You certainly can’t tell by the weather, but Fall is approaching, and it’s back-to-school time! As a new school year begins, families stock up on supplies and gear up for the routine of packed lunches, homework, and hustling out the door each morning. But the back-to-school season also brings a spike in waste from all the shopping and school supplies. This year, keep sustainability in mind with these tips for an eco-friendly start to school.

Litter-less Lunchti…

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by weaving plastic grocery bags into sleeping mats for unhoused people.

Meet our newest Net-Zero Hero: Kiana Salazar, an artist and AmeriCorps member using her creative skills for good. Through the AmeriCorps program, Kiana served with local nonprofit Creative Action, whose mission is to “use the arts as a medium to inspire creativit…

Climate solutions can enhance the lives of every Austinite, but the effects of climate change are not felt equally across our community. As part of the Austin Climate Equity Plan, the Community Climate Ambassadors Program helps to empower community members to lead on climate action through community projects. 

Join us as we dive into the inspiring stories of our dedicated ambassadors and discover how they are making a positive difference in their communities. 

Meet the 2022-23 Community Climate Ambassadors:

^{Written by Alan Halter | GIS Analyst Senior | Community Tree Preservation Division | City of Austin}

The City of Austin acquired geospatial data showing what tree canopy looked like from above in late summer of 2022. This effort, repeated every four years, documents progress in tree protection and tree planting.  

There are thousands of employees who help power the City of Austin — we're proud that so many of them center sustainability in their work and lives. Today, we're introducing you to one such employee: Sara Boone Hartley, Assistant Director for Support Services with the Watershed Protection Department.

One of Sara’s favorite places is her backyard, and she tends it with an eye toward sustainability and the environme…

^{Written by Keith Babberney | Forester | Community Tree Preservation Division | City of Austin} 

In Austin, we love our trees, but we don’t always know the best way to show them our love. People often assume they should fertilize to improve tree health, but plants that are well adapted to Central Texas soils generally don’t need extra nutrients. This article will help you decide if you need to fertilize and what the best methods are to do it. 

What is fertilization?

Fertilization simply means adding material to soil (or sometimes directly to plants) that provides the elements plants need. Trees, like all plants, require certain specific nutri…

Hi, I’m Anish. I will be a senior at McNeil High School in the fall of 2023. After being a member of the 2022-2023 Youth Forest Council, I decided to continue as a fellow for the 2023-2024 Youth Forest Council. With the help of my mom, I developed a passion for gardening during quarantine for Covid. My position as a member of the Youth Forest Council and my interest in horticulture helped me choose my Community Action Project (CAP). For my CAP, I decided to plant native trees in parking lot medians and create a courtyard oasis for students with special needs. 

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I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by amplifying community voices, needs, and solutions that address the social determinants of health*

Meet Nitakuwa Barrett Orsak, our newest Net-Zero Hero. For some, the relationship between health and climate change might not be so obvious, but for Nitakuwa, the connections can’t be unseen. Nitakuwa is a trained naturalist who transit…

With the arrival of triple-digit days, Austin is heating up. Scorching summer heat can pose significant dangers. In fact, heat waves claim more lives among Americans than many other natural disasters including floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Heat waves are especially concerning for older adults, folks with respiratory conditions, and people that lack access to air conditioning and shade trees.

Heat waves also stress our power grid. During extreme heat, air conditioners run long…

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by educating our community about the importance of plants and sustainable landscapes.

Matthew Gaston is many things: educator, TikToker, native Central Texan, friend of plants, and our newest Net-Zero Hero! Matthew is passionate about fostering a love of plants — particularly native plants — throughout Central Texas and beyond. From his work as Education Director for the…