26 Mar EcoBits March 26th – April 2nd, 2015: Talk Green to Me, SXSW Wrap-Up, and a Solar Boom
[Earth Month] It's almost April, which means Earth Month is 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, and Compost Pedallers.
Here are some exciting Talk Green to Me events to look forward to:
- The screening of Beyond Pollution, a documentary about the BP oil spill at the Terrazas Branch Library on Thursday, April 2nd at 7pm.
- Edible Insects, Our Food for the Future, a presentation on the benefits of eating insects (taste tests will be included) at Hampton Branch Library at Oak Hill on Saturday, April 18th at 2pm.
- Austin Public Library Earth Day Celebration at the Carver Branch Library on Wednesday, April 22nd at 6pm.
Check out the full calendar of events here>>
[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. You can sign up to be an exhibitor here>>
[SXSW Wrap-Up/Food] As promised, Jimmy Kimmel donated
[SXSW Wrap-Up/Transportation] After breaking national
[Transportation] Bike Austin has a new executive director.
“I am excited to be at the forefront of the movement to increase accessibility and awareness of cycling in the Austin community,” Feris said in a press release. “I’ve been a longtime advocate of obesity prevention in Central Texas. In my new role at Bike Austin, I will have a larger platform to engage Austin’s current and future commuters on the importance of living ahealthier lifestyle. Additionally I look forward to reaching out to those whom have never had the opportunity to experience the joy of riding a bike.” More info>>
[Energy] The Electric Utility Commission is pushing Austin
The resolution also recommends that Austin Energy wait until it has issued its solar RFP and reviewed the submissions before moving forward with a 500 MW energy gap study. The utility is using this study to determine whether or not it will also be building a new natural gas plant.
[Energy] Local distributedsolar energy grew by 62 percent in Austin from 2013 to 2014, according to a new report out from Environment Texas. Solar on the rooftops of individual homes and businesses jumped from 13 MW in 2013 to 21 MW by the end of 2014, spurred in part by major installments at Huston-Tillotson University, AISD's new Performing Arts Center, Goodwill Industries, and Howdy Honda.
When compared to other cities, Austin ranks 17th in the nation for solar installed inside city limits. San Antonio ranks 7th with 88 MW. You can read the full report here>>
[Energy Water Nexus] The future of Austin might lie inside a granny flat. A team of students at the University of Texas is collaborating with the City of Austin and the Technical University of Munich in Germany to fix four of Austin’s biggest problems – low access to local food, high energy demands, strained water resources, and a lack of urban density – all with one very tiny house. Learn more about their innovative project with this blog from Amy Stansbury>>
[Water] San Antonio's new $3.4 billion water pipeline project could spark a boom in development for the Hill Country, according to a new article in the Austin American-Statesman. The San Antonio Water System is looking to sell off water it has reserved from the pipeline project (but won't actually need for several years), and it's looking for buyers in the Hill Country. If a deal goes through, it will be the first time that water will be shipped from counties east of Austin to the west of it. As the Statesman reports, this could be, "a nightmare for environmental groups who had hoped suburban growth would be stymied by the dwindling supplies in the Highland Lakes and by unreliable Hill Country groundwater." You can read more about the pipeline project and its potential impact on the Central Texas region here>>
[Water] You're running out of time to apply for the WaterWise Landscape Rebate from Austin Water. The rebate is designed to encourage homeowners to utilize landscaping and gardening to reduce or eliminate the need for outdoor watering.
Major water savings can be made by converting your healthy turf grass to native plant beds. Residential properties may receive $35 for every 100 sq.ft.(minimum 500 sq. ft.) converted from healthy turf grass to native plant beds with a maximum rebate of $1,750. The deadline to apply is March 31st and you can learn more about the rebate program here>>
[Food] Get your tickets today for the Johnson's Backyard
[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>>
Politics
[State] We're officially past the filing deadline in this year's legislative session, which means that all the bills that will be filed, have been filed. Now's the time when those bills get debated and ultimately voted on. The Environmental Defense Fund has put together a great list of energy, water, and climate bills that have been filed this session, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Some of the worst include:
- HB 857 and SB 931, which would repeal Texas' renewable portfolio standard for wind
- HB 1736 and SB 929, which would hamper energy efficiency in Texas by prohibiting cities from adopting stronger building codes
Some of the best include:
- HB 2392, which would set up an energy efficiency loan program for existing homes through the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO)
- SB 77, would require state agencies to create an adaptation plan for climate change impacts
You can read the entire list here>>
[State] Two bills filed in thestate legislature deal with Austin directly. State Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, and Rep. Paul Workman, R-Austin, have put forth a pair of proposals aimed at curbing Austin Energy's monopoly and spending.
As reported by the Austin American-Statesman, Fraser’s proposal would allow any group of customers that collectively use more than 25 million kilowatt-hours in a year to appeal a rate increase to the state’s Public Utility Commission. A power that they do not currently have. The commission could also allow dissatisfied customers to get their electricity from another electric provider.
Workman's proposal would limit the growth of Austin Energy's general fund transfer, the $105 million annual transfer from Austin Energy to the city's general fund, which pays for city services like parks, police, and fire.
You can read more about Fraser's and Workman's proposals here>>
[State/National] Texas battled the Environmental Protection Agency in the Supreme Court this week, over federal limits on the emission of pollutants like mercury, acid gases and other toxic metals from power plants. The Texas Tribune reports that Texas is joined by 20 other states in the lawsuit who argue that the EPA did not properly consider the $10 billion annual cost of its regulations. The rules target more than 50 coal- and oil-fired power plants across Texas, and the states suing the EPA believe that they threaten to push coal-fired electric utilities out of business.
The EPA on the other hand, argues that the regulations' benefits to human health far outweigh the costs of implementing them. Mercury is a highly toxic chemical that can build up in the human body and is linked to brain abnormalities and developmental disorders. The EPA claims that the new mercury rule can prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths per year.
A decision has not yet been made in this case, but the Texas Tribune reports that the EPA usually wins in cases like these. You can read the entire article here>>
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