Every Shopper Sustainable
GREETINGS! Welcome to the 1st installment of "The
Sustainable Shopper's Ball!" newsletter. We hope to
see you on Saturday, August 19th for our next event!
For more info please visit:
http://www.sustain-a-ball.org/mainEvent.html
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This Month's Newsletter features the following good
stuff:
> 1. Feature Article: "Every Shopper Sustainable"
> 2. Recommendeds
> 3. Fact of the Month
> 4. Our Town is so Cool!
> 5. Sponsor Highlight
> 6. CAN do
> 7. Local Resources
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this month's feature article comes from the
sustain-a-ball coordinator, Chris Searles.
“Every Shopper Sustainable”
That’s our goal. So, how’s it going?
It’s coming along! Up until just a few years, even
months ago, most of us didn't realize that the awesome
industrial-capitalist paradigm we depend upon was
flawed. Flawed? Yes, deeply flawed, but not beyond
repair. The message of sustainability is simple,
"Don't eat your seed corn."(1) . . . Translation: In
order to survive and thrive into an abundant future,
in an age of tremendous population and industrial
growth, we humans must seriously undertake living in
harmony with each other and our ecosystems. This means
redefining the existing industrial paradigm so that we
eliminate negative environmental impacts, and make
people “good for the planet.” The alternative?
Continue along the current headlong glide into total
exhaustion of modern infrastructure -- without
preparation for ourselves, our children, or future
living beings.
So - this is it! Living in balance with the
environment: a large scale & comprehensive solution.
“The Sustainable Shopper's Ball!” features avenues to
many of Austin’s local leaders, providing us with
truly sustainable lifestyle choices. The series so far
has been a celebration of new ideas, distilled
wisdoms, local firsts, and fantastic feelings. We're
SO GLAD to be sharing this positive transition with
you. In the coming months our newsletter will augment
the mission of making sustainability accessible and
fun, by featuring guest writers from Austin’s
well-spring of eco-experts, green builders, and
sustain-a-preneurs. Stay tuned! Our focus: dialogue,
sustainability & locality. Send us your ideas, & tell
yer friends! Thanks! -
Chris Searles, Coordinator
“The Sustainable Shopper’s Ball!”
> (1) - Taken from the discussion, "What is
Sustainability to You?" - as featured on American
Public Radio's "Marketplace." Visit
http://americanpublicmedia.publicradio.org/sustainability/
to join the discussion.
> Chris is also owner of the online eco-retail store
"Good Common Sense.net." To read more of his advocacy
work, please visit:
http://www.goodcommonsense.net/newsletter1.html
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"Recommendeds"
these things caught our attention this month
1) upcoming movie from sony pictures classics: "WHO
KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?" check out their amazingly
educational website:
http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/electric.html.
2) GREEN SCREENS: sos & the alamo drafthouse have
teamed together to create this fun, FREE series - the
5th friday of every third month, of every third moon,
in aquarius, and on sundays. (just kidding, next show,
July 19th. please visit:
http://www.austinfilm.org/greenscreens.php for more
info).
3) CHICKEN TALK: sunday, july 24th (10–11:30am). how
to raise and care for chickens in Urban setting … YES!
... led by Carol Ann Sayles & India Donovan; Boggy
Creek Farm - contact info@boggycreekfarm.com, or (512)
926-4650.
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"Fact of the Month" - RECYCLING SAVES ENERGY, TOO.
did you know? - recycling just one glass bottle saves
enough energy to power a 100-watt light bulb for four
hours.
for amazing factoids, please visit:
http://www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a=energy/EnergyFacts.html
... recycling, how we love thee! you reclaim our
industrial materials, keep our landfills fit & trim,
and save energy ... 365 days a year!
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"CAN do"
Speaking of RECYCLING, and speaking of CANS, frankly
-- you can recycle all manner of materials at Ecology
Action, free! Conveniently located in downtown Austin.
'EA' is your one stop shop for the following
materials: virtually all paper products (including
cardboard & paperboard), plastics #'s 1 & 2, tin cans,
aluminum cans, brown glass, green glass, clear glass,
and blue glass. Ecology Action is a hard-working
Austin non-profit organization, accepting volunteers &
donations.
The Recycling Center is open 24/7!
address: 707 E 9th St (@ I-35)
phone: 512-322-5129
url: http://www.ecology-action.org/
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"Sponsor Highlight: WHEATSVILLE COOP"
This year Wheatsville Coop is growing, expanding,
celebrating & serving. We like talking about these
guys because they represent one of Austin's MOST
community-oriented businesses. As a grocery store,
WHEATSVILLE has always sourced the finest organic and
as-close-to-organic foods available. The Coop is
passionately committed to fun, family, and local
farmers (all of which are "sustainable") and
undertakes numerous projects that promote health &
happiness among the general public. What an asset! It
brings us great joy to be associated with these fine
people! Visit Wheatsville - an Austin unique, working
to building a happy, sustainable home town.
address: 3101 Guadalupe
phone: 512-478-2667
url: http://wheatsville.coop/
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"Our Town is so Cool"
Did you know? -- ST. STEPHEN'S school is actively
committed to building a sustainable community. Read
the 'sustainability' statement here:
http://www.sstx.org/experiment.php?page=sustainability
Did you know? -- MAYOR WYNN received a bachelor's
degree in sustainable city planning from Texas A&M...
Mayor Wynn is also a signature member of the "US
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement" - a nationwide,
local government initiative to combat global warming.
And did you know? -- The AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM
started it all ... We don't just have the #1 national
champ football team, the world's best cyclist, the
world's biggest computer manufacturer, the world's #1
organic & natural foods grocer, and the world's best
solar rebate program ... we've got THE WORLD'S FIRST
GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM! To learn more about the unique
history of this Austin innovation, visit:
http://austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/index.htm
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THANKS FOR READING! It's great to be sharing this
whole experience with you as we collectively undertake
the 'greening' of Austin. Stay in touch! Send us your
suggestions and questions anytime (respond to this
email). And pass this letter on to your friends,
co-workers, house mates, and loved ones!
See you August 19th!
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The following are some LOCAL RESOURCES we recommend
for learning more:
> The Austin Eco Network
local eco-preneur & activist Brandi Clark has been
assembling & organizing Austin's most complete
calendar of eco-events for years. visit this site to
join their events list: http://www.austineconetwork.org/
> Austin Watershed Protection
home to some of the most innovative city-sponsored
programming in the country, including: the "coal tar
sealant ban" program, the "clean creek campaign", &
"watershed watch." visit:
https://www.cityofaustin.org/watershed/ for more info.
> Austin Water Conservation
join their awesome newsletter, buy rain barrels, get
a free water efficient toilet & so much more:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/watercon/.
MORE SUSTAIN-A-NEWS NEXT MONTH!
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the "sustain-a-news" is intended to promote and
empower sustainable lifestyle choices in the Austin,
Tx. area. thanks for reading - contact us anytime -
and have a great month! next sustain-a-ball: August
19th, 9 - 1, visit http://www.sustain-a-ball.org/ for
more information. call us anytime with questions or to
volunteer: (512) 535-4804.