Category Archives: 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/

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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/

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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/

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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/

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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/

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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/

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ECONOTES 2013-04-01: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Rice Sociologist: Improving Quality Of Life Crucial For Houston’s Economic Future (Florian Martin – KUHF News, 3/28/2013)
    Houston has long been a great place to find a job, but it doesn’t have the best reputation for quality of life. As the proportion of oil-related jobs continues to give way to other types of employment, beautification and downtown development become essential to secure the city’s economic future. That’s according to one sociologist, who says Houston needs to change in order to attract new talent.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/
  2. $446 million available for Houston region projects (Jay Blazek Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
    Every year, the H-GAC Transportation Policy Council (TPC) decides how the region will allocate a pool of regionally discretionary transportation funds that can be used for walking, biking, transit, planning, demand management, maintenance, and new road transportation projects. This year, the TPC will decide how to spend $446 million, with $827 million in proposed projects. In the recent H-GAC survey posted at ourregion.org, a broad sample of over 6,000 Houstonians said they would allocate about 13% of available funding to new roads and highways, 26% to transit, and 14% to sidewalks and bikeways, amongst other projects. The public comment process ends on April 5th.
    http://www.houstontomorrow.org/
  3. Severe Drought Moves To Houston, Most Of The State In Drought Conditions (Shomial Ahmad – KUHF News, 4/1/2013)
    Latest reports from the U.S. Drought Monitor show most of Harris County in severe drought. The state is in better shape than it was at the height of the drought of 2011, but things are still not good. The state has been doing more, looking into increasing water supply and conservation, but measures put in place right now won’t be able to meet the most extreme of circumstances.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-03-25: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Drought conditions contribute to decline in monarch populations (Erin Mulvaney – Houston Chronicle, 3/14/2013)
    Monarch butterfly populations have been fluttering away in the last decade, and a local expert points to Texas’ drought conditions and recent wildfires as key factors in the decline. The number of monarchs as well as milkweed plants, which are key to the insects’ survival, are in low supply. (Erin Mulvaney – Houston Chronicle)
    http://www.chron.com/
  2. Need to check Houston smog levels? There’s an app for that (Greg Barr – Houston Business Journal, 3/20/2013)
    Houston-area residents can now check their mobile phone for ozone levels. A partnership between the University of Houston, Air Alliance Houston and the American Lung Association has created “OzoneMap,” a free app for smartphones and tablets that delivers real-time air quality reports.
    http://www.bizjournals.com/
  3. City response on “One Bin For All” (Houston Chronicle, 3/25/2013)
    Laura Spanjian has answered many questions about the One Bin project. One Bin’s powerful metaphor is that everything is a resource and everything can be repurposed. This innovation is in some ways a natural progression for the recycling industry.
    http://blog.chron.com/

EcoNotes

ECONOTES 2013-03-18: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

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  1. Judge orders Texas to protect whooping cranes (Mike Tolson – Houston Chronicle, 3/12/2013)
    A federal judge has ruled that the state of Texas failed to take necessary steps to provide enough water to maintain the habitat of the endangered whooping crane – a decision which could have implications on how water in some areas is rationed in future droughts. TCEQ will need to devise a plan that will supply fresh water into bays where the cranes live by exercising authority that it already has under state law during an emergency.
    http://www.chron.com/
  2. Critics Smell Trouble With Sewage Spill Bill (David Barer – StateImpact, 3/6/2013)
    Lawmakers and critics voiced various concerns about a sewage spill bill at a House Natural Resources Committee meeting at the Capitol. The bill, HB 824, would put a floor on the size of spills that must be reported by utilities to the TCEQ. If the bill passes, most spills below 1,500 gallons would not need to be reported to authorities.
    http://stateimpact.npr.org/
  3. Prize-winning recycling plan could start in 2 years (Carol Chrisitan – Houston Chronicle, 3/13/2013)
    Houston’s plan to increase its dismal recycling rate fivefold got a boost Wednesday, when Mayor Annise Parker accepted a $1 million prize from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The city’s “One Bin for All” idea would allow residents to mix trash, recyclables, yard clippings, food and other waste in a single container, to be automatically sorted at a first-of-its-kind $100 million plant to be built and run by a private firm. The city plans next month to issue a request for proposals from companies interested in the plan, with construction starting as early as next year.
    http://www.chron.com/

EcoNotes