Calendar
Cleanup supplies will be provided but please bring a mask, sun protection, a full water bottle, and wear closed-toe shoes. There are restrooms and a water refill station in the office for guest use.
If you have any questions, please email Sasha Francis with Galveston Bay Foundation at sfrancis@galvbay.org and/or Lisa Brenskelle with IENoH at brenskelle@aol.com.
Calling people of all faiths, or no faith at all, to care for our shared environment!  We will remove trash polluting a shoreline along Galveston Bay in Kemah, helping to restore the beautiful bay ecosystem and learn about pollution prevention at home. This event will offer activities for all ages and skill levels, so bring the whole family! Supplies will be provided. You just need your mask, sun protection, a reusable water bottle, and closed-toe shoes. This beach clean-up is organized by the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston in partnership with Galveston Bay Foundation. The event will be limited to 20 participants in two separate groups of 10 and social distancing guidelines will be followed. Registration for this event is limited and required for participation. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com or Sasha Francis at sfrancis@galvbay.org for more information.
Trash Bash® 2022 Returns to On-Site Cleanups!
The River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash® is excited to welcome back volunteers to the 28th annual cleanup of our Galveston Bay watershed on Saturday March 26, 2022!
​Trash Bash® is the largest, single-day waterway cleanup in Texas. New guidelines will be implemented at cleanup sites to help keep volunteers safe and maintain social distancing.
The Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston invites you to celebrate Earth Day/Month by joining our team for the online Earth Month EcoChallenge. This EcoChallenge focuses on the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, with categories of: basic needs & security, health & equity, education & livelihood, economy & communities and climate & ecosystems. You pick your challenges to complete during the month – to build a new sustainable habit, learn about an environmental issue, advocate for eco-justice, volunteer or spend more time in nature (among the many, many choices). Join the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston team & we’ll support each other along the journey. To sign up or to learn more, go to https://earthmonth.ecochallenge.org/. Questions? – Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com.
Experience forest bathing, led by a certified guide, followed by practice of the Christian spiritual discipline of the Earth Examen. Forest bathing, a practice that originated in Japan, involves taking in, in all of one’s senses, the forest atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. Forest bathing has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood and focus, enhance creativity, and lead to an increased sense of calm and altruistic behavior, in addition to other benefits such as boosting the immune system and lowering blood pressure. As Christians, we understand that God is present in God’s creation, and after our guided forest bath, we’ll spend some time considering the Earth Examen as we reflect both on our time spent forest bathing and on our relationship with all creation. This activity is for a small group and space is limited. Please register at www.eventbrite.com at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/forest-bathing-earth-examen-tickets-291848535827. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions.
Calling people of all faiths or no faith at all in Houston to care for our shared environment in observance of Earth Day/Month!  We will engage in hands-on environmental stewardship at the Willow Waterhole Conservation Reserve. This event will offer activities for all ages and skill. Meet at the Swartz Gazebo in the park to sign in. Metro bus line 7 stops nearby, and line 49 is not far. Tools/supplies will be provided. This event is organized by Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston, in partnership with the Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy. The conservancy requires signing of a waiver to participate. Please register for planning purposes on www.eventbrite.com at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-2022-interfaith-environmental-stewardship-event-tickets-273115956177. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com for more information.
Conservation Grants
Conservation Grants can be awarded to projects anywhere in Texas. In its first 25 years the Birding Classic has donated $1,071,000 in conservation funding to nature tourism and avian habitat restoration, enhancement, and acquisition projects throughout the state!
Number of grants awarded (and their amounts) are determined based on team registration fees (independent and sponsored) and corporate sponsorship dollars collected each year. The Birding Classic is a cost-recovery event, so once minimal event costs are covered all remaining funds go to conservation grants in Texas. Organizations are not required to register a team in the Birding Classic to be eligible to submit a project proposal.
All approved projects submitted by the May 1st deadline will be provided to winning Birding Classic teams to select which projects are funded by Conservation Grants.
The air quality in Harris County is influenced by multiple sources of pollution, including extensive road traffic, concrete batch plants, proximity to the largest petrochemical industrial complex in the United States, and port activities in the Houston Ship Channel. It is also important to note that environmental risks are not always uniformly distributed in urban areas like Houston, Harris County, and individuals classified with low socioeconomic status (SES) can become overburdened by environmental exposures. One pollutant of interest is particulate matter, specifically particulate matter of size 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5). PM2.5 is of particular interest because these fine particles pose the greatest risk to human health due to their small size and ability to reach multiple organs. There are long-term and short-term impacts of PM2.5 pollution on the human respiratory and cardiovascular organ systems. These short and long-term impacts may have contributed to poor outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19). The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted us all. An important public health objective is to identify key modifiable environmental factors that may contribute to the severity of the health outcomes related to this disease. Join Rachel White, MPH, PhD (c), University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, as she takes a deep dive into this topic and discusses how pollution may impact our understanding of respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19.  Time for interactive discussion with the speaker will be provided. Please register for this talk on www.eventbrite.com at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/is-there-an-association-between-air-pollution-and-covid-19-mortality-tickets-330848455637. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions.
Experience forest bathing, led by a certified guide, followed by practice of the Christian spiritual discipline of the Earth Examen. Forest bathing, a practice that originated in Japan, involves taking in, in all of one’s senses, the forest atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. Forest bathing has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood and focus, enhance creativity, and lead to an increased sense of calm and altruistic behavior, in addition to other benefits such as boosting the immune system and lowering blood pressure. As Christians, we understand that God is present in God’s creation, and after our guided forest bath, we’ll spend some time considering the Earth Examen as we reflect both on our time spent forest bathing and on our relationship with all creation. This activity is for a small group and space is limited. Please register at www.eventbrite.com. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions.
Calling people of all faiths or no faith at all in Houston to care for our shared environment!  We will engage in hands-on environmental stewardship at the Willow Waterhole Conservation Reserve, getting the park spruced up for MusicFest on Oct. 29. This event will offer activities for all ages and skill levels. Meet at the Schwartz Gazebo in the park to sign in. Metro bus line 7 stops nearby, and line 49 is not far. Tools/supplies will be provided. This event is organized by Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston, in partnership with the Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy. The conservancy requires signing of a waiver to participate. Please register for planning purposes on www.eventbrite.com at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-2022-interfaith-environmental-stewardship-event-tickets-405652576777. Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com for more information.