Once the weather starts to turn chilly, and we move into the months that end in “ber,” many people believe the planting season is over until Spring. While this is true for most plants, the same is not true for trees. The tree planting season in the Austin area is from October to March — or from Halloween to April Fool’s Day. Trees thrive when planted after the hottest summer days are gon…
We’re helping to make Austin Net-Zero by engaging parents, caregivers, and families in the local climate movement.
In the past few years, we’ve seen many examples of youth organizing for climate justice. From the global Fridays for Future…
For Austin to be a thriving, equitable, and ecologically resilient community, we must have a system for growing, selling, and consuming food that works for everyone. To work toward this vision, the Office of Sustainability launched a new Food Justice Mini Grant program. The program sought to provide flexible funding of up to $3,000 to organizations supporting those in our community most negatively impacted by f…
Bill Nye, the Science Guy, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s SXSW Eco Conference on October 12th, and two area high schools will be in attendance as guests of the City’s Office of Sustainability. Calling climate change the biggest challenge we face, Nye fights to raise awareness of climate change and the value of critical thinking, science, and reason. Through this work, Nye hopes to inspire people everywhere to change the world, and Eastside Memorial and Regan High School are already taking…
It’s almost Earth Day, yet again. Spring is a special time of year in Central Texas. Not only are the wildflowers blooming, the native bees buzzing, and natural springs abundantly flowing, but many songbirds are nesting and preparing to raise their young. Both Golden-cheeked Warblers and Black-capped Vireos have migrated here from their winter habitat locations. Both birds are rare, endangered species that are lucky to have protected City of Austin conserva…
I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by: trying to change how my high school, Griffin School, disposes of waste and thinks about our environment.
Austin is green and we all want to keep it that way!…
I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by empowering my students to get involved in sustainability efforts and to be environmental stewards.
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We're helping to make Austin Net-Zero by: recycling Austin's bicycles!
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Oftentimes women are unsung heroes in the world of farming. According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, nearly one million women are working America’s lands. Together, these women are generating $12.9 billion in annual agricultural sales. In Texas, we have over 120,000 female farmers working 43 million acres, making up 33% of Texas farmers, with an $818 million economic impact.
Women have deep roots…
Food production in Central Texas is decreasing rapidly as farmland is lost to development, the rising average age of farmers reduces their ability to work, and income for farm labor remains below the poverty level. Today, less than one percent of the food that is consumed in Austin is produced locally. With the population of Austin growing by approximately 20,000 each year, that means less fresh food…