Texas Campaign for the Environment

Texas Campaign for the Environment (TCE) is a grassroots environmental advocacy organization operating in Texas as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. The organization works on public-health and environmental issues through community organizing, public education, policy advocacy, and direct engagement with residents, companies, and government officials. Its work has included air-pollution controls, landfill and waste-facility expansion, recycling infrastructure, electronic-waste management, producer responsibility, and broader zero-waste strategies. TCE emerged in 1991 after its founders separated from Texans United. The organization developed a strongly field-oriented model, using canvassing as a principal organizing tool. Organizers visit residential neighborhoods, explain current environmental issues, recruit supporters, collect membership contributions, and encourage residents to communicate with corporate and public decision-makers. This approach gives TCE a local campaign presence while connecting neighborhood concerns to state and national policy debates. One of TCE's early achievements was participation in efforts to close the grandfather loophole in the Texas Clean Air Act. The campaign sought to require older industrial facilities that had previously received less stringent treatment to install modern pollution-control systems. In later years, the organization placed increasing emphasis on waste and recycling, organizing communities located near landfills and trash facilities and opposing major expansions when residents believed they threatened health, quality of life, or environmental protection. Electronic waste became a particularly important area of specialization. TCE has emphasized the risks associated with obsolete computers, televisions, and other electronics, including the environmental consequences of disposal and the export of hazardous waste to developing countries. It has participated in the Electronics TakeBack Coalition and worked with environmental groups, local governments, electronics manufacturers, and recyclers to promote producer takeback and extended producer responsibility. In 2007, this coalition work contributed to Texas House Bill 2714. The measure, signed by Governor Rick Perry on June 17, 2007, required computer manufacturers selling products in Texas to establish convenient, free recycling programs for consumers. TCE subsequently supported comparable legislation for televisions. Although the television takeback bill passed the Texas Legislature, Governor Perry vetoed it. TCE also advocated restrictions on international exports of toxic electronic waste and continued to connect Texas policy with national and global electronics-recycling concerns. The organization has also worked on municipal recycling policy. In Houston, TCE was described as an influential participant in negotiations over a new recycling contract, helping secure the inclusion of glass and single-use plastic bags in the city's transition to single-stream recycling. More broadly, it has promoted zero-waste planning and participated in the Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance. TCE has maintained offices in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Corpus Christi, reflecting its statewide orientation. Its work is not centered on consumer products or commercial services; rather, the organization functions as an advocacy and organizing brand whose activities are campaigns, public-interest research, coalition building, and constituent mobilization. The available reference material identifies Robin Schneider as its head during the period described, but does not establish a current leadership roster or provide a definitive account of later organizational developments.

Texas Campaign for the Environment began in 1991 when its founders parted ways with Texans United. From its inception, TCE used grassroots organizing rather than relying solely on formal institutional advocacy. Its canvassers worked directly in Texas neighborhoods, explaining environmental and health concerns, building memberships, gathering financial support, and encouraging residents to contact elected officials, regulators, and companies. An important early area of work was air quality. TCE collaborated with other parties in efforts to close the grandfather loophole in the Texas Clean Air Act. The issue concerned older industrial facilities that had been allowed to operate under less demanding pollution-control requirements than newer plants. The campaign sought to bring these facilities under modern pollution-control standards, linking regulatory reform with protection of public health and communities affected by industrial emissions. The organization's later work increasingly concentrated on waste, recycling, and the environmental effects of disposal infrastructure. TCE organized communities near landfills and trash facilities, particularly when operators proposed substantial expansions. Its advocacy has generally combined opposition to harmful or poorly controlled waste development with support for alternatives such as recycling, producer responsibility, and zero-waste planning. The organization is associated with the Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance and has promoted strategies intended to reduce the volume of material sent to disposal facilities. Electronic waste became a central specialty. TCE has highlighted the hazards created by obsolete computers, televisions, and related equipment, both within Texas and through international waste-export channels. It became a leading member of the Electronics TakeBack Coalition and worked with environmental organizations, local governments, electronics producers, and recyclers on extended producer responsibility. That coalition effort helped produce Texas House Bill 2714 in 2007. The bill was unanimously passed and signed by Governor Rick Perry on June 17, 2007. It required computer companies selling products in Texas to create convenient, free recycling programs for consumers. TCE later supported a comparable television-recycling requirement. Although the television measure passed, Perry vetoed it. By around 2010, TCE was also advocating national restrictions on the export of toxic electronic waste to developing countries. This extended its work beyond state legislation and connected Texas-based organizing with international environmental-justice concerns. The organization has been associated with Robin Schneider, who was identified in the available reference material as its head and was featured in writing about electronic waste and technology policy. TCE has also intervened in local recycling-system design. In Houston, it was described as a vocal participant in negotiations over a new recycling contract and helped secure the inclusion of glass and single-use plastic bags in the city's move toward single-stream recycling. Its offices in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Corpus Christi have supported a statewide presence. Across these phases, TCE's identity has remained that of a campaign organization: it combines door-to-door education, coalition building, public pressure, and legislative advocacy to pursue environmental-health and resource-conservation objectives in Texas.

• 2010

  National electronic-waste export restrictions pursued

  [1]Texas Campaign for the Environmenten.wikipedia.org

  The organization was working toward national legislation restricting exports of toxic electronic waste to developing countries.

• 2007

  Texas computer recycling law enacted

  [1]Texas Campaign for the Environmenten.wikipedia.org

  House Bill 2714 was unanimously passed and signed on June 17, establishing consumer takeback and recycling-program requirements for computer manufacturers selling in Texas.

• 1991

  Organization established

  [1]Texas Campaign for the Environmenten.wikipedia.org

  Texas Campaign for the Environment began after its founders separated from Texans United.

Grassroots, field-based environmental advocacy focused on practical policy change in Texas, especially pollution prevention, recycling, electronic-waste stewardship, and zero-waste systems.

• 2010Electronic-waste export restrictions

  United States and international

  TCE advocated national restrictions on the export of toxic electronic waste to developing countries, linking domestic recycling policy with international environmental protection.

  Source
• 2007Computer producer takeback

  Texas

  TCE joined environmental groups, local governments, electronics producers, and recyclers in advocating extended producer responsibility for computers.

  Outcome. House Bill 2714 passed unanimously and was signed into law, requiring computer companies selling in Texas to provide convenient, free consumer recycling programs.

  Source
• Closing the grandfather loophole

  Texas

  TCE worked with other advocates to require older industrial facilities covered by the grandfather provisions of Texas air law to meet modern pollution-control expectations.

  Outcome. The reference material identifies the campaign as an organizational achievement but does not provide a precise enactment date or complete legislative outcome.

  Source
• Television producer takeback

  Texas

  TCE supported a follow-on effort to require television manufacturers to take back and recycle obsolete products.

  Outcome. The legislation passed but was vetoed by Governor Rick Perry.

  Source
• Houston recycling contract advocacy

  Houston · Texas

  TCE participated in negotiations over Houston's recycling contract and advocated a broader single-stream system including glass and single-use plastic bags.

  Outcome. The organization helped secure inclusion of those materials in Houston's recycling transition.

  Source

• 2007

  Support extended producer responsibility for computersOther

  Background

  Computer disposal and electronic-waste pollution were major areas of TCE's advocacy, and the organization worked in coalition with public agencies, manufacturers, recyclers, and environmental groups.

  Action taken

  TCE supported House Bill 2714, which established free and convenient recycling-program obligations for computer manufacturers selling products in Texas.

  Aftermath

  The bill passed unanimously and was signed by Governor Rick Perry on June 17, 2007.

  Source

• Support television takeback legislationProduct launch

  Background

  Following the computer takeback law, TCE pursued comparable producer responsibility for obsolete televisions.

  Action taken

  The organization supported legislation requiring television companies to take back and recycle obsolete products.

  Source

• 2007

  Texas computer producer takeback law enacted[1]Texas Campaign for the Environmenten.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  Texas House Bill 2714 was unanimously passed and signed by Governor Rick Perry, creating free consumer recycling-program obligations for computer manufacturers selling products in the state. Texas Campaign for the Environment participated in the coalition supporting the measure.

• Texas television takeback legislation vetoed[1]Texas Campaign for the Environmenten.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  After supporting legislation requiring television manufacturers to provide takeback and recycling programs, Texas Campaign for the Environment saw the measure vetoed by Governor Rick Perry after passage by the Legislature.

• Houston recycling contract negotiations[1]Texas Campaign for the Environmenten.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Texas Campaign for the Environment participated in Houston's negotiations over a recycling contract and helped advocate for the inclusion of glass and single-use plastic bags in the city's single-stream recycling system.

1. 1Texas Campaign for the Environmenten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Texas Campaign for the Environment official websitetexasenvironment.org