Jean Hill, a fiery octogenarian, is deeply concerned about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the world’s largest landfill. Since 2010, she has spearheaded a grassroots campaign to ban the sale of single-serve plastic bottled water in her hometown of Concord, Massachusetts. She spends her golden years attending city council meetings and cold calling residents. So far, her attempts to pass a municipal bylaw have failed.

As she prepares for one last town meeting, Jean faces the strongest opposition yet, from local merchants and the International Bottled Water Association. But her fiercest challenge comes from Adriana Cohen, mother, model and celebrity publicist-turned-pundit, who insists the bill is an attack on freedom.

When Adriana thrusts Jean’s crusade into the national spotlight, it’s silver-haired senior versus silver-tongued pro. In the same town that incited the American Revolution and inspired Thoreau’s environmental movement, can one senior citizen make history? A tense nail-biter of a vote will decide.

6:30 PM conversation, networking, and a light meal
7:00 PM film screening, followed by a panel discussion

Free to the public, though donations are kindly appreciated.

Rice Media Center is located at 2030 University Blvd, near Stockton and University.

The least expensive University parking is in the lot on the West Side of the stadium. Enter on Greenbriar, drive to the most southeastern spot you can find, then walk along University towards Stockton.

A Fierce Green Fire: The Battle for a Living Planet is the first big-picture exploration of the environmental movement – grassroots and global activism spanning fifty years from conservation to climate change. Directed and written by Mark Kitchell, Academy Award-nominated director of Berkeley in the Sixties, and narrated by Robert Redford, Ashley Judd, Van Jones, Isabel Allende and Meryl Streep.

Inspired by the book of the same name by Philip Shabecoff and informed by advisors like Edward O. Wilson, A Fierce Green Fire chronicles the largest movement of the 20th century and one of the keys to the 21st. It brings together all the major parts of environmentalism and connects them. It focuses on activism, people fighting to save their homes, their lives, the future – and succeeding against all odds.

6:30 PM conversation, networking, and a light meal
7:00 PM film screening, followed by a panel discussion

Free to the public, though donations are kindly appreciated.

Rice Media Center is located at 2030 University Blvd, near Stockton and University.

The least expensive University parking is in the lot on the West Side of the stadium. Enter on Greenbriar, drive to the most southeastern spot you can find, then walk along University towards Stockton.

Join the Green Building Resource Center in celebrating their tenth year anniversary. Stop by to network and enjoy light refreshments as you catch up with their environmental initiatives and hear from their two new leaders, Paula Paciorek of Houston Public Works and Marissa Aho. This is a free event and is open to the public. Please RSVP Steve.stelzer@houstontx.gov or 832-394-9050.

Join Houston Renewable Energy for a networking breakfast and discussion highlighting the latest trends in renewable energy development in Texas and around the U.S. The discussion will feature Vice President of the North American Development at Pattern Energy, Cary Kottler.

This workshop, led by CTRA, will focus on needs and solutions specific to rural recycling centers and options for rural communities to support sustainable programs. For further information visit www.facebook.com/events

Shell Educators’ Preview: Start your evening at 4 p.m. and earn one hour of CPE credit while viewing our newly renovated George W. Strake Hall of Malacology.

HMNS’ Educator Members will have an opportunity to speak to Tina Petway, the
Museum’s Associate Curator of Malacology, during the Shell Educators’ Preview.
As a special treat, all guests will also be able to visit our newest special exhibition,
Art of the Brick until 6:00 p.m.!

The Educator Event @HMNS: Continue your evening with us starting at 5 p.m.
and earn up to three additional hours of CPE credit depending on which
programming you attend. HMNS is featuring several ways to earn CPE credit from
attending workshops to taking a guided tour to seeing a show in our Planetarium.
Educators are able to earn a total of up to 4 hours of CPE credit while attending
HMNS’, An Evening for Educators!

Registration Information
Educators: Free
Non-Educators: $10.00

(Pricing includes entry to the George W. Strake Hall of Malacology and Art of the Brick)
Registration begins Tuesday, July 30th and ends Wednesday, October 2nd.
Please complete the online form at hmns.org/eveningforeducators to reserve your spot. For questions, contact educatorevent@hmns.org.

The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. is sponsoring a FREE Going Green Sustainability lecture: “Mycophile or Mycophobe–we all need mushrooms” with guest speaker, Teri MacArthur, Certified Texas Master Naturalist. This event is free and open to the public.

Rain is as important as carbon dioxide in cooling our planet. People must restore trees and soil to restore the water cycle.

The image above shows how trees pump huge amounts of water back into the air and create more rain further inland. It is a river in the sky.

When folks started climate modeling, to simplify, they ignored water vapor and focused on carbon dioxide. But the water cycle is 95% of planetary cooling while carbon dioxide is only 5%, according to Dr. Walter Jehne. We need to keep on reducing emissions, but it’s time to also work on restoring ecosystems and their soils. Besides this may be an easier and faster way to make a difference.

To learn more and register to this event visit Coolingourplanet

The combination of IoT and big data analytics allow cities to imagine ways to be more efficient, resilient, sustainable in many fields like energy, building, mobility, utilities, safety, waste management and so on.

But Smart city solutions are not only designed for cities. They are also highly attractive for universities, hospitals and large companies to improve the management of their assets and their consumption of energy and natural resources.

What is the reality of the smart city concept?

What is going on in Houston and elsewhere in the US?

What are the main solutions provided by the vendors to the MUSH market and to the companies?

Attend our event to get a glimpse of what the city, corporates and startups have to offer to build a smart city.

SPEAKERS

Introduction:

• Franck Avice, President, French-American Chamber Of Commerce Houston
• Christine Galib, Director, Ion Smart Cities Accelerator

Moderator:

• William Fulton, Director at Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University

Panelists:

• Jessie Bounds, Director of Innovation, City Of Houston
• Kimberly Jonhston, National Tax Partner Energy, Ernst & Young
• Roger Flud, Smart City Specialist & Sales Team Leader, Schneider Electric
• Bruce Rutherford, International Director, JLL

AGENDA

5:30pm: Check-in/Networking; 6:00pm: Panel Discussion; 7:30pm: Networking Cocktail

Parking available at Green Street Garage on Fannin Street or on street after 6pm for free.

Interested in Urban Forestry? Come join Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, HAUFC and ISA-TX for a great day of education. Topics include: Emerald Ash Borer – Coming to a City Near You, Using Tree Growth Regulators to Reduce Pruning Costs, and Greening the Houston Region – Partnerships and Projects that Support the Urban Forest.