02 Apr EcoBits April 2nd – April 9th, 2015: We’re on Instagram, Widlflower Season, and PACE Comes to Texas

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We're on Instagram! Yes, we have finally entered the digital age. Follow us at @austineconetwork for video news updates, events listings, and pretty pictures of Austin.

Best places to see wildflowers in Austin.[Outdoors] Speaking of wildflowers, it's officially wildflower season here in Austin, which means that our highway medians and open fields have never looked better! Make sure you get out there, take your pictures, and get a good look at them before they're gone with this list of the best places to see wildflowers in Austin, from 365>>

 

The Sustainable Food Center has put together a list of things to plant in April.[Gardening/Food] It's also gardening and planting season here in Austin. According to the Sustainable Food Center, April marks the end of the spring planting season for fruits and veggies, so it's time to get those seeds into the ground now! SFC has even put together a list of the best fruits and veggies to plant during the month of April, including watermelon, eggplant, cucumber, and corn. Peruse through the full list here>>

 

[Gardening] Gardeners, dig your dirt! Get your soil tested for heavy metals FREE on April 10th –12th at the Soil Kitchen taking place at the Fusebox Festival on Jain Lane near Airport Blvd. Experts from the EPA will test for possible contamination while you enjoy the interactive exhibits and demonstrations. More info>>
 

The Austin Public Library's Talk Green to Me series begins this month.[Earth Month] It's April, which means Earth Month is officially here! The Austin Public Library is celebrating with 30 days of eco-related programming at several of their branches all around town, and the best part is, it's all free! They're calling it the Talk Green to Me Sustainable Living Series and the Austin EcoNetwork is a partner, along with several other great community organizations, including the Sustainable Food Center,The Dumpster Project, Keep Austin Beautiful, the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, andCompost Pedallers. Check out the full calendar of events here>>

 

Exhibitor applications are due on April 3rd.[Earth Month] Calling all you procrastinators out there! The Austin Earth Day Festival is right around the corner and that means that all Earth Day Exhibitor applications are due by April 3rd. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to be a part of a fun, family-friendly event and interact with thousands of Austinites who love and care about the environment just like you do.You can sign up to be an exhibitor here>>

 

It's million mile month.

 

[Outdoors/Transportation]Not only is April Earth Month, but it's also Million Mile Month. It's a month-long challenge to complete one million miles of physical activity, together with participants from across the entire country. Cities can then compete against each other to wrack up the most mileage. In the past, Austin has done extremely well, especially by encouraging people to ride their bikes to work, so grab your wheels, and get exercising! More info>>
 

The Save Our Springs Alliance is fighting back against a proposal to build flyover lanes over Lady Bird Lake.[Transportation/Water] The Save Our Springs Alliance is 

leading the charge against a Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority plan to add four toll lanes to South MoPac Boulevard, and then to connect those lanes to downtown with flyover bridges. These flyover bridges would rise 25 feet above the existing lake bridges in the area. Together with Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea, the Save Our Springs Alliance is leading a campaign to persuade transportation planners to remove the project from long-range plans for the region. S.O.S. worries that the large increase in South MoPac's capacity (from the new toll lanes) will make it easier to build over the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer. You can read more about S.O.S.'s opposition to the project here>>
 

Travis County has launched the state's first PACE program.[Water/Energy] Last week,Travis County became the first county in the state to adopt the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. PACE is a financing program for green energy and water efficiency projects that enables property owners to obtain long-term, low-cost loans and then repay them through their property tax bill. To be eligible for PACE financing, a project must show that the savings in utility costs will offset the cost of installing the project. The hope is that by launching a PACE program, lots of private investment in clean energy projects will flow into the county. Learn more here>>

 

The Pedernales Electric Cooperative is expanding its investment in renewable energy.[Energy] The nation's largest electric cooperative,Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC), has announced plans to significantly expand its renewable portfolio. PEC serves a large area to the west of Austin.

The new plan includes:

  • A decision to build 30 MW of medium-sized solar installations and open up some of those installations to a new community solar program
  • The establishment of an on-bill financingprogram to provide low-interest loans for customers looking to install solar on their rooftops
  • A concerted effort to work with the PEC's largest power provider, the Lower Colorado River Authority, to continue expanding the diversity of its generation portfolio by investing more in wind and solar

 

[Green Design] Learn to build your own natural and permaculturally-designed home with  earthbag, cob, strawbale and light-straw. Join our very own Natural Builders Thea Bryant and Kirby Fry in the 9 Day Bag Blitz Natural Building Intensive, June 27th–July 5th at the Earth Native Wilderness School in Bastrop, Texas. Come all 9 days or just the 2 weekends. Register here>> 
 

Politics

A pair of bills designed to grow demand response in the state are making their way through the legislature.[State] A pair of bills designed to boost demand response and 

energy conservation are making their way through the state legislature. The Texas Tribune reports that the House version of the bill, "would declare the Legislature’s intent to 'eliminate unnecessary barriers to demand response participation' and maximize its use throughout the state." The Senate bill is being sponsored by Austin representative, Kirk Watson. 

The legislation is already facing opposition from several industry groups who say that demand response does not need help from the legislature in order to grow. However, there does appear to be lots of room for growth.  A 2012 report by the Brattle Group, a consulting firm, said that if Texas took steps to remove barriers to demand response expansion, it could shave as much as 15 percent off of the state's peak energy demands. Learn more with this article from the Texas Tribune>>

 

The Obama administration has pledged a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.[National] The Obama administration has pledged that the U.S. will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent (of 2005 levels) by 2025. This new target was submitted earlier in the week to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is working to forge an international treaty on climate change in Paris this December. NPR reports that so far, the European Union, Norway, Switzerland and Mexico have all submitted their goals, in addition to the U.S. Learn more>>

 

 

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