2023 Year in Review:
SnowFest 2023 Delights Attendees with Creative Bird Feeder Crafting
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The 2023 Missouri City SnowFest proved to be a resounding success. Around 200 children (and a few adults) made their way to the Missouri City Green table where they made bird feeders out of apples, Crisco, bird seeds, and pipe cleaners. Kids and kids at heart were excited to gift the birds in the area with a tasty winter treat. Missouri City Green board members and staff, along with the support of the Mayor's Youth Commission provided instructions and assistance to all the participants who stopped by. |
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Missouri City Green Volunteers Clean Up Lake at Buffalo Run Park - Nov. 11th
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Over 30 volunteers, spanning across all age groups, worked together to collect 40 bags of trash on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Some unusual items collected were pallets, an old mailbox and part of a grocery cart from the lakes at Buffalo Run Park. The gathering was a resounding success as dedicated volunteers came together to eliminate litter during this waterway cleanup. Missouri City Green, in partnership with Missouri City Parks and Recreation, hosted the event with a grant from ZEN Water and Keep Texas Beautiful. |
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Textile Recycling Event - November 4th
3,600 Pounds of Textiles kept out of our Landfills
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Missouri City Green partnered with the City of Missouri City and Green City Recycler to host its second drive-thru Textile Recycling Event. Over 3600 pounds of unusable clothing, shoes, and other household items were collected for recycling. According to the EPA, 85% of textiles that can be recycled are not and end up in landfills. |
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Missouri City Green Volunteers at Tricks and Treats in the Park
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Missouri City Green volunteers gave out treats, recycling stickers and Take Care of Texas Environmental Activity Books to trick-or-treaters. They also provided an educational activity about recycling and storm drains. Children and parents learned that "nothing but rain goes down the drain!" |
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Missouri City Green and Public Works Team Up for a
Successful Storm Drain Marker Event
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Missouri City Green, with the help of Missouri City Public Works, hosted its annual "Nothing But Rain Down The Drain" Storm Drain Marker event on October 14, 2023. Approximately 20 volunteers spent two hours placing 200 markers on storm drains in the Fondren Park and Fonmeadow neighborhoods. Thank you to our volunteers for helping us remind folks that nothing but rain should go down the drains! |
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Bird-Friendly Backyard Workshop - October 17th
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Texas Master Naturalist, Author and Birding for Fun Owner Kristine Rivers spent an evening with about almost 20 birding enthusiasts - from beginners to experts. Kristine taught the group about different birds in the gulf coast area, habitats that will attract birds to our yards and neighborhoods and general birding knowledge. |
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Missouri City Green's Backyard Compost Workshop
Teaches Sustainable Gardening
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On September 16th, sixty-three adults and nine children participated in a Backyard Compost Workshop hosted by Missouri City Green in partnership with Fort Bend Master Gardeners and Missouri City Parks and Recreation. Under the expert guidance of Sam Guardiola, Fort Bend Master Gardener Composting Specialist, attendees learned how to create a simple yet effective backyard composting system to transform yard clippings and vegetable scraps into nutrient-rich compost. Each registrant went home with a 65 gallon compost bin they could set up at their house. |
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Nurturing Young Environmentalists:
Missouri City Green and Fort Bend Master Gardeners Inspire
Summer Campers with Eco-Focused Activities
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Forty-eight children from the Missouri City Summer Day Camp, sponsored by Missouri City Parks and Recreation, enjoyed an enriching morning filled with activities focused on recycling, worm composting, insects and plants. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Missouri City Green and Fort Bend Master Gardeners, the campers had the opportunity to personally plant seeds using eco-friendly pots they crafted from recycled newspaper, create adorable chia pets utilizing plastic water bottles, explore the fascinating world of composting worms through observation and handling, and learn all about butterflies and caterpillars. It was a great day for campers and volunteers. |
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Demystifying Solar Energy: Missouri City Green and Solar United Neighbors Host Workshop on June 20th
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Missouri City Green recently partnered with Solar United Neighbors for a Solar Informational Workshop at the Missouri City Parks and Recreation Center. This engaging event went beyond simply discussing the concept of solar energy and its energy-saving benefits. It also aimed to debunk prevalent myths and expose deceptive practices. Solar United Neighbors, a non-profit organization operating as a 501(c)3 entity, is committed to fostering a sustainable, fair, and resilient energy system that benefits all. Their approach involves utilizing a cooperative framework to spearhead a clean energy movement, empowering individuals to embrace solar energy while collectively advocating for their energy rights. |
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Missouri City Green awarded Gold Star Status for 2023!
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Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement organization, recently named Missouri City Green, a Gold Star Affiliate for 2023. This is the eighth straight year Missouri City Green has earned the honor. Gold Star recognition is the highest membership recognition status any community affiliate can achieve. In 2022, KTB affiliates engaged 178,648 volunteers who contributed 78,955 hours to collect 2.4 million pounds of waste and recyclables from Texas roadways, trails, and waterways. Missouri City Green successfully implemented programs to clean up litter, reduce and recycle waste, educate local citizens, and beautify and enhance the local community. |
300 Families Recycle 23,320 Pounds of Confidential Documents, Saving Trees, Landfill Space, and Reducing Pollution
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On May 6 over 300 families had 23,320 pounds of confidential papers shredded onsite by ProShred with 100% of the material recycled locally. The vendor's Environmental Recycling Activity Report revealed the following benefits from our shredding event:
Missouri City Green and Missouri City Parks and Recreation partnered to host this event with sponsorship by Walmart |
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Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off 2023: Over 1600 Pounds of Trash Removed from Missouri City's Parks, Lakes, and Creeks on April 22
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Over 80 volunteers, spanning across all age groups, joined forces in Missouri City's Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off, the State of Texas' largest one-day cleanup event. The gathering was a resounding success as dedicated volunteers from across the city came together to eliminate litter from Missouri City's parks, lakes and creeks.
Missouri City Green and MC Parks and Recreation collaborated for the tenth consecutive year to organize this impactful event. To express appreciation, volunteers were treated to a celebratory gathering at the Missouri City Community Center, complete with pizza and awards. |
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Anchor C/M Receives Prestigious Golden Tree Award for
Sustainable Design and Environmental Responsibility
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Congratulations to Anchor C/M which was presented with the Golden Tree Award during the April 17th Missouri City Council Meeting. Anchor C/M was recognized for their outstanding hardscape landscaping design that significantly reduces water consumption, their innovative use of natural light, and their implementation of energy-efficient LED lights. Additionally, Anchor C/M's upcycling of an existing building exemplifies their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. |
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Edible Earth Fest - March 25th
A Day of Environment Education, Activities, and Fun
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On Saturday, Missouri City residents enjoyed a day of learning and fun at the Edible Earth Fest. The event, which was held along the scenic Oyster Creek Trail, was organized by Missouri City Parks and Recreation and Missouri City Green with generous sponsorship from HEB.
Attendees were able to visit various informative booths that taught them about different methods of preserving the environment. These booths covered a wide range of topics, including the water cycle, recycling, water conservation, beneficial insects, and composting. There were also several craft and activity booths that showcased different fruits. Participants were able to take home more than 100 trees, 150 edible plants, and seed packets for free, thanks to the generous support of CenterPoint Energy, HEB, MC Parks and Recreation and Master Gardeners. We express our gratitude to all the volunteers who contributed to making this event a great success. |
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Edible Earth Fest Photo Contest Results
Thanks to all who submitted entries in our first ever Edible Earth Fest Photo Contest and a special shoutout to all the in person votes cast by our event attendees! The photos were amazing and it showcases the natural beauty all around us! Here are the results of the contest as selected by our in person audience
Tejas Kannan is Inspiring Environmental Advocacy
among Missouri City's Youth
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Tejas Kannan, a resident of Missouri City and a junior at Elkins High School, was motivated to take action after witnessing several disturbing incidents of plastic and chemical pollution in his former neighborhood. To address this issue and promote environmental advocacy among younger generations, Tejas initiated the "Creating Youth Awareness" campaign. Through various activities such as organizing poetry contests and distributing engaging environmental-themed activity sheets, the campaign aims to encourage students to take responsibility for the environment. Tejas firmly believes in the campaign's motto, "We are the future, and we should start bringing in change to protect our environment," and is committed to helping young people in Missouri City understand that making small changes in their daily lives can make a significant impact in reducing plastic and chemical pollution and preserving our planet.
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Missouri City Green and Volunteers Plant 40 Native Trees in Buffalo Run Park to Restore Native Habitat and Create a Sustainable Community
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On February 25th, 55 dedicated volunteers from Missouri City Green gathered to plant 40 trees in Buffalo Run Park near the main pavilion. These 15-gallon trees are over two years old and the key to restoring the native habitat of the park and eradicating invasive species. The tree planting is just one of the many initiatives being undertaken to create a more sustainable and eco-friendly community.
The trees planted in Buffalo Run Park include Nutall Oak, Bur Oak, Mexican Sycamore, and Loblolly Pine, all native species that thrive in the Texas climate. These trees will not only provide habitat for local wildlife but also help to reduce air pollution, increase oxygen levels and provide shade for park visitors. Nine volunteers from Lowes came out to support us and picked up seven bags of trash around the park. Missouri City Green and Missouri City Parks and Recreation partnered to host this event with sponsorship by a KTB/HEB Green Bag Grant and CenterPoint Energy. |
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Missouri City's 10th Annual Electronics Recycling Event a Big Success, Diverts Over 28,000 Pounds of E-waste from Landfills
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The 10th Annual Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, February 18 was successful thanks to the combined efforts of Missouri City Green volunteers, the City of Missouri City, Missouri City Parks & Recreation Department and CompuCycle, an R2 Certified Recycler. Over 450 people participated and recycled a whopping 28,813 pounds of unwanted, outdated, or broken electronics. These items will either be refurbished or dismantled to retrieve their valuable component parts, which will then be used in the manufacturing process. A big thank you to those who donated generously towards future community clean-up events. |
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Fort Bend Youth In Philanthropy Joins Missouri City Green
for a Day of Environmental Action
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A group of 14 passionate Fort Bend Youth In Philanthropy (YIP) students teamed up with Missouri City Green and City Forester Paul Wierzbicki to engage in a day of philanthropy on February 11. The student volunteers kicked off their morning by spreading mulch around the trees at Hunters Glen Park. Following this, the volunteers took a break to enjoy a lunch while the board members of Missouri City Green shared their organization's mission. After lunch, the students continued their philanthropic efforts by adhering 35 storm drain markers to storm drain inlets in the Parkway Trails neighborhood. These markers served as a reminder to residents and yard crews that only rainwater should go down the drain. The day concluded with the volunteers creating 90 wildflower seed balls to distribute at the upcoming Edible Earth Fest. |
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Recycle Right in 2023 Presentation - January 9th
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Missouri City Green hosted GFL recycling expert Angelica Weaver who provided residents pointers on how to recycle right in the new year. Key recycling tips:
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