Calendar
State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) spring 2021 event will be a two-day Virtual Event. Attendees will get a chance to experience virtual tours, networking opportunities and small-group evening events from wherever they are located.
 Please note that the event is in Eastern Time.
Purpose
Houston Together aims to recognize outstanding volunteers and increase the awareness of service organizations that rely on volunteers to meet the needs of the Gulf Coast region by sharing the stories that inspire each of us.
Role
Join the community, share your excitement for local volunteerism, and #BeAPartOfTheStory by registering to attend, reading the stories, or sharing your story. Raise awareness of your service organization’s mission by presenting at Houston Together.
Participate in the City Nature Challenge on April 30 – May 2. Be part of an international project, support outdoor learning and exploration, and even integrate technology into the classroom.
Find an Educator Toolkit here: https://
Find a student-friendly explanation video here: https://youtu.be/
Visit the Houston project page on iNaturalist here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2021-houston-galveston.
Join in a fun challenge to observe and record wild species. It is easy to participate by making observations on your own using the iNaturalist app. Just take a picture of a plant or animal, and the community will help identify which species it is. Any observation in the greater metropolitan area of Houston will count during the four-day challenge. You can participate by exploring the life in your backyard (and use the hashtag #backyardchallenge on social media), in your neighborhood park, or from an apartment balcony or courtyard. You can also help with IDs for other people’s observations to increase our species count.
All ages; no registration required.
Mercer’s annual two-day plant sale fundraiser is springing up this May! Shop in-person at this highly anticipated plant sale featuring nearly 1,200 varieties of high-quality plants rarely found at local retail nurseries. Discover Mercer-grown plants, raised at nearby greenhouses by experienced staff and volunteers that are adaptable to the variety of soils and weather conditions in the Gulf Coast region. And, remember to celebrate Mother’s Day by picking out the perfect plant gift for mom, such as tropical gingers, flowering annuals and perennials, hibiscus, summer veggies, and Gulf Coast natives to attract butterflies to your garden. Shoppers looking for those hard to find plants will enjoy carnivorous, ferns, orchids, tropicals, and extremely rare plant areas. Shop tax-free! Special shopping hours are available Friday, May 7, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., for members of The Mercer Society.
Be a part of birding’s biggest team! Global Big Day is an annual celebration of the birds around you. No matter where you are, join Sacajawea Audubon Society virtually on 8 May and share the birds you find with eBird.
Participating is easy—you can even be part of Global Big Day from home. If you can spare 5 or 10 minutes, report your bird observations to eBird online or with our free eBird Mobile app. If you have more time, submit checklists of birds throughout the day. You never know what you might spot. Your observations help Sacajawea Audubon Society better understand global bird populations through products like these animated abundance maps brought to you by eBird Science.
Last year, Global Big Day brought more birders together virtually than ever before. More than 50,000 people from 175 countries submitted a staggering 120,000 checklists with eBird, setting a new world record for a single day of birding. Will you help Sacajawea Audubon Society surpass last year’s records? However you choose to participate, please continue to put safety first and follow your local guidelines.
If you are interested in joining this committee, please email info@bayouland.org
For members of the Lands Committee. For more information on how to join this committee or others, please visit https://www.bayoulandconservancy.org/committees
The Office of the Chief Clerk for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will host a public hearing on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 on Lauren Concrete Inc’s proposed Air Quality Standard Permit for a permanent concrete batch plant with enhanced controls. The public will be allowed to either participate in, or observe, the hearing virtually. The hearing will begin at 6:00 PM.
If you are interested in joining this committee, please email info@bayouland.org
Christ the King Lutheran Church hosts a webinar featuring Dr. Bruce Race, FAIA, FAICP, Professor of Architecture at the University of Houston, as he considers how Houston could transition to a low carbon future. Texas is the historic global epicenter for the carbon economy. Oil and gas represent over one third of the state economy. Texas’ $1.9 trillion GDP, if a country, would make us the 9th largest in the world. We have over 50 Fortune 500 companies, including ExxonMobil (2nd) and ConocoPhillips (4th). Is Houston the next Detroit, or can we diversify our way to continued prosperity in a low-carbon economy? Dr. Bruce Race, FAIA, FAICP from the University of Houston will share his research on how energy conservation and shift to renewables will reshape Houston’s economy, development patterns, and mobility systems. Time will be provided for discussion with the audience after his talk. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions.