Canyon Creek Neighborhood

In August 2009 the Canyon Creek Neighborhood in northwest Austin became Austin’s fourth Green Neighborhood. Located in the environmentally-sensitive Northern Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, the neighborhood is both in the Bull and West Bull Creek watersheds. Canyon Creek completed the following projects to qualify for the award:

• Neighborhood Boy Scouts marked 25 storm drains and are working on an additional 125 more
• Local church in Canyon Creek marked 150 storm drains
• Recognized its first Green Garden in their neighborhood
• Distributed Clean Creek Challenge booklets to 1300 neighbors
• Invited a water conservation expert to speak at a homeowners' meeting
• Sponsored a neighborhood tree planting

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Copperfield

In July 2007 the Copperfield Neighborhood in northeast Austin became Austin’s first Green Neighborhood. Situated on a beautiful stretch of upper Walnut Creek, Copperfield completed the following projects to qualify for the award:

• Sponsored a storm drain marking event
• Distributed Clean Creek Challenge booklets to neighbors
• Invited water quality education speakers to neighborhood meetings on two occasions
• Sponsored a Creek Cleanup through Keep Austin Beautiful and collected 1500 lbs. of trash
• Provided a history of their creek which was prepared by Richard Fry
• Provided photo documentation of Walnut Creek
• Sponsored a neighborhood tree planting

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Crestview

Crestview, the north central Austin community, is Austin’s fifth Green Neighborhood. With great commitment, Emily Wilson led her neighborhood’s efforts and in the process, accomplished more “green” tasks than any other neighborhood to date. Working with the neighborhood association:

• Distributed 1800 Green Neighborhood booklets to all residents
• Sponsored a storm drain marking event and market 90+ storm drain inlets
• Finished second in the city-wide competition to certify homes as Backyard Habitats -- eight homes have qualified
• Under the direction of Michelle Holt, 21 neighborhood volunteers participated in the first annual Arroyo Seco Community creek cleanup
• Working with the City and TreeFolks and coordinated by neighbor, Kathy Hanson Correa, over 50 volunteers planted 98 trees along Morrow/St. Joseph streets
• Neighbor Susan Burneson researched and wrote a history of Hancock Creek/Arroyo Seco
• Hedrich Michaelsen and Emily Wilson created a group called "Friends of Brentwood Park"Adopted Brentwood Park (see website) and formally adopted Brentwood Park.
• Neighbor, Cheryl Goveia of Conscious Gardening, has volunteered to donate time to the Friends of Brentwood Park Project.
• City of Austin environmental expert, Alice Nance, spoke to Neighborhood Association about the National Wildlife Habitat Challenge.
• 93 Crestview neighbors have completed the Green Neighbor Challenge!

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Dawson

In March 2011, Dawson certified as a City of Austin Green Neighborhood. Neighborhood residents:

• Distributing more than 800 Green Neighbor packets
• Invited a water quality expert to speak at a neighborhood association meeting
• Marked 18 storm drains (and are currently working on marking more)
• Sponsored a cleanup of East Bouldin Creek, resulting in the removal of 450 pounds of litter/debris from the waterway
• Sponsored a neighborhood tree planting

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Highland Park Baptist Church

In October 2010, Highland Park Baptist Church became the first church in Austin to become certified as a Green Neighborhood. While seeking to recognize how their impacts can be gentler to the earth, members of Highland Park's Earth Covenant Ministry distributed booklets to all their congregants. As a result, over 30% of their households became Green Neighbors.

Working within the church and with the larger community, Highland Park is:

• Offering single-stream recycling throughout the facility as well as one-stop recycling for batteries, cell phones, eye glasses, ink cartridges, and Styrofoam
• Participating in Lady Bird Lake cleanups
• Converting to energy efficient lighting
• Participating in Green Choice, Austin Energy's renewable energy program
• Working with their scout troop on native landscaping projects which will satisfy the requirements of a Community Wildlife Habitat
• Hosting local environmental speakers on topics such as Zero Waste and Community Wildlife Habitat

Highland Park West Balcones Area Neighborhood Association

Kyle Oberman and Grant McClure, Co-Presidents of the McCallum Environmental Club, took the lead in certifying their neighborhood, Highland Park West, as a Green Neighborhood. Working with the Balcones Area Neighborhood Association, they:

• Distributing 1800 Green Neighbor booklets to the neighborhood
• Invited a Water Conservation specialist to present to their neighborhood association
• Installed a Scoop the Poop box for pet waste cleanup
• Put together a photo documentation of their creek
• Worked with NeighborWoods to assess the need for trees in the area

Kyle accomplished this while simultaneosly serving as Student Council President at McCallum!

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Jester Homeowners Association

In February 2008 the Jester Neighborhood in northwest Austin became Austin’s second Green Neighborhood. Located in the environmentally-sensitive Northern Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, the neighborhood sits along a tributary to the beautiful Bull Creek. Jester completed the following projects to qualify for the award:

• Sponsored a storm drain marking event
• Recognized two Green Gardens in their neighborhood
• Distributed Clean Creek Challenge booklets to neighbors
• Invited water quality education speakers to neighborhood meetings on two occasions
• Feature rainwater harvesting sites in several neighborhood yards
• Sponsored a neighborhood tree planting

Additional Green Initiatives

• Registered 173 yards as certified wildlife habitats
• Neighborhood residents own a combined 76 Hybrid vehicles
• Neighborhood residents own 5 Plug In Electric Vehicles (PEVs)
• Installed solar panels in 29 neighborhood homes using the Austin Energy rebate program
• First Place Winner in the 2008 Wildlife Austin Neighborhood Challenge
• First Place Winner in the 2012 Wildlife Austin Neighborhood Challenge
• Rescued Plants; Vaught Ranch

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The Tribe of Green Bohemians San Augustine Drive

Think you need a neighborhood association to become a Green Neighborhood? Well, the first Green Neighborhood in 78733 has proven otherwise. The 24-home street just above Lake Austin, is the first to qualify based on the number of neighbors participating. The self-proclaimed, Tribe of the Green Bohemians, has achieved this status by:

• Distributing booklets to all homes on the street, and
• Getting 30% of the neighbors to apply for the Green Neighbor award

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