The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. is sponsoring the Going Green Sustainability Lecture entitled “Spring Creek and the San Jacinto River-How’s the Water?”

Steven Johnston, a Senior Planner in the Community and Environmental Department at the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), will discuss the current quality of water in Spring Creek and the West Fork of the San Jacinto River Watersheds. He will also tell us what we as individuals can do to protect the integrity of these important regional water bodies and what the future brings if we do nothing.

Elizabeth Yeampierre, an internationally recognized Puerto Rican attorney and environmental and climate justice leader, will deliver the 2018 Frances Tarlton “Sissy” Farenthold Endowed Lecture in Peace, Social Justice, and Human Rights. Her lecture is entitled: “Climate Justice: The Time is Now, The Place is Here,”.  Yeampierre is the executive director of UPROSE and co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance. The lecture is jointly sponsored by the Rothko Chapel and the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice at the University of Texas.

Yeampierre will share how vulnerable communities are both experiencing and responding to the unequal burden they bear of climate change.  She will draw on experiences of climate justice activists from Brooklyn to Houston to Puerto Rico, to discuss opportunities for creating a more just and equitable society, beginning at the local level.  Bryan Parras, co-Founder of Texas Environmental Justice Agency Services (T.E.J.A.S) will be in conversation with Yeampierre after her address.

“This political moment demands a different kind of leadership if we are to build and fight the intersection of racial injustice and climate change,” said Yeampierre.  “Climate justice demands we reject extractive cultural practices and embrace intergenerational front-line led solutions and that we do that now.  Our very existence is at stake.”

Online registration for this event is required.

We have all been hearing about how bee populations are declining, which has brought highlighted attention to the vital role pollinators play in our modern world. But how can you help bees and other pollinators in the city? Join the University of Houston’s Office of Sustainability as they welcome Shelley Rice, local bee expert, to teach us all how we can be better allies to our community bees.

This event is free and open to the public.

The lightest, most aerodynamic and energy efficient train series to date–Shinkansen’s N700 Supreme–will be the latest addition to the railroad legacy of Houston, whose official city seal boasts a train engine as a symbol of progress. Michael J. Moore, VP of Texas Central, will present the latest generation of train technology that will link Houston to Dallas in a 90-minute ride at speeds over 200 miles per hour.

Following the presentation train enthusiast Glen A. Rosenbaum will introduce the Trains Over Texas display, and all will be invited to tour the exhibition. Trains Over Texas is the largest indoor “O” scale model railroad in Texas. Multiple trains crisscross the state’s unique geology and physiography. Destinations include oil country salt domes, prairies and wetlands of the Texas coast and state and national monuments such as Enchanted Rock, Pedernales Falls, the Balcones Escarpment and Big Bend National Park and major cities.

Bruce Katz, cofounder of New Localism Advisors, will reveal where the real power to create change lies and how it can be used to address our most serious social, economic and environmental challenges. For more information, visit kinder.rice.edu/events.

The Herb Society’s upcoming evening meeting is at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion in Hermann Park.  Hosts are Julie Fordes and Andi Leger. The program, “Moringa – A Nutritional Powerhouse in Your Backyard,” is presented by Tommy Garcia-Prats, founder and general manager of Small Places, LLC. Bring your plate and napkin and a dish to share.

Come learn about the Miracle Tree. Also known as the Tree of
Life, Mother’s Best Friend, and Nebedaye (which
means “never die” in many African languages),
Moringa oleifera may well be the world’s most
important plant. As one of the most nutrient-dense
plant foods known, moringa is being promoted as
a potential solution to world-wide malnutrition. It
was also named a Top Wellness Trend of 2018
and is an excellent source of complete plant
protein for vegetarians and vegans. And if that’s
not enough, this easy-to-grow tropical/subtropical
plant actually thrives in the Houston climate. So, if
you don’t already know about moringa, it’s time
you did.

You can learn about this life-saving “superfood”
when you join us for the January 16, 2019 Evening
Meeting of the South Texas Unit of The Herb
Society of America. The program is free and open to the public. We
meet in the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion, 1500
Hermann Drive, where it T-intersects with
Crawford Street. There is free parking adjacent to
the Pavilion. Members gather at 6:15 pm, and the
public is welcome to join us at 7:15 to enjoy the
program.

The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. sponsors Going Green Sustainability Lecture, “Solarize The Woodlands.” Founder of Wolfe Energy and active member of Solarize Houston, Dori Wolfe, will speak on how to bring solar to the area via rooftop solar for homes and businesses. Learn about an exciting opportunity for local residents and business owners to bring solar energy to The Woodlands with a non-profit project sponsored by the Houston Renewable Energy Group (HREG). 

Through competitive bidding for the installer and group purchasing for the enrollees, investing in rooftop solar can be made simple and financially attractive. Since 2016, HREG has conducted three “Solarize Houston” campaigns with great success. In early 2019, HREG plans to bring the program to greater-Houston area neighborhoods such as The Woodlands; where neighbors encourage neighbors to “go solar.”

JANUARY BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES

“Houston Airports”
Featuring Jesus H. Saenz, Jr.
Chief Operating Officer
Houston Airport System

Monday, January 28, 2019
Houston-Galveston Area Council
3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, TX 2nd Floor, Rm B
Noon-1:00 p.m.

Bring your lunch, bring a friend and join us for this event!

The Spotlight Award considers architects from around the world within the first 15 years of their professional practice who have demonstrated design excellence and curiosity through their body of work. Rice Design Alliance has selected DUST as the recipient of the Spotlight Award 2019.

DUST Principals, Cade Hayes and Jesús E. Robles, Jr., will be delivering the Spotlight Lecture 2019 at The Museum of Fine Arts Brown Auditorium designed by Mies van der Rohe.

The next Going Green Sustainability Lecture, sponsored by The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N., is entitled “Pollinators: From Bees And Bats To Butterflies.” Kendall Clark, Environmental Education Specialist with The Woodlands Township and specializing in Sustainable Landscapes, will speak to the group about the importance of pollination and pollinators and the Woodlands Township’s new program to become a Monarch Champion City as recognized by the National Wildlife Federation. For more details, visit thewoodlandsgreen.org.

Those who attend will also enjoy learning about HARC’s energy and water efficient building. This event is free and open to the public.