Texas Campaign for the Environment: Victories 2009
The Texas Campaign for the Environment and the TakeBack My TV Campaign went to Las Vegas for the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, and claimed a huge victory for TV recycling. Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba announced a free, nationwide TV takeback program! Just last October, these companies projected it would take three years to recycle nationwide -- but our campaign was successful in convincing them to offer recycling BEFORE the DTV switch.
news: Eco-activists push for TV recycling at CES (KVBC News Las Vegas)
Austin City Council voted unanimously on January 15, 2009 to approve the Austin Zero Waste Strategic Plan as a policy directive to achieve Zero Waste (or darn close to it) by 2040. Click here to read the Plan. Texas Campaign for the Environment helped organize Central Texans from a variety of communities and walks of life to form the Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance. Austin became the first city to embrace a plan for Zero Waste, but it cannot be the last!
news: City of Austin Becomes First Texas City to Approve a Zero Waste Plan (TCE Press Release)
After receiving thousands of letters from TCE members and supporters, the Dallas County Commissioners Court passed a local resolution in favor of producer takeback recycling for electronic waste on March 31, 2009. This puts Dallas County on record in support of producer takeback legislation -- and together with Harris County, this is one of the largest of the 26 local governments to pass e-waste recycling resolutions thus far.
Read the Resolution: Click here to view the resolution as passed by Dallas County
Update: City of Rowlett passes new local resolution - click here to read
During the first few months of 2009, TCE worked with more local governments to pass resolutions in favor of producer takeback recycling for obsolete TVs. The following counties are now on record supporting legislation requiring TV makers to recycle their products:
Harris County, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, San Saba, Lampasas, Menard, Burnet, Washington, Waller, Austin, Lavaca, Goliad, Gonzales, Caldwell, Fayette, Matagorda, Refugio, Aransas, Wharton, Medina, Bandera, Val Verde, Culberson and Hudspeth.
During the 2009 legislative session, TCE worked to hold our state lawmakers accountable to their promise to extend Texas' producer takeback recycling law to cover televisions. Sponsored by Representative David Leibowitz, HB 821 would have required TV manufacturers to provide free, convenient recycling. The bill passed overwhelmingly in the House and unanimously in the Senate! Sadly, Governor Perry vetoed the bill. However, TCE is still committed to pressuring more TV makers to begin voluntary recycling programs.
news: Surprise Veto of TV Recycling Bill Turns Heads (San Antonio Current)
Our 367 miles of public beaches are a beautiful part of Texas’ natural ecological heritage. From the South Padre National Seashore to Galveston Island, generations of Texans have been free to enjoy our Gulf Coast beaches.
During the statewide election in November 2009, the voters of Texas approved Proposition 9, a constitutional amendment that will guarantee this right and this freedom for generations to come. Texas Campaign for the Environment worked to turn out voters in this important election. TCE contacted tens of thousands of residents in neighborhoods throughout the state, and ultimately the amendment passed by a 76%-24% margin.
news: Groups rally to guarantee public access to Texas coast (Daily Texan)
After months of rallying and generating public pressure, TCE and other environmental advocates from Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas push the Obama administration to appoint a new, true environmental leader to the post of EPA Administrator of Region VI. An engineering professor at Southern Methodist University, Dr. Al Armendariz has worked with diverse constituencies ranging from corporations to citizens groups and has published dozens of studies on myriad environmental issues throughout his career.
news: SMU professor Al Armendariz named EPA region administrator (Dallas Morning News)
