March Newsletter 2019

Annual Electronics Recycling Drive Continues At UH

The old adage of "reuse, reduce, recycle" continues for its fifth year at the University of Houston, as the Office of Sustainability and its partner, Bass Computer Recycling, are offering students, faculty and staff the means to consciously dispose of old and unused electronics. This year's electronics recycling drive is Thursday, March 28, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Student Center South Circle Drive. No University property will be accepted. A full list of items and materials that Bass Computer Recycling will accept is available online. Bass Computer Recycling, an R-2 certified recycler and a TCEQ approved manufacturer with more than 25 years of experience in the technology industry, will process all of the donated electronics. It has the experience and the facility to design and implement a plan for e-waste needs, and can also clean, test and refurbish the equipment for resale. Items that cannot be refurbished will be deconstructed and recycled consciously to be reused elsewhere. For questions regarding the electronics recycling drive, contact the Office of Sustainability at sustainability@uh.edu or 832-842-9051.

UH To Celebrate Upcoming Sixth Annual Sustainability Fest

The University of Houston will be hosting its sixth annual Sustainability Fest on April 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Plaza. The event, which is being organized by the UH Office of Sustainability, aims to inform UH and community participants on sustainable practices in a fun and engaging way. "Everyone is invited to come out to this year's Sustainability Fest and learn about the latest developments in sustainability," said Michael Mendoza, manager for the Office of Sustainability. "It will also be a great place for people to discover changes they can incorporate in their daily lives to lead a more sustainable lifestyle."

University and community organizations interested in becoming vendors, sponsors or providing volunteers should fill out a registration form on the Sustainability Fest's website.

UH Receives Tree Campus USA Designation for Fourth Straight Year
The University of Houston has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA institution by the Arbor Day Foundation, marking the fourth consecutive year UH has earned the distinction. Universities and colleges across the country can apply for the designation, which recognizes schools for being active stewards of the natural landscape of their campuses.

"Achieving this certification affirms our commitment to ensure that tree preservation continues and tree protection is at the center of grounds maintenance and care," said Michael Mendoza, sustainability manager for the UH Office of Sustainability. "The trees at UH are an integral part of the campus' identity and a valuable natural resource." UH is one of 32 schools in Texas and 368 nationwide this year to earn the Tree Campus USA distinction, which is not awarded unless an institution meets five standards.

UH's Office Of Sustainability Presents At Statewide Conference
The University of Houston's Office of Sustainability participated in the statewide Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability summit in Austin. The conference served to discuss the University's recently published Tree Inventory and its related impacts to campus operations and beyond, along with other sustainability efforts throughout campus.

UH Launches Center for Carbon Management in Energy For A Holistic Approach to a Low Carbon Future
The University of Houston recently launched its Center for Carbon Management in Energy (CCME) to connect faculty, researchers and students at UH with the energy industry. The center will help explore strategies to foster a low-carbon future for the energy industry. The CCME will be operationally led by Charles McConnell, a long-time energy executive and former assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Energy. McConnell will work with industry to draw upon expertise from engineering, business, law and other disciplines to both reduce industry's carbon footprint and find new business applications for captured carbon and other emissions.

Food for Thought

Coogs Help Coogs Battle Food Insecurity With Donated Meal Passes

In an effort to support University of Houston students who may be experiencing food insecurity, UH Auxiliary Services gave 24/7 Meal Plan holders the opportunity to donate some of their unused guest day passes to students in need. “We were thinking of ways we could support food insecurity on campus,” said Rosie Ashley, Auxiliary Services program director. “The idea of allowing students to donate some of their passes came about in partnership with UH’s Student Government Association.”

National Nutrition Month® 2019

National Nutrition Month® started as just a nutrition week in 1973, but it quickly became apparent that such an important topic deserved a whole month! So in 1980, the country celebrated its first full National Nutrition Month®. Each year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics creates a campaign that highlights the importance of incorporating healthy food habits and physical activities that are individualized. This year, they’re doing something a little different.

IN THIS ISSUE

UH Sustainability Feature

Sustainability in the News

UPCOMING EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE:

Galveston Bay Foundation Native Plants Gardening Workshop
Date: Thursday, March. 14th
Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Online. Email: tdriscoll@galvbay.org

Teaching Kitchen: Fueling Your Workout
Date: Thursday, March. 21
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Cougar Woods Dining Hall

Offshore Wind: Will it Happen in Texas?
Date: Thursday, March 28th
Time: 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: UH Student Center South

UH E-Waste Drive
Date: Thursday, March. 28th
Time: 8 a.m - 1 p.m.
Location:UH Student Center South

River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash
Date: Saturday, March 30th
Time: 12 p.m - 7 p.m.
Location: 16 Houston Locations

GET OUTSIDE

Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta
Date: Saturday, March 9th
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: 1001 Commerce Street, Houston, TX 77002

Bolivar Beach Cleanup
Date: Saturday, March 16
Time: 9 a.m. - Noon
Location: Bolivar Beach Vehicle Barrier

Tour de Houston
Date: Sunday, March 17
Time: All Day
Location: Houston City Hall Start

HERMANN PARK CONSERVANCY KITE FESTIVAL
Date: Sunday, March 24th
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Hermann Park

Pearland Clean and Green
Date: Saturday, April 6th
Time: 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Location: Pearland Town Center

Farmers Markets

Rice University Farmers Market
Date: Every Tuesday
Time: 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: 5600 Greenbriar Dr.
Houston, TX 77005

City Hall Farmers Market
Date: Every Wednesday
Time: 11 a.m to 1:30 p.m.
Location: City Hall
901 Bagby St.
Houston, TX 77002

Central City Co-Op Farmers Market
Date: Every Wednesday
Time: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: 2515 Waugh Dr.
Houston, TX 77006

Urban Harvest Eastside Farmers Market
Date: Every Saturday
Time: 8 a.m. to noon
Location: 3000 Richmond Ave.
Houston, TX 77098

Memorial Villages Market
Date: Every Saturday
Time: 9 a.m to 1 p.m. Location: 10840 Beinhorn Road
Houston, TX 77024

The Woodlands Farmers Market at Grogan's Mill
Date: Every Saturday
Time: 8 a.m. to noon
Location: 7 Switchbud Pl.
The Woodlands, TX 77380

For more information on ongoing Farmers Markets or new, upcoming ones, check out the sites below:

VisitHouston

Urban Harvest

Campus Community Garden

Learn more about our Campus Community Garden and our mission. Email us to schedule a time to volunteer.
Like us on Facebook for weekly garden updates!

Scholarships & Opportunities

Keep Houston Beautiful Youth and Educator Awards
Nominations for the 2019 Keep Texas Beautiful Awards recognize the efforts made by youth and educators working to improve and beautify their communities. First-place winners in each category will be selected and recognized at the annual KTB Conference, receiving a cash prize and award. One winner per category will be selected and recognized at the annual KTB Conference.

CCREF National Compost Research Scholarship
The Composting Council Research & Education Foundation is pleased to announce the application period for its annual scholarship program has started. The scholarship is available for undergraduate through PhD students studying at a college or university in the United States. The scholarship is for $4,000, and also includes an invitation to present research findings at a US Composting Council Annual Conference. The goal of this scholarship is to bring assistance to students interested, compost research and to spark interest in future careers in the composting industry.

Society of Women Engineer Houston Area Section Scholarships
The Society of Women Engineers - Houston Area Section (SWE-HA) awards freshman/sophomore scholarships to woman students who plan to attend an ABET accredited four-year college or university, preferably in the State of Texas, and pursue an engineering or science discipline. The recipient(s) will receive the award towards the first year of study and may receive additional funding for the second year of study. Scholarships offered by SWE-HA will be awarded on the basis of merit to a qualified woman student in the Greater Houston area who plans to major in an engineering or science discipline. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider's website.