The Food Bank needs help packing quarantine food kits. Photo courtesy of Houston Food Bank

As the long lines at any local Costco suggest, the coronavirus/COVID 19 phenomenon has caused some to interpret news reports advising sensible precautions such as "wash your hands thoroughly" to mean "buy a car-full of toilet paper."

Talk of a potential quarantine has only added to the fervor, as citizens are advised to stock up on food for up to two weeks. But what of those who can't don masks and charge through sprawling stores looking for tuna packets?

The Houston Food Bank is asking that local residents assist those who do not have reserves of food in the event of service disruptions and closures. The non-profit has put out a call for volunteers to help pack essential quarantine food kits. The boxes are not yet being requested, but will be necessary in the event there is a need due to COVID-19 occurrences in their service area, according to the Food Bank.

"Hundreds of thousands of people are counting on the organization and its partners now, and this need will only heighten if the COVID-19 situation worsens," says Brian Greene, president/CEO of Houston Food Bank.

Volunteers can sign up for shifts online to help pack these boxes at the Food Bank, 535 Portwall St. Volunteer shifts run from 8 am to noon Monday–Saturday, from 6 pm to 9 pm Monday–Friday, and from 9 am to noon Sunday.

To quell any obvious concerns about safety, the Food Bank has increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting, especially around high-traffic areas, such as volunteer areas, elevators, meeting rooms, bathrooms, food areas.

Greene also notes that volunteers can bring much-needed items to donate and pack. The Food Bank's most-needed items include:

  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Peanut butter
  • Canned protein
  • Soups
  • Jelly
  • Nutritious snacks
  • Canned Vegetable
  • Canned fruit
  • Hygiene items
  • Cleaning supplies: paper towels, disinfectant, bleach wipes
  • Bottled water

And, says Greene, "a little something sweet like cookies never hurt."

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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United breaks ground on $177 million facility and opens tech center at IAH

off the ground

United Airlines announced new infrastructure investments at George Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of the company’s ongoing $3.5 billion investment into IAH.

United broke ground on a new $177 million Ground Service Equipment (GSE) Maintenance Facility this week that will open in 2027.

The 140,000-square-foot GSE facility will support over 1,800 ground service vehicles and with expansive repair space, shop space and storage capacity. The GSE facility will also be targeted for LEED Silver certification. United believes this will provide more resources to assist with charging batteries, fabricating metal and monitoring electronic controls with improved infrastructure and modern workspaces.

Additionally, the company opened its new $16 million Technical Operations Training Center.

The center will include specialized areas for United's growing fleet, and advanced simulation technology that includes scenario-based engine maintenance and inspection training. By 2032, the Training Center will accept delivery of new planes. This 91,000-square-foot facility will include sheet metal and composite training shops as well.

The Training Center will also house a $6.3 million Move Team Facility, which is designed to centralize United's Super Tug operations. United’s IAH Move Team manages over 15 Super Tugs across the airfield, which assist with moving hundreds of aircraft to support flight departures, remote parking areas, and Technical Operations Hangars.

The company says it plans to introduce more than 500 new aircraft into its fleet, and increase the total number of available seats per domestic departure by nearly 30%. United also hopes to reduce carbon emissions per seat and create more unionized jobs by 2026.

"With these new facilities, Ground Service Equipment Maintenance Facility and the Technical Operations Training Center, we are enhancing our ability to maintain a world-class fleet while empowering our employees with cutting-edge tools and training,” Phil Griffith, United's Vice President of Airport Operations, said in a news release. “This investment reflects our long-term vision for Houston as a critical hub for United's operations and our commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and growth."

UH study uncovers sustainable farming methods for hemp production

growth plan

A new University of Houston study of hemp microbes can potentially assist scientists in creating special mixtures of microbes to make hemp plants produce more CBD or have better-quality fibers.

The study, led by Abdul Latif Khan, an assistant professor of biotechnology at the Cullen College of Engineering Technology Division, was published in the journal Scientific Reports from the Nature Publishing Group. The team also included Venkatesh Balan, UH associate professor of biotechnology at the Cullen College of Engineering Technology Division; Aruna Weerasooriya, professor of medicinal plants at Prairie View A&M University; and Ram Ray, professor of agronomy at Prairie View A&M University.

The study examined microbiomes living in and around the roots (rhizosphere) and on the leaves (phyllosphere) of four types of hemp plants. The team at UH compared how these microorganisms differ between hemp grown for fiber and hemp grown for CBD production.

“In hemp, the microbiome is important in terms of optimizing the production of CBD and enhancing the quality of fiber,” Khan said in a news release. “This work explains how different genotypes of hemp harbor microbial communities to live inside and contribute to such processes. We showed how different types of hemp plants have their own special groups of tiny living microbes that help the plants grow and stay healthy.”

The study indicates that hemp cultivation can be improved by better understanding these distinct microbial communities, which impact growth, nutrient absorption, stress resilience, synthesis and more. This could help decrease the need for chemical inputs and allow growers to use more sustainable agricultural practices.

“Understanding these microorganisms can also lead to more sustainable farming methods, using nature to boost plant growth instead of relying heavily on chemicals,” Ahmad, the paper’s first author and doctoral student of Khan’s, said the news release.

Other findings in the study included higher fungal diversity in leaves and stems, higher bacterial diversity in roots and soil, and differing microbiome diversity. According to UH, CBD-rich varieties are currently in high demand for pharmaceutical products, and fiber-rich varieties are used in industrial applications like textiles.