19 Mar EcoBits March 19th – March 26th, 2015: Jimmy Kimmel, HUGE Renewable News, and the Energy Water Nexus
[Energy] We have some HUGE news for you! This week,Georgetown, Texas became the first city in the state to switch to 100 percent renewable power. Like Austin, Georgetown has its own municipally-owned utility and on Wednesday, it announced plans to completely abandon all of its fossil-fuel powered energy generation sources and switch entirely to solar and wind power. In order to meet this goal, it is entering into a new 25 year agreement with SunEdison to buy 150 MW of solar power, starting next year.
But that's not even the biggest news. The most exciting part of this story is the reason the city decided to make the switch. “It was really primarily a price decision,” the city's spokesman, Keith Hutchinson, told the Texas Tribune. Hutchinson explained that the renewable energy deals locked in cheaper electricity than what the city's expired fossil fuel contracts (with LCRA) guaranteed. He told the Tribune that he considered the long term price stability of renewables to be a good hedge against potential future spikes in coal or natural gas.
The fact that utilities are choosing renewables over fossil fuels based on price is excellent news for both the industry and the environment. And although Georgetown (with 55,000 residents) is much smaller than Austin, it is nice to know that other cities are proving that the goals we aspire to are possible.
[Energy Water Nexus] The future of Austin might lie inside a granny flat. A team of students at the University of Texas is collaborating with the City of Austin and the Technical University of Munich in Germany to fix four of Austin’s biggest problems – low access to local food, high energy demands, strained water resources, and a lack of urban density – all with one very tiny house. Learn more about their innovative project with this blog from Amy Stansbury>>
[Water] We all know that Austin is in the middle of a drought, but what exactly does that mean? Austin Water recently published an excellent resource entitled,"Understanding the Drought," to walk you through the ins and outs of water management in Austin, and to let you know how the region's water supply impacts your life. In a simple, easy to understand manner, the guide explains where Austin gets its water, the current state of the drought, and what the future of the city's water supply looks like.
One particularly startling tidbit is the state of the Highland Lakes' inflows, which is the technical term for the water that actually replenishes our reservoirs. Of the 10 lowest inflows on record, the top five occurred in the last eight years. You can read the entire guide to understanding the drought here>>
[Water] You're running out of time to apply for the WaterWise Landscape Rebate from Austin Water. The rebate is designed to encourage homeowners to utilize landscaping and gardening to reduce or eliminate the need for outdoor watering.
Major water savings can be made by converting your healthy turf grass to native plant beds. Residential properties may receive $35 for every 100 sq.ft.(minimum 500 sq. ft.) converted from healthy turf grass to native plant beds with a maximum rebate of $1,750. The deadline to apply is March 31st and you can learn more about the rebate program here>>
[Food] Get your tickets today for the Johnson's Backyard
[Food/SXSW] Jimmy Kimmel has made a splash in Austin this week by hosting an entire week of his late night talk show at the Long Center. He has been showcasing all sorts of local Austin restaurants and has promised to donate $2,000 to Urban Roots for every pound that his tv sidekick, Guillermo Rodriguez, gains while eating all of the delicious food that Austin has to offer. It's a silly contest, but hopefully in the end it will really help Urban Roots, an AEN partner and incredibly deserving nonprofit that provides paid internships to young people in Austin to work on an urban sustainable farm.
Jimmy Kimmel will also be auctioning off celebrity signed guitars from March 20th to March 30th, with all the proceeds going to Urban Roots. You can place your bids here>>
[SXSW/Transportation] Just a reminder that Capital Metro is operating under a special schedule for SXSW. They will be offering
Also, Capital Metro just announced that it will be offering free rides on its MetroRapid 801 and 803 bus lines on Friday, March 20th and Saturday, March 21st from 10:30pm to 2:30am. So now you have no excuses not to use it!
[Transportation] A new online-based solution toAustin's transportation troubles is about to launch in April. MobilityATX is designed to turn citizen-sourced priorities into effective policy solutions by hosting online district-by-district conversations andtown hall-like discussions. Then at the end of the project, MobilityATX will have a complete list of policy recommendations from the public to present to city council. To stay up to date with what MobilityATX is doing and to get involved once it officially launches,sign up for their email list today>>
[Green Design] This summer,four parking spaces on
[Gardening] Gardeners, dig your dirt! Get your soil tested for heavy metals FREE on April 10th – 12that the Soil Kitchen taking place at the Fusebox Festival on Jain Lane near Airport Blvd. Experts from the EPA will test for possible contamination while you enjoy the interactive exhibits and demonstrations. More info>>
[Gardening] Save the date!The Native Plant Society of Texas is hosting a Spring Symposium at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centeron Saturday, March 28thfrom 8am to 3:15pm. Topics of discussion will include useful wild plants, pollinators, saving nature, and native plant selections. AEN Founder Brandi Clark Burton will also be giving a talk on building environmental communities. You can buy tickets for the symposium here>>
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