Tag Archives: Austin Office of Sustainability
City, restaurants partner to reduce single-use plastics
City Council wants the local hospitality industry – including restaurants, bars, food delivery services and the tourism bureau – to curb its reliance on single-use plastics. Council members recently directed staff to incentivize such behavior, including by working with the…
City Council • By Emma Freer • Dec 15, 2022
City seeks applicants to help craft five-year food system plan
The city has opened its application process for members of the advisory committee that will help the Office of Sustainability draft a comprehensive food plan for the city, with the goal of addressing food insecurity for vulnerable Austin residents. The Community…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 14, 2022
Sustainability office spearheading regional food plan
Austin’s Office of Sustainability is working on the city’s first-ever food plan – a coordinating structure that is designed to help bridge disparities in local food access in a sustainable way. While Austin’s food system includes state-of-the-art restaurants and groceries…
Public Health • By Willow Higgins • May 31, 2022
City partners up to monitor particulate matter in the air
Austin has begun working to better monitor the quality of its air. The Clean Air Force of Central Texas is working in partnership with the city of Austin’s Office of Sustainability and the Austin Independent School District to install PurpleAir…
Environment • By Willow Higgins • Dec 13, 2021
City waives permit fees for food charities
Effective immediately, City Council has voted to waive permit fees, fines and other charges for charitable feeding organizations like food banks and soup kitchens that distribute food to vulnerable populations and increase access to healthy foods in the community. The…
Public Health • By Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas • May 18, 2021
Conservation groups promote 'Lights Out' to protect migrating birds
A coalition of organizations is working to promote a program to protect migrating birds as they pass through Austin this spring. Travis Audubon, Texan by Nature, Defenders of Wildlife, the Austin Office of Sustainability, Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, Audubon Texas, and…
Environment • By Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas • Feb 26, 2021
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The Office of Sustainability releases draft Climate Equity Plan
The Sustainability Office released its new revised Climate Equity Plan for public comment Wednesday, with hopes to submit the plan to City Council in October. The 97-page document, which is available through the city’s engagement portal, outlines the Sustainability Office’s…
Environment • By Savana Dunning • Sep 4, 2020
City of Austin releases update on climate resilience plan
Resilience is a word that seems particularly relevant as Austin closes public spaces and dining institutions and limits gatherings in response to the spread of Covid-19. Although the city has yet to develop a holistic resilience plan that prepares the…
Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 13, 2020
Health committee discusses new spending plans
Before adopting the city’s proposed budget in September, City Council added more than $6.5 million in spending for health, human services, social services and quality of life programs. With the new fiscal year in full swing, Shannon Jones, director of…
Public Health • By Tyler Whitson • Nov 3, 2015
Districts 1, 2 and 4 hardest hit by retail food deserts
Despite beating most others in population growth estimates, Districts 1, 2 and 4 are trailing the rest of the city when it comes to fresh, healthy and affordable retail food options. Edwin Marty, food policy manager for the Office of…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Sep 25, 2015
City announces recycling-education campaign
Austin residents are sending a lot of recyclables to landfills, and city staff hopes to help change that with a new educational campaign. Austin Resource Recovery Department Director Bob Gedert made the announcement at a press conference on Monday. “The…
Resources • By Tyler Whitson • Jun 23, 2015
Climate action plan blows past committee
Climate action advocates can rest assured that a proposed 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emission plan will go before City Council in June, though it will not come with a committee recommendation. Due to a lack of quorum, the Open Space,…
