Business

The Quality of Life and Environment Committee of the Dallas City Council is currently working on strategies to reduce the amount of plastic bag and plastic film litter in our environment. On Monday, Oct. 14, the committee will be meeting to hear discussion on this topic. 

During the meeting, there will be an opportunity for the public and environmental groups to speak to the committee and to present their perspectives on this topic in addition to representatives from the plastic bag and plastic film manufacturers, recyclers, industry spokespersons, retailers and restaurants.

The meeting will run for 90 minutes during which time we estimate that groups will have approximately 15 minutes each to make comments and distribute information on the topic.

Once all groups have had a chance to speak, we believe the QOLE Committee will then take the remainder of the time to ask questions and make their comments and decide on next steps.

Jack Tidwell, manager of the Environment & Development Department at the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), will speak about Vision North Texas, which is an award-winning partnership of private, public, and academic organizations. 

Two nationally respected conservationists will examine the impact of nighttime artificial lighting on physical, mental and spiritual health at a workshop and lecture. 

Cindy Luongo Cassidy will lead the 5-6:45 pm lighting assessment workshop, featuring a walk-around critique of installed lighting on the UTA campus. Following the Planetarium show "The November Night Sky," she and Paul Bogard will present a lecture and Q&A. 

Free but seating is limited. Register online to receive parking pass and directions.

The presenter will be Fran Witte, Sr. Community Outreach Coordinator, city of Irving, specializing in environmental education and program development.

Ms. Witte is the Secretary for Women in the Environment and is a member of the North Texas Corporate Recycling Association (NTCRA), the Metroplex Recycling Coordinators Roundtable, North American Association for Environmental Education, National Community Gardening Association, TOFGA (Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) and the NTREG Yahoo Group. Ms. Witte is also member of the Irving's Greater Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Green Business Council and serves as a city of Irving Radiological ("RAD") team member.

Three-day green conference featuring more than 250 speakers, as well as exhibitions, workshops, meetups, film screenings and panel discussions.  DFW environmentalists Amy King, Anna Clark, Charlotte Vick, Mark McWilliams and Mark Hallwill will present a panel discussion on Ocean Conservation through Social Innovation on Oct. 7. $375.

Bring your favorite chocolate, munchies or a bottle of wine to share with fellow WE members and friends. The group will also hold its annual election of officers and board members. RSVP.

Workshop series is geared to environmental educators. In this last session, help students learn about their relationship with energy and investigate the environmental issues related to energy's role in society.  Receive an Energy & Society Activity Guide, Energy and Me Music CD and Dance Video end energy posters. Great for 5th grade energy unit.  Receive 3hours of SBEC credit. $35. Info: LInda Dunn at ldunn@wetlandcenter.com

This workshop is part of UNT's Sustainability Leadership Program, a professional certificate workshop series to help participants discover professional opportunities in sustainability. Attend all 7 workshops and receive certification. 

Cost for the July 29 workshop: $75. Agenda:

• Fundamentals of Sustainability
• Funding Projects and Programs
• Changing Behavior
• Stakeholder Involvement
• Measuring Success
• Public/Private Partnerships
• Sustainability Marketing and Promotions

The Grove Dallas is a new coworking community that is launching this summer to serve the social mission sector of entrepreneurs, non-profits and artists in Dallas. The Grove seeks to combine business with social change initiatives to positively impact the cultural landscape and serve the social mission sector of Dallas. 

The topic: "The Naked Business: Radical Transparency and How it Will Help Your Business Thrive." 
Description: Traditional advertising is dead. The future is all about your reputation and your relationship with your employees and stakeholders. Now that we have constant access to the truth about the products we use and the ethics of the companies behind them, big brands are realizing that looking great isn't enough. It's time to actually be great. What does this mean for your business? 

AIA Dallas Committee on the Environment (COTE), USGBC North Texas, and the CSI Dallas Chapter are partnering to showcase the latest green building products and technologies for commercial and residential use. 

NTX Sustainable Showcase is for architects, engineers, interior designers, developers, contractors, owners, facilities managers and others interested in the sustainable building industry. This event will provide panel presentations with experts in the industry who will review why to choose healthy materials, how they affect designs, and how to implement in projects.

Cost: $100 ($90/AIA, CSI and USGBC members) and $45/students. 

Agenda: 
9:00- 9:30 a.m. Registration 
9:30-11:00 a.m. Pod 1 - Why Choose Healthy? 
11:00-11:30 a.m. Break & Vendor Exhibition 
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch with Keynote speaker 
1:30-3:00 p.m. Pod 2 - Design Considerations 
3:00-3:30 p.m. Break & Vendor Exhibition 
3:30-5:00 p.m. Pod 3 - Healthy Materials Implementation 
5:00 p.m. Private Social Hour and Garden Tour