Austin’s announcement came as President Obama unveiled a larger series of executive orders and strategic partnerships designed to advance the clean energy economy. These include unlocking PACE financing for single-family households and launching a new program that provides home owners with a simple way to measure and improve the energy efficiency of their homes.Obama wants the Compact of Mayors to play a key role in implementing his climate change agenda. Earlier this week he issued a challenge to all US mayors to publicly commit to a climate action plan before the upcoming UN Climate Negotiations in Paris. More info>>

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[Climate Change] In the wake of the devastating Memorial Day floods, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is releasing new flood plain maps for Hays County. The maps determine which property owners must buy flood insurance and set higher standards for newly constructed homes in the area. These new maps dramatically expand the area included in the flood plain along the Blanco River, potentially forcing lots of additional homeowners to purchase flood insurance.

As the Austin American-Statesman reports, meteorologists expect extreme weather events, like flooding, to become more frequent because of global warming. FEMA had been working on redrawing the region’s flood maps even before the Memorial Day floods. However, the extreme events of this summer encouraged FEMA to release the maps quickly, so that homeowners can rebuild under the agency’s now higher standards. More info>>

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[Transportation] Austin’s rush hour traffic is now the10thworst in the nation, according to a new study out this week from Texas A&M University. The study found that on average, a rush hour trip in Austin takes 33 percent longer than that same trip during off-peak hours. It also found that in 2014, Austin-area commuters wasted 52 hours and 22 gallons of gasoline each, simply from being stuck in traffic. So not only is traffic affecting our collective quality of life; it is also increasing the amount of emissions we release into the air, contributing to climate change and poor regional air quality. More info>>(Please note – Last year, Austin’s rush hour traffic was ranked 4th worst in the nation. However, the report’s authors believe that Austin’s improved ranking is likely just because of better data, and not because Austin’s traffic has actually gotten any better)

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[Recycling/Zero Waste] Did you know? Right now, many of the recyclable items collected in Austin are sent out of state or overseas for manufacturing.Austin Resource Recovery is trying to change that. They’re currently in the process of redeveloping a former landfill site in southeast Austin and turning it into an 105 acre eco-industrial park, called the [re]Manufacturing Hub.

That’s where you come in. Austin Resource Recovery is looking for potential recycling and reuse industry tenants who would like to call the [re]Manufacturing Hub home. If you and your business are interested,send a letter to the city by October 19th. More info>>

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[Recycling/Zero Waste]Recycling continues to expand throughout the City of Austin with the next phase of the Universal Recycling Ordinance, which goes into effect on October 1st. Starting on that day, all multifamily residential properties with 10 or more units, as well as commercial properties 25,000 square feet or larger, must ensure that their tenants have access to recycling. Find out if your business is affected by this next phase of the URO here>>

To help businesses comply with the next phase of the recycling ordinance, Austin Resource Recovery is also offering several free information sessions for business owners. Upcoming sessions include:

• Wednesday, Sept. 30th at 8:30am at Marie Callender’s 
• Wednesday, Sept. 30th at noon at Iron Cactus North
• Wednesday, Oct. 7th at noon at County Line West
• Tuesday, Oct. 13th at noon at Opal Divine’s Penn Field

These info sessions are filling up fast, so if you’re interested in attending, please RSVP soon>>

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[Recycling/Zero Waste] Have a drawer full of old batteries that you don’t know what to do with? Now’s the time to get rid of them with the city’s Austin Recharge Challenge. From now through September 18th, participating local libraries will be competing to see which branch can collect the most single-use and rechargeable batteries. The winning library will receive a $1,000 grant to help fund a sustainable project at their branch.

Why recycle batteries? Batteries contain metals that can be harmful to the environment if they are not disposed of properly. Since starting its own battery recycling program in 1999, the City of Austin has collected more than 457,000 pounds of batteries.More info>>

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[SXSW Eco] SXSW Eco made some exciting programing announcements this week, starting with word that filmmaker James Redford will be a 2015 keynote speaker. James Redford has written, directed or produced over a dozen films, including the award‑winning HBO documentaries The Big Picture, Toxic Hot Seat and Mann v. Ford. During his keynote, he will tell the story of creating HAPPENING, a feature film documenting the dawn of America’s clean energy economy as it creates jobs, turns profits, and makes communities stronger and healthier.SXSW Eco also announced its Startup Showcase Finalists. A special congratulations goes out to Carbon Bamboo L3C, a local company that made the list in the Supply Chain + Product Innovation category. Learn more about Carbon Bamboo L3C here>>