Entrepreneurs
We are putting out a call to all sustainability minded entrepreneurs to create and submit a 2-3 minute video about themselves, their business and their growth plans. This is an OVI, an Online Video Introduction. Think of a Kickstarter video, but shorter, with the goal of these videos being to communicate the following things:
1. Who – Who are you/your business?
2. What – What is your product/market?
3. When – When do you plan to enter the market?
4. Where – Where will the impact of your business be felt?
5. Why – Why are you starting/growing this business (Mission/Core Values)?
6. How – How much capital do you need to execute your plan?
We welcome not only sustainable food folks, but entrepreneurs involved in the green building and renewable energy fields as well. The videos will be reviewed by a panel made up of Slow Money Austin and Texas Green Network leaders. We will announce the winners and show the top 5 videos at our Spring Pitchfest and Potluck 2013, on Tuesday March 26th at Reclaimed Space.
The 5 entrepreneurs selected will get the opportunity to be mentored by Slow Money leaders, work with a videographer and show a newly revised 10 minute pitch video at the Austin Earth Day event at Mueller Hanger on Saturday, April 20th. The Slow Money Austin organization will be hosting a VIP investors lounge at the Austin Earth Day event. These 5 winning videos will also be available for viewing on the Slow Money Austin website.

When:   Wednesday, March 20.  HH start at 6:30 pm, Discussion starts at 7 pm

Please RSVP

Please join us for what may be the first but hopefully will not be the last advertised venue for public discussion of changes to Austin Energy Governance.

City Council is proposing creation of a new board that will have hiring and spending authority. We will provide some overview of the issue and then invite attendees to share their questions and opinions with the group. We intend to have persons on hand who can answer questions, share experience regarding CPS (which has a board structure similar to the one proposed), and share perspective on the purported goals of the change.

Who joins the board and how?  What are the implications for the solar industry,  the progressive programs that have earned AE national recognition, and the utility’s relationship to the city and its ultimate owners – its citizens?

A new body that can set policy and influence rates merits as much or more discussion than the rates themselves.   Please RSVP

Two important local food bills were heard before the Texas House Public Health Committee at the Capitol yesterday on Wednesday, February 27.

Over 100 Texans – including registered dietitians, nurses, licensed raw dairy farmers, and raw milk consumers – attended the hearing and registered in support of HB 46, sponsored by Representative Dan Flynn, which would allow licensed dairy farmers to sell raw milk at farmers’ markets, as well as do home delivery and make other delivery arrangements with their customers.

While the number of family-owned dairy farms has dramatically dropped over the last several decades, raw milk has provided a practical way for farmers to stay in the dairy business and remain financially and environmentally sustainable.

“What is the difference economically between conventional milk and raw for retail milk? It is the life or death of a dairy farm,” said raw milk dairy farmer Bob Stryk, of Stryk Jersey Farm in Schulenberg, Texas.

Much of the testimony and Committee discussion focused on the safety aspects.

“Licensed raw milk producers meet extensive regulatory requirements to protect the public health and safety,” stated Judith McGeary, Executive Director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.  “There have been six illnesses attributed to raw milk in Texas in the last twenty years.  More illnesses have been attributed to strawberries and chicken soup than to raw milk in this State, and it certainly has a better track record than raw oysters, which the Texas Legislature voted to protect last session.”

The second bill, HB 910, sponsored by Representative Lois Kolkhorst, and joint-authored by Representative Eddie Rodriguez, chair of the bipartisan Farm-to-Table Caucus, would cap the health permit fees that could be imposed on farmers and farmers’ market vendors to $50 per year per county or city.  Over 80 Texans registered their support, and the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Sustainable Food Center, and two individual farmers’ market organizers testified.

“House Bill 910 is about economic development – supporting financially viable markets for family farmers. And it’s about access to healthy food – keeping producers’ costs down so prices of healthy food remain accessible for consumers,” said Andrew Smiley, Deputy Director of the Sustainable Food Center.

For more information visit www.farmandranchfreedom.org, email info@farmandranchfreedom.org or call (254) 697-2661. 

About Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA) is a national organization that supports independent family farmers and protects a healthy and productive food supply for American consumers.  FARFA promotes common sense policies for local, diversified agricultural systems. 

The awards will feature categories for new construction and retrofit projects, in both residential and commercial construction.  This year’s awards will feature new categories highlighting historic commercial and residential developments. The City has also broadened the timeframe of eligible projects to include any structure built between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012.

In addition, coinciding with the Department of Energy’s designation of San Antonio as a “Solar America City,” a special award will be given to a nominee who has made significant contributions in solar energy.

Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Wednesday, June 19, 2103 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 200 E. Market. St.

For more information on the Green Building Awards, contact Mary C. Hammer, Interim Director for the Office of Sustainability at (210) 207-0252 or by email at mary.hammer@sanantonio.gov.

A Model City for all America: San Antonio

San Antonio is a model city for the new face of America—a diverse, progressive and globally competitive city with a solid vision for national and international economic development. In 2012, San Antonio was named an All-America City by the National Civic League.  The City of San Antonio maintains a strong financial position with a “AAA” general obligation bond rating from all three major rating agencies.  The Milken Institute has ranked San Antonio No. 1 on its Best-Performing Cities list.  As the seventh-largest city in the United States, San Antonio is experiencing solid economic growth in 21^st century industries such as bioscience and healthcare.  Biotech companies and healthcare systems in San Antonio contribute billions to the local economy. The Aerospace industry remains a dominant economic strength in San Antonio with the presence of several aviation and aerospace corporations, including the military.   The military has had a significant relationship with San Antonio for more than 200 years and is home to several military commands.  The city is also a cybersecurity hub; nationally recognized as a leader in the field of information security.  San Antonio is positioning itself to be at the forefront of the New Energy Economy in the United States, committed to investing and creating employment opportunities in green industries.  The travel industry also remains a consistent growing economy for the city, as millions of people visit San Antonio on a yearly basis.  For more information, visit www.sanantonio.gov.

About the City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability

Through innovative programs focusing on energy efficiency, community and corporate sustainability, and sustainable transportation, the Office of Sustainability is working to make San Antonio a great place to live, work, and play while enhancing the environment, quality-of-life, and our economic vitality. More information is available at www.sanantonio.gov/oep.

Austin is proud to be the first City to receive an Organizational Leadership Award from EPA, for its municipal response to climate change.

The award recognizes the City’s progress in achieving aggressive municipal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions.  In addition, award winners had to “exemplify leadership in their internal response to climate change, through engagement of their peers, competitors, partners, and supply chain, and addressing climate risk in their enterprise strategies.”

Key Accomplishments that  led to the award:

·         Austin is the first large U.S. city to reach the milestone of having all City-owned operations and facilities 100% powered by renewable energy.  (This shift to Austin Energy’s GreenChoice^®program avoids 163,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.)

·         23 City departments are actively engaged in implementing departmental climate plans.

·         The City of Austin is on a pace to meet or exceed by 2020 the aggressive goals and date milestones established in the 2007 Climate Protection Plan.

Please join us in tackling Austin’s big challenge — reducing the carbon footprint of the entire community.  Through Imagine Austin, the Zero Waste Plan, and other City long-range plans we are already on the path to reducing local GHG emissions, but it will take the ingenuity and commitment of all Austinites to achieve deep GHG reductions.   Two great ways you can be part of the solution today:  Help the company where you work achieve Gold or Platinum recognition through our Austin Green Business Leaders program, and sign up for GreenChoice^®power here through Austin Energy.

“It took seven years of sustained organizing and advocacy and a year of preparation, but tonight is an opportunity to celebrate a huge victory for our community and our environment,” Andrew Dobbs, Program Director for Texas Campaign for the Environment said. “The costs of bag pollution have been too high for too long. This is the beginning of a new, cleaner, more responsible future for the City of Austin.”

Unlike most local ordinances which simply address plastic bags, Austin’s ordinance requires that only reusable bags be distributed in the city’s stores—regulating both plastic and paper bags. Currently, Austinites use about 282 million single-use bags a year. Plastic bag pollution alone is estimated to cost taxpayers over $800,000 annually, and business owners at least twice that amount.

“The future of Austin is a Zero Waste future, and this is a necessary step on that path,” Brigid Shea, former Austin City Council Member, said. “Responsibility for our resources is good for the environment, for our economy and for our community. This ordinance will benefit us all.”

Numerous local businesses have already implemented bag-free policies of their own, including some of the city’s most innovative new companies. Austin is also home to reusable bag maker Blue Avocado, as well as a thriving green fashion design scene. The ordinance was the result of long-term public pressure on the City Council generated by Texas Campaign for the Environment, Clean Water Action, the Sierra Club, the Austin Zero Waste Alliance and numerous other groups from all corners of the city. City Council passed the ordinance on a 7-0 vote at 2:15 in the morning on March 2, 2012.

“Citizens have raised their voices in Austin. This isn’t just about cleaning up our landfills and reducing our waste,” Carmen Llanes Pulido, Community Organizer with PODER, said. “It’s also about the right to enjoy cleaner neighborhoods, waterways and parks, free of litter, part of our environmental rights.”

In addition to little problems and infrastructure damages caused to storm water, wastewater and recycling facilities as well, plastic bags in particular have been cited as destructive to wildlife. The threat to marine life in particular has led South Padre Island and Brownsville to enact local policies limiting bag use, and Corpus Christi is set to enact a fee on all plastic bags in their stores. Fort Stockton restricts plastic bags, but Austin will be the first city in Texas to have removed all single-use bags from retail stores.

“I’ve seen Austin’s environmental movement grow up and spread its wings over the last two decades, and this policy is a powerful step in the right direction,” Bill Oliver, local songwriter and wildlife advocate, said. “Other communities around the country and around the world are looking to us for leadership, and tonight we have a chance to show off for them all. That is something worth singing about!”

PV201eLab: Solar PV Design & Installation Lab, $195 (8 hr). PV201e’s 1-day lab.

Sat. April 6, 2013 (8am-5pm)

Sat. May 11, 2013

Sat. June 1, 2013

PV201: Solar PV System Design & Installation, $995 (48 hr). 6-day workshop.

Sat-Thurs. April 6-11, 2013 (8am-5pm)

Sat-Thurs. June 1-6, 2013

PV321: Advanced PV System Technologies, $899 (20 hr).

Sat/Sun. March 23-24, 2013 (8am-5pm)

Sat/Sun. April 27-28, 2013

Sat/Sun. May 25-26, 2013

Online Courses

PV201e: Online Solar PV System Design & Installation, $695 (40 hr). Instructor-led. Start Anytime.

PV320e: Online Advanced PV Design & NABCEP Exam Prep, $595 (20 hr. Advanced Training credit). Start anytime (LIVE Online with Instructor: Mondays 7-8pm).

PV420e: Online Utility-Scale PV Systems, $149 (4 hr). Earn 2 Professional CEUs. Start anytime.

SG101e: Online Smart Grid & Distributed Generation, $195 (8 hr). Start anytime.

LIVE Webinar, $49 (1 hr). Free to current students. Wed. Mar 6, 2013 (6-7pm).

LIVE Webinar, $49 (1 hr). Free to current students. Wed. Apr 3, 2013 (6-7pm).

NABCEP Exams 

NABCEP Entry Level Exam, Pass to earn 18 hr. Advanced Training credit. Fri. April 12, 2013.

NABCEP PV Installer Certification Exam. Sat. April 20, 2013.

Austin’s one-day festival, this year featuring:

Great Speakers:

Jim Hightower & More tba

Live Music:

Mingo Fishtrap & More tba

Exhibits featuring:

Renewable energy, energy efficiency, green businesses, environmental orgs, local advocacy groups, local government & more.