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Group photo of the office of sustainability in front of a brightly-colored truck that reads "Nourishing Lives Here". There is a title overlay on the photo that reads "Office of Sustainability Volunteers at mobile food pantry". There is an Office of Sustainability logo in the bottom-right corner.

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'“ – Martin Luther King Jr.

This week, our office volunteered with the Ce…

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Photo of Susan Peterson in a black jacket and blue and white polka dot top. Text reads: Susan Peterson Net-Zero Hero

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by: helping to create green, affordable housing managed by staff trained in sustainability — powered by solar!

 

Meet Susan Peterson, the former Director of Green Initiatives for Foundation Communities, a local non-profit affordable housing developer. D…

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Climate change in Austin: What's being done locally, and the top three things you can do to help

Austin already has an extreme climate, and climate projections tell us that it’s going to get even more extreme. But the City of Austin is taking climate change very seriously, and there are many ways you can help. Below are the answers to questions you might have, and the top three things that would make the biggest difference to reduce Austin's carbon footprint.

How is climate change impacting Austin?

 

Impacts from climate change are already being experienced…

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Text: Local Fourth Grade Student wins Presiden'ts Environmental Youth Award, photo is of child with buckets of batteries.

Nine-year-old Asvini Thivakaran has been tirelessly raising awareness about battery recycling in her community in Round Rock, Texas for the past two years. Beginning with battery recycling in her home, she expanded her efforts to multiple locations in her community, diverting thousands of batteries from the landfill. Asvini was recently recognized for her efforts with the…

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Oh my gourd! It's pumpkin season: Make use of the entire pumpkin with these tips

Fall is here, and Halloween is right around the corner! But, before you start breaking out the carving tools for your Jack-O-Lanterns, be sure you’ve got a plan for what to do with the seeds, pulp, and finished product. Avoid throwing out your pumpkin’s treasured innards and reduce pumpkin waste by following these tips:

Roast the seeds

Depending on who you ask, half the fun is scooping out the…

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Photo of Anneliese near garden signs. Graphic reads: "Anneliese Tanner Net-Zero Hero"

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by: reinventing the urban school meal experience

 

Headshot of Anneliese TannerWhen you picture school cafeteria food, what comes to mind? Many of us remember…

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Banner image with brown flags. Text reads: "Branch out and take flight at the Roots and Wings Festival". Office of Sustainability logo is in the corner.

By: Guest blogger Jo Gammans-Dwyer, Community Catalyst with the City’s Community Trees Preservation Division

 

Can you feel it? Autumn is here! This time of year, we celebrate so many wonderful things in Central Texas — cooler days, the rain that recharges our streams and lakes, and the return of football, to name a f…

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Net-Zero Hero: Tom Meyers

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by: demonstrating the viability and advantages of an off-grid, solar powered business

 

Headshot of Tom Myers with solar panels in the background.Meet Tom Myers, owner of a local shaved ice company called SolarSno. SolarSno's food trucks are the first in Austin to be powered entirely off th…

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Text overlay: "make Austin your playground with these family-friendly parks" picture is a playground in the background

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department oversees a large number of incredibly fun parks where families can go to enjoy themselves. With the weather cooling off, it’s a great time to try some of these parks with your kiddos. But, with so many great options, sometimes it can feel overwhelming deciding where to go. In order to help you out, here is a list of 11 family favor…

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Photo: person looking out of an airstream. She is smiling and has bright red-orange hair. Text reads: Austin Green Business Leader lights the way for off-grid solar

René Geneva has a long history of entrepreneurship. Back in the late 1990’s, she started an eco-fashion line called René Geneva Design. She sold in several stores, including Whole Foods Market, and won Austin Fashion Week’s First Golden Boot Award for Best D…