Now That We Can Do Anything…
GREETINGS! Welcome to the 3rd installment of "The
Sustainable Shopper's Ball!" newsletter. We wish you
the happiest of the holiday season and hope to see you
NEXT SATURDAY, Dec 9th…
NEXT SATURDAY,
NEXT SATURDAY,
NEXT SATURDAY,
“Have a Green, Green Christmas!”
@ The Sustainable Shopper's Ball!
Austin’s first-ever Green Holiday Festival!
For more info please visit: http://www.sustain-a-ball.org/
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This Month's Newsletter features the following:
> 1. Feature Article: “Now That We Can Do Anything…"
> 2. Sustain-a-Ball Music
> 3. Fact of the Month
> 4. CAN do
> 5. Sponsor Highlight
> 6. Our Town is so Cool!
> 7. Our Town is so Cool! - extended
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this month's feature article comes from
sustain-a-ball coordinator, Chris Searles
“Now That We Can Do Anything … What Will We Do?”
It’s really been a good year. “Suddenly” there are exciting movements, blogs, products, rebates, programs, businesses, books, services, tv shows, conferences, movies, events, laws, and elsewise springing up all over the world in support of sustainability. The People are excited about positive change and those-in-the-know want a healthy, sustainable future.
We of the “Shopper’s Ball!” are excited to throw “Austin’s first ever Green Holiday Festival” next weekend. Lo & behold, it’s time! And our little event series is ready to bring you the best of Austin’s local, green living solutions.
We’re also excited to present an event that suggests some new ideas:
While we’re at it, let’s look at solving the environmental problems of today– right now!
What’s first? ... Eliminating the use of all fossil fuels, empowering a clean energy economy, re-treeing the planet and employing energy efficiency. And then? … turning “waste into food” at every level of our economy, so that resource-efficiencies increase and resource-waste ends, so that man-made toxicities are no longer intentionally produced and systems for managing the toxicities of the past are fully developed, and so that our solid waste distribution systems are designed to continuously re-stream manufactured and natural materials back into our lives in a sustainable, beneficial manner.
We can do it!
And the benefits are enormous. Then there’s more to be done: investing in the environment, getting a handle on the population boom, preparing for an age of climate change ... all the while, living, loving, growing & communicating. “This green life,” manifested, can be beautiful. Let’s all stay tuned!
Also - We wish you the best, most good-feelin' holiday ever - this year. We wish you time to slow down, rest up and appreciate the things you care the most about. We wish you peace of heart and clarity of mind. And we thank you for your support this year!
PS. Tell yer friends! Happy Holidays, ya’ll!
Sincerely, Chris Searles
> Chris is also owner of the online retail store "GoodCommonSense.net." To read more of his advocacy writing, please visit: www.goodcommonsense.net/newsletter1.html
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"Sustain-a-Ball Music"
we are excited to report that…
1) TWANG TWANG SHOCK A BOOM will be performing at the upcoming “Shopper’s Ball!” – Saturday, December 9th.
2) CJ Menge’s STEEL DRUM BAND – the runaway hit of our last festival, will be performing in the kid’s area, along with the evergreen, master entertainer FRANK MEYER.
3) And we’re still working on some CAROLERS!
*all of these performances will be 100% solar powered.
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"Fact of the Month" – GREEN BUILDING SAVES ENERGY.
the austin green building program reports that in 2006, their approved buildings collectively saved:
> over 24 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity
> that’s roughly $2 million of savings on utility bills
> which offsets pollution -- equivalent to planting 88,109 trees or permanently removing 4,273 cars from out highways
Vive le Green Building!
*as mayor will wynn says, "the cleanest of all energy, is the energy that doesn't need to be produced."
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"CAN do"
You can recycle all manner of materials – including those, post-holiday pieces, at Ecology Action, free! Conveniently located in downtown Austin.
'EA' is your one stop shop for dropping off 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 and wishing you a happy holiday.
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: THE AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM"
Another feather in Austin’s cap: Our Green Building is the first green building program ever - in the world! What began as a City-led quest for energy efficiency and pollution reductions has blossomed into a department of world-leading authorites on the impacts of our buildings and how to mitigate them. Austin’s Green Building Program is a treasure trove of layman-friendly and contractor-grade resources for improving indoor health, sourcing sustainably-harvested building materials, maximizing energy & water efficiencies, creating beautiful design, employing passive solar and climate appropriate technologies, installing clean energy systems, landscaping appropriately, and more. Check out their ground-breaking “Green By Design” series if you’re interested in greening your home or office – and visit them online for lots of great info. Truly a world class group ... whole lotta fun, too.
“The Austin Green Building Program”
web address: http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/index.htm
“green by design” series: http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Tools%20and%20Tips/greenBuildingWorkshop.htm
phone: (512) 482-5300
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"Our Town is so Cool"
Did you know? – THE HOWSON LIBRARY’s new landscaping is achieving a 75% reduction in water use, while remaining beautiful and attractive. Located at 3500 Exposition. Visit - http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/greengarden/howson_garden.htm
Did you know? – TOUR DE GREEN. Lance Armstrong recently purchased a Honda Hybrid, saying, "The evidence that global warming is real, is undeniable ... and I want to do my part."
And did you know? -- 97.5% RECYCLED ... The new, still in construction "Long Center for the Performing Arts” doesn’t just occupy the territory once known as the Palmer Auditorium, recycling industrial space, but 97.5% of materials taken from the demolished older building have been put back into use via the new construction and other local projects!
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"Our Town is so Cool" - Extended
Did you know? – CITY’S SOLAR REBATES INCREASED last month. The new PV rebates go from $4.00 to $4.50 per watt. That's an additional savings of about $1500 on the average residential system. more info - www.solaraustin.org/rebateincrease
Did you know? – Austin has NINE SOLAR SCHOOLS. Tuesday, November 14, Austin Energy held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of 9 solar systems on AISD schools. Contact Brenda de la Garza with questions: brenda.delagarza@austinenergy.com
Did you know? – MERIDIAN ENERGY – a sustain-a-ball sponsor - just completed installation of Texas’ Largest Solar Electric System. Read all about it, & congrats Andrew! - http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/Members/newsletter/Nov%202006/MeridianInstallsPV.htm
And did you know? - ENVIRONMENTAL LOVERS EVERYWHERE. According to Save Our Springs, "Local voters overwhelmingly approved $50 million for Barton Springs Watershed land protection recently. Statewide, voters overwhelmingly approved over $620 million in bonds for natural areas, parks, and park improvements. And Nationwide, more than $5.7 billion in new conservation funding has been approved in 2006” – a new record.
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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! (respond to this
email anytime), and please feel free to pass this letter on to friends, co-workers, house mates, and loved ones!
See you December 9th!
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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 SOON!
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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 - next sustain-a-ball: Saturday, Dec. 9th, 9a – 2p, at The Sunset Valley Farmers Market; visit http://www.sustain-a-ball.org/ for more information. call us anytime with questions or to volunteer: (512) 535-4804.