by our team of skilled wetland scientists at the Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies (TRIES).  Specifically, this course covers the wetland delineation protocol authorized by the ACOE as presented in the 1987 and Regional Supplement manuals.  Our students will gain the legal, theoretical and technical skills necessary to proficiently delineate wetlands.  Emphasis will be made on the identification and application of hydrologic, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydric soil indicators within inland and coastal wetland systems.  This course will cover instructional use for both the 1987 ACOE and Regional Supplement (Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain) manuals.

The first three days of our course will be spent covering each of the wetland delineation parameters (i.e., hydrology, hydrophytic vegetation, and hydric soils) in detail; we’ll spend a day per parameter.  The first half of the day will be lecture-based and the second half of the day will be field-based.  The fourth day of class will be spent entirely in the field conducting a mock wetland delineation and clarifying student questions.  The fifth day of class is a coastal component to our inland course and is entirely optional (payment for the coastal component is additional).  That is, the fifth day of class will be spent in the Galveston area to allow student exposure and application of wetland indicators within a coastal system.  Class will begin promptly each day at 8 AM and end at 5:00 PM (with some days beginning or ending earlier or later).

Re-imagine your campus as a laboratory for applied sustainability education! Explore how EcoRise curriculum, resources, and grant funds can be used to increase student engagement and cultivate eco-literacy and student innovation on your campus. This hands-on training will provide a deep dive into our curriculum and Eco-Audit Grant resources, and will allow you to explore and experience the resources that are most relevant to you.

Lunch will be provided by Green Mountain energy.

EcoRise teacher trainings are open to new and experienced EcoRise teachers across the country. If you are not already an EcoRise teacher, please enroll at ecorise.org/enroll.

Urban Harvest’s Waste Not, Want Not… Bokashi and Vermicomposting

Stop throwing your food scraps in the trash. Come learn the how tos and the benefits of bokashi and vermicomposting. Physical limitations, space limitations, deed restrictions – any number of things may limit a gardener’s ability to compost in bins or piles. However, ANY gardener or homeowner can practice bokashi and vermicomposting. Bokashi composting uses kitchen scraps of all kinds, including meat and dairy products, mixed with inoculated bran to make compost faster than bin composting. Vermicomposting uses composting worms to recycle kitchen, garden, and specific paper wastes. The worms turn the waste into worm castings that are nutrient rich.

Class is hosted by University of Houston/Downtown. There are no refunds on classes.

Directions: The entrance into the visitor parking garage is off Girard Street on the northwest corner of the campus. Upon entering the parking, press the button to receive an entry ticket. Parking is $8.00, except for those attending the class will have their ticket validated.

Participants will receive free training and support services including basic safety – OSHA 10, introduction to hand & power tools, introduction to construction math, and much more. The NCCER Core Curriculum is a prerequisite to all other Level 1 craft curriculum. Completing this curriculum gives you the basic skills needed to continue education in any craft area you chooses.

Requirements:

• Minimum age: 18
• Able to commit full time for 2 weeks
• Must have HS Diploma/GED
• Motivated to Learn
• Drug and background screening
• Valid TX Drivers License

To start the enrollment process, attend an Information Session on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. Limited slots available.

What do Houston toads, Attwater’s prairie chickens, and black bears have in common?  They are all part of our diverse Texas wildlife and the Zoo works with other organizations to help save them in the wild. Come enjoy a night out at the Houston Zoo just for Educators!  This one of a kind evening will feature ambassador animals, new STEAM activities, a special keeper chat and much more.  Earn 3 CPE hours while enjoying a night out just for you.  Light appetizers and drinks will be provided. For more information, and to register, visit houstonzoo.doubleknot.com/event.

Enjoy an evening at Axelrad Beer Garden and learn about Air Alliance Houston’s current research, education and advocacy programs. Air Alliance Houston staff and volunteers will be on-site with interactive stations where you can learn about the latest trends and concerns regarding Houston’s air quality. A portion of proceeds from the evening will go to Air Alliance Houston.

Join Big Bend Conservancy for another Brews for Big Bend at Saint Arnold Brewing Company. This event will be an opportunity to celebrate Big Bend National Park, meet with Conservancy board members and staff, and win original works of art that focus on Big Bend. Houston area Big Bend fans, this is your chance to meet and greet with other West Texas enthusiasts. Appetizers and beer will be included. Online ticket sales only; there will be no tickets sold onsite.

Join the Texas Association of Environment Professionals (TAEP), the Air and Waste Management Association- Gulf Coast Chapter (AWMA-GCC), and the Society for American Military Engineers Houston/Galveston Post (SAME) for a fun celebration, games, and as always, great networking and camaraderie. Saint Arnold draft beers and root beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and BBQ dinner will be served, so please don’t forget to tip your bartender and bring your designated driver.

Reservation deadline is at noon on Dec. 13, 2018, or when they reach 200 attendees (whichever comes first). Sponsorships are also available.