As Austin grows and develops, the question remains… how do we do this sustainably? How does a region that’s experiencing explosive population growth accommodate all of these new residents in a way that doesn’t do irreparable harm to our environment?

It’s a big question, and it’s one that doesn’t have an easy answer. But, there are several people in town that are trying to provide at least a slice of the solution. They’re the folks behind two new development projects – Fourth& in East Austin and the Elgin Agrarian Community about 30 miles east of the city.

Fourth& is a condo project on Fourth and Chicon that’s been given a 4-Star Austin Energy Green Building rating and provides solar panels for each of its tenants.

The Elgin Agrarian Community is a 23-acre sustainable, mixed use community currently being built in Elgin, just outside Austin. Once it’s complete, residents will have access to a fully functioning farm, onsite brewery, and solar energy.

On last week’s Shades of Green radio show we spoke with representatives from both of these communities, who are working hard to change the way Austin grows and develops. You can listen to the entire podcast above.