“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Even if you don’t live near a Preserve, there are numerous ways to reduce your impact on the unique ecosystems of the Austin area. Each resident is an important and interconnected strand in the ecological web of the region. Whether our impacts on this web are positive or negative depends on our actions as stewards. For instance, riding your bike on errands rather than driving reduces the amount of ground-level ozone, which contributes to smog, respiratory problems, and the degraded health of trees and other plants. The following are descriptions of some of the programs, incentives, and helpful tips that the City of Austin offers to promote environmental stewardship.
Landscaping
The City of Austin Grow Green program provides extensive information on landscaping with native plants. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center also offers classes and workshops on native plants and landscaping.
Water Quality
The City of Austin Watershed Protection Department program offers a number of community outreach programs, including monitoring programs and a 24-hour environmental hotline for citizens to report pollution complaints and spills in local creeks
Water and Energy Efficiency
The City of Austin Water Conservation program offers a number of rebate programs for efficient water use. Austin Energy's PowerSaver program also has several residential and commercial rebates, loans and workshops.