Category Archives: EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-06-18: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. TPWD leads efforts to restore oyster reefs and salt marshes after the 2008 hurricane (Lance Robinson – Texas Parks & Wildlife, 6/5/2013)
    Back in September of 2008, Hurricane Ike caused massive damage to homes and businesses in the coastal communities of the upper Texas coast. Less visible but significant damage also occurred to coastal habitats in the region and below the waters of Galveston Bay. Through a special appropriation by Congress, a $7 million fishery disaster grant was made available to Texas in 2009 from the National Ocean­ographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These funds were earmarked for oyster and marsh habitat restoration in the affected area. TPWD employees and volunteers have since done a lot of work to restore the marsh areas.
    http://www.tpwmagazine.com/
  2. ULI Lays Out Its Vision For Downtown Houston And It’s Green (David Pitman – KUHF News, 6/13/2013)
    A new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) is making the case for more green space in downtown Houston. The Urban Land Institute focused its study on 64 blocks of southeast downtown — bounded by Clay to the north, the Pierce Elevated to the south, Milam to the west, and U.S. 59 to the east. The institute also wants more affordable housing, and better walkable connections between various parts of downtown.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/
  3. Jim Blackburn: Environmental attorney, advocate, author, professor (Texas Climate News, 6/17/2013)
    Jim Blackburn of Houston has been one of the most prominent and influential figures in the Texas environmental arena for more than three decades, often focusing on ecological and health issues in the Gulf Coast region. He plays a variety of interrelated roles – environmental attorney, environmental advocate, author, and professor at Rice University. Texas Climate News editor, Bill Dawson, recently interviewed Blackburn about about the concepts behind a one-day conference that will be held on Wednesday (“Evaluating and Trading Ecological Services: Is There a Role for Natural Capital in the Marketplace?”) and issues surrounding human-caused climate change.
    http://texasclimatenews.org/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-06-04: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. In Houston, Too Much Fine Dust? (Kate Galbraith – The Texas Tribune, 5/30/2013)
    In Houston, air pollution concerns usually center on ozone. But Houston environmentalists and businesses are paying increasingly close attention to another pollutant — fine dust. It’s more dangerous than ozone, some say, and the federal government will decide by the end of next year whether the Houston area violates newly tightened federal standards. If Houston is found to be in violation of federal standards, it could be costly for local industries, which might need to install new controls to reduce dust. It could also hurt the reputation of a region that has been trying for decades to clean up its air.
    https://www.texastribune.org/
  2. Houston, Galveston Push for Swifter Adoption Of Cleaner Fuels For Trucks (Andrew Schneider – KUHF News, 6/3/2013)
    The Houston-Galveston Area Council is gearing up for the region’s annual Clean Fleet Technologies Conference this week. One of the main topics for this year’s conference will be the development of cleaner-burning fuel technologies for trucks. The Houston-Galveston Area Council is currently offering an incentive program to reimburse fleet operators up to 75% of the cost for switching from gasoline or diesel power to cleaner burning fuels, such as compressed natural gas.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/
  3. Texas Water Plan Being Questioned by Court (Kate Galbraith – The Texas Tribune, 5/29/2013)
    Just as Gov. Rick Perry and lawmakers finalize plans to spend $2 billion on water-supply projects around the state, a court decision could force Texas to rethink its water-planning process. Last week, Texas’ 11th Court of Appeals ruled that two regional plans feeding into the 2012 state water plan — a 300-page document that underlies the Legislature’s new water initiatives — contained conflicting recommendations.
    http://www.texastribune.org/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-05-28: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Sketching the Growth of the Hermann Park Garden Center (Swamplot, 5/14/2013)
    Chicago landscape architecture firm Hoerr Schaudt has presented drawings that show the future growth of the Hermann Park Garden Center when it turns 100 next year. The current 15-acre Garden Center will undergo numerous changes including a new entrance and “arid garden”.
    http://swamplot.com/
  2. Motorists to share pollution bill with industry (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 5/23/2013)
    Motorists will share the bill with chemical plants and oil refineries for the Houston region’s failure to meet 1970s limits on smog-forming pollution under a plan approved Wednesday by Texas environmental regulators. TCEQ would use funds already collected from vehicle fees and sales taxes to help satisfy the eight-county region’s obligations under the federal Clean Air Act.
    http://www.houstonchronicle.com/
  3. Nature to keep green school running (Nancy Sarnoff – Houston Chronicle, 5/23/2013)
    On its 11-acre campus in Spring Branch, the Monarch School has started construction on a 1,120-square-foot standalone classroom designed to get its power from the sun and wind; its heat and cool air from the earth; andwater to nourish its vegetable garden from harvested rain. The small building, which is expected to cost more than $400,000, will serve as an environmental laboratory, with students controlling its daily energy use.
    http://www.pressdisplay.com/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-05-21: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Nearby parks matter – Opinion (Houston Chronicle, 3/16/2013)
    Last year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s budget was slashed. Since last session, tax revenues have recovered, but TPWD’s funding may not. Their funding has been placed in the budget’s Article XI – what legislators call “the wish list.” As Texas’ population grows, local parks are becoming ever more important and the price of the land to create those parks is rising – and not likely to drop again.
    http://www.chron.com/
  2. Houston’s bike boom – Opinion (Houston Chronicle, 5/17/2013)
    Houston is making big strides in becoming a more bicycle-friendly city. Governor Rick Perry just signed a bill that will help open Houston’s utility easements to hike and bike trails, potentially adding more than 100 miles of north-south routes to connect with east-west bayou greenways. And City Hall recently approved a safe pass ordinance to protect bikers in the street. Thanks to federal grants and support from the private sector, Houston may soon see some bicycle lanes downtown, likely along McKinney St., Walker St. and Lamar St., connecting Discovery Green with Buffalo Bayou Park.
    http://www.chron.com/
  3. Houston Business Plants Trees To Offset Pipeline Construction (Andrew Schneider – KUHF News, 5/15/2013)
    Resource Environmental Solutions, a Montrose-based company, has planted nearly 6 million trees to offset the effect of economic development on vulnerable wetlands. The business focuses on offsetting pipeline construction in shale plays throughout the United States.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-05-13: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Safe passing ordinance passes Houston council (Houston Chronicle, 5/7/13)
    The City Council on Wednesday approved a safe passing ordinance requiring drivers to give cyclists, pedestrians, equestrians and other non-vehicular road users three feet of space at all times. Houston was the only major city in Texas that did not have a safe passing law, though officials have aggressively encouraged cycling in the region. The new law covers anyone not in an automobile or truck, including tow truck drivers.
    http://blog.chron.com/
  2. Grass Roots Residents 12-Year Volunteer Effort Successful in Remapping Cypress Creek Watershed Flood Hazard Areas (CCFCC Look Upstream, 5/13/13)
    The Hurricane Allison flooding disaster in 2001 triggered a 2-year, $30+ million government project to upgrade existing flood maps for all 22 watersheds in Harris County. However, when technical experts reviewed the upgrade in mapping, they identified significant inaccuracies. Appeals seeking corrective action were denied by FEMA. Harris County Flood Control District’s (HCFCD) Planning Department and the Cypress Creek Flood Control Coalition worked together to determine and correct the inaccuracies of the FEMA computer modeling.
    Look Upstream May13
  3. Salty sea yields a fresh drink of water (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix, 5/7/13)
    Offshore platforms that produce oil also turn seawater into freshwater by filtering it through fine membranes in a complex process called reverse osmosis. While the process is not new, the systems on display at the Offshore Technology Conference are efficient enough to hold the possibility of desalination as a source of water in drought-prone regions across Texas and the U.S. The technology used for offshore oil and gas operations can produce tens of thousands of gallons of water a day.
    http://fuelfix.com/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-05-06: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Guide to Houston’s best farmers markets (Syd Kearney – Houston Chronicle, 4/24/2013)
    In recent years, the number of farmers markets has mushroomed. Some are small humble operations; others boast a festive atmosphere complete with live music, cooking demonstrations and food trucks. All share a tasty notion: to nurture a better-educated consumer by facilitating conversations with food producers.
    http://www.chron.com/
  2. Memorial Park’s new steward is in for the long haul (The Leader – Betsy Denson, 4/26/2013)
    Garden Oaks resident Shellye Arnold is the new executive director of the Memorial Park Conservancy. This is a pivotal moment for the park as it was decimated by the drought of 2011, Memorial Park lost thousands of trees. The conservancy – whose stated mission is to “restore, preserve and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow” – has a lot of work to do. Arnold brings an exceptional skill set to the task.
    http://www.theleadernews.com/
  3. CarShare Program Offers Options For Those Using Alternative Transportation (Ed Mayberry – KUHF News, 4/29/2013)
    The new CarShare Program in the Energy Corridor provides vehicles at work that can be used for errands. This program is meant for those who get to work by other means than their own car. This also provides back-up transportation for those who can’t ride their bikes because of the weather, or whose schedules don’t match up with the carpool.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-04-29: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Houston Neighborhoods Are Unique Study Case For Air Pollution (Laurie Johnson – KUHF News, 4/25/13)
    A team from Rice University, the University of Houston and the University of Texas Health Science Center will drive around in a mobile lab and measure particulate matter in neighborhoods all over Houston for the next two years. Particulate matter is really tiny — less than 2.5 millionths of a meter in diameter. The tiny bits of pollution can end up in your lungs and bloodstream and cause health issues, including asthma and heart problems.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/
  2. Houston’s Most Polluted Neighborhood Draws the Line at Alberta Tar Sands (Kristin Moe – YES! 4/22/13) If the Keystone XL pipeline is approved, 90 percent of the tar sands crude that flows through it will be processed near an embattled Houston neighborhood called Manchester. Manchester, one of Houston’s oldest neighborhoods, is surrounded by industry on all sides: a Rhodia chemical plant; a car crushing facility; a water treatment plant; a train yard for hazardous cargo; a Goodyear synthetic rubber plant; oil refineries belonging to Lyondell Basell, Valero, and Texas Petro-Chemicals; as well as one of the busiest highways in the city.
    http://www.yesmagazine.org/
  3. What Some Students Did To Reduce The ‘Concrete Jungle’ On Earth Day (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News, 4/22/13)
    In honor of Earth Day, Trees for Houston helps students plant trees on the campus of Texas Southern University. The ceremony not only reduces the campus’ concrete jungle, but helps to beautify the earth by cleaning the air and producing oxygen.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-04-22: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. $3 Million Federal Grant Fueling Texas A&M Chemist’s Dream for Cheaper Natural Gas Cars (Guidry News, 4/16/13)
    When it comes to American consumers’ vehicular preferences, Texas A&M University chemist Hongcai Joe Zhou says the choice often boils down to simple economics more so than availability, environment or altruism. Zhou says a more cost-efficient system will be necessary to drive a nationwide shift from petroleum to cleaner-burning fuels. Zhou’s goal is to solve the technical hurdles related to natural gas storage — answers that bode well for sectors ranging from energy and economics to global relations and preservation.
    http://www.guidrynews.com/
  2. New polls: Most accept scientific view that Earth’s climate is changing (Bill Dawson – Texas Climate News, 4/17/13)
    Recent opinion surveys continue to find broad public acceptance of the mainstream scientific view that the climate is changing. Those new polls revealed majorities taking climate change seriously and favoring responses to mitigate and adapt to it. There was also some ambiguity, however, in the combined picture that emerged from the surveys regarding views on the seriousness of the threats that climate change poses and what should be done about it.
    http://texasclimatenews.org/
  3. EPA Announces U.S. Organizations Using the Most Green Power (EPA News, 4/17/13)
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Green Power Partnership released an updated list of the Top 50 organizations that are choosing to use electricity from clean, renewable sources. These organizations help reduce carbon pollution and spur growth of clean, American-made energy sources by increasing their use of renewable energy. The City of Houston is #13 on the list. The Monarch School was recognized for long-term purchases of green energy. Four companies in the region were recognized as 100% green energy users: Accredo Packaging, Jacob White Construction Co., Discovery Green Conservancy, and Nicholas Earth Printing.
    http://yosemite.epa.gov/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-04-15: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. How To Make Houston’s Streets Safe For Everyone (Laurie Johnson – KUHF News, 4/13/13)
    A complete street is a street designed for everyone to use, drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and mass transit. Jay Crossley with Houston Tomorrow says about 40 percent of Houstonians don’t drive and Houston streets could be safer for everyone. One of the goals of Houston Complete Streets is to get local officials to pay more attention to planning and funding safer and more user-friendly thoroughfares. This weekend and next week, 33 organizations will coordinate lectures, bike rides, walks and social awareness about the condition of Houston’s streets.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/
  2. Houston named most walkable of all large Texas cities (Erin Mulvaney – Houston Chronicle, 4/8/13)
    It may come as a surprise that in a recent ranking Houston -with its sprawling interstates, highways and toll roads – came out on top of other large Texas cities as a “walkable.” In the ranking by Walkscore.com, Houston was No. 23 out of the 50 largest U.S. cities. The website said the best Houston neighborhoods for walking are Neartown-Montrose, Greenway/Upper Kirby area, Midtown and Downtown.
    http://www.chron.com/
  3. Gone wild: Hogs are damaging crops, contaminating water (Rachel Hall – Eastex Advocate, 4/9/13)
    It is not uncommon to hear reports about increased bacteria levels in the Lake Houston Watershed, but it seems one contributing factor to the problem is almost completely unnoticed by citizens in the community. Feral hogs, also known as wild pigs, are impacting the local environment and other areas in the state of Texas. They can chemically and physically alter the water in the watershed.
    http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-04-08: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Why More Bicycle Rental Stations Could Improve Houston’s Bike Friendliness (Florian Martin – KUHF News, 4/4/2013)
    Houston’s bike share program has added 18 new stations to the three initial locations that were set up last year. The expansion is another step in the city’s efforts to make Houston a bicycle city. Houston is one of 14 cities nationwide that are participating in the B-Cycle program.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/
  2. Galveston City Council Votes to Keep Kemp’s Ridley Eggs on the Island! (Guidry News, 4/3/13)
    The Galveston (Texas) City Council spoke up for retaining the eggs of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtles that are laid along the Upper Texas coast in Galveston. Since the endangered sea turtles began laying eggs on the Upper Texas Coast, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has required the eggs to be moved to the Padre Island National Seashore for incubation and release of the hatchlings. Not only does transferring the eggs some five hours in a vehicle jeopardize their well being and ability to hatch, but the movement may reduce the growth of a nesting population on the Upper Texas Coast.
    http://www.guidrynews.com/
  3. New Sea Grant Extension Director Has Goal To Reinvent Program For 21st Century Coast (Guidry News, 4/3/2013)
    The man chosen to lead the Texas Sea Grant College Program’s extension program says he wants to put the power of university research into the hands of Texas’ coastal citizens. Cooperative extension was created almost a century ago as a means of disseminating knowledge gained at land grant institutions, such as Texas A&M University, to the farmers, ranchers and homemakers who could best use the information.
    http://guidrynews.com/

EcoNotes