Date: February 28, 2009
Time: 9 am – 3 pm
Location: Harris County Extension Office, 3033 Bear Creek Drive, Houston, TX 77084
Cost: $20 per person, lunch and snacks included

Description:
BRINGING NATURE HOME: HOW NATIVE PLANTS IN OUR GARDENS SUSTAIN WILDLIFE
Flo Hannah, Houston Audubon Society Sanctuary Steward

DESIGNING WITH NATIVES
Diana Foss, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

LIGHT POLLUTION: RISKS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR HEALTH
Dr. Phil Inderwiesen, George Observatory Volunteer

BUILDING HOMES FROM RECYCLABLE MATERIALS
Dan Phillips, Homebuilder, Phoenix Commotion

LOW COST ENERGY SAVING IDEAS FOR YOUR HOME
Jeff Kaplan, Owner, New Living Hardware

DOOR PRIZES! EXHIBITS! MORE!

Discover cost saving strategies, City of Houston Environmental plans, gardening smart with native plants, decrease maintenance costs for your home, choose Low Maintenance plants, find out about Invasive plants, Yardwise demonstrations, Composting strategies, Continuing Education Units for teachers

For more information use the following link and go to the bottom of the page, for the Saturday event information:

http://gcmn.tamu.edu/page.asp?o=tmn&s=gc&p=217807

Houston Audubon Society is getting ready for the birds, with calls to action, classes, and a gala to celebrate. (more…)

World Wildlife Fund is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour – to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate their commitment to finding solutions. March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm. More at www.earthhourus.org.

Hurricane Ike decimated many Purple Martin houses and old buildings where Barn Owls nest. Houston Audubon is stepping up with an important recovery effort for these species on the Bolivar Peninsula. (more…)

Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Aurora Picture Show, and The Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI) present a drive-in screening of industrial and informational films on the subject of oil, at the site of a former auto junkyard on Buffalo Bayou on Saturday, February 28, 2009, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. (more…)

The Grand Parkway is considered a controversial project. This week, three government agencies are making decisions about the parkway: Harris County Commissioners Court, the Texas Transportation Commission, and the Transportation Policy Council. More information can be found at www.houstontomorrow.org.

Houston Audubon is seeking two Sanctuary Management Interns to work primarily at High Island and the Bolivar Peninsula. (more…)

• 16 February
• Rail improvement may finally start chugging (Houston Business Journal)
• Metro teams up with Google Transit (Guidry News)
• 18 February
• 73 trees moving from Houston bayou to Hermann Park (Houston Chronicle)
• Urban farmer keeps green thumb busy in 5th Ward (Houston Chronicle)
• Vote on rail contract is put off until March (Houston Chronicle)
• Houston G residents want deteriorating roads reconstructed, park restored (Houston Chronicle)
• Is the train about to leave the station? (Galveston Daily News)
• Galveston County approves burn ban (Guidry News)
• 19 February
• Advocate of livable cities sees the big, detailed picture (Houston Chronicle)
• Critical wildfire danger predicted for much of Texas (Texas Forest Service)
• Six Groups: Add Houston to bad air list (Houston Chronicle)
• Taylor Lake City Council votes to approve a tree adoption program (Guidry News)
• BP to pay $180 million to settle pollution case (Houston Chronicle)
• 20 February
• The future gets brighter for solar power (Houston Chronicle)
• County getting ozone monitor (Fort Bend Herald Coaster)
• BP Products to Pay Nearly $180 Million to Settle Clean Air Violations at Texas City Refinery (Guidry News)
• Metro to get $92 million from stimulus (Houston Chronicle)
• 21 February
• Event aims to create next generation of scientists (Houston Chronicle)
• Baytown to save more the $260K with [green] upgrades (Baytown Sun)
• >Houston Rockets host recyling drive (KHOU)
• >Rockets lead e-cycling drive (KTRK)
• 22 February
• Humidity expands global warming, TAMU scholar claims (Guidry News)
• Green quiz: Are you a friend of the planet? (Houston Chronicle)
• 24 February
• MSU Galveston responds to grounded ship tank (Guidry News)
• Friendswood City Council approves bond election proposition that includes park improvements (Guidry News)

THE CITY’S AUTHORITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS

DATE: Thursday, February 21

TIME: 7:00 p.m.

CONTACT: www.mothersforcleanair.org

Complete Description:
Paulette Wolfson, City of Houston Attorney, presents “The City’s Authority and Environmental Inspections.”

NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY- LINEAR FORESTS IN HOUSTON’S ESPLANADES

Date: Thursday, February  19
Time: 7:00 -7:30 pm Social Time, 7:30 pm Presentation
Location: Houston  Arboretum and Nature Center in Memorial Park
Fee: none
Contact: Linda Knowles at (281) 558-3710 or http://www.npsot.org\houston

Complete Description:

Presented by Houston Parks Director Joe Turner

TAEP – ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND INNOVATIONS CONFERENCE: GULF COAST 2009
Date: Thu, Feb 19, 2009
Time: please call or check website for time
Location: please call or check website for location
Fee: please call or check website for fee
Contact: register or obtain information at www.taep.org

CEC’s Annual Meeting will be on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Kirksey (6909 Portwest, Houston, TX 77024). (more…)

Volunteers needed in Memorial Park. Volunteer to help students improve habitat in Memorial Park, March 9-13. (more…)

Early registration for Gulf Coast Green is now open. Gulf Coast Green Early Registration:
 Early Bird registration is now open for the Gulf Coast Green 2009 Symposium & Houston Green Expo (April 16-19, 2009 at Reliant Park in Houston). (more…)

• 10 February
• BP CEO: World must tackle energy crisis (Houston Business Journal) http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2009/02/09/daily24.html?ana=e_du_pub
• 11 February
• Key Democrat says offshore drilling ban may not return (Houston Chronicle) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6259493.html
• Oil Industry Ready to Work on Global Warming (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/science/earth/12oil.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
• Water district sets funds for public relations effort (Houston Chronicle) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/conroe/news/6256505.html
• Harris County approves electronics and computer “take back” recycling programs (Guidry News)
  http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000015426
• Filled with Trash Instead of Paper, Recycling Bins Removed from GISD Campuses (Guidry News) http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000015427
• The MIT Sustainability Interview: Hundreds of Gallons of Water in Every Shirt http://sloanreview.mit.edu/beyond-green/hundreds-of-gallons-of-water-in-every-shirt/
• 12 February
• CERA Week: Coal has staying power (Houston Chronicle) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6261474.html
• Mayor White Announces a Project That Will Reduce Energy and Save Money (Mayor’s Office, City of Houston) http://www.greenhoustontx.gov
• 13 February
• Angleton OKs trash rate hike (Brazoria County Facts)
  http://thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=7f9dfdf1342d9adf
• Tree sale set for Saturday (Huntsville Item)
  http://www.itemonline.com/local/local_story_043204306.html
• Cycling Notebook: Access for riders still needs some work (Houston Chronicle) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6259352.html
• 16 February
• Extremely critical wildfire danger alert for much of Texas (Guidry News) http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000015536
• Metro teams up with google transit (Guidry News)
  http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000015514

HIGH ISLAND WORK DAY/POST-IKE RECOVERY CLEAN-UP

DATE: February 14

TIME: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

CONTACT: wburkett@houstonaudubon.org

Complete Description:

We need lots of help with cleanups. We work from 8 AM to 2 PM, but volunteers are welcome whenever they show up. HAS supplies lunch, water and some tools. Please bring your favorite tools along.

Eleanor Tinsley is one of the heroes of Houston’s environmental community. She has been a great supporter of many of CEC’s member organizations. Read more at KUHF or at news outlets throughout Texas.