Environmental Events
What’s happening in and around Dallas / Fort Worth? If it’s green or it involves the outdoors, it’s listed here!
If your nonprofit group or organization would like to list your events in GreenSourceDFW, please submit it via email to events@greensourcedfw.org. Events will be screened.
May 01, 2012
The local Texas Campaign for the Environment office is hosting follow up meetings about the gas drilling issue in Dallas. TCE is also launching a statewide campaign to urge Wal-mart to start a take back recycling program for old and obsolete electronics and this will be a forum to discuss this program. Electronic waste is toxic waste (it contains lead, mercury and many hazardous chemicals) that doesn’t belong in D/FW landfills – which are often situated close to area waterways. TCE is thus urging Walmart to match the recycling program Best Buy is offering in their retail stores nationwide, and we launched a “social media action”.
May 17, 2012
Thursday May 17th FREE Admission all day 9am-9pm
How Birds Work
Join our monthly FREE Third Thursday event.
We’ll have guided hikes and animal encounters throughout the day. Evening activities include: Special guest speaker,Dr. Patty McGill, director of Dogwood Canyon and Trinity River Audubon Centers presenting How Birds Work at 7PM.
From singing to swimming, from incredible powers of sight and hearing to the extraordinary ability to soar through the sky, birds are amazing. But how do they achieve these incredible feats? Join us for a closer look at the bird body and the physical adaptations that allow birds to migrate great distances, navigate through the night sky, and return to the same wintering and breeding grounds each year.
At 8PM accompany Audubon Texas, Director of Education, Ben Jones, into the Great Trinity Forest on an Owl Prowl.
As always, we’ll have bird crafts, locavore food tastings and live music in our great hall from 6-8PM.
Bring the whole family!
http://www.trinityriveraudubon.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Explore_SpecialEvents
Grab a slice of summer fun at Main Street Days, the official kick-off to summertime in Grapevine. Like the song says, "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore, and when the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine, that's amore." Taste the international wines, craft beers and pizza pies. Dine at the Pizza Piazza, dance to non-stop entertainment, seek out your favorite festival food and shop the day away. Main Street Days is a fun-filled festival perfect for the entire family. Now that's amore!
Festival Hours
- Friday, May 18
10 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. - Saturday, May 19
10 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. - Sunday, May 20
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
10 am to 5 p.m.
• Adults: $7
• Children (6-12): $5
• Children under 6: FREE
• Weekend Pass Pin: $15
• Weekend Souvenir Pass Pin: $20
Festival coupons must be purchased for rides, pizza tastings and food.
Local and organic meat, dairy and produce vendors offer their wares from 8:00 a.m. until noon every Saturday at Chestnut Square and from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. every Thursday at Adriatica in West McKinney. Market vendors also offer sauces, pasta, baked goods, wine and flowers!
Are you ready for gas-free and green?
Location: Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd., Plano, TX 75075
Thursday, May 17, 2012 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
May 18, 2012
Celebrate National Bike Month in May by participating in Bike to Work Day!
Friday, May 18 is Bike to Work Day in Cowtown! Hop on your bike for one of four organized group rides into downtown or ride in from your home. Meet fellow cyclists at the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T)Intermodal Transportation Center (1001 Jones St.) from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. for The T’s celebration, offering light refreshments, exhibits and bike racks. At about 8:15 a.m., remarks by Mayor Betsy Price, an avid cyclist, other local dignitaries and the presentation of a fleet of bikes to the Fort Worth Bike Patrol by The T President Dick Ruddell will mark recognition of the role of cycling in a healthy, livable city.
The event is part of Bike! Fort Worth—the city’s comprehensive plan to promote bicycling as a safe and positive transportation alternative—and features some of the new bike lanes being added throughout the city.
Learn more about becoming part of a cycle of change and register for the events at www.fortworthtexas.gov/bikefw
The Downtown Arlington Farmer’s Market is a community-oriented market focusing on Texas provided foods, arts, crafts, services and wares. We are located at 215 Front Street Arlington, Texas 76011 and we open every Friday and Saturday from 8AM to 1PM.
The goal of the market is to provide a venue for local vendors to offer Arlington, Texas residents an opportunity to buy the freshest meat, produce, breads and other great foods, crafts and products available.
Please take the time to share and enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh foods and feel good about supporting your community Downtown Arlington Farmer’s Market. We look forward to seeing you there!
Panel Featuring Susan Hoff of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Regina Nippert of the Center on Communities and Education at Simmons, Todd Williams of Commit!, and Danny Henley of the Zero-to-Five Funders Collaborative
Stanford Social Innovation Review’s 2010 feature, “Collective Impact,” asserts that large-scale change requires broad, cross-sector coordination. Dallas is home to several such programs who share the ambitious mission of improving student educational achievement. DSVP will assemble a stellar panel of local thought leaders, including Susan Hoff of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Todd Williams of Commit!, Regina Nippert of the Center on Communities and Education at Simmons, to discuss how this model is impacting our region.
May 18 – Collective Impact
Panel Featuring Susan Hoff of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Regina Nippert of the Center on Communities and Education at Simmons, Todd Williams of Commit!, and Danny Henley of the Zero-to-Five Funders Collaborative
Stanford Social Innovation Review’s 2010 feature, “Collective Impact,” asserts that large-scale change requires broad, cross-sector coordination. Dallas is home to several such programs who share the ambitious mission of improving student educational achievement. DSVP will assemble a stellar panel of local thought leaders, including Susan Hoff of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Todd Williams of Commit!, Regina Nippert of the Center on Communities and Education at Simmons, to discuss how this model is impacting our region.
Tickets $50.00
May 19, 2012
The Trinity Bird Count is an exciting new effort to count every bird species in and along our Trinity River in Dallas! Birds are among the most beautiful and intriguing visitors and residents of the forests, grasslands, river banks and neighborhoods along the Trinity River.
This year, the Trinity Commons Foundation begins an exciting new project to learn about the Trinity's birds – the Trinity Bird Count. With 636 of the 957 bird species in North America, Texas is for the birds! Come enjoy the Trinity and help investigate the birds that live along the Trinity or that visit here during their migration.
The Trinity Bird Count is underway! Here are the next opportunities to join us in the count!
Area #4 - Greater Trinity Forest, on May 19, 2012 from 7:00 – 10:00 a.m. Meet at parking lot at the south end of Bexar Street. Click here for map of location.
Area #7 –Joppa Preserve, on June 2, 2012 from 8:00 – 11:00 a.m. Meet at the Joppa Preserve. Go south on I-45. Then go left (east) on Loop 12. Stay in right lane. Go right onto the Service Road, then down to the Boat Ramp. Parking is on right.
Area #3 - Levee B – Lake Cliff Park, on June 23, 2012, from 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.. Meet at Lake Cliff Park.
Birding On Your Own
Individual birders can also help us learn about the migration this spring. Individuals (or groups of friends) can bird on their own at any time and contribute their birding results to this project. Simply use eBird to record your sightings and then ‘share’ your checklist with us at join@trinitybirdcount.com ..For information on eBird, go to http://ebird.org/content/ebird .
Need More Information?
For more information, and to sign up for these trips, go to www.trinitybirdcount.com or contact us at
join@trinitybirdcount.com ..Thanks for your help! And Good Birding!
The Coppell Farmers Market, established in 2003, has become one of the best community markets in the DFW area, a one-stop shopping trip for fresh, seasonal produce, pastured meats, eggs, breads and locally made foods. Both the customers and the farmers/producers have shaped the market to what it is today, guided by a community-based organization, the Coppell Farmers Market Committee. The guidelines for the Coppell Farmers Market state that all products sold at the Coppell Farmers Market shall be grown, raised, and/or produced directly by the vendor within the North Central Texas region, with the exception of full disclosure and approval of selling another’s product.
Fort Worth's producer-only farmers market features fresh, local produce and artisan food products, all grown or made within 150 miles. Cowtown Farmers Market has been serving the community for more than 30 years. Rain or shine, vendors set up under tents in the parking lot of Edelweiss Restaurant, on the traffic circle. for more information,
Grand Prairie Farmers Market will also feature the Grand Prairie Arts Council's 2nd Annual Juried Art show and Sale on Saturday, May 19, in addition to its usual fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, coffee, tea, tamales, jellies and relishes, grass-fed meats, homemade soaps, candles and more.
Artwork with the theme "Farmers Market" and/or "Market Square" will be displayed, and $800 in cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and Best of Show in adult and student categories. The show is open to middle school/high school students residing in Grand Prairie and any adults ages 18 and older. All entries will be accepted but must be pre-registered by May 12. Click here for registration form or visit www.artsgp.com for more details.
For information on the Grand Prairie Farmers Market, call 972-237-4599 or visit www.gptx.org/farmersmarket.
Local and organic meat, dairy and produce vendors offer their wares from 8:00 a.m. until noon every Saturday at Chestnut Square and from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. every Thursday at Adriatica in West McKinney. Market vendors also offer sauces, pasta, baked goods, wine and flowers!
The City of Dallas invites you to learn the science of composting.
By composting we can reduce the amount of waste we send to the landfill.
In fact, at least 30% of the material sent to the landfill is organic and could be composted at home.
Composting at home is easy! Join us for a free class to learn how you can compost in your own backyard.
Spaces are limited so please call us now at 214-671-8134 to reserve your seat.
Ride the Southside to celebrate National Bike Month!
Bring the family to join the Southside Bike Ride at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 19. Enjoy the family friendly, leisurely ride through Fort Worth’s south side neighborhoods on the 8.8 mile route, or ride a shorter 5 mile course – both kicking off at One Safe Place, 777 W. Rosedale St. Activities include vendors and sponsor booths offering health and safety information, a kid’s bike rodeo and members of the Fort Worth police, bike patrol and fire departments will be on hand with their safety equipment. Proceeds from sponsorships and donations benefit the Fort Worth Police Bike Patrol Support Group.
The event is part of Bike! Fort Worth—the city’s comprehensive plan to promote bicycling as a safe and positive transportation alternative—and features some of the new bike lanes being added throughout the city.
Learn more about becoming part of a cycle of change and register for the events at www.fortworthtexas.gov/bikefw
Beneficial Insects & their Host Plants - New!
May 19, 2012 from 9 am - Noon
Insects and wildlife are the best indicators of garden health. Learn about insects that keep your garden healthy and how to attract them with John Watts.
$25, $20 for TDG Members. Register in advance.
The market is local art and produce market located @ Carroll Blvd. and Mulberry St. near downtown Denton, Texas. We are a community gathering space alive with music, local food and produce, locally produced handmade arts and crafts, on-site food, local business, community groups and more! We encourage you to come to any of our market days. Our 2012 market season begins on Saturday, May 5th and continues through October 27th. More info here.
Learn about green living from local experts and then tour the Environmental Education Center, Plano's only LEED Platinum certified building.
At this 3rd Saturday Tour & Talk, attendees will learn easy ways to improve air quality in North Texas and have the opportunity to speak with local vendors about their air quality concerns. Plano residents are also eligible to receive free giveaways!
Location: Environmental Education Center, 4116 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75093
SAT, May 19 9:30-11:00am
To register for this event, please go to: https://livegreeninplano.obsres.com/Info.aspx?EventID=3
Hundreds of years ago, settlers marveled at the wide-open prairies in North Texas. Today, most of those grasslands have been replaced by cities and towns. The Botanical Research Institute of Texas will recapture the vibrancy and history of the North Texas landscape at the second annual Prairie Day event, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 19, at BRIT’s headquarters, 1700 University Drive, Fort Worth, 76107.
Prairie Day celebrates the beauty of the North Texas native landscape through a series of family-oriented, hands-on events that showcase the native grasses, wildflowers, and vegetation blanketing the BRIT site. Maintaining and researching native landscapes is part of BRIT’s ongoing conservation effort. BRIT’s 70,000-square-foot, two-story research center received the highest sustainability award possible from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2011, the Platinum LEED certification.
Entertainment will be provided by the Katie Keenie Band, a country-western band, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Lone Star Bar-B-Que will serve lunch for $5.
Other activities planned for Prairie Day include:
- Tours of BRIT’s living roof exhibit
- Log Cabin Village paper flower making, spinning, toys and games
- Experts in period costumes will be on hand
- Cowboy Poet Lanny Joe Burnett
- Historical marker tours
- Native prairie history and lectures
- Guided plant walks on the BRIT campus
- An authentic chuck wagon exhibit
- A binocular station to get a close-up look at plants on BRIT’s living roof
- Lectures on invasive plants and local prairies
- Plant preservation studio tours
- “Important Life of Bees” by the Texas Association of Beekeepers
Saturday, May 19, 2012 Prairie Day Schedule:
10:00 a.m. - Bear Claw Singers
10:30 a.m. - Invasion of the Prairie Snatchers, by Gary Hinds
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Cowboy Poet Lanny Joe Burnett
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch served by Lone Star Bar-B-Que ($5)
11:30 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. Guided plant walks
12:30 - 1:00 p.m. - Open Spaces: the Dynamic Prairie of the Cross Timbers Ecoregion, by Ann Mayo
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. - Katy Keenie Band