Sunday’s Chronicle Q and A conversation was with Karl Pepple, described by Dina Capiello as the “first-ever director of environmental programming for the city of Houston”:
Charged with overseeing local air and water quality, recycling and garbage, Pepple jokes he often needs two people to do his job. Since he took the office, he has worked on a program that offers city contractors a bonus when they use clean diesel, is busy hiring a new recycling coordinator and is working to ensure Houston meets a 2010 deadline for smog reduction.
None of that information sounded familiar to me, so I searched the City of Houston’s website and couldn’t find anything for Karl Pepple. Next, I searched the Chronicle‘s archives and couldn’t find any other story referencing Karl Pepple. Finally, I Googled “Karl Pepple Houston” and found references to H-GAC.
So, who is Karl Pepple and what are his qualifications?
Q: How did you get into the environmental field?
A: I always was interested in the environment. My father was a chemist. And there was a point source, for lack of a better word, in my hometown (of Ponca City, Okla.) and I was always interested in what it was doing to the air and water.
Oh. Okay.
Thanks Houston Chronicle, for being such a tenacious watchdog newspaper.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: I grew up near Ponca City, in Pawhuska, Okla. I have a minor in Chemistry. I like camping, and practice Leave No Trace techniques when backpacking. In case the Mayor’s office or Capiello are reading, I’m here for your environmental needs. 🙂
