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| On Your Marks, Get Set, Reduce Your Footprint!
A message from Kathy Zarsky, USGBC-CTB Chair |
June 12th marked the beginning of a very important series of presentations and conversations about our shared role in educating and promoting change in the built environment. Eight different professional organizations and non-profits together with Austin Energy came together last Tuesday to hear Mayor Will Wynn present the eye-opening and compelling challenges of climate change. He then went on to explain the critical importance of the Austin Climate Protection Plan and the global leadership role that Austin has assumed with this groundbreaking call for local action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through five strategic categories. Read on... |
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| Al Gore Visits San Antonio for AIA Convention |
 Former Vice President of the United States the Honorable Al Gore took center stage at the AIA National Convention May 5th in San Antonio with a message for architects everywhere. "You have the greatest opportunity in the history of your profession," he said, to address "moral imperatives disguised as problems." He filled the next 50 minutes defining a global crisis and yet assuring the assembly to take heart, because, as problem solvers and leaders in society, "now is your moment.".... click here. |
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| Book of the Month
Recommended by Benjamin Lynn, Alamo Architects |
Last Chance to See
Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine
This is an inspiring and truly great book, told with Adams' trademark quirky sense of humor. This book is partly great travel writing, partly natural history, partly brilliant comedy and partly committed environmentalism. Even if you are not into saving the planet, this book is still worth reading due to Adams' great gift for telling a story.
This is a warm, humorous and involving book, told without preaching to the reader. A grave warning on the future of life on Earth, but an optimistic rallying call to change things. |
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AUSTIN MAYOR PRESENTS AT C40 CITIES CLIMATE SUMMIT
Contributed By: Michele VanHyfte |
From May 14 - May 17, 2007, leaders of municipal governments and international businesses from over thirty world cities convened in New York City for the second C40 Large Cities Climate Summit, organized by the Clinton Climate Initiative. Cities are responsible for three-quarters of the world's energy consumption, and as such, the world's largest cities have a critical role to play in the reduction of carbon emissions and the reversal of dangerous climate change. If you attended Greenbuild in Denver last year, you saw the Clinton Climate Initiative announce the C40 Cities' intentions and plans which received an enthusiastic standing ovation from the general session crowd. Read On... |
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| Legislative Alerts Making a Difference |
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The Central Texas - Balcones Chapter would like to thank everyone who responded to our Legislative Alerts over the past few months. Whether by mail, email, fax, or phone, many of you rallied to show your support for a variety of bills that promoted Green Building, Energy Efficiency, and Water Conservation. Quite a few of these bills successfully passed, including SB 12, SB 541, HB 4, HB 3070 and HB 3693. Plus many of the strong features from bills that did not make it were incorporated into these and other bills by amendment.
USGBC CT-B Advocacy Page
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| Energy Expert Urges Efficiency Over Adding Capacity |
Global climate change is affecting American business, and more companies are starting to do something about it, according to an energy expert who spoke in San Antonio on Wednesday.
Hunter Lovins, president and founder of National Capitalism Inc., a Colorado-based nonprofit organization, said if the nation continues on its present path and uses more coal and builds more nuclear plants to produce electricity, electricity prices will double. Read on...
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SUBMIT YOUR NEWS!
It is one of our goals to continue providing you with information on regional sustainable building. But we also want to hear from you! We are currently soliciting articles about sustainable building in the area. These can be about a sustainable project, how you achieved a specific LEED credit, or what role your company has taken in promoting sustainable building. Submit your news to the link below and it may appear in this newsletter!
Articles are typically between 500 and 1000 words in length, with up to five pictures. Please send articles and/or inquiries to Sara Partridge | |
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Need expert advice on a building system or product? Need to share your experiences with a particular system or product? You can now do it all here, and find solutions relevant to our Central Texas region: www.STARTcentraltexas.org | |
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