- The results are being filtered by the locality: Houston
American Institute of Chemical Engineers, South Texas Local Section
Purpose: To support the membership’s technical objectives through education, service, and fellowship.
Meetings: First Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m., Sept. through June. Please check the website for speaker, location, and topic.
Programs: Continuing education workshops at monthly meetings, which include environmental and process safety.
Major Events: Cosponsor Energy Conservation Forum with Texas Industries of the Future twice per year. See the website for the date and location.
Speakers Bureau: Contact Matt Kolodney, (713) 767-3752 (work), (713) 471-8956 (cell) or mkolodne@tceq.state.tx.us.
Chair: Dr. Thomas E. Rehm
sts-chairelect@aiche.org
Secretary: Debra McCall
sts-secretary@aiche.org
Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Purpose: To enhance the quality of urban life by providing safe, well-maintained parks and offering affordable programs for the community.
Major Events:
Jan – Arbor Day; Youth Tennis classes begin
Feb – Salt Grass Trail Ride; Adult sports leagues begin
Mar – Tour de Houston, Metal & Muscle Expo; Lake Houston Wilderness
Apr – Houston Children’s Festival, Japan Festival, Houston International Festival
May – Challenge Day, Summer Pool Opening
June – Summer Food Program begins, Golf Tourn; Hershey Track & Field Meet
Jul – Freedom Over Texas; Houston Pops July 4th Celebration
Oct – Asian-American Festival; Wildflower seed planting
Nov – Via Colori
Dec – Heritage Society Candlelight Tour, Holiday Tree Lighting
Year round – Lake Houston Park Nature Center events
School year – After School Enrichment Program
Volunteer Opportunities: Oneika McCarthy
(832) 395-7030 oneika.peters@houstontx.gov
Publications: Activities Catalog – Winter/Spring Issue Dec 1, Summer Issue
Apr 1, and Fall Issue Aug 1.
Member: Commission for Accreditation of Park & Recreation Agencies.
Steve Wright, Director
(832) 395-7050
steve.wright@houstontx.gov
Estella Espinosa, Division Manager, Communications
(832) 395-7022
estella.espinosa@houstontx.gov
Preservation Houston
Purpose: To promote the preservation and appreciation of Houston’s architectural and cultural historic resources through advocacy, education, and committed action; thereby creating economic value and developing a stronger sense of community.
Regular Meetings: Walking tours, second Sunday of each month.
Programs: Preservation advocacy, Historic Neighborhoods Council, Realtor programs, heritage education program, heritage tourism promotion, Museum of Houston digital archive and online museum.
Major Events: Good Brick Awards, Jan./Feb.; National Preservation Month Luncheon, May.
Volunteer Opportunities: Tour docents and ticket sellers. Research and photography of buildings.
Speaker’s Bureau: Contact Ramona Davis
Formerly Greater Houston Preservation Alliance.
David Bush; Acting Executive Director
dbush@preservationhouston.org
Kathleen Nuzzo, Preservation Services Coordinator
knuzzo@preservationhouston.org
Jim Parsons; Programs Director
jparsons@preservationhouston.org
Discovery Green Conservancy
Barry Mandel, President and Park Director
Maria Aguirre, Executive Assistant
Purpose: To provide an uncommonly beautiful, urban green space in the heart of Houston that serves as a village green for our city, a source of health and happiness for our citizens, and a window into the incredible diversity of talents and traditions that enrich life in Houston.
Programs: Managed by the Conservancy, this incredible Houston destination produces over 600 free events each year for 1.2 million visitors, and it receives no direct city funding.
Major Events: Sundays in the Park with games, yoga, zumba, live entertainment; ice skating rink in the winter; Houston’s first outdoor roller skating rink; outdoor movies, flea markets, exhibitions; recycling on Saturdays; Scream on the Green halloween costume contest; dynamic speakers at Discovery Discussions to name just a few.
Publications: Sign up online for the email newsletter.
Volunteer Opportunities: There are many varied events which use volunteers during the week and on the weekends. Please visit the website and sign up online.
Houston Audubon Society
Purpose: To advance the conservation of birds and positively impact their supporting environments. Founded in 1969.
Meetings: with speakers are held the second Thursday of alternate school months: Sept, Nov, Jan, March, & May at United Way Center at 50 Waugh Drive. See website for details. Houston Audubon Nature Photography Association (HANPA) meetings: Third Wednesdays of each month, Sept-May, 7 p.m., HAS headquarters.
Programs: Live bird outreach programs for schools, civic groups, libraries; field trips; guided tours of the Edith L. Moore Bird Sanctuary; birding classes. Children’s Activities: Community Outreach Programs, Bayou Buddies, Titmouse Club, Summer Camp, Family Nature Explore Club. Girl Scout badge programs and Girl/Boy Scout service projects.
Major Events: Spring Migration at High Island sanctuaries; Birdathon (Mar-Apr.); Annual gala “Avian Affair”; Christmas Bird Counts; Bird Week (end of Sept.)
Volunteer Opportunities: Gardening, trail guides, field research, trail crew, clerical, advocacy, events, photography, video editing, education, data entry, event support, translating, Young Professionals Advisory Council.
Speakers Bureau: Contact Mary Anne Weber maweber@houstonaudubon.org
Houston Audubon Society includes Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Waller, Washington and Wharton counties.
Helen E. Drummond, Executive Director
hdrummond@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 107
Rachel Schipul, Operations Manager
rschipul@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 104
Lauren Miheli, Volunteer Coordinator
lmiheli@houstonaudubon.org
713-932-1639 ext. 102
SPARK School Park Program
Purpose: The SPARK School Program works with schools and neighborhoods to develop community parks on public school grounds. In the past 30 years, SPARK has built over 200+ community parks throughout the Houston/Harris County area. Each park is unique, with its design based on ideas and needs of the school and surrounding neighborhoods. While all of the parks are different, a typical park consists of modular playground equipment, a walking trail, benches, picnic tables, trees, an outdoor classroom, and a public art component. SPARK Parks are available for public use during non-school hours and on weekends.
Programs: SPARK has built 200+ community parks in twelve different school districts throughout the Houston area. Each park is designed based on ideas and needs of the school and surrounding neighborhoods. While all of the parks are different, a typical park consists of modular playground equipment, a walking trail, benches, picnic tables, trees, an outdoor classroom, and a public art component.
Publications: SPARK Art calendar
Kathleen Ownby, Executive Director
(832) 393-0911
Kathleen@sparkpark.org
Elizabeth Howley, Assistant Director
(832) 393-0910
elizabeth@sparkpark.org
Vegan for Life
Purpose: Vegan for Life’s mission is to educate the public about the benefits of a plant-based diet, including the prevention of unnecessary killing and mistreatment of animals, protection of the environment, and good health. Vegan for Life aims to increase recognition of veganism as an effective approach that individuals can take to help save the planet and spread compassion. Some measures of success are the number of people who choose to be vegan, and the accommodation of vegans in restaurants, stores, and other institutions. In addition to outreach and educational efforts, Vegan for Life selectively conducts lawful actions towards preventing practices that harm non-human animals.
Events and Actions: Outreach campaigns; helping students form new vegan organizations; Guided discussions, presentations, and guest speaker engagements; activist training and educational programs; community building.
Volunteer Opportunities: Vegan for Life needs vegan interns or volunteers to maintain documentation and web presence, assist in event preparation, and handle such communication tasks as invitations and follow-up phone calls. Any creative vegan with dedication and professionalism can have opportunities to turn good ideas into effective actions.
Michael Battey, President
michael@vegan-for-life.org
Virginia Miller, Vice President and Treasurer
virginia@vegan-for-life.org
Central City Co-Op
Purpose: Our mission is to support sustainable, chemical free farming practices through offering both 1) sustainably raised local and 2) certified USDA organic national produce and farm goods to our community at the fairest prices possible. We were founded in September 2001.
Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church
Purpose: Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church was chartered in 1960 to serve the growing western suburbs of Houston. Proudly recognized as a Welcoming Congregation (LGBTQ friendly), Emerson Church invites people of all races, ethnicity, ages, gender identities, and sexual orientations to join us. The congregation has the diversity of spiritual beliefs, cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations that make Unitarian Universalism such a dynamic faith.
Programs: The Ministry for Earth group is large and active. This group promotes the seventh principle of the Unitarian Universalist Association: “…to affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” They learn about environmental issues; advocate public policies to protect the global environment; act locally in our homes, church and city; and connect spiritually with the web-of-all-existence. Specific programs include the Renewable Congregations Campaign, the Ethical Eating and Environmental Justice series, and Consumption and Sustainability Initiatives. Learn more at Ministry for Earth.
Volunteer Opportunities: Learn more at http://www.emersonhouston.org
Publications: Sign up for weekly email : https://emersonhouston.org/stay-connected/
Karen Van Horn, Business Administrator karen@emersonhouston.org
(713) 782-8250
Student Conservation Association
Purpose: To build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire stewardship of our environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land.
Programs: A year-round volunteer program and a paid summer job opportunity for high school students, each featuring hands-on outdoor service learning, camping and outdoor recreation. Additional paid and volunteer programs all over the country for students and adults.
Major Events: Martin Luther King Day and Earth Day.
Volunteer Opportunities: SCA offers local and national, paid and volunteer opportunities for ages 15 and up, in over 50 disciplines. These include paid Summer Community Crews, volunteer School Year Crews, Conservation and Education Corps and Internships all over the country. See our website for more details or contact Julie Mintzer.
Valeria De Casa, Houston Program Coordinator
(713) 520-1835
vcasas@thesca.org
The Nature Conservancy
Purpose: The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and water on which all life depends. With operations in all 50 states and 35 countries, and a staff of 3700 including 600 scientists, we are the world’s largest non-profit conservation organization. Since 1964, TNC in Texas has been protecting our state’s natural landscapes. In Texas, TNC owns 38 preserves and conservation properties and has protected almost 880,000 acres, including 250,000 acres of coastal land alone.
Publications: Electronic state newsletter, bimonthly national magazine.
Major Event: Annual gala.
Speakers Bureau & Children’s Activities: Call the Houston office.
Volunteer Opportunities: TNC has several preserves within an hour of Houston. These preserves have ongoing needs for habitat management, trail maintenance, light carpentry, cleanups, etc. Many activities are appropriate for families and groups. Indoor tasks might include organizing, painting, and clerical work. In the Houston office, volunteers help with special events, fundraising, outreach, marine science research, and clerical tasks.
Houston office information:
Jaime González, Houston Urban Conservation Program Manager
jaime.gonzalez
Adriane Arnold, Volunteer Coordinator
(713) 829-7093 (Cell)
(713) 807-8052 (Office)
adriane.arnold@tnc.org
Armand Bayou Nature Center
Purpose: To preserve 2,500 acres of vanishing coastal prairie, hardwood forest and bayou wilderness habitat and wildlife refuge; to give opportunities to experience and understand the remaining natural ecosystem; to reconnect people with nature.
Programs: Year–round adult, child, and family programs including Third Sundays in Nature Series, FREE to the public; Eco-Exploration pontoon boat and canoe trips; guided day and night hikes; Eco-Camp summer and holiday camps; Great Texas Birding Trail Site 81; Teachers can receive SBEC credit for classes. Speakers are available to come speak to your classroom or group, contact website or call for booking.
Major Events: Apr. – World Migratory Bird Day; May – Fundraising Dinner and Auction; Oct. – Creepy Crawlers; Nov. – Martyn Farm Harvest Festival; Dec. – Christmas Bird Count
Children’s Activities: Critter Corner, Connections and Bayou Studies classes; naturalist lead and self-guided school field trips; scout programs;
Volunteer Opportunities: Prairie Friday Team, Stewardship Saturday Team, Trail Guides and History Interpreters, Environmental Education Docents, Nature Center Maintenance Crew, Teen Volunteer Corps, BSA Venturing Crew, seasonal prairie and bayou marsh restoration.
Publications: Along the Bayou, Bayou Foliage
Tim Pylate: Executive Director
Phone: (281) 474-2551
Email: tim@abnc.org
Heather Millar
Phone: 713 274 2667
Email: heather@abnc.org
Mark Kramer
Phone: 713 274 2672
Email: mark@abnc.org
Houston Canoe Club
Purpose: Established in 1964, the Houston Canoe Club’s members are interested in all types of paddlesport from canoeing to kayaking, quietwater, whitewater, touring and racing. We do it all and have fun doing it. Canoe safety presentations are available for school groups.
Meeting Time: 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77074.
Volunteer Opportunities: Waterway clean-ups, habitat restoration, boating race safety/judging, water quality issues.
Publications: Monthly newsletter, The Waterline.
Bob Naeger, Commodore
bob.naeger@gmail.com
Levy Park Conservancy
Purpose: Levy Park is a six acre public green space in the Upper Kirby District which recently reopened after a $15 million renovation for the purpose of creating an entertainment and recreation destination for the immediate community and for the people of Greater Houston. The Upper Kirby Redevelopment Authority in partnership with the Upper Kirby District Foundation, funded the renovation and Levy Park’s many public amenities.
Park Amenities: The redeveloped park features curated, year-round programming among native landscaping and botanical gardens and a one of a kind children’s play area. At the Performance Pavilion is the stage and an event lawn that accommodates audiences of up to 3,000 people. The Promenade features a market row, fixed and moveable seating, and power outlets, among tree topiary elements. The Activity Lawn offers space for lawn games, picnicking, as well as a putting green. Additional amenities include tables and chairs, including rocking chairs, a reading room with books and periodicals free to use, outdoor table tennis and foosball, and carts with board games and art supplies. The Play Area offers an overlook boardwalk into the live oak canopy, and interactive garden, a program amphitheater, a climbing wall and community slide, and interactive water features. Levy Park also has a dog park and the community gardens include 27 garden plots and fruit trees.
Programs: Weekly boot camp, yoga, zumba, tai chi, MET Dance for kids and adults, meditation, poetry, events from Young Audiences of Houston, Houston Public Library Story Hour, Houston Museum of Natural Science, lunar and planetary programs, concerts, and film series.
Shell Center for Sustainability at Rice U
Purpose: The Shell Center for Sustainability’s mission is to foster an interdisciplinary program of research, outreach, and education to address actions that can be taken to ensure the sustainable development of communities’ living standards, interpreted broadly, to encompass all factors affecting the overall quality of life. In our Vision, the Shell Center for Sustainability is the regional expert in Gulf Coast sustainable development by fostering academic research, outreach and education initiatives in interdisciplinary partnerships and through collaborations that extend outreach from the Florida Keys to the Yucatan Peninsula with strong focus in the Houston and Galveston Region.
Programs: The Center supports faculty research on critical matters such as understanding ozone formation and the impact of invasive species on biodiversity. We foster awareness of sustainability issues among our students by providing unusual opportunities to learn about how diverse elements of society may contribute to the sustainability of our planet.
Events: Land Use Conference, Research, Outreach, Presentations, Reports and Publications.
Publications: Shell Center for Sustainability Annual Report, Quality of Life
Atlas, Sustainable Communities and Public Education. All accessible online.
Speakers: Yes – Video presentations available online.
Dr. John B. Anderson, Academic Director
713-348-4884
johna@rice.edu
Lilibeth André, Associate Director
Operations, Administration & Public Relations
713-348-2796
Lilibeth.Andre@rice.edu
Rice Environmental Analysis Program
Purpose: Rice Environmental Analysis is teaches students rigorous methods that are needed by industrial and governmental organizations to deal with environmental issues.
Programs: The Environmental Analysis program includes track courses, a management course, a policy and ethics course, and a seminar with the students involved in the other Professional Master’s Program tracks. It is a cross-disciplinary effort that incorporates courses from environmental science, earth science, statistics, chemistry, ecology and evolutionary biology, mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, chemical engineering, economics, computer science, and sociology.
Major Events: Rice Professional Science Master’s Corporate Reception, 1/30/19
Dagmar Beck, Director
dkbeck@rice.edu
Lindsey Hodge, PSM Program Administrator
lh29@rice.edu
Houston Community ToolBank
Purpose: The Houston Community ToolBank is a nonprofit tool lending program that stewards an inventory of tools for lending to charitable organizations to increase the impact of their mission-related efforts in the community. With year-round access to an inventory of tools for use in volunteer projects and facility and grounds maintenance, the ToolBank provide resources to enhance the charitable sector’s capacity to serve, facilitating hands-on volunteerism in the greater Houston area. Access to ToolBank tools eliminates the need for agencies to incur the expense of purchasing, repairing, and storing tools, reducing the costs associated with service projects and allowing these agencies to focus more of their resources on their mission.
Programs: Tools are deployed in many different capacities to organizations with mission critical areas such as community and school gardens, home repair, green space clean-up, tree planting, playground builds, and much more. The ToolBank offers knowledgeable staff to help member organizations plan a productive and positive project experience.
Membership is free and open to all nonprofit/charitable/tax exempt organizations. Members pay a handling fee equal to 3% of the retail value of the tool per week for up to 8 weeks. To become a member, apply online at http://www.houstontoolbank.org/borrow-tools.
Visit http://www.houstontoolbank.org to learn more about the Houston Community ToolBank and its upcoming events.
Erika Hornsey, Executive Director
erika.hornsey@toolbank.org
Nancy Clippard, Facility & Program Manager
nancy.clippard@toolbank.org
Bayou Preservation Association, Inc.
Purpose: To celebrate, protect and restore the natural richness of all our bayous and streams.
Founded in 1966 to protect and restore the richness and diversity of our waterways through activism, advocacy, collaboration and education. BPA monitors water quality, plans clean-ups for bayous, restores habitat, reviews permit applications and sponsors seminars on flood reduction.
Sarah P. Bernhardt, President & CEO
Robert L. Rayburn, Board Chair
Linda R. Shead, Board Vice Chair
Eric Ruckstuhl, Stream Corridor Restoration Consultant
Wildlife Center of Texas
Purpose: WCT was formed to care for injured, ill and orphaned wildlife through rehabilitation, public education and release in the Greater Houston / Upper Gulf Coast region. Each year the WCT cares for over 10,000 thousand injured or orphaned wild animals including over 300 different species. The WCT is Houston’s first trauma hospital that accepts all native injured, ill and orphaned wildlife. The Center is funded by the generous donations of the general public and corporations and receives no government funding.
Meetings: Monthly volunteer orientation meetings (excl. Dec. & Jan.) on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 10 a.m.- 12 noon. For information and to RSVP, contact Margaret at volunteer@wildlifecenteroftexas.org.
9-6 M-F; 9–4 S & S Mar-Aug; 9-4 daily Sept-Feb
Programs: Wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education, oiled wildlife training and response for the Gulf coast states and wildlife disaster response.
Major events: Annual Fundraiser Golf Tournament in the spring. Annual Open House in the fall.
Publications: Online newsletter. http://www.WildlifeCenterofTexas.org
Speakers Bureau: Trained speakers are available on the following topics: peaceful coexistence; responsible environmental stewardship; how to tell if an animal requires intervention; reuniting moms and babies; dealing with “nuisance” animals, and oiled wildlife response training workshops.
Sharon Schmalz, Executive Director.
sharonschmalz@wildlifecenteroftexas.org
BikeHouston, Inc.
Purpose: The mission of BikeHouston is to promote safe bicycling and to improve the quality of life in the Houston area.
Goals
-secure equitable access to regional facilities, lands and roads
-educate the public about rights and responsibilities of bicyclists
-promote public awareness of the personal and community benefits of cycling
Meeting Time: Varies, see website.
Programs: Offer a free bike safety class to teach people how to ride bikes, how to ride safely in traffic, and how to drive safely.
Major Events: Houston Moonlight Bicycle Ramble, Bike Month and Bike to Work Day in May; Effective Cycling (adult safety/skills) classes.
Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers are welcome to join any aspect of the organization, especially the Moonlight Bicycle Ramble and other rides.
Joe Cutrufo. Executive Director
info@bikehouston.org
The CEC has a searchable, web-based version of the Environmental Resource Guide. You may also download older versions of the printed guide below.
Archived Resource Guides