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North Texas

Public outcry stops Texas Legislature’s hack on local tree protections 

Public opposition halted the Texas Legislature's attempt to preempt local tree protections. The House rejected Senate amendments to HB7, maintaining local tree ordinances. A coalition of citizen groups drove advocacy efforts, generating significant public response. Tree advocates were urged to remain vigilant against future threats.

Hefty plastics recovery program deserves scrutiny, says DFW air watchdog

A local air quality watchdog group recently decried a Keep America Beautiful sponsored program to dispose of hard-to-recycle plastic by incineration and other lesser known alternatives to traditional recycling. hard-to-recycle plastic by incineration and other lesser known alternatives to traditional recycling. It’s called the Hefty EnergyBag program.

Texas Legislature sends another tree bill to Abbott

Days after approving an amended version of a House bill on tree regulations, the Senate voted to reverse itself late Monday night, rolling back two amendments that House Speaker Joe Straus had rejected.​ Photo by Shelby Knowles/Texas Tribune

Aug. 16, 2017

In an unusual move late Monday night, the Texas Senate voted to reverse itself on several amendments to a controversial tree-removal bill.

Vegan pop-up markets showcase cruelty-free products

Vegan pop-up markets like V Market in DFW promote cruelty-free products, including plant-based skincare, homewares, and clothing. Co-founders Christina Bluford and Katie Remis aim to support vegan businesses while expanding local interest in ethical, sustainable shopping. Markets occur monthly at various locations in Dallas and beyond.

North Texas will see partial solar eclipse on Monday

North Texas will experience about 80 percent coverage on Aug. 21, during the first total solar eclipse in the U.S. mainland since 1979. 

Aug. 15, 2017

Total solar eclipses are not rare. Most calendar years have two solar eclipses, according to TimeandDate.com. But the one happening on Monday is the first visible in the United States in nearly 40 years.

South Texas butterfly sanctuary staked for Trump's border wall

At the end of July, workers arrived unannounced and started marking a 150-foot clearing zone at the National Butterfly Center in South Texas, in preparation for Trump’s border wall. The 100-acre sanctuary, which provides habitat for more than 200 species of butterflies, including the monarch,

Local tree ordinances under threat in special session

Aug. 8, 2017 

If local tree ordinances fall in the Texas Legislature, will anyone hear? So far, two weeks into the special session with two weeks to go, residents, cities and tree professionals are raising a hubbub over it. It’s a battle over local control and the tree protections in place in 110 Texas cities, by a city of Austin count. Three bills would revoke or restrict cities’ and counties’ rights to set rules for tree removal – SB 14, HB 70 and HB 7.

At the July 22 Senate hearing on Senate Bill 14, close to 150 witnesses showed up in opposition.