Climate change is such a big, global, and kinda scary topic. That’s why we write climate stories with a local lens and a focus on what you can do to actually make a difference.
What is Green Purchasing?
…or Sustainable Procurement?
…or Environmentally Preferable Products?
…or Responsible Supply Chains?
Water is essential for human life.
We can live without a lot of things, but we can’t live more than a few days without water. We can live without cars. We can live without electricity. And for most of human history we have lived without cars and electricity, but we have never lived without water. Climate predictions for Central Texas indicate more heat and less rain, which means less water flowing into the Colorado River, the Edwards Aquifer, and all of their contributing watersheds.
With the beginning of school just around the corner, families are ensuring that their kids have the needed school supplies. Here are a few tips to make that process more eco- and wallet-friendly.
THEN to NOW
Austin EcoNetwork has been around for over six years but we have only recently become a website. In case you aren’t familiar, here’s a very short history:
In 2003 I wrote a letter inviting dozens of environmental community leaders to a meeting to explore what we could do to collectively be more successful as sustainability advocates by communicating, cooperating, and collaborating more.
Approximately 45 of Austin’s leading nonprofit, government, business, and community leaders participated in that initial meeting held at Casa de Luz.
Late Thursday night, the Austin City Council approved two items by a 6-1 vote, totaling $6.4 million, for work on the proposed Water Treatment Plant 4 near Lake Travis.
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 Texas Environmental Excellence Awards – the state’s highest environmental honor.
The annual awards, which recognize achievements that significantly reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and prevent pollution, are presented by the governor’s office and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. A governor’s blue ribbon committee identifies outstanding contributions in 11 diverse categories. The public may nominate an individual, community, company, or organization for an award.
Dear Eco-Change Exchange Supporter, SPEAK UP THIS THURSDAY for ECO-CHANGE! AUGUST 6th at 5:30 PM at City Hall Teach-In, Budget Briefing, and Public Hearing
Why You Should Come: 1. Our “ROAD MAP FOR CHANGE” will be delivered to the City Council. It is based on our work at the Eco-Change Exchange Event and additional analysis of city policy and budget. The more people there on THIS THURSDAY, August 6th, the more seriously our City Council Members will take our priorities. The Road Map for Change spells out exactly what we want our elected officials to do! Be a part of it! 2. You Can Speak at the First PUBLIC BUDGET HEARINGS beginning at 6:00 PM.
The Austin Water Utility is asking the Austin City Council to fund construction of a new $423 million water treatment plant on Lake Travis, known as Water Treatment Plant 4. (Austin had three treatment plants but decommissioned the Green plant on Lady Bird Lake just last year, but the name remains for this enormously expensive, and entirely unnecessary infrastructure.)
Beloved Community:
On June 25, 2009, over 40 Austin Environmental groups hosted an Eco-Change Exchange community forum to welcome our new Mayor and City Council members. During the opening reception participants enjoyed delicious, local, organic food provided by Barr Mansion as they milled among the closely packed table displays by environmental groups. Later council chambers buzzed with conversation about how to make Austin a leader among sustainable cities. The evening ended with a reading of a “Letter from the Future” written by the mayor of Austin in 2109. The letter thanked the visionary and dedicated participants of the Eco-Change Exchange for setting in motion changes that led to a beautiful, sustainable reality for people in 2109.
From: Steve Bouchard
Your Representative, out of just a handful, may decide whether historic energy and climate legislation passes today. It has come down to a handful of Members of Congress and Rep. Doggett is one of them.
Please call Rep. Doggett immediately: 877-9-REPOWER (877-9-737-6937)
We’ll connect you to your Representative after giving you talking points. Just be sure to tell them to support comprehensive clean energy legislation.
And then report your call so that we can coordinate this last minute campaign:
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/page/s/targetacesreport
EMAIL FROM THE FUTURE
Note: Just this morning we received this email dated June 25, 2109 signed by the Mayor of Austin. Austin is the premier sustainable American city! This email from the future is in appreciation for all the work you do for the people of today and tomorrow.
Dear Citizens of 2009,
Today we held a celebration in your honor. We call you our Sustainers, our elders, who began the revolution of thought and actions that make our life here in 2109 possible. We thank you for having the vision that brought sustainability, peace and justice to our world.
As I was walking home along one of our boiling black asphalt streets this afternoon, I got to thinking about albedo. If all of our streets were white, they would reflect the sun’s heat back into the atmosphere, rather than trapping it down here with us on an already hot summer day.