The Bayou Banner
November 2017 Edition
November 9, 2017 — Storm Surge, Alternative Strategies with speaker Scott Jones
On Thursday evening, November 9, Scott Jones with the Galveston Bay Foundation will speak about storm surge, proposed coastal barriers, the potential environmental impacts, and alternative strategies.
Bill Kiene will also attend to provide additional personal thoughts during the question and answer portion of the program.
The event is free and open to the public at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1805 West Alabama, Houston. Main program starts 7:30 PM. Doors open 7:00 PM.
Don’t forget to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 7, if you haven’t early voted. There are important City of Houston Propositions and State of Texas Propositions on the ballot, and HISD Board elections.
In this article are some links where you can find information for your own ballot.
Go here for more information.
DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We had such a blast last year at our holiday auction that we are bringing back our indoor snowball fight and environmental jeopardy.
Our auction, potluck, and games will take place this year at our December General Meeting on Thursday, December 14.
Go here for more information.
Can Our Devastating Flooding be Stopped? What do big thinkers think? Find out at the Houston and Bay Area Storm Water Flooding Forum: Harvey, Ike and Our Future.
Save the date for this important event! Tuesday November 28 at 7 pm.
Go here for more information.
Comments delivered by Evelyn L. Merz, Conservation Chair, on behalf of the Houston Regional Group Sierra Club at the public hearing held by the Texas House Committee on Natural Resources Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.
In 2011, the Houston Sierra Club sued the U.S, Army Corps of Engineers over its approval of a permit to proceed with the construction of Segment E of the Grand Parkway. In part, that lawsuit was brought because the Corps had not adequately considered the effect of runoff from secondary development in the Addicks watershed, which would follow road construction.
Go here for more information.
By Brandt Mannchen
The Houston Regional Group and Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club (Sierra Club) provide these initial comments regarding the U.S. Forest Service (FS) Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Study.
Go here for more information.
The City of Houston has announced the resumption of curbside recycling collection starting Monday, November 13, 2017.
Note: Junk Waste and Yard Waste services remain suspended until further notice. Those crews continue to work on Hurricane Harvey debris removal.
Go here for more information.
It is easier now to recycle plastic bags. Curbside recycling collection does not accept plastic bags or plastic film, but fortunately more retailers are offering recycling drop offs for both of these plastic categories.
To find the retailers or facilities closest to you, use the search engine at Earth 911.
Go here for more information.
This year’s Galveston Bay Report Card is available online; see link in this article.
The Galveston Bay Report Card is a citizen-driven, scientific analysis of the health of Galveston Bay. Supported by a grant from Houston Endowment and implemented by the Galveston Bay Foundation and the Houston Advanced Research Center, the goal of the report card is to engage community members in meaningful discussion about Bay health topics.
Go here for more information.
The 2017 Legislative Scorecard is now online. But why would we bother in the midst of such a hostile and discriminatory atmosphere at the Capitol, where putting the word “climate” in any bill is a mark of death?
Because you need to know what these lawmakers are doing in your name. We shined a light on bad votes and good votes so that you will be more informed about the actions of your elected officials. Official positions and talking points do not count for much against what really matters: their votes. We also need to applaud the lawmakers who continue to fight for good bills!
Go here for more information.
Houston Group Executive Committee Election 2017
Each December the Houston Group holds an election to fill positions on the Group’s nine member Executive Committee (Excom). The Houston Sierra Club is now soliciting nominations for the election that will be held this December 2017. Members of the Group’s Executive Committee serve terms of 2 years. Typically either 4 or 5 positions on the Excom are up for election in any given year, depending on the number of vacancies.
A nominating committee works to recruit candidates each year, and any member of the club may make candidate suggestions to the nominating committee. Members who are interested in running may also submit petitions to the nominating committee, should the nominating committee decline to select a proposed candidate.
Go here for more information.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Helen Shih. I am very grateful to be put on the spot by the organizers of the Houston Sierra Club.
I have been working in holistic medicine for the past decade. Prior to that, I was a medical physicist in the MD Anderson Cancer Center dealing with cancer therapy. At the beginning of my switch of career, I had to invent a concept called “Health Climate” to educate people about their personal health and how it is related to the immediate environment they stay and create.
Go here for more information.
Get Outdoors!
For information on upcoming outings in the Houston area, check out our MeetUp site or our Outings Calendar on our website.
By Brandt Mannchen
As we pulled into the trailhead parking lot for the Woodlands Trail, I saw that there were several cars already parked. It was cool (the temperature was in the low 40’s) and we shivered with the cold and the excitement of an Autumn hike in the woods. The Woodlands Trail is in the Big Sandy Creek Unit of Big Thicket National Preserve.
Go here for more information.