Discovery Green Conservancy

Happy Earth Week! Being green is our passion so this week we’re highlighting the ways we can care for this planet we call home. In a collaborative partnership with our Earth Day event sponsor, Green Mountain Energy Company, we are sharing tips with you about how to do just that.   Green Mountain Energy Blog: 5 Ways to Tell If a Business Is Sustainable (excerpt)   In recent years, sustainability has been gaining momentum as the need to minimize environmental impact grows. People are demanding better for their households and looking to support companies that are making sustainable business practices a priority.   In 2021, a study conducted across 24 countries discovered that 58% of adults are more mindful of their impact on the environment and are willing and ready to take action to fight against climate change.¹   At Green Mountain Energy, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. We’ve been pursuing carbon neutrality, aiding nonprofits in sustainable practices and helping customers lead eco-friendly lifestyles for more than 25 years. And now that more companies are realizing the importance of implementing greener measures in their day-to-day operations, there are certain criteria that can help you identify just how sustainable they truly are.   Check out five questions to ask yourself when determining if a company is the right sustainable fit for you.   Read the rest of the blog post here: https://lnkd.in/gHAb49NZ _____________________________________________ Green Mountain Energy Earth Day at Discovery Green returns to one of Houston’s most sustainable parks on Saturday, April 20 from 12-5 p.m. Held in partnership with Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, Green Mountain Energy Earth Day celebrates environmental stewardship and sustainability through an afternoon of family-friendly, arts-centric programming. Come join us! #earthday #sustainablebusinesscheck #sustainability #ecofriendly

Discovery Green is grateful to Green Mountain Energy for being the title sponsor of Green Mountain Energy Earth Day and for their continued support of the park since 2012! Green Mountain Energy Earth Day at Discovery Green returns to one of Houston’s most sustainable parks on Saturday, April 20 from 12-5 p.m. Held in partnership with Citizens' Environmental Coalition Coalition, Green Mountain Energy Earth Day celebrates environmental stewardship and sustainability through an afternoon of family-friendly, arts-centric programming. Attendees will enjoy an array of activities – from Scrapdaddy Circus, a showcase of Mark “Scrapdaddy” Bradford’s themed Art Cars and interactive solar and wind power sculptures, to documentary screenings and an electric car petting zoo. Houston artists Donkeeboy and Donkeemom will perform a “paint off, simultaneously creating works live in front of an audience. The audience will vote for their favorite. Chalk artists will work on masterpieces throughout the day. Houston Public Works’ popular Water Works Festival will be at the event with fun opportunities for visitors to learn about the care and management of Houston’s water resources. Additionally, over 60 exhibitors, including Green Mountain Energy, the Bayou Preservation Association, Houston Humane Society Wildlife Center and Wildlife Habitat Federation, will have interactive and educational activities for guests. University of Houston-Downtown students will display their art and graphic design to tell the story of Houston’s bayous and the poetry of water. Green Mountain Energy is a longtime supporter and the official energy provider of Discovery Green, providing the park with 100 percent clean, renewable energy. Since 1997, Green Mountain Energy customers have avoided 100 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of planting more than 12 million new trees. “As the leading renewable energy provider in Texas, we are proud to partner with Discovery Green Conservancy for this year’s Earth Day celebration,” said Mark Parsons, vice president, Green Mountain Energy Company. “Our top priority is taking care of the environment, so Green Mountain Energy Earth Day is an opportunity to educate Houstonians that even the smallest changes can have a positive, lasting impact on our planet.” Green Mountain Energy Earth Day aims to be a zero-waste event. Guests are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles. Attendees can visit one of five kiosks throughout the park, where University of Houston-Downtown volunteers will sort through recyclable and compostable items. EXHIBITORS INCLUDE: Bayou Preservation Association Electrochemical Safety Research Institute (ESRI) Green Education Foundation Green Mountain Energy Company Houston Humane Society Wildlife Center Leadership Houston Inc Whole Earth Offsets Wildlife Habitat Federation

Celebrating Rich Kinder on Being Named Intown Magazine’s Person of the Year in Philanthropy!   Rich Kinder’s dedication and commitment to making a difference in our community have not gone unnoticed. His visionary leadership and unwavering support have played a pivotal role in bringing Discovery Green to life. Rich’s investment of both time and resources has contributed to making this urban oasis a reality, defying the odds and enriching the lives of over 20 million Discovery Green visitors. The impact of his transformational work extends far beyond the boundaries of our city. With grit and passion, he has created a legacy that will be felt for generations to come. The Discovery Green Conservancy and the countless visitors who have been touched by its beauty are forever grateful for his vision and generosity. Discovery Green extends its congratulations to Rich Kinder for this well-deserved honor. His contributions have truly made a difference, and we are proud to celebrate his achievements.   #Philanthropy #CommunityImpact #Congratulations #DiscoveryGreen https://lnkd.in/g2BARAe2

Meet Brian Wilmer, the Discovery Green Horticulturist with a Secret Superpower! Brian Wilmer has been Discovery Green’s horticulturist since 2008. The park has over 30 different species and variety of trees and many types and themes of gardens, and he knows enough facts about them to fill a book. He keeps the lawn lush, the gardens flowering and the live oak canopy shady. Brian started his career in horticulture as a very young child (seen above in a photo his mother took shortly before Sunday church service was to start.) In 1994, Brian headed a team charged with refurbishing Houston parks. In 2006 he did horticultural assessments of the city’s health and library departments. Then, he had the opportunity to start at Discovery Green which was still under construction, and he seized it. He’s a man who loves to tell a good story or a punny joke. If you’ve ever said hello to him, you probably left considering him a good friend. But there’s something you don’t know about Brian. The man responsible for keeping Discovery Green green, can’t see green. He has red-green colorblindness. So how does he manage to keep Discovery Green’s gardens so green? Because he’s turned colorblindness into his secret superpower. “Nature never takes something away without giving you something in return,” Brian says. “I have crazy good night vision and can see in extremely low light.” The condition also allows him to see more clearly changes in the texture of a plant’s leaves. He sees when parts of the plant are drooping, or in need of help. Brian says that sometimes his boss will point out trees that have gone brown, but he often sees the problem before it’s a problem. Now that you know his superpower it’s not so secret. But there’s more exciting things to learn. Brian has agreed to write a semi-regular gardening column for Discovery Green’s spotlight.  His first post is available now. https://lnkd.in/gy7wcB_w #horticulture #horticulturejobs #downtown #downtownhouston #publicpark #parksandrecreation #treecare #plantmanager

Lunar New Year Celebration at Discovery Green, Sponsored by PNC Bank! Date: Sunday, February 11 Time: 5-7 Location: Anheuser-Busch Stage at Discovery Green Experience: ·       Lee’s Golden Dragon performances ·       Traditional dances including Lion, Fan, and Puppet dances ·       Moving drumming performances ·       Vocal performances ·       Delicious food vendors serving up Lunar New Year delicacies ·       Traditional and popular art forms ·       Activities for the whole family Plus, don't miss out on Super Skate Sunday at The Rink before, during, or after the event! Tickets are $8 + tax, available from 4-8 pm. “We’re so grateful to the many performers who will be sharing their gifts at the Lunar New Year Festival,” says Programming Director Susanne Theis. “Bringing people together to celebrate the cultures that make Houston great is why Discovery Green exists!”. This event promises to be a true feast for the senses, marking the start of a new calendar year for several Asian-American cultures. Come together with friends, family, and the community to celebrate a multitude of Asian-American cultures and usher in the new lunar year! See you there! https://lnkd.in/gB2hvZVF This event is presented by PNC Bank. Discovery Green partners with HAN NAREA, DANCE OF ASIAN AMERICA and Lee’s Golden Dragon for the Lunar New Year festival.#LunarNewYear #CommunityCelebration #HoustonEvents #YearOfTheDragon

Meet Kasem “Captain” Adig the Discovery Green security guard with an amazing life story If you’ve visited Discovery Green in the last 13 years you’ve seen Kasem “Captain” Adig. For eight hours a day, five days a week, he wears a yellow “security” vest and walks all parts of this urban oasis’ 12 acres to keep its roughly 2 million annual visitors safe. Just as Discovery Green has surprises around every corner, Captain’s life story is filled with twists, turns and the unexpected. This soft-spoken man is kind, commanding and fluent in five languages. He’s worked as a golf pro for rich tourists in Africa and as a parking attendant, but he built a life in Houston only after winning a lottery. Captain arrives at Discovery Green at 6:30 am and makes himself a pot of very strong coffee. By the time he takes his lunch at 11:30 am, the clock on his phone tells him it’s 8:30 pm in Asmara, Eritrea where he was born. He imagines his family back home will be sitting down for the evening meal and wonders what they’re eating. In this way, he lives his life in two time zones. He arrived in Houston in 1995 after winning a diversity visa lottery. He came alone, leaving his wife and six children behind. He worked 80 hours a week until he could afford to bring his family to Houston with him, one and two at a time. By 2002 they were all living with him and in 2005 he was able to buy them a house. It was not easy, but he tackled every obstacle with a sense of humor. For example, in 1995 he went to his first job interview in Houston and the man asked him how long he’d been in the country. After finding out Captain had been in the country less than a week, the man told him to apply again when he’d been here longer. “I was about to leave, but then I turned around,” Captain says. “I asked him, ‘did you know, I’m new to the country, but I’m not new to this job? I’ve worked in a garage before.’ The man started laughing so hard and then he hired me!” On the weekends, when he’s not at work he loves going to church and then eating with his family. He loves telling his kids stories about the country where they’re from. Now his children are all happy, grown and married which gives him the opportunity to reflect. “Step by step I made my way,” he said. “Then I was breathing deeply, and I say thank god. It was a good struggle I would say.” Still, he thinks of home and the brother he left behind that he speaks to only every so often through facetime. In Houston, where one in four residents are foreign born, it’s a habit many are familiar with. If you could see the ties attached to every heart that moves through Discovery Green, you would see a web that stretches around the whole world.  People like Captain, whose daily presence at Discovery Green keeps visitors safe, are among the reasons Discovery Green Conservancy’s mission is to shine a light on the diversity of traditions that exist in Houston. https://lnkd.in/g2Bxt5UM #downtownhouston #htx

Kathryn Lott Named a Houston Business Journal Texas Top 100 Leader For 2024 The Houston Business Journal named Discovery Green Conservancy President Kathryn Lott to their Texas 100 list. The annual list highlights impactful Texans who have the power to move the market, with clout beyond their company or industry and who are likely to shape our future. “These leaders have made strides throughout 2023 and we don’t expect their momentum to slow in 2024,” said Jonathan Adans, managing editor of the Houston Business Journal. Lott was appointed President of Discovery Green Conservancy in July of 2023. She previously served as Executive Director of Southern Smoke Foundation. She has also worked for prestigious organizations such as the Houston Grand Opera, Society for the Performing Arts (now known as Performing Arts Houston), and Children's Museum Houston. She was also co-creator of Lott Entertainment which produced large-scale projects and events for nonprofit organizations including Discovery Green, University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, Baylor College of Medicine, Legacy Community Health, Houston East End Chamber of Commerce and more. Other Texans on the Top 100 list include: Elon Musk, Mark Cuban, Ross Perot Jr, Bun B, John Whitmore, Whitney Wolfe Herd and more. #texastop100 #leadershipspotlight #houstonbusinessjournal #futureshaper #businessachievement #impactfulleadership #texasleaders #houstontx #inspiringminds #top100 #leadership https://lnkd.in/gRA4Wynb

Discovery Green Conservancy President Kathryn Lott announced this month the promotion of two conservancy staff members: Susanne Theis and Jose Leal. Susanne Theis, who served as programming director since 2007, is now artistic director. Theis was feted during the 2022 Gala on the Green in advance of her scheduled retirement. With this promotion she commits to postponing her retirement for two years. As artistic director, Theis will now have an executive leadership position that will oversee the artistic direction of the organization. Together, Lott and Theis will act as the external representatives of Discovery Green in the community. “Susanne has been a hero of mine since the early 2000s because of her creative genius. I wanted to maximize the opportunity to work with Susanne for the window of time we have with her before she ultimately retires. Together, Susanne and I will help guide Discovery Green build upon her incredible legacy,” said Lott. During her tenure at Discovery Green, Theis created and managed nearly 600 free events a year including cultural festivals, concerts and large-scale art installations. Her work supported the growth of Discovery Green into an iconic Houston destination that serves over 2.1 million visitors a year. Prior to joining Discovery Green, Theis served as executive director of The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. Jose Leal, who has served as finance and admin director at the Discovery Green Conservancy since September of 2022, is now the chief operating officer. Leal will oversee the day-to-day operations of the park and will work with Lott to maintain the fiscal health of the organization, implement new administrative strategies, and optimize the overall efficiency of the workplace. “Jose is a natural leader. He instinctually sees the potential of the Conservancy and is passionate about realizing what-will-be the new era of Discovery Green. I look to Jose as my partner in administrative decision-making and am so fortunate to have someone with his diverse skillset and experience to exercise sound judgement and leadership." Leal has over 20 years’ experience in nonprofit management including roles at renowned Houston institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston Botanical Garden and the Memorial Park Conservancy. He holds degrees from Rice University and University of Houston-Downtown and certificates from Leadership Houston, Central Park Conservancy Institute for Urban Parks, the FMA institute and Rice’s Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives Program. “The triangle is the strongest leadership structure because it creates a wide, solid base,” Lott said. “To each side of the base is the Conservancy’s vital missions: Operations, to ensure our green space is healthy and resilient. And artistic to ensure our programs continue to reflect the Houston pride our community holds dear." https://lnkd.in/gD2vtEGp