Environmental Issues Action Group

Representatives from a number of Houston organizations held a press conference and rally near Congressman Gene Green's east Houston office on May 11, after being prevented from holding a press conference on the property where his office is.

Event Description:

The Workshop series by Greener Living in Houston in collaboration with the City of Houston gives the homeowner the opportunity to learn how to conserve energy and save money. You will learn what changes to make to your home and your habits to reduce your energy use and your energy bill. We will cover electricity, natural gas, gasoline, water and recycling.

Event Sponsor:
Greener Living In Houston and the City of Houston

Event Website:
www.houstonclimateprotection.org

Event Description:

Note : this Toxic Injection COULD affect water supplies in many places other than just North Houston.

This is to protest the proposed injection of toxic waste (paint thinner, other chemicals) by TexCom under the aquifer that supplies 54 Texas counties (including Harris). [ Organizing information in the main article ].

Event Sponsor:
CROW

Event Website:
http://www.stopthetoxicwells.com/

Event Description:

CLEAN cordially invites you to an evening with environmentalist and CODEPINK co-founder, DIANE WILSON, author of An Unreasonable Woman. Wilson will be signing copies of her book to raise funds for her organization, Calhoun County Resource Watch and CLEAN, a Houston-based non-profit environmental organization.

Event Sponsor:
CLEAN

Event Website:
www.cleanhouston.org/wilson.pdf

Event Sponsor:
Houston Sierra Club

Event Website:
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/public_comment

Event Description:

Take Action on Global Warming - Stop the Coal Rush

After 50 years of global warming,  there are now eight times as many floods, bad hurricanes, and other climate disasters.  Rising insurance rates mean global warming is costing us money now.  www.climateandinsurance.org Governor Perry and Texas utility companies plan to add a lot to Texas' global warming emissions by hurrying to build a bunch of  old-style, polluting coal plants.

Please join Houston Sierra Club, Houston Climate Protection Alliance, and other environmental groups in protesting this Coal Rush on Sunday February 11, 3pm on the Capitol Steps in Austin.  We are organizing transportation and lodging.  Travel funds are available .   If you can, stay overnight for our Stop the Coal Rush Lobby Day on Monday February 12.  

If you cannot come to Austin, please visit or write your Texas State Representative and Texas State Senator to ask them to vote for a time out in coal plant permitting, and for bills on energy efficiency and renewable energy.   You can look up who represents you on www.capitol.state.tx.us

To register www.stopthecoalrush.com

Event Sponsor:
Houston Sierra Club

Event Contact Name:
Nan Hildreth

Event Phone Contact Information:
713-842-6643

Event Email Address:
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Event Website:
www.stopthecoalrush.org

Event Fee:
Modest charge for bus and lodging. Scholarships available.

Event Description:

Have you ever asked yourself the question, "If our technology is so
great than why are we still relying on such a depleting resource to
run our cars?"
C.L.E.A.N. and the Rice Environmental Club are kicking off an
Environmental Film Series with "Who Killed The Electric Car?" showing
at the Rice Media Center on Wednesday, February 7 at 7 p.m. This will
be a quarterly event with a Question and Answer session to follow each
screening. The event is free to the public and donations are always
welcome. For more information and driving directions go to
www.cleanhouston.org or call (713) 524-3000.

Event Sponsor:
citizens league for environmental action now and rice environmental club

Event Contact Name:
Geoffrey Castro, executive director

Event Phone Contact Information:
(713) 524-3000

Event Email Address:
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Event Website:
www.cleanhouston.org

Event Fee:
Free! Donations are always welcomed

A number of churches in the Houston area are having free showings of Al Gore's new movie An Inconvenient Truth, during the month of October.  See Houston Climate Protection for a list of the showings.

RESOLUTION - A PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY

WHEREAS the future success of the State of Texas, as well as the U.S.A., is dependant on the long-term availability of affordable energy resources;

Event Description:

Mountain Top Removal coal mining is a radical form of strip mining.  “Appalachian Treasures” is a stunning multi-media presentation about mountaintop removal coal mining, with stories from the coalfields and music from the area.  Also, meet and talk with 2 Appalachian coalfield residents, Mary Miller and Pauline Canterberry, who will speak about daily life in the shadow of MTR mines.   Free and open to the public (Donations to Appalachian Treasures happily accepted). 

Event Sponsor:
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Event Contact Name:
Bridget Jensen

Event Phone Contact Information:
713-417-2056

Event Email Address:
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Event Description:

Mountain Top Removal coal mining is a radical form of strip mining.  “Appalachian Treasures” is a stunning multi-media presentation about mountaintop removal coal mining, with stories from the coalfields and music from the area.  Also, meet and talk with 2 Appalachian coalfield residents, Mary Miller and Pauline Canterberry, who will speak about daily life in the shadow of MTR mines.   Free and open to the public (Donations to Appalachian Treasures happily accepted).  

Event Sponsor:
Unitarian Fellowship of Houston

Event Contact Name:
Sarah Berel-Harrop

Event Phone Contact Information:
281-813-0660

Event Email Address:
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Event Description:

Mountain Top Removal coal mining is a radical form of strip mining.  “Appalachian Treasures” is a stunning multi-media presentation about mountaintop removal coal mining, with stories from the coalfields and music from the area.  Also, meet and talk with 2 Appalachian coalfield residents, Mary Miller and Pauline Canterberry, who will speak about daily life in the shadow of MTR mines.   Free and open to the public (Donations to Appalachian Treasures happily accepted).  Seating is limited, please rsvp to Irv at escramble('hirv','aol.com.');  
 

Event Sponsor:
Thoreau UU Congregation Adult Discussion Group

Event Contact Name:
Irv Smith

Event Phone Contact Information:
281-813-0660

Event Email Address:
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WHEREAS Texas created regional water and transportation plans for development of urban areas and adjacent rural counties;

• Texas is the home of many experienced scientists and engineers in hydrogeology, transportation, and public health;
• General property tax revenue is a major source of funds for public institutions of higher learning, public transportation, and management of the public drinking water supply;
• Surface and underground drinking water supplies are commonly polluted with urban and industrial wastes, that were released into the surface water or injected underground;

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;

• Air pollution aggravates both respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases, according to the scientific community, Texas Department of Health, and Texas Commission of Environmental Quality;
• Air pollutants are acknowledged by both the scientific community and the city, county, and state Departments of Health and Texas Commission of Environmental Quality as exacerbating both respiratory and cardiovascular related disease in the human population.
• Vehicles and industry are the leading sources of hazardous air emissions;
• Texas is the home of many experienced scientists and engineers in transportation, aerospace, and public health;
• General property tax revenue is the primary source of funds for public institutions of higher learning and regulatory agencies,

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;

• More than 5 million people in the urban regions in Texas live daily in poor to toxic air quality;
• Air pollution is known to aggravate respiratory congestion and impair the immune system in as little as seven (7) hours of exposure;
• Emissions from industry, dust, heavy vehicular traffic, and smoke comprise the factors contributing to poor regional air quality;
• Air quality management needs measurements and an appropriate baseline in order to monitor and enforce regulations;
• EPA, TCEQ, and cities have air monitors that measure specific pollutants.
• Health code regulations use an arbitrary basis/baseline for measuring emissions,
• Known toxic chemicals occur commonly at much higher levels in the atmosphere than health limits allow as a direct result of an arbitrary basis/baseline;

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality regulations;

• Poor quality air has a direct effect on a community's health , particularly among individuals with chronic illnesses such as respiratory problems.
• Urban regions modify major transporation projects within the city;
• Vehicle air pollution (gas, particles and noise) is known to aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases;
• The law exempts roads from air monitoring; heavy vehicular traffic, long driving times, emissions from industry, dust, and smoke comprise the factors contributing to poor air quality;

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality regulations;

• Vehicle air pollution is acknowledged as aggravating both respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases;
• Automobiles in counties, that not in compliance with ambient air quality regulations, are subject to an annual auto air emissions test and a fee for license renewal;
• Diesel trucks are exempt from the state's vehicle emissions test program for license renewal;

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;

• Air pollution aggravates both respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases, according to the scientific community, Texas Department of Health, and Texas Commission of Environmental Quality;
• Regulatory compliance needs to specify and monitor living public health measures that are enforcable for the federal and state air quality programs,
• Reasonable health measures includes incidences of aggrevation, inflamation, irritation, or burning of the skin, eyes, ears, nose, throat or lungs

These resolutions were all developed by the Environmental Initiative of the Houston Region Democrats.

Some were originally presented and passed by the Harris County Democratic Party Executive Committee in June 2005, in a form that dealt with Harris County.  Those resolutions were modified to address statewide issues and additional resolutions were added.

For information on these, contact Stephanie Hrabar, Ph. D.: shrabar{at}wt{dot}net, 713-683-0638.

To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.

WHEREAS, climate disruption of the magnitude now predicted by the scientific community will cause extremely costly disruption of human and natural systems throughout the world including: more intense hurricanes; increased risk of floods or droughts; sea-level rises that interact with coastal storms to erode beaches, inundate land, and damage structures; more frequent and extreme heat waves; more frequent and greater concentrations of smog; and