November | 2012 | TexasVox: The Voice of Public Citizen in Texas

Archive for November, 2012

Posted in Global Warming, tagged Austin EcoNetwork, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, Public Citizen, texas league of conservation voters, US Green Building Council on November 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

$25 Advance Tickets ($35 at Door, please register in advance)

(Tickets include live entertainment, all food and beverages)

Co-Hosted by: Texas Green Network, Austin Eco Network, Public Citizen, Design Build Live, USGBC-Central Texas Chapter, Center for Maximum Potential, Texas League of Conservation Voters, Austin Creative Reuse & Austin Zero Waste Alliance

For five years running, Austin environmentalists have come together for holiday cheer at our Austin Green Holiday Party, a great chance for “cross-pollination” among local environmental orgs. This year, nine organizations are participating as co-hosts.

Continuing with our Caribbean dance theme, music will feature Austin’s Tribal Nation along with some “magical” and “comical” entertainment surprises. Join us for a unifying holiday rally to kick off 2013!

Hosted and Sponsored by Barr Mansion , w/dinner featuring a variety of Barr Mansion organic delights. Also sponsored by Theo Chocolate and more TBA.

About the Co-Hosts

Texas Green Network: www.texasgreennetwork.org
The Texas Green Network is the first Green Business Chamber of Commerce in Texas, a unique hybrid that combines an environmental organization and a modern Chamber of Commerce. Founded in January, 2008, TGN provides a diverse connecting point for a wide variety of businesses, environmental organizations, government programs and individuals. We are known for our fun and engaging events, including Austin Earth Day Festival.

Public Citizen: www.texasvox.org
By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, cleaner cars and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen.

Austin EcoNetwork: http://www.austineconetwork.com/
Helping Austinites lead the way as stewards of the planet’s resources, creating healthy home and work environments and contributing to a thriving local economy.

Design Build Live: www.designbuildlive.org
Design~Build~Live exists to share, practice, promote and nurture natural building and sustainable living. DBL was created by and for those who desire to live full, joyful lives that support the human spirit and honor the Earth and all her beings. We seek to design and build our homes, buildings, landscapes and entire lives thoughtfully, respectfully and beautifully. Among our offerings are monthly presentations, classes, hands-on workshops, and special educational events.

Texas League of Conservation Voters: www.tlcv.org
The Texas League of Conservation Voters works to preserve and enhance the quality of life of Texans by making conservation a top priority with Texas elected officials, political candidates and voters. When we succeed, all conservation groups and issues benefit.

USGBC Central Texas Chapter: www.usgbc-centraltexas.org
The U.S. Green Building Council Central Texas – Balcones chapter (USGBC CT-B) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to accelerating the adoption of sustainable building and land development practices in Central and South Texas through education, advocacy and partnerships. Founded in 2003, USGBC CT-B has over 500 members comprising building and associated industry professionals from Austin, San Antonio, Waco, the Rio Grande Valley and the surrounding 72 counties. The Chapter’s role is to advocate for the use of high performance and sustainable development practices to local, regional and state government, educational institutions, those involved in the residential and commercial construction, development and realty sectors, and others who might influence the implementation of these practices. The Chapter hosts LEED Green Building Rating System workshops and study groups; holds educational sessions on sustainable technologies and applications, and offers networking events for the region’s green-building professionals.

Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems: http://www.cmpbs.org
The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, established in 1975, is a non-profit education, research, and demonstration organization specializing in life cycle planning and design. We undertake projects based on their potential contribution to site, regional and global sustainability and human health, and actively pursue collaborations with associate organizations, businesses and professional firms.

Projects emphasize regional contexts as bases for responsible resource use relative to materials, energy, water, waste, food, and meaningful employment. Our expertise is accessible through green planning and design services, conference presentations, public lectures, and published papers.

Read Full Post »

Koch Brothers Exposed Screening with Progress Texas

Posted in Campaign Finance, Good Government, tagged David Koch, Koch Brothers Exposed, public citizen texas on November 29, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Our partners at Progress Texas are hosting a special screening of the documentary Koch Brothers Exposed at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar on Monday, December 3rd at 6:30 PM. They have already sold out more than half the theater – be sure to reserve your seats now before they sell out!

From director Robert Greenwald (Outfoxed, WalMart: the High Cost of Low Price), comes a terrific documentary film on Charles and David Koch—two billionaire brothers who have bankrolled a vast network of organizations that work to undermine middle class interests on issues ranging from Social Security to the environment to civil rights. This film uncovers the Kochs’ corruption—and points the way to how Americans can reclaim their democracy.

After the screening, Progress Texas will host a 30-minute discussion and Q/A with invited speakers Texas State Representative Garnet Coleman, Austin Chronicle Political Reporter Richard Whittaker, and others.

The price per ticket for a non-sustaining donor is $20. This includes entry for the movie AND a $10 credit towards the purchase of any food or drinks.

As always, Progress Texas sustaining donors get in free, but space is limited. To make sure you have a seat you will need to reserve your ticket for $10. That $10 will be put directly to a food and drink credit. If you are a current sustaining donor and interested in attending this event or have questions, please contact mark@progresstexas.org for more information.

Check out the trailer below and make sure to get your reserved seat ticket today!

Read Full Post »

New Sea Level Rise Study Indicates the Impacts of Sandy Could Become the Norm Sooner Than Expected

Posted in Climate Change, Global Warming, Water, tagged climate change, Current sea level rise, intergovernmental panel on climate change, ipcc, Sea level on November 28, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

In a new peer-reviewed scientific study, experts said satellite data show sea levels rose by 3.2 millimeters a year from 1993 to 2011 — 60 percent faster than the 2 mm annual rise projected by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for that period, however the IPCC was just about spot on with its predictions for warming temperatures.

The IPCC has estimated that seas rose by about 7 inches over the last century, and estimates a range of between 7 and 23 inches this century. This is enough to worsen coastal flooding and erosion during storm surges and if the impacts of Hurricane Sandy is any indication, will dramatically impact the dense coastal populations around the world.

The most recent IPCC report did not factor in a possible acceleration of the melt of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and “assumed that Antarctica will gain enough (ice) mass” to compensate for Greenland ice loss, the new study’s authors noted, but more recent studies have shown that “the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are increasingly losing mass.”

When the next IPCC report comes out in March 2014, we should expect a more quantitative understanding of ongoing sea level rise — and an entire chapter on the topic —given the impacts on the densely populated coastal regions of the world.

Read Full Post »

Texas Renewables Conference 2012

Posted in Renewables, tagged renewable energy, Texas on November 27, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

I want to alert you to a unique opportunity this December. It’s a special conference and video-taping called Renewable Energy and The Unified Energy System. And it’s going to be at the Lost Pines Resort just outside of Austin on the way to Bastrop.

Renewable Energy has truly come of age.

Solar modules are below a dollar/watt and distributed solar is about to blast through the proverbial roof. Texas Coastal wind now competes with base load fossil plants in price, yet performs like a more expensive gas peaking plant. Just as important, large scale solar plants can now compete with natural gas peaking units in price. Plug-ins and all-electric cars are becoming commonplace on our streets. Rules for storage facilities are finally written. Advanced thermostats and controls and other smart grid developments are providing new avenues in demand side energy management for both homeowners and utilities.

Our cars, buildings and the electric grid are becoming unified and Renewable Energy will be the big winner in an energy horizon where energy sellers become buyers, buyers become sellers, and renewable energy competes with oil in the transportation sector.

Texas Renewables 2012 is designed to address this transition and highlight the accomplishments of the Pecan Street Project where 200 of the 600 energy efficient smart homes are fitted with solar PV and 100 of the homes will support a plug in vehicle. The conference will provide a solid understanding of the forces at play to further the vision of a “Unified Energy System” and discuss strategies to sustain continued growth for the renewable energy sector.

You may even want your company or agency to be an exhibitor.

Click here to register.

There is only room for about 500 folks, so be sure and act now to reserve your place. We can’t think of a better place to be on 12/12/12.

Read Full Post »

Stop Keystone XL Pipeline in Nebraska – protect the Ogallala Aquifer

Posted in Tarsands, Water, tagged Keystone Pipeline, ogallala aquifer on November 26, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Submit a comment to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on how risky the Keystone XL pipeline route is for the Nebraska Sandhills and the Ogallala Aquifer. Help us get over 1,000 comments submitted. Click here to send a comment to the Nebraska DEQ. If you are not from Nebraska, change the comment and let them know how this affects you.

The Ogallala Aquifer is part of the High Plains Aquifer System. It is a vast, yet shallow, underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. One of the world’s largest aquifers, it covers an area of approximately 174,000 square miles in portions of eight states. These include South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas.

Read Full Post »