North Texas

Photos courtesy of Julie Thibodeaux.

May 23, 2016

All you trash picker-uppers and dumpster divers take note. You can win a year’s worth of wind energy by refurbishing your finds or turning them into art or home decor.

Dallas-based Breeze Energy, a 100 percent Texas wind energy company, is sponsoring a contest in an effort to make the public become more “green conscious,” with first prize being a free year of Breeze Energy and second prize a Breeze Beach Cruiser custom bike designed by Villy Custom.  

Jason tests the effectiveness of using coconut oil as a sunscreen. 

May 17, 2016 

Lisa Walter Rasley has found a way to turn an advertising byproduct into a cool eco-friendly accessory.

Rasley is the founder of  Dallas company called Banner Theory that makes purses and bags from vinyl billboard banners.

Photo courtesy of Rex Curry/Greenpeace.

May 17, 2016

On May 25, two hours before ExxonMobil shareholders convene their annual meeting at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, 100 climate activists are expected to rally outside the center, asking the state to investigate Exxon for a 20-year campaign of public and shareholder disinformation and calling on investors to divest their Exxon shares.

A city sign designates a protected wildflower area at Lake Cliff Park. Photos by Monica Johnson.

May 13, 2016

The city of Dallas wants to give wildflowers more real estate.

Texas wildflowers, such as bluebonnets, primrose and Indian blanket, are more than just pretty scenery. They are vital sources of food and shelter to pollinators such as butterflies, bees, moths, birds and bats. 

The owner of Splash of Green Paint says he uses eco-friendly paint, primer and cleaning products.

May 10, 2016

It’s a family trade, but Mesquite resident Tony Martinez has made it a healthy one too. That's because Martinez’ company Splash of Green Paint provides eco-friendly house painting to the residents of Dallas and surrounding cities.

Jay Squyres' home in Flower Mound above and below. Aerial views show extensive solar panels, but also show that most of the project is shielded from street view.

May 10, 2016

When Jay Squyres installed his first solar rooftop array in 2009, the homeowner’s association in his Flower Mound subdivision went ballistic. Alarmed that the shiny panels on Squyres’ roof would somehow degrade values or mar the aesthetics of the affluent, treed and master-planned Wellington community, his HOA sued him. Twice.

Big Brown in Freestone County is one of the coal-burning power plants that DFW CAN says needs to be regulated. Photo courtesy of Texas Tribune.

May 9, 2016

On Tuesday, Dallas County became the first government entity in North Texas to reject the state’s clean air plan and request the Environmental Protection Agency to follow suit. Their resolution asks EPA to develop a federal plan to reduce smog that’s worse here than anywhere else in Texas. The County’s resolution calls on EPA for two actions.