HOUSTON ADVANCED RESEARCH CENTER – SUSTAINABLE HOUSING AND GREEN BUILDING
Date: Wed, Nov 15
Time: 6 – 9 pm
Location: University of Houston, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, Room 150; park in lot 16B for free
Fee: Free; but Pre-registration required
Contact: Register at (281) 364-4010 or with Julie at jotoole@harc.edu; information at www.harc.edu/harc/projects/CultivateGreen

Complete Description:
Presentations by Michael Myers, who works in Energy and Environmental Services for Lockheed Martin, and Subrato Chandra, Ph.D. from the Florida Solar Energy Center. This seminar will focus on the basics of sustainable housing – why we need it and the house as a system. A general overview of the various green building programs in the State of Texas will be shared to open the discussion and set the stage. Included within the broader topic will be a discussion of the fundamentals of energy efficient design and construction for hot and humid climates. There will also be a conversation about the advanced topics of enhancing indoor air quality, appropriate strategies for mechanical ventilation and durable and disaster resistant construction. One of the unique opportunities this program presents is the expertise of the Florida Solar Energy Center and its extensive experience. The presenters will also share in depth knowledge and experience from the DOE’s Building America case studies. Cultivate Green is pleased to offer Houston area residents the opportunity to explore and understand more of what sustainable housing can mean to you, your family, and the environment. Come to this workshop and increase your knowledge by gaining tactics that can help you to make decisions in your home and at work. People employed in home building, remodeling, and real estate as well as homeowners will benefit from this workshop.

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL – WORKSHOP – THE BUSINESS CASE FOR GREEN DEVELOPMENT
Date: Wed, Nov 8
Time: 8 am – 1 pm
Location: United Way Building, 50 Waugh Drive (at Feagan)
Fee: $100 per person; pre-registration required
Contact: www.usgbc-houston.org to register for this event

Complete Description:
On November 8, 2006, the U.S. Green Building Council Greater Houston Area Chapter (USGBC GHAC) is sponsoring a workshop by Jerry Yudelson entitled “The Business Case for Green Development.” This event is a “don’t miss” for those who want to learn why green developments are becoming so prevalent in communities across the nation. Attendees will learn from actual case studies about why green building projects yield a greater return on investment for owners and developers. Jerry will discuss marketing strategies to differentiate green properties and show why green buildings lease more quickly and generate higher lease rates. Jerry Yudelson is a recognized green building and marketing expert. In order to keep the workshop interactive and increase value to attendees, we have elected to limit the audience to 100 people. The cost is $100 per person. We expect to sell out well before the event, so register now to insure your reservation. Attendees will receive a complete package of information to take away with them. The workshop will provide the opportunity to work with other participants on green development example problems and to ask questions of Jerry and other green building experts. Come enjoy this unique learning opportunity.

HOUSTON ZOO WILD WHEELS CLASS (AGES 30 MONTHS AND UNDER + A PARENT)
Date: Tue, Oct 31
Time: 9:15 am
Location: Houston Zoo – gift shop entrance
Fee: $10 per class for 1 adult + 1 child in stroller; pre-registration required
Contact: (713) 533-6550 or www.houstonzoo.org

Complete Description:
Bring your child and stroller to the Zoo on Tuesday mornings for an hour of fun and learning together. We will meet inside the front entrance by the gift shop an stroll together through a particular part of the Zoo. Our track will lead us to the Brown Education Center for a touchable animal encounter to conclude the lesson.

JESSE JONES PARK VOLUNTEERS – OCTOBER MONTHLY MEETING
Date: Mon, Oct 30
Time: 7 pm
Location: Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, 20634 Kenswick Drive
Fee: Free
Contact: (281) 446-8588

Complete Description:
The JJPV invite everyone to their monthly program and meeting. For ages 16+.

THE PROGRESIVE FORUM – FRANK RICH LECTURE
Date: Sun, Oct 29
Time: 7:30 pm Program
Location: The Wortham Center, Cullen Theater (Private Patron Reception at 6:30 pm in the Green Room)
Fee: Tickets $19 to $59. Patron tickets of $110 include preferred seating location, private patron reception with the speaker, and a free autographed book. All tickets $5 more at the door.
Contact: www.progressiveforumhouston.org or call (832) 251-0706, 9 am to 9 pm any day

Complete Description:
Frank Rich is Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times and author of The Greatest Story Ever Sold. Frank Rich, known for his candor and conviction, has been a New York Times columnist for 12 years.

ARTIST BOAT ECO-ART ADVENTURE – CHRISTMAS BAY SUNSET CANOE TRIP
Date: Sun, Oct 29
Time: 2 – 6 pm
Location: west Galveston; please call for details
Fee: Trip costs are $20 if you have your own equipment (kayak or canoe, paddle, PFD). Equipment is available to rent with advance reservation for an additional $20 per person.
Pre-registration and Pre-payment is required as space is limited.
Contact: Artist Boat at (409) 770-0722 or www.artistboat.org or info@artistboat.org

Complete Description:
Skill level for this trip: easy paddle
For the adventurous as well as romantic, experience the most enchanting place to watch a sunset on Galveston Bay and view pristine salt marsh and seagrass habitats.
While exploring Galveston Bay’s tranquil habitats, you can make your own watercolor painting to reflect creatively the immense beauty, wonder and diversity of life contained in our coastal margins. Bring your own lunch and water. Don’t forget to dress for a paddling adventure.

JESSE H. JONES PARK & NATURE CENTER – BATS & BOXES
Date: Sun, Oct 29
Time: 2 pm
Location: Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, 20634 Kenswick Drive
Fee: Free; but Reservations required
Contact: (281) 446-8588

Complete Description:
Join park naturalist James McNatt and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologist Meg Goodman for an educational experience about the mysterious bats of Texas. Distinguish between fact and fiction, and why these flying mammals are beneficial to the environment. Afterward, build your own bat box. One bat box per family. For ages 7+. Reservations required beginning Thursday, October 19.

HOUSTON ZOO – ZOO BOO
Date: Sun, Oct 29
Time: 12 – 5 pm
Location: Houston Zoo
Fee: Houston Zoo admission only if not a member
Contact: www.houstonzoo.org or (713) 533-6500

Complete Description:
For the last 13 years, Zoo Boo has attracted thousands of families to the Houston Zoo where they are guaranteed safe Halloween fun with a wild twist. This Zoo event has grown into Houston’s largest Halloween celebration and this year it will be bigger and better than ever. Zoo Boo will take place over two weekends and feature the kid-friendly “Happy Haunt”, over 300 carved pumpkins, trick or treating, howling contest, magicians, special sea lion show, and more, all included in the regular price of admission. Join in the fun as we celebrate the spookiest season of the year at the Houston Zoo. No Pre-registration required. No additional fee besides Zoo admission if not a member.

JESSE H. JONES PARK & NATURE CENTER – SUNDAY MORNING BICYCLING
Date: Sun, Oct 29
Time: 8 am – 12 pm
Location: Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, 20634 Kenswick Drive
Fee: Free
Contact: (281) 446-8588

Complete Description:
The trails are open for bicycling.

HOUSTON AUDUBON SOCIETY GALVESTON GROUP MEETING – BATS
Date: Thu, Oct 26
Time: 6:30 pm Social, 7 pm Program
Location: Rosenberg Library, Wortham Auditorium
Fee: Free
Contact: Alice Anne O-Donell at (409) 772-3126

LAKE HOUSTON PARK – SPIDERS, SCORPIONS AND SNAKES
Date: Sat, Oct 28
Time: 2 pm
Location: Lake Houston Park, 22301 Baptist Encampment Road, New Caney, TX
Fee: $3 per person park admission fee for ages 13 and up
Contact: (281) 354-6881

Complete Description:
In the Halloween spirit, learn more about venomous spiders, scorpions, and snakes. Visit Lake Houston Park on Saturday, October 28 at 2 pm to separate myth from fact about these often misunderstood venomous creatures. Free and open to all ages.

TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND – WEST GALVESTON ISLAND STAKEHOLDER PRIORITIES MEETING
Date: Sat, Oct 28
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Location: National Marine Fisheries Service, Ballroom, Galveston, TX
Fee: Free; but reservations are requested
Contact: RSVP to Holli Swick at (713) 226-7200 or holli.swick@tpl.org

Complete Description:
West Galveston Island is changing rapidly. Areas that were once characteristic of the West End – wide open spaces, broad views of prairies, wetlands, and water – are being replaced by the signs of a growing economy. The West Galveston Island Priorities Meeting is the chance for Galvestonians to weigh in on the priorities for the future of the West Galveston Island community. The Trust for Public Land is working with the City of Galveston and the Galveston Bay Estuary Program of TCEQ to conduct this project to develop strategies to retain the local character of the West End and preserve the cherished land and water resources that Galvestonians depend upon. At the October 28 Priorities Meeting, stakeholders will prioritize – vote on – the conservation issues earlier identified by stakeholders. Trust for Public Land began working with a local Technical Advisory Committee and a Coordinating Committee to define the criteria of the community’s conservation priorities, which are: (1) Protect Habitat, (2) Protect Shoreline, (3) Provide Drainage and Flood Management, (4) Preserve the Island’s Local Character, and (5) Provide Access and Connectivity for Public Recreation. The priorities will be modeled with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to produce “greenprint” maps. The maps become part of a larger land conservation initiative that aims to meet community needs. The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. In Texas, Trust for Public Land has conserved over 30,000 acres and more than 12,500 acres in the Houston/Galveston area, including the Sam Houston National Forest, Spring Gully, and Buffalo Bend.

JESSE H. JONES PARK & NATURE CENTER – PIONEER OPEN HOUSE
Date: Sat, Oct 28
Time: 1 – 4 pm
Location: Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, 20634 Kenswick Drive, Redbud Hill Homestead
Fee: Free
Contact: (281) 446-8588

Complete Description:
Enjoy a look around the Redbud Hill Homestead and the Akokisa Indian Villlage. For all ages.

HOUSTON ZOO – ZOO BOO
Date: Sat, Oct 28
Time: 12 – 5 pm
Location: Houston Zoo
Fee: Houston Zoo admission only if not a member
Contact: www.houstonzoo.org or (713) 533-6500

Complete Description:
For the last 13 years, Zoo Boo has attracted thousands of families to the Houston Zoo where they are guaranteed safe Halloween fun with a wild twist. This Zoo event has grown into Houston’s largest Halloween celebration and this year it will be bigger and better than ever. Zoo Boo will take place over two weekends and feature the kid-friendly “Happy Haunt”, over 300 carved pumpkins, trick or treating, howling contest, magicians, special sea lion show, and more, all included in the regular price of admission. Join in the fun as we celebrate the spookiest season of the year at the Houston Zoo. No Pre-registration required. No additional fee besides Zoo admission if not a member.

WOODLANDS WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL
Date: Sat, Oct 28
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Cochran’s Crossing Shopping Center in The Woodlands
Fee: Free; bring money to buy plants
Contact: www.thewoodlands.net

Complete Description:
Roberta Ackels and fellow members of The Woodlands Garden Club are busy potting cuttings to sell at their booth at The Woodlands Wildflower Festival. The potted cuttings might include such flowering plants as: plumeria, night-blooming cereus, angel’s trumpet, walking iris, hummingbird bush, and succulents.

JESSE H. JONES PARK & NATURE CENTER – CARNIVOROUS PLANTS
Date: Sat, Oct 28
Time: 10 am
Location: Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, 20634 Kenswick Drive, Humble, TX
Fee: Free
Contact: (281) 446-8588

Complete Description:
Jesse H. Jones Park’s carnivorous plant bog is in full splendor, so come learn about the world of “beautiful and bizarre” plants and how they attract and capture prey. Take home a free plant! Limit one plant per family. For all ages.

URBAN HARVEST CLASS – CONSTRUCTING NATURE PONDS AND WETLANDS
Date: Sat, Oct 28
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: South Main/Butler Stadium area; please call for location & directions
Fee: $30 ($10 for Urban Harvest members); Pre-registration required
Contact: Register at (713) 880-5540; www.urbanharvest.org for details

Complete Description:
Learn to build a nature pond and wetland and stock it with fish and Gulf Coast wetland plants. Instructor Ron Jones is a specialist in the creation and restoration of ponds and wetlands with the U.S. Fisheries and Wildife Service.