[Water] Austin broke ground this week on a new reclaimed water main downtown. Once completed, it will run along a route that includes the UT Medical Center, the Capitol Complex, and the Travis County Office Complex. This will give them all the opportunity to connect to the main and start using reclaimed water for non-drinking uses, such as irrigation, cooling, toilet flushing, and manufacturing. Reclaimed water is highly purified wastewater that is usually just discharged into the Colorado River. Building this main will allow it to be used more effectively, preserving precious drinking water supplies for actual human consumption. More info>>

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[Water] Looking for more ways to help conserve water? The Hill Country Alliance has got you covered with their annual Rainwater Revival event, which is back this year on November 7th at Dripping Springs Ranch Park. Part festival, part educational series, Rainwater Revival seeks to teach people about the benefits of harvesting rainwater for non-potable uses, like irrigation. Once again, this helps to preserve drinking water supplies for actual human consumption. More info>>

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[Halloween] Happy Halloween everyone! To make sure this Halloween is the best yet, we’ve compiled a list of tips for a safe and eco-friendly holiday:

• Get home safely with Capital Metro – In what they’re calling “The Ride of the Living Dead,” CapMetro will be running the MetroRapid and MetroRail until 2:30am and the Night Owls and E-Bus until 3am on Halloween night.
• Take Austin Resource Recovery’s free composting class on Saturday, October 31st at 10am at the SFC Farmers Market in Sunset Valley. Costumes encouraged.
• Instead of buying a new costume, swap last years’ costume with a friend or go on an adventure to a local thrift store to find something unique.

For more green Halloween tips, check out Austin Resource Recovery’s Facebook page>>

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[Recycling/Zero Waste]Austin’s new Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center is officially open! Located just off of Todd Lane in South Austin, the drop-off center is now accepting lots of items for proper recycling or reuse.

Accepted items include:

• Household hazardous waste – cleaning products, paint, batteries, aerosol cans
• Electronics – televisions, computers, cell phones, microwaves
• Plastic bags
• Styrofoam

The center is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and Saturday from 7am to noon. A full list of accepted items is available here>>

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The city is actively looking for competitors, so if you’re interested, sign up today>>

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[Climate Change] Mark your calendar for Austin’s Global Climate March on Sunday, November 29th at 1pm at the Texas State Capitol building. The march is being held the day before the UN Climate Summit begins in Paris. Austin’s march is being held in solidarity with many others that will be held on November 29th to encourage world leaders to forge a strong international agreement at the summit.In Austin, the goal is to create a coalition of teachers, students, people of faith, people of color, and labor. The event will be family-friendly and include guest speakers on climate change and environmental justice. More info>>

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To celebrate this big milestone, CMPBS is hosting several events next week, including a cocktail event at TRACE, a sustainability symposium, and an evening of music. Tickets are available here>>

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[Rescheduled Events] A recent bout of severe weather canceled lots of green events this month. Luckily, many of them have been rescheduled for November. Here’s a short list of the new dates: