Calendar
The films presented by the Houston Green Film Series are free to public and funded by volunteer efforts, in-kind contributi
“There has to be a fuel revolution.”
-Donnie Tipton of Going Green Grease Recycling
Set in Houston, Texas in the shadow of the nation’s oil industry, Hot Grease tells the surprising story of how the biodiesel industry is turning an ostensibly worthless raw material, spent kitchen grease, into a renewable energy source capable of fueling cars, buses and fleets of trucks throughout the country.
The millions of gallons of cooking oil that our country’s restaurants use to fry up chicken, fries, and donuts used to end up as waste in landfills and pollutants in our waterways. But today, thanks to innovators, entrepreneurs, and politicians, it’s being turned into a functional fuel: biodiesel. Biodiesel reduces carbon emissions up to 85% compared to petroleum fuel, the equivalent of removing over 19 million cars from our highways. This film dives into the untapped market of biodiesel as it rapidly becomes a commodity and individuals dedicate their livelihood to making it an accessible fuel choice in Houston.
This month’s panelists & exhibitors:
Chris Powers, Houston Biodiesel
Jody Gibson, Energy Institute High School
Michael McClere, Dependable Cooking Oil
Alona Hernandez, Houston Public Works
Ted Driscoll, Galveston Bay Foundation
Free to the public, though donations are kindly appreciated. Rice Cinema is located at 2030 University Blvd, near Stockton and University.
- 6:30 PM Reception & Refreshments
- 7:00 PM Film Screening
- 8:00 PM Panel Discussion
- 9:00 PM The conversation continues at Valhalla, Rice University’s Graduate Student Pub
For questions about transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event go to https://park-trans.rice.edu/
The Texas Environmental Excellence Awards is an annual awards program that honors achievements in environmental preservation and protection. There are ten diverse award categories that provide citizens, communities, businesses, and organizations an opportunity to obtain the state’s highest environmental honor and be recognized for their environmental projects. The deadline for submission is September 27th.
Since 1993, they have honored more than 250 successful environmental projects and efforts. By honoring these winners, the TCEQ hopes to encourage others to initiate like-minded projects and reinforce a spirit of environmental stewardship. These are the categories:
- Agriculture
- Civic/Community
- Education
- Environmental Educator of the Year
- Individual
- Innovative Operations/Management
- Pollution Prevention
- Technical/Technology
- Water Conservation
- Youth

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Join us for the Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable Field Trip on Thursday, November 14, with a presentation and short walk at Spring Creek Nature Trail. We will meet at the recreation center at Rob Fleming Park, 6464 Creekside Forest Drive, The Woodlands.
Following the presentation and walk, we can meet at The Craft Grill for lunch on our own.
Transportation to and from H-GAC can be provided for up to 20 registrants. We will leave H-GAC at 8:30 a.m. The field trip officially ends at noon. Anyone riding with H-GAC will return at approximately 3 p.m.
Before the tour, please download the TravelStorys app to experience some of the features of the interactive tour available along the trail.
And be sure to plan to wear closed-toed shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty or even muddy. Spring Creek Nature Trail is a natural trail, so prepare for outdoor conditions.
The PNA Roundtable serves as a forum for discussion of issues related to parks and natural areas, promotes the PNA Award Program, and maintains a regional inventory of parks. The PNA roundtable facilitates information exchange and planning efforts between various stakeholders and collaborators to protect and preserve parks and natural areas across the region.
The PNA Roundtable meets the second Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November and is open to anyone interested in participating.
Get more information about the Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Roundtable.Â
To join the mailing list to find out updates about meetings and activities, email Andrea Tantillo.
Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church invites you to a monthly environmental education web meeting series whose theme in 2019 is environmental issues, and what you can do. In November, Lisa Brenskelle, head of the Lutherans Restoring Creation Team for the Texas Louisiana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will discuss the U.N.’s Global Environmental Outlook, a report issued earlier this year, and how faith enables our response to this ecological crisis. Lisa will address: What is our present ecological crisis? & What specific issues are central? She will examine the science that explains the present state of our world and the major environmental issues we face. Lisa will then consider how our faith both informs and enables our response to this crisis. The first half of this talk reviews the Global Environmental Outlook. The second half of the talk discusses how faith enables a response. Lisa holds a PhD in engineering, and has worked on a volunteer basis in earthkeeping ministry for decades. Join her for this thought-provoking talk! Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions about this talk.
Texas Trustee Implementation Group’s Annual Meeting Video Presentation: December 4
The Texas Trustee Implementation Group will hold its 2019 annual public meeting on December 4, 2019 via an online video presentation. The presentation will include an update on the work we have accomplished since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. We will  highlight a few of our ongoing restoration projects and present our plans for future efforts.
You will be able to view the video presentation at any time on December 4 from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., and you can watch it as many times as you would like. You will also have the opportunity to provide comments related to the presentation topics during the same date and times through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s public comment portal under the heading, “Texas TIG Annual Meeting Video Presentation.â€
- Date: December 4, 2019
- Time: 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. CT
- Link: Please view the video at: https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/public_comment/ under the “Texas TIG Annual Meeting Video Presentation†heading.
For your convenience a PDF of the presentation will be available through the Trustees’ Texas Restoration Area page on December 5, 2019. The comment portal will close at 11:59 p.m. on December 4. If you need special assistance, including language assistance, please contact TXDWHNRDA@tpwd.texas.gov by November 25, 2019
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Join the prairie community of southeast Texas and coastal Louisiana as we celebrate the great work happening locally to save, restore, and teach prairies. We will present awards to prairie champions and enjoy a delicious potluck dinner. Register today!
Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church invites you to a monthly environmental education web meeting series. In January, Jaime Gonzalez, Houston Urban Conservation Programs Manager for The Nature Conservancy, will highlight a variety of local environmental issues, and how local people/organizations are coming together to address them. He will explain tools used for environmental action mapping that make collective action more effective. And, he’ll speak about how all of us can work together to create positive environmental change in Houston. Join us online for this insightful talk! Contact Lisa Brenskelle at gcs.lrc@gmail.com with any questions about this talk.
Senior adults are invited to a variety of natural history programs, leisurely walks and fun nature activities every 1st Friday of the month. Meet at the nature center.