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.

The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. is sponsoring a Going Green Sustainability Lecture “Texas Forest Pests; Some Old and Some New”. Allen Smith, Forest Health Coordinator for East Texas for the Texas Forest Service, will speak to the group about the common threats to forest health in Texas and the region, as well as updating the group on the new threat to Ash and other tree species from the Emerald Ash Borer. For more information, visit www.thewoodlandsgreen.org/lectures.

On April 25, 2019, beginning at at 7 p.m., The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. is sponsoring a Going Green Sustainability Lecture by Mary Anne Weber, education director for Houston Audubon’s Raptor and Education Center, titled “Enraptured by Raptors: What Would We Do Without Them,” at the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), 8801 Gosling Road, The Woodlands. Weber will discuss the environmental benefits of these magnificent birds and the dangers they face in an urban and suburban setting. For more information, visit thewoodlandsgreen.org.

Environment for the Americas coordinates World Migratory Bird Day in North and South America to increase awareness and promote the conservation of migratory birds that we share across borders. Armand Bayou Nature Center will host a full day celebration dedicated to WMBD, featuring 3 Events for you to choose from.

1. Fun-filled Family Event (12-4 p.m.)
   • Lectures, games, and demos
   • Advance tickets available, no reservation required
2. Guided Morning Birding Hike (7-9 a.m.)
   • 1.5-mile hike
   • Reservations required (limited)
3. Behind The Scenes at the Rookery (9:30-11:30 a.m.)
   • Watch herons, egrets, ibis, spoonbills, and anhingas
   • Reservations required (limited)

The AIA Historic Resources committee welcomes Michael Kubo, PhD, Asst. Prof. of architectural history and theory at UofH College of Architecture & Design, to present Concrete & Steel: Reimagining the Modern, Thu, May 30, 6:00pm at Café Brasil. Register here.

Experts are alarmed that climate disruption could collapse our global civilization. In July 2018, U. K. sustainability professor Jem Bendell published the academic paper “Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy”. In it, he predicts the “near-term collapse in society with serious ramifications for the lives of readers”. He asks us to shift our focus to Deep Adaptation, that is, resilience, relinquishment, restoration and reconciliation.

Our speaker, Tim Mock, will summarize this academic paper.

Citizens took Bendell’s warning seriously. They dowloaded his paper 500,000 times. A growing movement of visionaries have repeated the call to action. In April, David Attenborough said in a special BBC TV program “… if we have not taken dramatic action within the next decade we could face irreversible damage to the natural world and the collapse of our societies. … if we better understand the threat we face, the more likely it is that we can avoid such a catastrophic future.”

In May, Australian experts issued a similar paper “Existential climate-related security risk”. They predict collapse of agriculture in the tropics and a billion climate refugees. They warn that unless we take serious action in the next decade, there’s a good chance society could collapse as soon as 2050.

On May 1, the UK Parliament declared an environmental and climate emergency. On June 14, Pope Francis declared a climate emergency.

The cloud of collapse has a silver lining. Only twice since 1970 have emissions dropped: the 1990 collapse of the Soviet Union and the near-collapse of the global economy in 2008.

The future is calling us to greatness says Reverend Michael Dowd.

Visit their website to register for this event.