BAYOU BANNERVolume 39, Number 7 August - September 201 5

www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston — facebook.com/HSCenvironmentwww.meetup.com/Houston-Sierra-Club-Outings

GENERAL MEETINGS: 2nd

Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Join us prior to themeeting for refreshments at the hospital itytable and to visit the information tables forForestry, Outings, and Inner City Outings.Find out how you can volunteer with us.

St. Stephens Episcopal Church1 805 West Alabama

Enter one parking lot from Woodhead, theother from Sul Ross. Before 7:00 PM, leftturns to Woodhead are not al lowed. Goingwest on W. Alabama, turn right at Dunlavy,then left to Marshall , then left to Woodhead.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

General Meetings Page 1

Trips and Local Outings Page 2

Service Outings Page 2

Bike Ride Outings Page 3

Smith Point Outing Page 3

SHNF Outing Page 4

Trinity River Outing Page 4

Little Thicket NS Page 5

Watson Preserve Page 6

Cambodian Challenge Page 8

Relink Kroger Plus Card Page 8

Baylor Asthma Study Page 9

Sept 23 Special Event Page 1 0

Clear Lake Meetings Page 1 0

Recycling Resources Page 1 0

Bayou Banner Not Printed Page 11

Volunteer News Page 11

Get on the Email List Page 1 2

Regional Group Leaders Page 1 2

GENERAL MEETING AUGUST 1 3, 201 5

DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES

On August 1 3, theHouston Sierra Clubwil l host Bob Honig,environmentalconsultant and boardmember of the KatyPrairie Conservancy,to talk about howdragonfl ies anddamselfl ies l ive, grow,and reproduce.

Dragonfl ies anddamselfl ies comprise the insect order Odonata and are importantcomponents of both terrestrial and aquatic food webs. Theadults' beautiful colors and easily observable habits havespawned an increasing interest among natural ists, including Bobwho got hooked on them over 20 years ago. He'l l describeintimate detai ls of odonate sex, including how an individual malebest ensures that he is the father of the progeny of the femalewith which he mates. And you'l l find out answers to suchquestions as: Is it possible to breathe and poop via the sameorifice? And what is the kil ler l ip?

The meeting is at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, corner ofWest Alabama and Woodhead. Social period 7:00 p.m. Mainprogram begins at 7:30 p.m.

Male Carmine Skimmer (Orthemis discolor), Waller Co. , TX, , By Bob

Honig

GENERAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 1 0, 201 5

BEYOND COAL

Please join us at our September 1 0th general meeting andwelcome two guests from the national Sierra Club's Beyond CoalCampaign. They wil l focus on air quality issues in the Houstonregion resulting from the use of coal to provide electricity. DaveCortez and Chrissy Mann are based in Austin and head up theClub's campaign to move from coal-based energy in Texas andthe surrounding region.

Chrissy is the Senior Campaign Representative of BeyondCoal and was formerly an attorney with the Public Uti l i tyCommission of Texas. She is a graduate of UT at Austin and theUniversity of Texas School of Law. Dave Cortez is the CentralTexas Beyond Coal Organizer. Previously, he worked for theChapter's Texas Blue-Green All iance, which brought business,labor, and the environmental movement together to work towardsjob-creating clean energy solutions.

The meeting is at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, corner ofWest Alabama and Woodhead. Social period 7:00 p.m. Mainprogram begins at 7:30 p.m.

TRIPS AND LOCAL OUTINGSBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 2

OUTINGS UPDATES

MEETUPSee the outings calendar on our Meetup site:

www.meetup.com/Houston-Sierra-Club-Outingsfor possible additions to schedule.

————————

OUTINGS CALENDARAlso, outings information is available at our website

www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston/outings

OUTINGS LEADER TRAININGWe are always looking to maintain and expand

our pool of outings leaders. Our leader training(OLT 1 01 ) provides participants with the backgroundrequirements for leading a Sierra Club outing in thefield.

Besides gaining rewarding personal experience,our leaders and trip organizers make an importantcontribution by creating opportunities for others toexperience and enjoy the natural world.

I f you have an interest in becoming an outingsleader, or want more information, contact FrankBlake, frankblake@juno.com or 71 3-528-2896.Each class is approximately 2 hours long, and datesare coordinated with participants.

NOTICES

Sierra Club is a California non profit corporation, with “California Seller of Travel” registration number: CST2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.

All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard l iabi l ity waiver. I f you would l ike to readthe l iabi l ity waiver before you choose to participate on an outing, please go tohttp: //www.sierraclub.org/outings/chapter/forms, or contact the Outings Department at the national Sierra Cluboffice at (41 5)-977-5528 for a printed version.

The Houston Group has adopted this stretch ofbeach as part of the Texas “Adopt-A-Beach Program”.The North Jetty is a popular fishing, crabbing, andbirding spot on the Bolivar Peninsula just south of theAudubon Society’s Bolivar Flats Sanctuary. Becausethis site is heavily used, trash and litter have been aproblem. Much of the trash, such as discarded fishingl ine and plastics, are hazards to area wildl ife.

The ferry crossing to Bolivar is usually a greatopportunity to observe dolphins and brown pelicans. I tis interesting to visit the jetty in different seasons. Tosign up, contact Frank Blake, frankblake@juno.com or71 3-528-2896 (e-mail preferred). Additional detai ls wil lbe emailed to participants.

ServiceMARYSEE PRAIRIE WORK DAYS

First Saturday most months fall through spring.

Check Meetup site for possible dates in August and

September, and for updates.

The Marysee Prairie is one of the last remnantsof tal lgrass prairie in the Big Thicket region. Comeassist the Texas Land Conservancy in this ongoingeffort to revive and maintain the native grasses andwildflowers on this site near Batson, Texas. Worktasks vary by month, but usually involve control l ingthe regrowth of woody species and keeping the prairieclear for mowing. Tools provided. Check the Meetupsite for updates. For more information and to confirmwork dates, contact Tom Maddux at 936-697-3425, orFrank Blake at frankblake@juno.com or 71 3-528-2896.

Giant Coneflower on the Marysee Prairie, By Frank Blake

Service

North Jetty Beach

Cleanup Sign, By

John Berl inghoff

NORTH JETTY BEACH CLEANUP

Usually Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.-1 2:30 p.m.

Check Meetup site for possible dates in August and

September, and for updates.

TRIPS AND LOCAL OUTINGSBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 3

Bike Ride Outings

Check our Meetup site for dates in August and September.

We periodical ly schedule bike ridesin various parts of town to try out newtrails, explore specific neighborhoods,and visit unique Houston sights. Wetypical ly l imit group size to simplifylogistics and provide everyone a saferand better experience. Some planneddestinations are the East End,downtown, Buffalo Bayou trai ls,Heights, etc. Usually the rides are twoor so hours long and moderatelypaced. So watch the Meetup site orHouston Sierra website for newpostings during the summer.

Bike

Biking Houston, by Frank Blake.

Smith Point/Anahuac Bird and Bay Trip

Saturday, September 26, 201 5

Enjoy a migration bird/bay trip to Chambers County. Wewil l drive to Smith Point and visit Texas Parks and Wildl ifeDepartment’s Candy Abshier Wildl ife Management Area(WMA). At the WMA we wil l use the observation platform tolook for hawks, raptors, and other birds. Later we wil l driveto Trinity Bay and look for shorebirds.

After lunch we wil l drive to Anahuac National Wildl ifeRefuge and bird and enjoy the natural scenery. I f timepermits, we wil l visit the visitor center for the Texas ChenierPlain Refuge Complex and enjoy a board walk through acypress swamp on Lake Anahuac.

Bring a daypack, plenty of water, lunch, snacks,sunscreen, hat, field guides, binoculars, cameras, bugrepellent, and comfortable hiking shoes and clothes. Longpants are recommended. I t wil l be hot so plan accordingly.

We wil l meet to carpool/caravan at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot just west of Starbucks (look for Becks Prime)in Meyerland Plaza. Starbucks fronts the 4700 block of Beechnut (south side of Beechnut, near the West LoopSouth). Look for a silver-gray Honda Civic with many bumper stickers.

You can sign up on the Houston Sierra Club Outings Meetup site, cal l 71 3-664-5962, or email BrandtMannchen at brandtshnfbt@juno.com and provide your name, phone number, and email . I f there is a tripcancellation Brandt wil l email or cal l you.

Hike

Snow Goose (blue phase) by Wil l iam Powell .

Courtesy of the Anauhac National Wildl ife Refuge.

TRIPS AND LOCAL OUTINGSBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 4

Introduction to Sam Houston National Forest: The

West End

Saturday, October 1 0, 201 5, 7:30 a.m.

On Saturday, October 1 0, 201 5, the Houston Sierra Club wil l begin a three outing “Introduction to SamHouston National Forest (SHNF)”. This is a great way to “Get to know SHNF.” The idea is to have fun, learnabout SHNF and what you can see and where you can see it, and get you acquainted with its beauty and why itis important. This introduction wil l be just in time for the upcoming forest plan revision where your voice isneeded and wil l count to protect this beautiful landscape.

We wil l begin our trinity of outings on the “West End” of SHNF. Some of the sights you wil l see and beintroduced to include: the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Lake Conroe, the Lone Star Hiking Trail ,Little Lake Creek Wilderness Area, unique blackland prairies, Stubblefield Recreation Area, and the Palmetto-Bottomland Hardwood Forest of East Sandy Creek. After we finish our tour of SHNF, we wil l have a deliciousmeal at a nearby restaurant.

Bring your day-pack, hat, three quarts of water, snacks, binoculars, hiking shoes, camera, field guides, andwear long pants and a short-sleeved shirt. Long pants are recommended due to briars, chiggers, and ticks. Thetour wil l take about 3-4 hours and wil l consist of a car caravan with short stops where we look at different pointsof interest.

We wil l meet to carpool/caravan at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot just west of Starbucks (next to Becks Prime)in Meyerland Plaza. Starbucks fronts the 4700 block of Beechnut (south side, near the West Loop South). Lookfor a silver Honda Civic with bumper stickers. I f you would l ike to come, you can sign up on the Houston SierraClub Outings Meetup site or contact Brandt Mannchen at 71 3-664-5962 or brandtshnfbt@juno.com. For thosewho want to meet us at the District Ranger Office in SHNF at 9 a.m. , the directions are:

1 ) Drive from Houston about 55 miles north on Interstate 45 (I -45), past The Woodlands, Conroe, and Wil l is,and exit at New Waverly exit (FM 1 375/SH 1 50/FM 1 374).

2) Follow the detour signs on the north I-45 feeder road (east side of I -45) to FM 1 374, turn left onto FM1 374, cross over I-45, and turn left onto the south I-45 feeder and fol low it unti l you come to FM 1 375. Turn rightonto FM 1 375.

3) Go west about 2 miles on FM 1 375 and on your right you wil l see a sign for the SHNF District RangerOffice, a driveway, and a parking lot. Turn right into the driveway, park in the parking lot, and walk to the front ofthe District Ranger Office where we wil l meet.

Hike

Visit Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge in October

Saturday, October 24, 201 5, 7:30 a.m.

On Saturday, October 24, 201 5, the Houston Sierra Club wil l hike through some of the best bottomlandhardwood forests in East Texas in the Trinity River National Wildl ife Refuge (TRNWR). This is a make-up hikefrom March when we had to visit another refuge due to high water levels in the Trinity River Floodplain. We wil lhike about 6 miles over new trails that have recently been established in the TRNWR.

Bring your daypack, hat, water, lunch, binoculars, hiking shoes, camera, field guides, and clothes suited forthe weather. Long pants are highly recommended. We wil l meet to carpool/caravan at 7:30 a.m. in the parkinglot just west of Starbucks (look for Becks Prime) in Meyerland Plaza. Starbucks fronts the 4700 block ofBeechnut (south side of Beechnut, near the 61 0 West Loop South). Look for a Silver Honda Civic with lots ofbumper stickers. We wil l be back in Houston about 4:30 p.m.

I f you would l ike to come, you can sign up at the Houston Sierra Club outings Meetup site, cal l 71 3-664-5962 or email brandtshnfbt@juno.com. In case of trip cancellation you wil l be notified. For those who want tomeet us in Liberty, Texas at 9 a.m. the directions are:

1 ) Go west on I-61 0 South and then north on I-61 0 East across the Houston Ship Channel Bridge to I-1 0East.

2) As you take the exit to enter I -1 0 East, instead veer to the left and take U.S. Highway 90 (CrosbyFreeway) and go northeast.

3) You wil l cross the San Jacinto River, pass Crosby, and State Highway (SH) 1 46 in Dayton, Texas.4) You wil l go east through Dayton and SH 1 46 wil l join U.S. Highway 90 in Dayton. Then you wil l cross the

Trinity River Floodplain on elevated U.S. Highway 90.5) After you cross the Trinity River you are in Liberty, Texas. Continue on U.S. Highway 90 through Liberty

unti l you come to the McDonald’s at Spur 227. Turn into the McDonald's where we wil l meet at 9 am.

Hike

OUTINGS AND TRIP REPORTSBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 5

See GREEN AMBLE BRINGS SURPRISES IN LITTLE THICKET NATURE SANCTUARY on Page 7

GREEN AMBLE BRINGS SURPRISES IN LITTLE THICKET NATURE

SANCTUARY

By Brandt Mannchen

We gathered at the Starbucks and signedin. There were Jaime, Sara, Lisa, Yong,Belinda, Kathleen, Toni, and Magaly. Into thecars we jumped and final ly, after al l last weekand this week threatened us with stormyweather, we motored toward Cleveland, Texas,made a pit stop, picked up John at aconvenience store, and then drove to theentrance of the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuarywhere we met Matt.

The Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary isowned by the Outdoor Nature Club (since 1 923,the oldest environmental club in Houston), isabout one square mile in size (about 655acres), and is a remarkable example of howNature heals the landscape when people cut down all the trees and then farm the land to death. The LittleThicket Nature Sanctuary exists as a lush, green, l iving testament to the wonders of Mother Nature and herabil ity to restore the Earth.

I opened the gate (yes, the combination was sti l l good) and everyone drove in. Immediately we sawNorthern Cardinals fl itting across the road and a Cottontai l Rabbit bounded ahead and then dove into the greenforest that surrounded us.

All of a sudden I put on the brakes. There was a fal len dead tree (asnag) across the road. I had been afraid that this might happen becauseof the rain and wind that we experienced over the past two weeks. I gotout with several others and walked over to the tree. I t was fractured inseveral places and with the help of eight hands we managed to wrestlethe downed tree to the side of the road and drove on.

All of us made it to the “Cove” and parked the cars. After a shortintroduction about the history of the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary and atalk about safety we were off. I t felt good to be on the trai l , ambling andstrol l ing along, seeing Summer's green curtain. Al l eleven of us headeddown Middle Road and then turned right to go to the Chasm. We lookedat the stark dropoff along bedrock into an ephemeral stream bed lined withChristmas Fern. During rain the runoff turns the Chasm into a six footwaterfal l .

We fol lowed the Chasm and as it wound around and water seepedinto the channel. Then we walked to Enchanted Isle and enjoined theshade from a large Southern Magnolia (a very shade tolerant tree) wherea small delta had been formed alongside Mil l Brook (a seepage creek).

We then backtracked and what looked like a Bumblebee buzzedaround us. Only it was not a Bumblebee! I t was a robber fly dressed upto look like a Bumblebee (a mimic) and it had an insect in its mouth thatunfortunately had fal len prey to this small , but fierce, predator.

We decided to take the Beech Tree Trail . Right before we began our1 0 minute hike, Belinda and Toni found a Three-toed Box Turtle (our forestbox turtle) and the group oohed and aahed over its tan shell and orangestreaked face, took lots of photos, and then we turned it loose to amble,l ike us, through the forest.

After a short hike we came to a beautiful peninsula where three seepage creeks came together. AmericanBeech, Southern Magnolia, Loblol ly Pine, and American Holly shaded the area and ferns l ined the creeks(Royal, Chain, and Cinnamon) which unfortunately had been mucked up by feral hogs. I t was a great place

Pond at Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary next to a Blackland Prairie, By Magaly Fleytas

Mil l Brook Bridge in the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary, By

Magaly Fleytas

OUTINGS AND TRIP REPORTSBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 6

WATSON PRESERVE REVEALS ITS SECRETS

By Brandt Mannchen

I told David to be at the house by 7 a.m. , since I thought it would take about three hours to drive to theWatson Rare Native Plant Preserve just south of Warren, Texas, in the Big Thicket. David got there a little earlyand we left at 6:50 a.m. The traffic was light, for Houston, and we soon were headed toward the FM 563 exit onInterstate 1 0 East. We hit the exit and were off to Raywood, Texas, Batson, Saratoga, Honey Island, Vil lageMil ls, Wildwood, Lake Hyatt Estates, and final ly the Watson Preserve.

The reason I was so excited about this trip was I would get to see David and Patricia Lewis, old friends,whose interest is fungi, mushrooms, both the edible kind and the kind that fascinates you. In addition, I knew thatPauline Singleton would be there to guide me with the identification of wildflowers and other plants that I did notknow.

A final reason why I was so excited about this trip was to pay homage to the person who the WatsonPreserve is named after, Geraldine Watson. I knew Geraldine for over 30 years and without her we would nothave succeeded in the creation and protection of the Big Thicket National Preserve. Geraldine was on the “frontl ines” and she paid a price because many “locals” and people in the community did not want any part of the BigThicket saved. But Geraldine persevered and “we all won”. We owe her a debt of gratitude that can never beful ly repaid.

But Geraldine's own heart wanted more than a Big Thicket NationalPreserve. She wanted people to see, al l together in one place, al l theplants that were disappearing in East Texas. These were plants thatGeraldine loved, plants from her childhood, and plants that were rare andthat had all too often vanished. Our natural heritage gone forever! Thatwas reason enough alone to visit Watson Preserve and I was glad to bepart of this trip with my trusted companion, David.

To my surprise we got to the Watson Preserve about an hour early.How could I have so misjudged the time? I guess my foot was a littleheavy on the accelerator petal with the joy of a fun time ahead.

David and I , after coming to a truce with two local dogs, startedwandering the trai ls of this 11 acre botanical jewel. We first walked downslope toward Lake Hyatt and the seepage area that is traversed by theboardwalk. The flowers burst from the undergrowth l ike bright pins ofl ight. Yellow Colic Root, pink Meadow Beauty, yel low Water Primrose,white Rough Rose Mallow, red Tefrosia, green Desert Lavender, whiteTen-Angle Pipewort, Red Milkweed, claret colored Wine Cup, an earlyorange Chapman's Orchid, deep, rich, pink Grass Pink Orchid, and on,and on, and on. A beautiful , natural, bouquet for our eyes to feast upon.

Then we saw, up-slope, two people. We walked up and there wereDavid and Pat. I t was good to see them and after awhile others came sothat we had 1 0 people in our group. This day, for summer, turned out tobe wonderful. Clouds partial ly shaded our group as we walked the trai lsand a soft breeze rustled through the foot long needles of the tal l , straight,Longleaf Pines, cal l ing to us their ancient song – “Come join us in our forest splendor!”

Then we set out looking for fungi and more wildflowers. The pickings were lean for fungi but eventual lyabout a dozen species were found, with several unnamed or rare for the area. We traversed other areas of theWatson Preserve, with the blooming White Water Lil ies of Lake Hyatt serving as a background. We saw anequally impressive natural bouquet including Snowy Orchid, Pencil-flower, Rosin Weed, Button Bush, ButtonWeed, Slender Leaf Gayfeather, Purple Pleat-leaf, Pinewoods Gentian, Camphor Weed, White-topped Sedge,Green Eyes, Ashy Sunflower, Texas Ironweed, Wild Potato, Joe Pye Weed, and many more. What a blessing tobe in the presence of Nature, the creator.

Final ly, the herpti les (repti les and amphibians) were out. Baby Woodhouse's Toads hopped in the leaf l itter,a Bullfrog could be heard call ing in Lake Hyatt, an Upland Chorus Frog escaped our outstretched hands, aFence Lizard played hide and seek with us on the boardwalk, a Green Anole leaped from wildflower towildflower, a Six-l ined Racerunner outran us in the sandy upland Bracken Fern, and a Green Treefrog tried tohide in the Porta-Potty at the beginning of the trai l .

Brandt Mannchen with Ratsnake, By Pauline Singleton

See WATSON PRESERVE REVEALS ITS SECRETS on Page 7

OUTINGS AND TRIP REPORTSBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 7

(with a bench) for lunch, so we sat down, drankour water, ate our lunch, and rested. What reallycaught our attention and dazzled us were themany damselfl ies that fl itted along the creeks andby the wetland Lizard's Tail . These cousins ofdragonfl ies had iridescent green and blue bodiesthat gl istened in the sunlight.

After lunch we strol led back to Middle Roadand saw off John, who had to get back home. Wewalked on as the day began to get hot. Therewere very few flowers blooming in the forest. Butwe did see Dayflower, with its sky blue flower, andWild Petunia, with its vivid purple bloom, as weambled on.

We crossed the Triangle (a mowed meadow)and began to fol low alongside Mil l Brook and itsfloodplain. We came to a swinging bridge whichwas very sl ippery. We all helped each other getacross. American Crows called in the distanceand a Yellow-bil led Cuckoo croaked in the densethickets of Switchcane. We saw large Green Ashand giant American Sycamore trees next to Mil lBrook.

We final ly got to Cull inan and Big Meadowsand saw a mixture of prairie and forest plantsgrowing in these blackland soils. We stopped ata small , old, wooden bridge, walked down to Mil lCreek, and baptized ourselves. The water was oh so cooland refreshing! We began our long hike back but madegood time. By the time that we got to the Cove, it wasabout 2 p.m. I t was hot and we cooled off and talkedabout what we had seen and the good time that we had.

Then it was off to Houston, with a short stop at aconvenience store along the way (where we saw a LunaMoth, Rhinoceros Beetle, and a beautiful unidentified pinkand gold moth). This was truly a blessed day. LittleThicket Nature Sanctuary had come through again. Andthe folks who came, marvelous! ! !

GREEN AMBLE BRINGS SURPRISES IN LITTLE THICKET NATURE SANCTUARY continued from Page 5

Three-toed Box Turtle in the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary, By Magaly Fleytas

Swinging Bridge at the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary, By Magaly Fleytas

WATSON PRESERVE REVEALS ITS SECRETS continued from Page 6

But the piece de resistance happened after David and I said our goodbyes and hiked the trai l to the car sothat we could drive to Warren and have lunch. There, half-way on the trai l , was a snake about two-and-a-halfto three feet long. I recognized this “old friend” and caught its tai l and slowly pul led a Texas Ratsnake out ofthe bushes. As I picked up the snake I noticed that one of its eyes was blind. David and I hiked back to theothers to show them the ratsnake and then we turned it loose so that it could again roam the beautiful LongleafPine forest.

A delicious lunch in Warren fol lowed and then we headed home. We were satisfied. Not only did we fi l lour stomachs but more importantly we fi l led our souls. You cannot ask for more!

Luna Moth on the Trip from the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary, By Magaly Fleytas

FEATURESBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 8

JUNE'S GENERAL MEETING: A CAMBODIAN CHALLENGE

By Page Wil l iams

How can you teach a small vi l lage, in an isolated area of a developing country, to recycle? That was thechallenge facing our June General Meeting presenter, Della Barbato, when she was sent, in May of 201 4 to thevil lage of Chi Phat in Cambodia as part of a US-sponsored Community Solutions Program. Having known Dellaas a former Education Manager for the Galveston Bay Foundation, I can think of no one better suited toaccomplish such a task.

The vil lagers had previously used biodegradable containers, such as banana leaves, to transport their lunch,so the established culture was to discard their lunchcontainers anywhere on the ground. With theintroduction of cans, bottles and bags, it had notoccurred to them to change this habit, so the l itter pi ledup in the vil lage. As they were adjacent to the scenicCardamom Rain Forest, with impressive biodiversity andincreasing eco-tourism, Della educated the communityabout "zero waste" through recycling l itter prevention,and she helped to implement a Green AmbassadorBoard to guide them toward becoming an attractive eco-tourism vil lage.

Results were impressive. Community youth cleanedthe vil lage of l itter. Trained Green Ambassadors directedthe sorting. Simple net recycling collection bins wereconstructed. Aluminum cans brought cash and plasticbottles were fi l led with local dirt and wil l be used as

construction bricks. Poaching in the rain forest decreased by more than 80% as 243 community eco-tourism jobswere created in the vil lage of Chi Phat. And, with the help of Della's energetic leadership, the Community BasedEco-Tourism Community in Chi Phat was a winner in the Dubai International Award for Best Practices inFebruary 201 6 for outstanding achievement made towards improving l iving conditions of communities whileprotecting the natural environment.

Since leaving the Galveston Bay Foundation,Della has been working part-time for a recyclingcompany, Federal International Recycling. Sheencourages us to contact her for detai ls if we want tostart a recycling program at our own location. She hasher own business called Earth Voice, and is availablefor presentations and Earth Programs tailored for anyaudience, K through seniors. To learn more, you cancontact her at 832-283-0383 or Della@Earth-Voice.com. Her website is www.Earth-Voice.com.There could be no more inspirational and energeticvoice for our environment and we were lucky to haveher share this project with us.

Constructing recycling bins in the vil lage of Chi Phat, Cambodia, By Della Barbato

Constructing recycling bins in the vil lage of Chi Phat, Cambodia, By Della Barbato

KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM – RELINK FOR 201 5/201 6

The Houston Sierra Club participates in the Kroger Community Rewards Program. Each year ourmembers/supporters must RELINK their Kroger Plus Card to participate in the program. The first day you canlink your Kroger plus Card is August 1 , 201 5. All supporters must have a registered Kroger Plus card accountonl ine to be able to l ink their card to an organization. Go online to www.KrogerCommunityRewards.com. Onyour Account Summary, enrol l in the Community Rewards and enter #81 991 for the Sierra Club Foundation-Houston Group. I f you are a new online customer, cl ick on SIGN UP TODAY in the New Customer box toregister.

Starting August 30, 201 5, any time you shop at Kroger using their Kroger Plus Card, the Club wil l beaccumulating rewards for the 201 5-201 6 program. REMEMBER, your purchases wil l not count for the HoustonSierra Club unti l you register your card online.

Sending a big THANK YOU to all of our members/supporters that continue to participate in this programeach year.

FEATURESBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 9

BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE STUDYING THE ROLE OF

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES IN AREAASTHMATICS

By Winifred J. Hamilton

The Environmental Health Service at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) has received an award from thePatient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to conduct a randomized clinical trial testing the effectiveness ofa home-based exposure reduction intervention in Houston-area African American adults with asthma.

“African Americans are disproportionately affected by asthma—even after control l ing for socioeconomicfactors,” notes principal investigator Dr. Winifred J. Hamilton. “In the Houston area,” she says, “this population isroughly twice as l ikely as Whites and three times as likely as Hispanics to be hospital ized or to die from asthma.”She also notes that “although our study targets African American adults, the findings are l ikely to be relevant toothers who suffer from asthma or other diseases in which inflammation plays a central role.”

The study, titled the “Houston Home-Based Integrated Intervention Targeting Better Asthma Control (HI IT-BAC) in African Americans,” is currently enrol l ing 300 African Americans adults with poorly control led asthma.Enrol lment is expected to continue into the fal l of 201 5.

Patients who meet the inclusionary criteria and consent to participate in the study are assessed at the BCMEnvironmental Health Clinic where they undergo clinical assessment of their asthma—including pulmonaryfunction and allergy testing, and complete a comprehensive exposure history. During that visit, the Clinic’senvironmental health team discusses with each enrol lee a customized asthma management plan based on theclinical and exposure findings. At the end of the clinic visit, each patient is randomized into one of two groups: in-cl inic care or in-cl inic care plus a year-long home-based environmental intervention.

This intervention includes an environmental assessment of the home and/or other key exposure sites; andfour subsequent home visits to implement and support a customized plan to reduce asthma hazards—whichmight, for example, include allergen pil low covers, increased venti lation and reduced use of products withirritating chemicals or fragrances. The study team works closely with the patient’s physician when possible,reinforces proper use of asthma medications, and provides other help and support, such as addressing stressand nutrition.

All participants undergo a fol low-up assessment at one year. Key outcomes being studied include pulmonaryfunction, quality of l ife, control of asthma symptoms, and uti l ization of services for asthma. All enrol lees receive$1 00 for participating in the study. Up to $350 worth of supplies and/or services are budgeted for each homeintervention; patients in the control group are eligible to receive the home intervention at the end of the study.

“We are thri l led, ” says Hamilton, “to have the opportunity to conduct this study here. Our region—with itslarge industrial base, air pol lution issues, long growing season, dependence on cars, high humidity, andsequelae of flooding—has special chal lenges for asthma sufferers. We hope and believe—based on studieselsewhere—that this program wil l lead to measurable and lasting improvements in asthma control and quality ofl ife. ”

For more information about this study or the Environmental Health Service’s other cl inical, educational andresearch initiatives, please visit www.bcm.edu/environmentalhealth.

ANNOUNCEMENTSBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 1 0

The station with much for Sierrans:

Explorations, Tuesdays, 5:00 AMEco-Ology, Wednesdays, 3:00 PM

Democracy Now (with Amy Goodman),7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, weekdays.

Progressive Forum (with Wally James)Thursdays, 7:00-9:00 PM

Of course there is news:BBC News, 6:00-7:00 AM and 8:00-9:00 AMKPFT local news, weekdays, 4:00-5:30 PM

Bird Note, 9:58 AM.. . at the end ofOpen Journal, 9:00-1 0:00 AM

And lots of music, especial ly on the weekends.

You can see the program schedule at

www.kpft.orgRSS and ATOM web feeds, and

PODCASTS are available.

Revised March 31 , 201 4

CREDITSSome photos in the Bayou Banner are public domain

photos provided by the National Park Service, the U. S.Fish and Wildl ife Service, or Wikipedia. All photos areused by permission, and the photographer is given credit,where known.

Some activities shown on the Announcements pages are notmanaged by the Houston Sierra Club.

BAYOU BANNERNewsletter of the Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club

Volume 39, Number 7 August - September 201 5

sierraclub.org/texas/houston • facebook.com/HSCenvironment • www.meetup.com/Houston-Sierra-Club-Outings

The Bayou Banner is the  newsletter of the Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club. It is published 6 times a year

by the Houston Sierra Club.

Circulation is online at the Houston SIerra Club web site.

EDITOR: Carol Woronow

Email: HSCBanner@gmail.com Website: http://www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston

Opinions stated are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Houston Sierra Club.

Copyright © 2015, Houston Sierra Club. All rights reserved.

Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher.

The Sierra Club — Houston Group • P.O. Box 3021 • Houston, TX 77253-3021

RECYCLING RESOURCES

CITY OF HOUSTON RECYCLING

The City of Houston has several dropoff sites (someare special ized for certain items), and provides curbsiderecycling in many neighborhoods. Principal dropofflocations are the Westpark Consumer Recycling Centerat 5900 Westpark, and the self-serve site at 3602 CenterStreet in the Heights. For other locations and a completel ist of recyclable items, consult the City’s recycling webpage, phone the City’s 311 hotl ine with recyclingquestions, or connect to

http: //www.houstontx.gov/sol idwaste/recycling/For Houston e-waste recycling options at

GREENspot locations, just do an online search forDropoff Houston, or visit http: //dropoff.houstontx.gov.

BELLAIRE RECYCLING COMMITTEE

This group has a useful website, with a variety ofinformation on recycling activities in the Houston area.Committee phone line is 71 3-662-81 73.bel lairerecycles.org/index.html.

More available at http: //www.h-gac.com/

CLEAR LAKE WALKERSEvery Saturday morning at 7:30, rain or shine

Some Bay Area Sierra Club members andfriends meet weekly for a three-mile walk,conversation and breakfast. Much of the walkis along the water and we often see a variety ofshore birds.

Where: Nassau Bay, meeting in the DollarStore parking lot across from the Post Office.

Contact: Betty Armstrong at 281 -333-5693.

Editor’s note: The Clear Lake Walkers havebeen active for 21 years.

CLEAR LAKE/BAY AREA MEETING

The Sierra Club organization meeting in ClearLake, and then on a hiatus, is rebooting!

A first meeting was held Wednesday, March1 8 at the same location as in the past.

For the next meeting of the Bay Area SierraClub, contact LInda King. Location is the Bay AreaCommunity Center in Clear Lake Park (acrossNASA Parkway from Clear Lake) at 5002 NASAParkway, Seabrook. Visitors are always welcome!Contact Linda King at 281 -467-3624 orLindaAWKing@att.net for more information.

HEADS UP FOR SEPTEMBER 23RD

SPECIAL EVENT!Please join Houston Sierra Club Volunteers for a

special benefit evening to support the work of theHouston Regional Group and the Lone Star Chapter.Did we mention that 201 5 is the 50th anniversary of theLone Star Chapter?

The big evening wil l be on Wednesday, September23rd at the Houston Arboretum. Gather with l ike mindedfolks. Enjoy good company, great appetizers anddesserts. See displays of local conservation efforts andservice projects.

There wil l be optional short hikes/walks for adults &kids from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, with refreshments beginningat 6:30 PM and a special program at 7:1 5 PM.

Stay tuned for announcements about ticketpurchases and opportunities for sponsorship.

VOLUNTEER NEWS AND NOTESBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 11

MONTHLY MEETINGS

GENERAL MONTHLY MEETINGSecond Thursday monthly in Pecore Hall of St. Stephen’s Episcopal

Church, 1 805 West Alabama. Enter parking lot from Woodhead. Themeeting opens at 7:00 p.m. , and the program starts at 7:30 p.m. Everyoneis welcome.

Before 7:00 p.m. , left turns are not al lowed at Woodhead. I f you aregoing west on W. Alabama, turn right at Dunlavy, then left to Marshall ,then left to Woodhead.

CONSERVATION

Second Tuesday monthly, 7:00 p.m. Meet in the H-E-B food court atWest Alabama and Dunlavy. Contact Evelyn Merz, 71 3-644-8228,elmerz @ hal-pc.org. Come early (6:30) and grab a bite to eat.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Fourth Thursday monthly, 7:00 p.m.Contact Frank Blake frankblake @ juno.com.

INNER CITY OUTINGS (ICO)

Meeting times and place to be determined. Please contact LorraineGibson at 281 -384-41 04 or raineygib @ aol.com for more information.

OUTINGS:

Usually the third Monday of the month, 7:00 p.m. , at the Whole Foodsstore on Bellaire near Weslayan. Help us plan regional day outings,weekend trips, and air/bus trips to exciting outdoor destinations acrossthe country. Please call to confirm meeting date. Frank Blake, 71 3-528-2896, frankblake@ juno.com.

The Bayou Banner is the newsletter of the Houston RegionalGroup of the Sierra Club. I t is been published 6 times a year,in odd-numbered months. See the Group's web site for thelatest information (http: //www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston).Current circulation is onl ine athttp: //www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston/newsletters, exceptfor a printed December/January issue for the elections ofExecutive Committee members.

CURRENT EDITOR: Carol Woronow.

SUBMISSIONS: The deadline to submit articles is the 1 5thday of the month before the date of the issue in which thearticles are to run (for example, articles for theSeptember/November issue must be submitted by August 1 5)— but articles and information is welcome at any time. Theonline Bayou Banner wil l be posted on the first day of themonth (for example September 1 ).

Al l submissions must have the author’s name, and contactinformation even though it wil l not be printed. All photos mustidentify the source and have proof of permission to use (orl ink to the policy of royalty-free photos). Articles may beedited for clarity, accuracy, and space considerations.Opinions stated are those of the author and not necessari lythat of the Houston Sierra Club.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Telephone 41 5-977-5633 or sendaddress changes to Sierra Club Membership, PO Box 52968,Boulder, CO 80322, or via email to

address.changes@sierraclub.org.Include both old and new addresses and allow 6 weeks fordelivery of the first issue. Please DO NOT CONTACT THEEDITOR FOR CHANGE OF ADDRESS.

JOIN THE SIERRA CLUB

Just go to our web sitehttp: //www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston

and click onJoin or Give/Membership Benefits

For a l imited time:

Only $1 5Get a FREE rucksack

See it onl ine

Part of your paymentcomes back to support the

Houston Sierra Club

RENEWING YOUR MEMBERSHIPThe Houston Sierra Club gets a small part of your

membership renewal fee (the rest of it is used by theNational Sierra Club and the Lone Star Chapter of theSierra Club). The amount passed to the Houston SierraClub is more if you use a credit card and renew onlinethrough our website than if you mail a check.

THE BAYOU BANNER (PRINTED

EDITION) HAS ENDED

The Bayou Banner has ended printing anddistribution by conventional mail . The issue ofJune-July, 201 4, was the last issue for which papercopies were mailed to members.

A PDF copy of the newsletter, letter-sized,suitable for printing youself, is available at thewebsite of the Houston Sierra Clubhttp: //www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston/newsletters

Also, outings, trips, and other activities areposted on our Meetup sitemeetup.com/Houston-Sierra-Club-Outings

and we have a facebook page for discussionof environmental issuesfacebook.com/HSCenvironment

The primary reason for abandoning mailedpaper copies was the cost.

I f you have questions about the current BayouBanner, contact the editor atHSCBanner@gmail .com.

If you do not receive email notices of theavailabi l ity of the Bayou Banner online, you shouldsign up on the Email Alert/Announcement List.VOLUNTEER NEEDED TO HELP WITH

THE HSC WEBSITEWe need a couple of people to assist the webmaster

with posting material to the Houston Group website.This normally requires a few hours per month. For moreinformation, contact the webmaster at

houston.webmaster@lonestar.sierraclub.org.

VOLUNTEER NEWS AND NOTESBayou Banner — Volume 39, Number 7 — August - September 2015 Page 1 2

HOUSTON REGIONAL GROUP

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Art Browning (Chair) art.browning@gmail .com

(Lone Star Chapter Delegate)

Jim Wil l iams (Vice Chair) ezz@pdq.net

Lorraine Gibson (Treasurer) raineygib@aol.com

Page Wil l iams (Secretary) page.wil l iams@gmail .com

Melanie Oldham oldham_melanie@yahoo.com

(Alternate Lone Star Chapter Delegate)

Evelyn Merz elmerz@hal-pc.org

(Conservation Committee Chair)

Frank Blake frankblake@juno.com

Stephanie Thomas Stephanie.germaine@gmail .com

REGIONAL GROUP LEADERSHIP

Banner Editor Carol Woronow HSCBanner@gmail .com

Beach Cleanup Frank Blake frankblake@juno.com

Conservation Evelyn Merz elmerz@hal-pc.org

71 3-644-8228

Conservation Subcommittees

Air Quality Brandt Mannchen brandtshnfbt@juno.com

71 3-664-5962

Coastal Issues Page Wil l iams page.wil l iams@gmail .com

Energy and Global Warming

Jim Wil l iams ezz@pdq.net

Forestry and Big Thicket

Brandt Mannchen brandtshnfbt@juno.com

71 3-664-5962

Recycling Frank Blake frankblake@juno.com

Watershed Evelyn Merz elmerz@hal-pc.org

71 3-644-8228

Hospital ity Carol Lee 71 3-523-2294

Inner City Outings Lorraine Gibson raineygib@aol.com

281 -384-41 04

Lone Star ChapterDelegate

Art Browning art.browning@gmail .com

Membership John Berl inghoff johnb@hal-pc.org

Outings Frank Blake frankblake@juno.com

Political (open)

Programs Joe Lengfel lner

thatsjoesmail@yahoo.com

Webmaster houston.webmaster@lonestar.sierraclub.org

HOUSTON SIERRA CLUB

EMAIL

ALERT/ANNOUNCEMENT

LIST

Subscribe to the Houston SierraClub’s email alert l ist to get timely alertson Houston area conservation issues, andoccasional announcements of interest toHouston Sierra Club members. Wheneveryou want to drop from the list it is easy tounsubscribe yourself—those instructionsare included at the bottom of eachmessage sent out on the l ist.

INSTRUCTIONS:Send FROM the email address to whichyou want to direct the messages.Subscribe by sending TO:LISTSERV@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG

Subject: [this l ine may be left blank]Message Body:SUBSCRIBE LONESTAR-HOUSTON-ANNOUNCE FirstName LastName(Insert YOUR name in place of “FirstNameLastName”)

That’s it. You wil l receive confirmationmessages from the listserve. Thanks foryour interest.

I f you need assistance in locating theinstructions or in signing up for the emaill ist, please contact Frank Blake at

frankblake@juno.com or 71 3-528-2896.

Since the Houston Group wil l not bemail ing out the Bayou Banner on a regularbasis, one option for getting informationon Club activities is this Houston GroupEMAIL ALERT LIST.

Note: There is the possibi l ity that wemay produce some sort of periodicnewsletter in the future that could bemailed out to those members specifical lyinterested in subscribing.

The December-January issue may bemailed because of the ExecutiveCommittee ballots.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT1 . Explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth.2. Practice and promote responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and

resources.3. Educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the

natural and human environment.4. Use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.

The ant seen on these pages is the fictitousSieromeyrmex houstonensis, drawn for andnamed after the Houston Sierra Club byworld-famous biologist E. O. Wilson.