North Texas

Julie Fineman and Friends of the Warren Ferris Cemetery are transforming a neglected Dallas cemetery into a wildlife refuge, promoting native plants and animals. Their project aims to inspire others to restore historical cemeteries across Texas, creating connectivity for wildlife and preserving the sites' original landscapes.

Green Source On the Air will highlight women’s contributions to the environmental movement, featuring panelists like Georgeann Moss and Margie Haley. Sponsored by Dallas College, the episode airs on August 19 at 6 p.m., focusing on diverse women protecting the environment and offering sustainable solutions. Join on Zoom for free.

Last call to nominate for the 10th annual GSDFW Sustainable Leadership Awards by Oct. 22, 2021. Categories: Environmental Science and Innovation, Conservation Activist, Green Project or Program, and Coke Buchanan Volunteer of the Year. Virtual awards on Nov. 18, 2021.

PS1200, a mixed-use development in Fort Worth, features Quonset-hut apartments, retail shops, offices, and a vegan bistro by Spiral Diner founders, all within an eco-friendly, public park setting. Developed by Prince Concepts and designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects, it emphasizes sustainability and innovative design.

Fort Worth attorney Joseph Horn proposes the "Ecoplex," an International Environmental Complex aimed at addressing global environmental issues. It will feature sustainable innovation incubators, collaboration spaces, and the U.S.'s first National Environmental Museum.

A coalition in North Texas claims an asphalt shingle facility in West Dallas, GAF Materials, is illegally operating and polluting the area, risking residents' health. They're urging public assistance to enforce better air quality controls and municipal compliance through a public hearing and written comments submission.

Reusable bags are popular, with a 2019 CivicScience poll showing 51% of Americans using them, especially Baby Boomers and women. Options vary from custom, retro, pocket-sized, heavy-duty, straw, and euro bags. Brands like Eco-bags, Esse, Lands' End, and Global Mamas offer diverse, eco-friendly choices to reduce plastic use.

Volunteers counted dead birds in Dallas to assess the impact of the Lights Out Texas campaign, aimed at reducing building collisions during migration. Though results are preliminary, efforts focus on statewide awareness and lighting reduction. Texas, a crucial flyway, highlights the significant role of lighting in bird mortality.

Texas regulators advanced a haze reduction plan for national parks without new pollution limits, dismissing federal and environmentalist concerns. The plan doesn't mandate coal plants to adopt pollution-reducing technologies. Environmental groups expect federal intervention due to the plan’s inadequacies. Texas argues the measures are unnecessary and cost-prohibitive.

Dallas' new Urban Forest Master Plan aims to increase tree canopy coverage from 32% to 37% within a decade, improving the city's resilience to climate change. The plan consolidates tree policies, involves a comprehensive tree inventory, and supports the city's climate goals with nature-based solutions, necessitating public-private partnerships.