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Bay Area Sierra Club Meeting: The State of Electric Vehicles 

On May 18, join the Bay Area Sierra Club for a presentation on the State of Electric Vehicles with Dave Hanson, President of the Houston Electric Auto Association (HEAA). The HEAA is a non profit (501 [c]3) organization of electric vehicle owners, hobbyists, educators and enthusiasts dedicated to promoting the use of electric vehicles (EV’s) as an environmental and energy alternative.
Go here for more information.

The U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program recently helped acquire a conservation easement on 5,438 acres of land owned by Campbell Global (CG). CG is a timber investment management organization (TIMO) which acquires and manages forest lands for investors so that they can make a profit. The 5,438 acres is near a 4,785-acre property that also has a conservation easement acquired under the Forest Legacy Program.
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Adopt-A-Drain Houston is a new online mapping analytical tool for residents, schools, church groups, civic organizations, businesses, basically everyone, to adopt a nearby storm drain. This is a simple and civic contribution to reduce street flooding by letting more water down the drain. This protects our property, homes, and families.
Go here for more information.

The Houston Sierra Club gets its message out in many ways. One is the medium of radio. Long-time friend, Pacific Radio Station KPFT, has a number of programs which spread the Sierra Club’s message. Perhaps the most interesting is a HD2 radio show called, Mini-Geology. This show is hosted by Daniel Minisini, a geologist from Italy.
Go here for more information.

Join the Houston Sierra Club team at this year’s Stump the Treehugger Environmental Trivia Contest at St Arnold’s Brewery, 2000 Lyons Avenue, on Sunday, May 20 from 4 to 6 pm. Nine rounds of earthy trivia, answering ecocentric questions.
Go here for more information.

Throughout my life, I think my relationship with nature has been, at times, one-sided. I think I have always loved nature, being outside, enjoying all the wonders Mother Earth makes available, but I have not always understood my impact on nature and because of this, I have not always been a good partner in what should be a mutual relationship.
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By Cheryl Conley, TWRC Wildlife Center
Life is pretty tough for rabbits. It seems like everything wants to eat them. Bobcats, coyotes, raptors and even snakes. The Eastern Cottontail, which is the most common in our area, is lucky if it lives two years in the wild. Thank goodness they are prolific reproducers.
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The Houston Sierra Club invited Debbie Moran and Steve Goldberg at the April 2018 monthly meeting to present light pollution: what it is, how it affects nature and humans, and how to mitigate it. We enjoyed a demonstration to observe how the color of light and sconce shape reduce the amount of light wasted, reducing the pollution or glare created.
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service recently held a wetlands planting at on April 21st (John Muir’s birthday!). The “Magnificent Seven Sierrans” participated on behalf of the Houston Sierra Club. Exploration Green is a 200-acre greenspace in Clear Lake City that was a golf course but now has been turned into five, wet, detention lakes which hold floodwaters.
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By Brandt Mannchen
I was staring morosely at the empty parking lot. I had planned an outing to Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, had to change the outing due to Trinity River flooding to the farther away Kirby Nature Trail, and then a cool front and monster thunder storm had come through the night before. I was not a happy camper. More than 20 people were supposed to show up, but I doubted even one would appear.
Go here for more information.