26 Jun ECO-CHANGE EXCHANGE

40+ Environmental Groups Invite City Leaders & Public for an
ECO-CHANGE EXCHANGE
Thursday, June 25, 2009
5:30-9pm at City Hall

(Austin, TX): Harnessing the energy of the coalition-building of the recent environmental candidate forum and the mobilization surrounding the Wildflower Commons PUD and Barton Springs trees fights, environmental leaders have beckoned the public to join them, along with our newly inaugurated council, in a forum on a truly sustainable future. Poised on the brink of economic and environmental crisis, not since the original Barton Creek PUD public hearings 19 years ago has the Austin community shown such fervor in reshaping their own future.

“Our goal is to awaken the dream of Austin as a leader among cities investing in a sustainable economy, to weave our community relationships, and to chart a course rooted in justice to get us there,” said Robin Rather, CEO, Collective Strength

The activists who gather will be working towards:

• Providing a compelling vision of Austin as a Model City with a Sustainable Future
• Putting forward a clear issue agenda and specific asks to City Councilmembers, and conversely, learn more about Councilmembers’ vision, plans and the commitments they are willing to make
• Demonstrating participatory democracy and the power of the environmental community in Austin.

During a “Sustainable Future Fair and Reception,” Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Councilmember Morrison (sponsor of the event) will speak and the forum will begin with presentations on possibilities of a sustainable future in Austin. The audience will then breakout into “Eco-Priorities Sessions” where priorities will be identified in key issue areas; followed by the wrap-up, “Charting Our Future” for feedback and reflections.

The key issue areas to be addressed are:

• Food & Sustainable Policy
• Participatory Democracy
• Responsible Land Use
• Zero Waste
• Environmental Justice
• Water Stewardship
• Renewable Energy
• Alternative Transportation

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Participating groups include: Alliance of Community Trainers, Austin Eco-Network, Austin Permaculture Guild, Austin Sierra Club, Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance, Coal Block, Design~Build~Live, Ecology Action, Environment Texas, Greenpeace, League of Bicycling Voters, Northeast Neighbors Coalition, PODER, Public Citizen, PowerSmack.org, Resolution Gardens, Save Barton Creek Association, Save Our Springs Alliance, SEED Coalition, Travis Audubon Society, Solar Austin, Tecolote Farm, Texas Campaign for the Environment, Texas Environmental Democrats, Texas Green Network, American Youthworks, Texas Green Network, Wheatsville Gro-op, Austin Green Art, Texas Climate Emergency Campaign, Sustainable Food Center, National Wildlife Federation, Austin CarShare, Restaurant Recyclers, Citizen Gardener, Transition Austin, and Uplift Austin.