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September 14, 2017

Houston Environmental News Update September 13, 2017

Scroll down to read notes from our member organizations and the community, or view the emailed version of the newsletter, which includes a green job listing.

It is hard to comprehend the vast impact of Harvey in our region. The personal toll of Harvey is immeasurable. The environmental consequences will not be clear for many years.

We’ve put together a list of just a few of the recent headlines about environmental issues related to Harvey. It’s a long list which does justice to neither environmental catastrophes not media coverage thereof.

Here are a few of our takeaways:

  • If it were easy (and cheap), it would have been done
  • The caliber of journalists reporting in Houston is inspiring
  • Elected officials in Texas have been quoted talking about climate change and raising taxes in the same conversation
  • If you thought a 30-pound alligator snapping turtle on Memorial Drive was bizarre, it’s nothing compared to the purported ‘fang-tooth snake eel’ that washed up in Texas City

If you have any favorite articles that we missed, please send a link to news@cechouston.org. (And, yes, we are big newspaper fans.)

We have tried to confirm the events listed below, but not all organizations have updated their websites. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts.

CEC NOTES

CEC soliciting film submissions Please consider submitting a short film (under 7 minutes) for possible inclusion in CEC’s Greater Houston Environmental Film Contest on November 15, 2017. Winning entries will be shown at CEC’s showing of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour on January 24 & 25, 2018.

Houston Green Film Series: From the Ashes
Air Alliance Houston, with support from National Geographic, is sponsoring this month’s featured green film: the documentary “From The Ashes” followed by an expert panel conversation.
Wednesday, September 20, 0217. 6:30pm conversation, networking, and a light meal. 7:00pm screening. Free to the public, though donations are kindly appreciated.
What is the true cost of coal?
From the Ashes explores the complexities of the coal industry and its impact on the environment, economy and public health,” said Tim Pastore, president of original programming and production for National Geographic channels.
This film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often-heartbreaking stories about what is at stake for our economy, health and climate. With 7,500 U.S. deaths from coal pollution each year, the film invites audiences to learn more about this dying industry and how it impacts their everyday lives.

Interested in Joining CEC’s Board of Directors?
CEC is soliciting applications for its 2018 Board of Directors. We are looking for people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help with our newsletter and website, events like the Film Festival and the Greater Houston Environmental Summit, fundraising, administration, and connecting our environmental community. It is arguably one of the best ways to learn about the amazing environmental work happening in the Houston region. To apply and learn more, please fill out our Volunteer Application online or send an email to rachel@cechouston.org, and we will follow up with you soon.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. Water Reuse and Resource Recovery: Trends and Opportunities
    The volume of water required to meet municipal demand has increased significantly over the last decade for cities with high population growth, including Houston. Many of these cities are becoming more reliant on nontraditional water sources — such as recycled, brackish, desalinated, and waste and process water — to meet that demand. To be fit for its intended use, water from these sources often requires specialized treatments that draw additional power from the electricity grid. This workshop by Rice University’s Baker Institute will raise awareness of water treatment techniques that can potentially increase the use of nontraditional water sources, while reducing their cost and environmental impact. Speakers will offer perspectives from their respective areas of expertise, providing participants with multidisciplinary views on the issues associated with this water-energy nexus. You can join in on Thursday, September 14, 2017, from 8:00 AM (registration) to 11:30 AM at James A. Baker III Hall. You can view the itinerary and list of speakers here.
  2. Houston Green Book Discussion Group: 1493
    The Columbian Exchange, as researchers call it, is why there are tomatoes in Italy, oranges in Florida, chocolates in Switzerland & chili peppers in Thailand. More important, creatures colonists knew nothing about hitched along. Earthworms, mosquitoes & cockroaches; honeybees, dandelions & African grasses; bacteria, fungi & viruses; rats of every description—all rushed like eager tourists into lands that had never seen their like, changing lives & landscapes. Avid reader, green guru and author of “Continuing Education 101 Reading List,” Steve Stelzer, will review the books and facilitate discussion. Learn more at houstonlibrary.org.
  3. EJSCREEN: Annual Update and Webinar
    EJSCREEN is an environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic indicators. EJSCREEN users choose a geographic area; the tool then provides demographic and environmental information for that area. All of the EJSCREEN indicators are publicly-available data.EJSCREEN. EPA has recently completed its annual update of the tool. To help users understand the tool and its updates, EPA will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, September 14, 2017, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM, so register now online.
  4. Image result for houston audubon logoClimate Change: Hard Truths and Positive Directions 
    The Houston Audubon is hosting a speaker event to discuss the need for honest discussion on the issue of climate change in Houston. There are solutions to the worst of these problems that can restore nature and move the human economy toward the natural cycles of the Earth, resulting in a circular economy that is the hope for the future of birds and people alike. Join the Houston Audubon and guest speaker Jim Blackburn, Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University, on Thursday, September 14, 2017, at 7:00 PM for a social and 7:30 PM for the presentation, at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (the MATCH).
  5. Image result for sierra club houstonEffects of Climate Change on Human Health
    The Houston Sierra Club invites you to join them and their guest speaker, Brett Perkison, for their General Monthly Meeting with a focus on climate change and human health. Perkison is a board certified physician in family medicine and occupational medicine from the University of Texas School of Public Health in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and University of Texas Health Science Center in the department of Family Medicine. His lecture will present an overview of climate change’s effects on human health, and how employers can reduce carbon emissions as part of workplace wellness programs. RSVP to attend this meeting on Thursday, September 14, 2017, at 7:30 PM inside St. Stephen’s Pecore Hall.
  6. Lightning on Wheels and Electric Vehicle Panel
    On Thursday, September 14, 2017, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Tesla and Chevy are bringing their electric vehicles and their expertise to Houston for a one-time event hosted by the the Houston Renewable Energy Group. You’ll get a chance to hear about the electric vehicle vs. gasoline vs. hybrid debate, talk about how you can buy and maintain your very own electric vehicle, and the future of sustainable travel around the world. Learn more and register for this free event.
  7. HANC Fall Plant Sale
    On Friday and Saturday, September 16 & 17, 2017, Houston Arboretum & Nature Center will be offering native grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees – perfect for attracting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators to your yard or garden. Proceeds benefit the Arboretum’s conservation and education efforts. Learn more at houstonarboretum.org.
  8. Volunteer Work Day: Mandell Park, Millby Park, and Jesse H Jone Park
    Not surprisingly, many parks need our help to clean up and recover. Here are a few work days being held by CEC members on Saturday, September 15, 2017:

  9. Katy Prairie Conservancy Snooze Pre-Opening Benefit Postponed 
    Due to the impact of Hurricane Harvey, this event (which was to be held on Sunday, September 18) has been postponed until further notice. We hope you will look forward to Snooze’s pre-opening in the later future and help out KPC by participating! To stay updated on this event, check their events page every so often.
  10. 2017 EPA Stormwater Conference in San Antonio
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6, in partnership with the San Antonio River Authority, Texas A&M University Kingsville, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s), and States in Region 6, are hosting the 19th Annual EPA Region 6 Stormwater Conference at the Hilton Palacio del Rio, 200 S Alamo, San Antonio, Texas from Sunday, September 17, through Thursday, September 21, 2017. This conference will address and discuss the various issues and challenges of managing municipal stormwater, as well as new and upcoming rules and regulations. For more details and to register for this conference, visit their event page.
  11. Texas Renewable Energy Summit
    The Texas Renewable Energy Summit is the networking event where the entire Texas renewable energy community gathers to get the latest insights into the market and to meet key players. September 18-20, 2017, in Austin. Learn about the key trends impacting renewable energy project development, finance and investment in Texas and Engage in networking and deal-making with the decision-makers driving the industry forward. Learn more at register at infocastinc.com.
  12. 2017 Mitchell Artist Lecture featuring The Yes Men
    Presented by the University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, the Mitchell Artist Lecture is a landmark public program that annually features major figures in the world of artistic collaboration. The 2017 speakers are artists, political activists, and pranksters, Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, known together as The Yes Men. The Yes Men have gained international notoriety for impersonating big businesses. While their work is not exclusively environmental, the artists frequently find fodder among environmental issues such as divestiture, the last iceberg, clean water, coal, drought, and corporate accountability. Learn more and register for this free event on eventbrite.com.
  13. Galveston Bay Foundation Membership Meeting
    You have a stake in what goes on in your Bay. Join GBF as experts from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the oyster industry discuss sustainable oyster harvest in Galveston Bay and what the impacts of Hurricane Harvey will be for oysters. This meeting will take place Tuesday, September 19, 2017, from 6:45 to 7:45 PM followed by a Q&A segment at the United Way Resource Center. Learn more about GBF and the panel and register at galvbay.org.
  14. Image result for green building resource center logoMaster Composter Program
    Houston-Area composting enthusiasts who want to enhance their skills and spread the sustainable practice can become a Master Composter through a training hosted by the City of Houston Green Building Resource Center, Thursday, September 21 through Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Yard Wise Master Composter Certificate Program, administered by the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling, offers an in-depth course featuring a team of experienced Houston professionals. At the end of the training, Master Composters will be able to make a worm bed, create “compost recipes” for specific plants, and help others embrace the environmental benefits of composting. For more on this workshop, please view their Master Composter Program News Release 2017.
  15. NPSOT: A Tour of Southestern Texas’ Native Plant Communities
    Join the Native Plant Society of Texas for their convivial monthly membership meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2017, at the Houston Arboretum. This talk by Andy Sipocz of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department explains the geology of SE Texas and how it shapes the plant communities found in the region. It also discusses how settlement and development of the region has greatly reduced the extent of native plant communities and a few of the things being done to maintain and even restore them with an emphasis on work being conducted in State Parks. Refreshments and free to attend. Social begins at 6:45; presentation at 7:15. Learn more at npsot.org.
  16. 2017 Gulf Star RFP
    The 2017 Gulf Star RFP and Application Form are now posted on the GOMA website. Deadline for submissions has been extended to September 15, 2017.
  17. TEXAS URBAN FORESTRY COUNCILUrban Forest Micro Grant Program Application Deadline
    The Urban Forest Micro Grant program was created by the Texas Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) to promote the benefits and the value of Texas urban and community forest resources, recognizing the contributions to public infrastructure and human health. Their goal is to engage citizens and their communities, and to expand support for sustainable urban and community forest management throughout Texas. The amount of each TUFC micro grant will be $500 with a 1:1 match requirement. The following parameters and selection preference criteria will help guide the review of each grant application and can be found on their application information page. The application (PDF) is due Friday, September 15, 2017.
  18. The Parks and Natural Areas Award – EXTENDED
    The Parks and Natural Areas Subcommittee seeks projects that expand parks and natural areas for improved quality of life, habitat, and water quality. Winning projects, which exhibit efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation, serve as models to be replicated throughout the region. All applications must be completed online and be received by 5:00 PM on Thursday, September 21, 2017, at H-GAC.com.
  19. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 p.m. each Saturday and on municipal access cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Houston, Texas City, Galveston, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Sugar Land, and on HCC TV. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area). For a preview, visit TPWD’s YouTube Page.
    • The Last Dance: Historically there used to be one million Attwater’s prairie-chickens throughout the coastal prairies of Texas and Louisiana, now less than one percent remain. We follow along as biologists deal with one of the toughest breeding seasons on record, as they struggle to save one of the most endangered birds in all of Texas.
    • Gargantuan Gar
    • Parks & Wildlife People: Lone Star Lionfish Team
  20. Additional Upcoming Events

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