A digest of the latest green news in North Texas  This week assistant editor Julie Thibodeaux reports on Rockwall Fifth Grader's Business Funds Conservation• Dallas Promotes Green Day of Service • Former Austin Mayor Kicks off Speaker Series 


Roaring Start
Ten-year-old Josie Miller of Rockwall found a way to help the environment -- one T-shirt at a time. Last summer, the enterprising fifth-grader launched her own online store dubbed Josephine’s Mountain to help raise money for nature conservation.     

Josie came up with the idea after a family vacation in Oregon where they drove past a forest that had been clearcut. The avid nature and animal lover was devastated by the sight. “It was like overwhelming to see all those trees cut down,” she said. “They just killed off all this beauty.” Hunkered down in the backseat, she began drawing pictures and environmental slogans like “Save the Beauty” to comfort herself.   Eventually, she hatched a plan to make a T-shirt and sketched out multiple designs.  “I really liked the one I came up with of a tree stump with a frowny face. It had a teardrop and a word bubble that said ‘Stop the Chop.’” However, when she drew a lion wearing a hippie headband, she knew she had a winner. “I could see more people wearing a hippie lion more than a crying tree stump,” she said pragmatically.     

So far she’s sold about 40 T-shirts and has already delivered a $150 check to The Nature Conservancy at their state office in Austin.     Josie, whose aspirations flip between becoming a fashion designer and a big animal vet, says she’s found a way to combine both interests. While her first product was aimed at female customers, now she’s working on a T-shirt that will appeal to guys too. She may add coffee mugs to the online store that her older brother set up for her.       She said of the experience that set her on this course: “I had never seen anything that upset me so much. It made me think of how I could change things.”     The T-shirts sell for $18. See JosephinesMountain.com

Love Your Park  
The city of Dallas is hosting its semi-annual park beautification day. “It’s My Park Day” will be held March 2 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Residents, groups and neighborhood associations are encouraged spend the morning sprucing up their neighborhood parks throughout the city’s 374-park system. “We want to encourage residents to take pride in their parks and assist the city with tasks that, due to shortage of funds and staff, we aren’t able to do,” said Andrea Hawkins, spokeswoman for Dallas Parks and Recreation Department.    

According to Hawkins, the city patterned the day after popular events held in New York City and Austin. Held every spring and fall since 2011, the Dallas green initiative has drawn more than 2,000 volunteers who have pitched in at 100 parks since it was created. “It’s catching on,” said Hawkins.      Residents and groups must sign up in advance. They can propose projects or participate in work that needs to be done, such as by weeding, mulching and picking up litter. The city will provide tools, supplies and staff as available. Register at http://itsmyparkdaydallas.eventbrite.com/. 

It’s a Wynn-er   
Last week, former Austin mayor Will Wynn spoke to a packed room at the Live Oak Lounge in Fort Worth. The event drew 175 green professionals and advocates who came to hear him speak about “The Business Case for Sustainability,” the first of a four-part series hosted by  EARTH-NT.  Fort Worth mayor Betsy Price introduced Wynn, who spoke about city of Austin’s innovative ideas that attracted development to downtown. State Sen. Wendy Davis and Fort Worth city councilman Joel Burns were also in attendance. According to organizer Brandy O’Quinn, the next speaker in the series will focus on health and food issues as it relates to sustainability.   


Julie Thibodeaux covers environmental issues, green topics and sustainable living for Green Source DFW. Previously, she worked as an editor and writer at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. See jthibodeaux.com. Send your green bulletin items to Julie@greensourcedfw.org.

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