Join Hyun-Min Hwang, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental & Interdisciplinary Sciences at Texas Southern University, as he discusses the links between people’s health, and the health of our planet. Our planet consists of four major components: lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), biosphere (living things), and atmosphere (air). A healthy planet is a prerequisite for […]
Join Jeff Lindner, Director of Hydrologic Operations, Harris County Flood Control District, as he discusses how to stay safe in a natural disaster. Jeff’s presentation will cover the various hazards that impact a region during a hurricane landfall, including wind, rainfall and storm surge flooding. Jeff will then go on to address how to prepare […]
Experience forest bathing, led by a certified guide, followed by practice of the Christian spiritual discipline of the Earth Examen. Forest bathing, a practice that originated in Japan, involves taking in, in all of one's senses, the forest atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being […]
The air quality in Harris County is influenced by multiple sources of pollution, including extensive road traffic, concrete batch plants, proximity to the largest petrochemical industrial complex in the United States, and port activities in the Houston Ship Channel. It is also important to note that environmental risks are not always uniformly distributed in urban […]
Plastic pollution now contaminates the deepest trenches in the ocean, high mountain peaks, and even the air we breathe – plus recently being found in our blood. Plastic has entered the food chain, killing wildlife, and causing the average person to eat one credit card’s worth of plastic each week. To learn more about this […]
Join Professor Robert Mace of Texas State University for a discussion on freshwater scarcity. Growing populations, the ever-present threat of drought, aquifer over-pumping, reservoir sedimentation, and climate change are creating a perfect storm to challenge the resiliency of our water supplies. Since water is needed for human health, agriculture, industry, energy, recreation, and the environment […]
Join Professor Gunnar Schade of Texas A&M University to learn about the issue of air pollution. Air pollution is a major factor for public health throughout the world. An increasing human population, increasingly clustered in urban areas, is exposed to a variety of air pollutants. Among the common pollutants, fine particulate matter and ozone exposure […]
Gardening and growing fruit, vegetables, and herbs organically is easy when recreating systems of nature to incorporate plants for wildlife and for people. Gardening in the gulf coast climate allows us to grow year around. Carol Burton, Director of Garden Education at Urban Harvest will explore the seasons from Summer gardening strategies to Fall […]
Heat is the greatest weather-related disaster in the U.S., killing more people than any other kind of natural disaster. And, Texas is one of three states with the highest heat-related deaths. A study found that the Houston area averaged 18 dangerously hot summer days per year from 1975 to 2010. Without any action to combat […]
As people of faith and conscience, we believe elections are a referendum on the values that will shape our future. How can we renew our fragile democracy? How do we honor the human dignity of every person? Will we protect our Sacred Earth and our children’s future? What policies will prioritize the common good and […]
Experience forest bathing, led by a certified guide, followed by practice of the Christian spiritual discipline of the Earth Examen. Forest bathing, a practice that originated in Japan, involves taking in, in all of one's senses, the forest atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being […]
Experience a private guided tour of the Houston Botanic Garden, followed by practice of the nature-based Christian spiritual discipline of prayer with eyes wide open. Prayer with eyes wide open is a very meaningful way to deepen spirituality through nature, and nurture a loving relationship with the earth. Through prayer that engages with the world […]
Connect with God as revealed through creation at Hermann Park in this guided prayer walk in the park, using the park’s beautiful natural setting to stimulate prayer and reflection. At each stop along the walk, there will be a theme, an accompanying Bible verse, and reflection questions for you to ponder. Deepen your Christian spiritual […]
All Houston-area residents are invited to participate in the online Earth Month Ecochallenge. This event offers you the opportunity to care for the earth and all its peoples by taking on a challenge in: climate & ecosystems, economy & communities, health & equity, education & livelihood or basic needs & security. You can learn about […]
The climate crisis is very real. And we tend to oversimplify it. In dealing with the climate crisis in a just manner, it is imperative that we consider the many aspects of climate justice – racial justice, economic justice, health care justice, climate migration justice, and so much more. Join retired United Methodist pastor, the […]
Join us to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a free screening of Emmy-nominated film A Village Called Versailles, on Thursday, May 11, 2023, 12:00 to 2:00 PM, 3412 Crawford Street, Houston 77004. In a New Orleans neighborhood called Versailles, a tight-knit group of Vietnamese Americans overcame obstacles to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, only […]
Join Professor Kerri Crawford of the University of Houston to consider more deeply the interconnections between humans and our environment, through the lens of ecosystem services. As biodiversity is lost through anthropogenic changes, it is becoming increasingly clear how much we rely on the natural world. Nature provides us with many services, including water purification, […]
Plastic pollution now contaminates the deepest trenches in the ocean, the highest mountain peaks, and even the air we breathe. Microplastics have been found in human blood, lungs, breast milk and placentas. Plastic has entered the food chain, killing wildlife, and causing the average person to eat tens of thousands of microplastic particles every year. […]
Join Lisa Reznicek of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) for a discussion of how you can connect to Texas State Parks. We know many ways humans are happier, healthier, and smarter for playing outside. TPWD is extending an invitation to join us for some fun as we celebrate 100 years of your Texas […]
A year ago, our ministers directed church staff to change the Sunday lunch menu to plant-based food. What inspired them to act? For a year, our church’s Climate Action Team has hosted monthly plant-based potlucks. The potlucks turn out five times as many participants as the monthly lectures that we used to hold. That’s inspiration! […]
