Earth Day Archives - The Austin Common

Ride To Green Fest

Amy Stansbury — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Plan your trip to #GreenFest with Ride Bikes Austin this Sunday, April 23!

MEET: 45 Chicon St, Austin, TX 78702

WHEELS DOWN: 11:00am

END: Waterloo Park

ARRIVAL: 12:15pm

DISTANCE: 3 miles w/ 150ft elevation

The return route is self-guided and available below:
https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/5484045676/

Visit waterloogreenway.org/events to learn more about Green Fest, our FREE Earth Month celebration at Waterloo Park featuring 20+ environmental exhibitors, hands-on activities, and a boisterous outdoor spectacle by @squonk_official.

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Earth Day ATX 2023

Amy Stansbury — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Austin’s historic citywide festival will be back at the Huston-Tillotson University campus on Saturday, April 22. Join us for music, food, panels, exhibits & activities for all ages. Go to www.earthdayaustin.com for details.

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Earth Day = Thrift Day

Amy Stansbury — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000

This Earth Day, you can support the environment AND pets in need! Join us Saturday, April 22 from 11AM – 5PM at the Austin Pets Alive! 51st location for our Earth Day = Thrift Day party!

There will be bin sales, complimentary drinks, local vendors, hourly door prize drawings, and cat adoptions, too! Oh, and did we mention we’re offering 50 percent off the ENTIRE STORE?! You don’t want to miss it!

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Earth Day Cleanup

Amy Stansbury — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Join us on Friday, April 21st for our second annual community wide Earth Day lake and land clean up along Lady Bird Lake! Volunteers will have the option to launch from one of three locations: Rowing Dock (West end), Epic SUP (East end), and on the trail at Sand Beach Park (Central). From there, you’ll select whether you would like to pick up trash by boat or by walking trails along the river.

This event is free for all community volunteers, with advance registration required. To allow all community members to participate, there will be a small donation fee required for corporate teams with 10+ individuals. All funds raised from this event will go to the Trail Conservancy, a 501c3 organization.

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10 small actions you can take to make every day Earth Day

Ridwell — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:29:54 +0000

This post is sponsored by Ridwell. All Austin Common sponsors are screened by The Austin Common team to ensure they’re doing good for their employees, customers, our community, and the planet.

We all want to do more to take care of our planet, but with our busy lives, figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming. The secret? Start with small, manageable changes. These everyday actions add up to a big difference – just like putting money in a savings account, it’s the regular contributions that count.

At Ridwell, we’re all about making it easy to waste less. So we want to share some planet-friendly life hacks: ten simple, everyday actions you can take to help protect the earth and support your local community.

It’s important to create new habits that stick, so choose the changes that feel most sustainable in your life. Use this guide to refresh the way you shop, eat, and manage your home, and you’ll be amazed how good it feels.

So switch up your routine, show the planet some love, and make every day Earth Day!

Contain Yourself

1. Ditch the plastic or paper bags and bring reusable totes for everyday grocery and household shopping. Keep some in the car, so you have them handy when you’re out and about.

2. Sealable silicon food pouches and glass containers are great alternatives to ziploc bags or cling wrap, and keep food just as fresh.

Get The Gear

3. Already carry a reusable water bottle? Good job. Add a folding utensil kit to your bag, and you can skip the single-use plastics when you grab lunch on the go. Up-level even further by bringing your own tiffin boxes to a restaurant when you order takeout.

4. Coffee lover? Single-use pods are convenient, but they’re a nightmare environmentally. Treat yourself to a french press, a pour-over kit, or an AeroPress. Yes, it takes a few minutes longer, but the result is extra delicious, and guilt-free! Keep a reusable cup in your car for when you’re out and about and need that caffeine fix.

Go Local

5. Become a regular at your local zero waste and bulk stores. From hygiene and household cleaning products to spices, grains, coffee beans, nuts and even cereal, these stores often carry a majority of your daily essentials without the wasteful packaging. Invest in glass mason jars or other reusable containers to bring with you – having a set of containers the same size and weight makes everything simple at checkout.

6. As we move into spring and summer, visit your local farmers’ market. Not only do you get the freshest, package-free produce, but you get to support your local farmers and makers, and keep your dollars in the local economy. Community supported agriculture (CSA) programs are an affordable way to enjoy fresh local produce on a regular schedule, and many local farmers will even deliver directly to your door.

Bring It Home

7. When shopping online, group orders into as few deliveries as possible. This significantly reduces both packaging and emissions from transportation. Even better, see if you can find what you need at a small business in your neighborhood, and support your local economy.

8. Smart devices have come a long way in the last few years. They’re easier to set up and use, and more affordable than in the past. Check out the many ‘set it and forget it’ options for smart thermostats, lightbulbs, dimmers and other energy-saving tech for your home. If you have a yard to maintain, there are even smart sprinkler systems that turn themselves off when it’s going to rain!

Freshen Up Your Fabrics

9. When your living room needs a new look, seek out local furniture consignment stores. Not only can you find some beautiful and unique pieces, you also reduce the resources expended in manufacturing new stuff. Reupholstering furniture can also be a cost-effective way to extend the life of a favorite piece, while giving it a completely new look and feel. Search for local artisans who can help bring your furniture back to life.

10. Time to refresh your wardrobe? Try hosting a clothing swap with friends. It’s a great way to gift clothing you’re no longer wearing, and you can score some great ‘new to you’ pieces. Add some drinks and snacks, and make an evening of it!

Bonus action: Rid well (with Ridwell)

Hooray for small changes! If you follow all the steps above (and if you do – way to go!), you’re well on your way to reducing your impact on the planet.

Chances are you’ll still have things you need to dispose of on a regular basis. That’s where Ridwell can help, making it easy to responsibly get rid of your stuff, without leaving the house! Ridwell makes it easy to reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill by picking up reusable & hard-to-recycle items straight from your doorstep.

Oh, and the best part? Austin Common readers can get one free month of Ridwell membership if you sign up using this link.

PS – You can find more local Zero Waste Resources offered by the City of Austin at the Austin Resource Recovery website.

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Mother Earth Day

Prep_To_Your_Door — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Join us at Prep To Your Door for our Mother Earth Event Sunday, April 24th 10AM – 2PM.

Tickets include:

A delicious zero waste meal
Wildlife Photography Art Show by world renowned Deanna DeShea
Sound Bath Healing (optional)
Sustainability Discussion Panel
Plant to take home (bring your own repurposed container)
Pop Up Market of local sustainable goods and services
Raffle for sustainable goods

** PS – Use the code AustinCommon10 for $10 off your ticket! **

Please note the Sound Bath has *limited* availability and will begin promptly at 10AM.

Jen Vu is a gifted sound healer who utilizes her singing bowls both on and off the body – allowing the vibrations to heal both internally & externally. Please read more about her below.

Austin based international photographer, Deanna DeShea, will be showcasing some of her finest work and prints. All attendees will be enrolled in a raffle to win one and more will be available for purchase. Don’t miss this oportunity to witness her “wildlife photography for conservation. A reverence for animal welfare and the preservation of the natural world. A blend of fine art and wildlife as it’s intended to be … wild & free.”

As mentioned above, we invite you to bring a container from home that can be used to house a new plant friend! After all, we are here to celebrate Mother Earth. One of Prep To Your Door’s commitments is to keep items out of the landfill. Items to consider are: a glass pasta jar, chipped coffee mug, or an old tin can. Plants will be provided along with some reusable containers on a first come, first serve basis for those who don’t bring their own.

Lastly, participants will enjoy shopping our local pop up market of sustainable goods and business. All the vendors will be providing a unique and specific shopping experience for Earth Day and giving participants the chance to try their product/ service at a discount.

A portion of the proceeds from Mother Earth Day will go to support a local non profit (TBD).

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Earth Day ATX 2022

Amy Stansbury — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 17:00:00 +0000

After 2 years, Earth Day ATX will be returning to the Huston-Tillotson University campus on Saturday, April 23, from 12 to 6 PM! Join us for live music, food, exhibits, activities, and electric vehicles! Many thanks to lead sponsors Huston-Tillotson University Cap Metro and Austin Area Urban League!!!

The theme of this year’s event will be “Resilience: Communities at the Center” and will include such features as:

community storytellers
conversations like “Being Unhoused in Austin”
an electric bus and a variety of electric vehicles
a butterfly walkthrough
an instrument petting zoo
a gratitude wall
community-centered marketplaces
live radio broadcasting from the festival

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Celebrating Earth Day at Whisper Valley

Amy Stansbury — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Come out and celebrate our beautiful planet at Austin’s award-winning, sustainable master-planned community.

Enjoy food, fun and festivities while learning how to reduce your carbon foot-print and get in tune with Mother Earth!

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Earth Day Up-Cycling Party by GOOD girls ATX

GOOD group ATX — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 23:30:00 +0000

Did you know that less than 15% of clothes that are donated ever get re-homed*? Most of it gets thrown away due to condition, quality or oversupply.

So what should you do with the things in your closet that are stained, discolored or just not “you?” You could cut them up and turn them into wash rags… or you could UPCYCLE them into one-of-a-kind pieces that you’ll love wearing again.

On April 22, 2022 GOOD girls ATX is teaming up with Future Front Texas and Austin’s upcycling experts to throw an Earth Day Party that will nurture your creativity, your wardrobe, your community, and your home planet. Attendees will get to create one-of-a-kind pieces at the BYOGarment Upcycling Bar, shop sustainably-made creations at the All Upcycled Pop-up, and help raise funds for others doing good in our community

*Source: EPA, 2018

BYOGarment Upcycling Bar: Advanced tickets required. Bring something from home that is stained, discolored or just not “you” and work with local experts to transform your piece into something you will love wearing again. Choose from:

Plant Dyeing and Eco-Printing with Soul Studio
Live Screen Printing with Goose Prints MFG

Don’t have anything to bring? We’ll have some sustainably-sourced items available by donation! Please don’t buy anything for this event.

All Upcycled Pop-up: Shop from local creatives who are creating gender-neutral, one-of-a-kind pieces from vintage and re-homed items. Vendors include:

Soul Studio
Feral Kinds
Flavors Creative
So Bad Sew Good

Food & Beverage: Feel free to bring your own drinks and snacks. Canned and locally produced beverages are usually the most Earth-friendly option!(Blue Norther will provide a limited number of their hard seltzers. We like them because their drinks are locally produced and canned in infinitely recyclable aluminum.)

Ticket Price: For the first time ever we, GOOD girls ATX, are requesting a participation fee of $25 per person. Our seasonal clothing swaps will always be free, but here’s where the money generated from this event will go:

60% given to Soul Studio and Goose Prints MFG to cover material costs from the BYOGarment Upcycling Bar.
15% to GOOD girls ATX to cover trademarking fees so we can keep throwing amazing clothing swaps.
10% to Future Front TX to support their micro-grants and mental health funds for women and LGBTQ+ creatives, founders and leaders.
10% to Austin Creative Reuse to continue fostering conservation and reuse through creativity, education, and community building.
5% to tip our graphic designers

For further questions, please contact event hosts: goodgirlsatx@gmail.com

About GOOD girls ATX: GOOD girls ATX is a community-driven organization dedicated to building wardrobes that are GOOD for the environment and its people through events & education. We host seasonal clothing swap events, related skills workshops and educational campaigns on social media. Along the way, we collect data points and gather market insights that support initiatives related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #12 to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.”

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Resilient Communities at Earth Day ATX

Janis Bookout — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 01:34:51 +0000

Earth Day ATX is back, and for those of us who have carried the torch, it’s quite the win.

The Earth Day torch has been passed from organizer to organizer for decades. Since its inception in 1970, Earth Day has brought many things – rallies, marches, clean-up events, and yes, festivals. When the torch was passed to me, I had no idea what was coming next.

In 2018, we started a new organization to host Earth Day ATX when the funder behind the previous organization decided to stop funding it. I had been working for that organization, and I lost my job. It wasn’t a smart time to start something new. But we did. We started over from nothing, building a new board and a new mission: putting equity at the center of environmentalism.

And we have carried that torch through a devastating weather event in 2019 and despite the odds, covered all requested refunds and honored all of our agreements. Then, just as it looked like we might recoup our losses in the 50th anniversary event in 2020, we shuttered for the pandemic. Recognizing the value our network could bring to pandemic response, we pivoted, and two days later, started Community Resilience Trust, a multi-racial collaborative focused on operationalizing equity through disaster response.

And now, after all that, Earth Day ATX is returning to the Huston-Tillotson Campus, and that torch is brighter than ever. Why were we determined to keep it burning? Because what is at stake is too precious not to.

You see, Earth Day ATX is a public platform. It’s a venue where people can be seen and heard about matters related to our environment, and the harm that impacts us. Who should be included in that platform? Whose issues should we pay attention to?

When you look at the spectrum of issues and innovations and movements that fall under the environmental umbrella, it sometimes feels like all the issues are competing. And in a way they are – they compete for attention, for funding, and for influence on people’s behavior. It can feel disjointed, overwhelming even. Whether it’s policy change or behavior change, or a new product–every company, every organization, has something they want you to do.

And the truth is, despite efforts to the contrary, the environmental movement has also remained very segregated. Events like Earth Day have for the most part been very white spaces. Why? It’s certainly not a reflection of people’s care for the environment. In general, communities of color have a much gentler impact on the environment than white communities do. Recycling, gardening, conservation – historically, they’ve always led the way.

Equity should not be *part* of environmentalism, it should be at the center. Why? Because without it, we are lost in the woods of our own culture–unable to see the forest for the trees.

So many aspects of our “American” ideology – individualism, productivity, urgency, expertise, innovation, growth – have roots in a society built on extraction and exploitation. Privileged wealth (in most cases white wealth) was built on this extraction and exploitation, and you could say that these ideologies emerged as a validation or justification of that extraction and exploitation. Many of these same ideologies, however, are echoed in the mainstream (white) approach to environmentalism. In our urgency to solve environmental problems, we miss the value of community relationships. In our certainty that our idea is the best, we miss the value of diversity of life and cultural perspectives. When we elevate our pet issues, but don’t listen to what is directly impacting people in our own neighborhoods, we perpetuate the very root conditions that created environmental degradation in the first place.

That’s why we have kept those embers alive – and why we are doing all this work, despite the challenges, to bring back this festival.

This year’s theme is Communities: Resilience at the Center. Along with a diverse and authentic musical lineup from DJs and local musicians, good food and fun activities for kids, there will also be discussions about things that matter to our communities. Austin Pow Wow will present a movie and discussion. There will be storytelling from our community elders, and brave conversations on panels about resilience, what it means, and what’s in the way. I am particularly excited about the collaborative mural project from East Austin muralists Amada Castillo, Rich Samuel, and Ernesto Hernandez.

Resilience should not be about #(insert city)strong communities forced to survive conditions that affect them disproportionately harder than others. It should be about undoing the disproportionality itself. And that can only happen when everyone is heard in the process, and everyone is included in the solutions that impact them most.

The precious opportunity of the festival is to share the platform with all of our communities – to listen and build relationships for a better future here. This is why we must have equity at the center of environmentalism, why we should elevate and follow the leadership of communities of color and other communities impacted most by environmental degradation. Because it’s only when we start listening to the perspective of those who do not benefit from the status quo that we can ever hope to break through it.

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