Rethink/ News | Addressing inequality by connecting communities 🔗

Austin Featured in Transforming Cities Series

Discriminatory housing practices separated Austin along racial divides ⁠— the effects of which are still felt today. But our city is attempting to address injustices and create opportunities with a new transportation network and an unprecedented $300M anti-displacement investment.

Project Connect is a new light rail and bus network designed to connect neighborhoods around Austin. It aims to improve access to daily needs like jobs, healthcare, and education. As well as connecting neighborhoods, by reducing people’s reliance on cars, the project also aims to play a role in tackling Austin’s carbon footprint – reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by around 250,000 tonnes per year and helping the City of Austin to reach our goal of net-zero emissions by 2040.

In a recent article produced by BBC Storyworks, six Austinites from different and diverse communities, who are united by their care for the city's future, describe their hopes to bring communities back together, improve transit, and address climate change.

READ THE THE FULL STORY

Photo of Skye and her son in orange shirts with a graphic next to them that reads, Skye Howell Net-Zero Hero

Meet Net-Zero Hero: Skye Howell

Our newest net-zero hero, Skye Howell, is Potawatomi and Ottawa, a proud mother, and a passionate community organizer. Skye proudly serves on the board for the Great Promise for American Indians, which hosts the Austin Powwow, the largest one-day powwow in the United States. This year, the event takes place on November 12, and all are encouraged to attend.

"Everyone should take the time to learn more about the truth of our shared history and the contributions of our Native community to help sustain and support Native culture," says Skye.

We met with Skye during the Native American Heritage Day Celebration at the Bullock Museum to discuss Native culture, Indigenous communities in Austin, and ways all Austinities can learn more about local Indigenous culture.

We're MarCom Awards Winners!

Our office recently added three new awards to the trophy case! We were awarded one platinum and two gold awards for excellence in marketing and communications by the MarCom Awards — an international competition that judges about 6,500 entries annually. The MarCom Awards recognize the creativity and hard work of professionals in the communications field.

We received a platinum award for our newest State of the Food System Report — a print piece that features the latest available data on food in Austin while outlining key barriers and opportunities in our current food system.

We received a gold award for our Net-Zero Hero blog series, which highlights Austinites who are working in their own ways to address climate change.

Another gold award was given for our Climate Equity Plan StoryMap — an interactive piece aimed at helping community members understand our city’s Climate Equity Plan and how it was created.

These awards showcase the talent and creativity of the City’s communications professionals and their commitment to creating engaging work that helps keep our community informed.

Help Create Austin's First-ever Food Plan

Are you concerned about where and how food is grown, distributed, sold, consumed, wasted, or recovered in Travis County? Do you want to help create a vision for what our local food system could be? Austin/Travis County’s first Food Plan will help determine how we can make strides towards a more local, sustainable, and just food system that serves everyone in our community.

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will support the Office of Sustainability in developing the plan. CAC members can receive compensation, transportation support, and other accommodations for their participation.

Any community member who feels impacted by the current food system is encouraged to apply. Front-line workers, food assistance recipients, those who have experienced hunger or uncertainty about where their next meal will come from, and others not typically included in traditional planning efforts are especially encouraged to consider serving on the CAC.

If this sounds like you or someone you know, please help spread the word and apply by the extended deadline of Sunday, November 13 at 11:59 pm.

APPLY HERE

Two trees ready to be planted in a front yard with mulch and stakes.

TREE PLANTING SEASON IS HERE!

Once the weather starts to turn chilly, and we move into the months that end in "ber," many people believe the planting season is over until spring. But the tree planting season in Austin is actually from October to March!

Trees are essential to our environment and provide us with so many benefits. They pull in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, supply us with much-needed shade during the hot summer months, reduce stormwater runoff, and provide habitat, protection, and food for wildlife.

From choosing the right tree for the right place, to how to untangle the roots, to how much water to provide your new tree, we've got all the tips you need to plant your tree successfully.

LEARN MORE

GET A FREE AIR SENSOR FOR YOUR SCHOOL

The Clean Air Force works to keep our air clean and has 30 air sensors to place in schools throughout Central Texas. They'll also provide teachers with an Air Quality Teaching Module to help kids better understand the importance of air quality.

Children are susceptible to particulate matter pollution, as their lungs are still developing. Placing one of these PurpleAir sensors at a school will help parents and teachers recognize if there is a problem with the air surrounding the school and neighborhood.

LEARN MORE

USEFUL LINKS

Office of Sustainability
Green Business Leaders
Climate Change
Austin's Food System
Citywide Sustainability

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