At Your Doorstep - October 2003

At Your Doorstep Departments

Environs

Green Festival, nation's premier Eco Expo, makes Austin debut

The Green Festival - the nation's premier event promoting sustainable economy, ecological balance and social justice - is coming to the Austin Convention Center Oct. 11-12. The event will feature more than 50 world- class experts and 200 exhibitors.

Green Festival's thousands of participants will be able to explore and purchase state-of-the-art products and services that span from organic food to socially responsible investments, from eco-fashion to natural health and body care.

A variety of meeting areas at the Green Festival will be available for individuals and groups to network, brainstorm and strategize on how to collaborate more effectively. In spaces such as Conversation Cafes, Kitchen Tables and The Natural Foods Café, participants will be able to enjoy delicious foods, local music and conversation about festival experiences.

Green Festival speakers and workshops will emphasize how to get involved in the community and where to find additional resources to do business not as usual.

The Green Festival will "walk" its environmental talk. Bicyclists will enjoy free valet parking and half off the regular admission price of $10. Event information will be on recycled and tree-free paper. Event shirts will be organic cotton with eco-friendly dyes. Ecology Action will recycle and compost waste, and old cell phones will be collected free for recycling. Also, a wind turbine will generate energy offsets for the event.

Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks prior to and during the event. Every volunteer will receive free admission and a free Green Festival T-shirt. Volunteers can sign up online at www.greenfestivals.org/volunteers.html; or e-mail gfvolunteers@ globalexchange.org. Volunteers may also call Mike Fox, (415) 255-9319.

Austin Energy will distribute information about its GreenChoice® Renewable Energy Program and Green Building Program. For more information about this year's Green Festival, visit www.greenfestivals.com/austin.htm.

Growing greener across the country

The Green Festival was successfully launched last year in San Francisco. Green Festival's co-producers are Co-op America and Global Exchange.

Co-op America provides practical steps for using consumer and investor power for social change to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable economy.

Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting political, social, and environmental justice globally.

Green by Design workshop to focus on environmentally friendly home

Whatever your style or budget, you can enjoy the benefits of a green home. The City of Austin will offer a one-day workshop to educate the public about how to achieve a green home - whether building a new home or buying or remodeling an existing home.

The workshop will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave. The cost of the workshop is $30.

The public must register for the workshop by Thursday, Oct. 30. Registration will not be accepted on a walk-in basis.

The registration fee will include a full day of instruction, lunch and the CD-ROM and Notebook, Green By Design.

Attendees will receive an overview of the green building process. The workshop is designed to provide a framework for making better design and building decisions, including the following:

• Assessing what your family needs in a home.
• Choosing a designer and builder.
• Selecting a lot or making the most of the one you have.
• Increasing comfort and reducing utility bills.
• Making smart material and appliance choices.
• Developing a beautiful landscape that saves water, time and money.
• Creating a home that benefits your family and the planet.

Workshop instructors will be staff members of Austin Energy's Green Building Program. They are design, building, engineering and landscape professionals with many years of experience in homebuilding and remodeling.

For more information about the workshop, visit the Green Building Program Web site, www.cityofaustin.org/greenbuilder/.

City rain barrel sale set for Nov. 1

City of Austin water utility customers may purchase up to four 75-gallon, polyethylene rain barrels. Quantities are available on a first-come, first- served basis. The first two barrels are $45 each; the third and fourth barrels are $75 each. Retail price is normally $120 per barrel.

Customers who receive water from the City of Austin qualify to receive barrels through the Water Conservation Program. Wholesale customers also may qualify.

To purchase a barrel, bring a copy of your utility bill and photo identification to 4005 Airport Blvd. from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 1, 2003. Money and applications will be accepted in advance. A receipt will be mailed to you and required at the time of pick up. Only cash or checks will be accepted. You may fill out the forms and purchase the barrel the day of the sale.

Even though you may have paid for a barrel in advance, distribution of barrels will be first-come, first-served. Barrels will not be held for advanced orders.

TreeFolks will be giving away free tree seedlings at the time barrels are distributed. For more information or to see if you qualify, call (512) 974-2199. Additional information, including an application is available at www.cityofaustin.org/watercon/rainbarrel_sale.htm.

Free WaterWise landscaping home tour to feature five sites

The City's WaterWise Landscaping home tour will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. The tour will include five great Central Austin homes.

Attendees will learn how to participate in the City's Water Conservation Programs.

Home features that will be highlighted during the tour will include:

• Use of native plants in a cottage style garden.
• Gray water and rain water harvesting systems.
• Green Building features.
• Subterranean drip irrigation.
• School Rainwater systems and Xeriscape gardens.

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Neighbor to Neighbor

Saltillo District Redevelopment Project seeks community ideas

Capital Metro and the City of Austin are interested in feedback from the community regarding the Saltillo District Redevelopment Project and potential redevelopment of the 11 acres of property owned by Capital Metro in East Austin.

The following are frequently asked questions about the project:

What is the purpose of the project?

Who was awarded the contract to develop the master plan for the Saltillo District?

ROMA Design Group will be the master-planning consultant that will work with the community and the City of Austin/Capital Metro partnership to identify a vision for the development of this land, consistent with the long range planned transit use for the railroad and right of way. ROMA has extensive experience in providing master planning services for projects throughout the United States, with recent work in Austin including the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport redevelopment project with similar characteristics as the one in San Jose, Calif., and San Diego.

For more information about the Saltillo District Redevelopment Master Plan, contact George Adams, Transportation, Planning and Sustainability Department, (512) 974-2146 or e-mail george.adams@ci.austin.tx.us.

City Council approves 2003-2004 budget

The Austin City Council unanimously approved a "structurally-balanced" budget last month that includes program and job cuts as well as a tax rate increase in the face of depressed tax revenues.

The $1.9 billion budget avoids quick fix, one-time budget adjustments ? instead making structural changes in City operations that will mean long- term, as well as short-term, cost savings.

Depressed commercial property valuations and plummeting sales tax revenues for more than a year contributed to this year's budget decisions.

To help offset the decline in revenue, the City cut $53.99 million from its operations including $38.2 million from its General Fund Departments, which include Public Safety, Libraries and Parks.

The City Council approved a property tax rate of 49.28 cents per $100 valuation. The 3-cent increase (7 percent) from last year is considered the "effective" tax rate and will only bring the same amount of money in property tax collection.

The owner of an average priced home of $175,100 will find an increase of approximately $5 per month ($58/year). Whether a person receives a tax increase or decrease depends on the valuation of their property.

The budget includes a combined rate increase in Water/Wastewater fees of 5.9 percent, but does not include an electric rate increase. For the average City resident, the approved Water/Wastewater fee represents a $2.60 increase in the monthly utility bill.

Austin Library needs volunteers

The Austin Public Library and Friends of the Austin Public Library are seeking volunteers to sort, categorize and box books for the annual Monster Book Sale.

The 2004 Monster Book Sale is March 26-28 at the Crockett Center. Volunteers are asked to sign up at the John Henry Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

For information about volunteer opportunities, contact Sharon Edwards, (512) 974-7443 or e-mail sharon.edwards@ci.austin.tx.us.

Library revises hours of operation

In an effort to provide adequate library staffing levels within the current budget climate, library hours will be modified for the Austin Public Library system beginning Oct. 2.

To manage service delivery more efficiently, 20 branches of the Austin Public Library will be paired. Branch libraries have been grouped geographically and the hours of operation coordinated so no area within the City will be without library service on any given day.

All locations except the Faulk Central Library will close one day a week on the least busy day with one paired library open when the other is closed. During the current year the Austin Public Library has been operating with a significant number of staff vacancies. The change in service delivery will allow branch locations to share staff.

The days selected for closing are the least busy times for that location, minimizing the service impact on library customers.

Ten branches will be closed to the public on Thursday; 10 will close on Friday. The Austin History Center will close on both Thursday and Fridays. The Faulk Central Library will maintain its current hours of operation without any changes.

The Library's Telephone Information Center (TIC) will change its hours of operation. The new hours will be Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. No youth programs will be impacted.

Branch Libraries closed on Thursdays:

Carver, 1607 Pennsylvania Ave. (temporary location until October 2004).
Cepeda, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Road.
North Village, 2139 W. Anderson Lane.
Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Road.
Pleasant Hill, 211 E. William Cannon Dr.
St. John, 7500 Blessing Ave.
Spicewood Springs, 8637 Spicewood Springs Road.
Twin Oaks, 2301 S. Congress Ave., No. 7.
Windsor Park, 5833 Westminster Drive.
Yarborough, 2200 Hancock Drive.

Oak Springs, 3101 Oak Springs Drive
Terrazas, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez St.
Old Quarry, 7051 Village Center Drive
Manchaca, 5500 Manchaca Road.
Southeast Austin Community, 5803 Nuckols Crossing Road.
Little Walnut Creek, 835 W. Rundberg Lane.
Milwood, 12500 Amherst Drive.
Riverside Drive, 2410 E. Riverside Drive.,
University Hills, 4721 Loyola Lane.
Howson, 2500 Exposition Blvd.

For the complete schedule on new operating hours of libraries, visit www.cityofaustin.org/library or call (512) 974-7400.

A revised schedule of library hours will be available at all libraries beginning Oct. 2, 2003. For more information, contact Patricia Fraga (512) 974-7528 or e-mail patricia.fraga@ci.austin.tx.us.

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Big Ideas

City museum aims to put smiles on the faces of youth

The George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center is accepting applications for "A Smile on My Face," - a free, black-and-white photography workshop for youth, 11-19.

Students are taught the basics of black-and-white photography and will participate in photo shoots around Austin. At the end of the session, there will be an exhibit of their works at the Carver Museum.

The deadline to apply for the upcoming session is Friday, Oct. 3. Orientation will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Carver Museum. Classes will run Oct. 13- Dec. 6 and will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Participants will pick one class session each week.

Applications may be picked up and filled out at the Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina St. For more information or to have an application e-mailed, call (512) 472-4809.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Each year Americans honor the many contributions Hispanic Americans have made and continue to make to our nation by observing National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Initiated by the U.S. Congress as Hispanic Heritage Week more than 20 years ago, the celebration has grown. In 1989 it was expanded to a month.

Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries-Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

In addition, Mexico achieved independence on Sept. 16 and Chile on Sept. 18.

Hispanic Heritage Month features art, music

Two Austin Public Library branches will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with featured art and music.

The Pleasant Hill Branch, 211 E. William Cannon Drive, features the stained glass exhibit, "Nuestras Raices/Our Roots," by artists Jorge Castro and Eduardo Rosa through Oct. 15.

The Cepeda Branch, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Road, will host special events at 2 p.m. each Saturday in October as part of "Nuestra Cultura-Live" (Our Culture-Live)The schedule includes the Travis High Mariachi Band, Oct. 4; Roy Lozano Ballet Folklorico, Oct. 11; El Trio del Sol, Oct. 18; and "La Mujer que billaba mas que el sol/The Woman who outshone the sun," Oct. 25.

For more information, call Pleasant Hill at (512) 441-7993 or Cepeda, (512) 974-7372.

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Money Wise

City rebate programs can offset homeowner expenses

With winter approaching, now is the time to ensure your home is energy efficient with Austin Energy's Home Efficiency Rebate Program.

Planning to install a new heating or cooling in your home? Invest in a properly sized energy-efficient system. An Austin Energy rebate could help pay for it. You can even earn a Bonus Rebate by making other energy efficiency improvements at the same time.

For more information, contact Austin Energy Customer Service Center, (512) 974-7827, or e-mail custinfo@austinenergy.com.

You also may visit
www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/index.htm for more information.

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Health Check

New program to prevent diabetes, asthma, obesity

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last month that Austin was being awarded almost $1 million for community prevention efforts.

The federal funds will implement community-based initiatives that will promote better health and prevent disease. The project is one of 12 across the country receiving a total of $13.7 million under the department's new Steps to a HealthierUS program.

David Lurie, Director of the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department, said: "This is a great day for community public health, disease prevention and wellness in Austin and Travis County. These resources will go a long way in achieving improved health status and reducing health disparities throughout our community."

The initiative is a five-year, multi-intervention project designed to reduce the burden of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, and obesity by improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, and decreasing the use of tobacco products. The Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department will be the lead agency for the program.

Together with various community partners, this initiative will seek to impact change at the individual, community, and environmental levels through disease-specific and population-specific interventions as well as through public education campaigns.

The targeted area will encompass a 20 ZIP code contiguous geographic area located in the eastern half of the City of Austin and Travis County.

For more information, contact Bob Corona, Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department, (512) 972-5266; or e-mail bob.corona@ci.austin.tx.us.

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Safe & Sane

Put A Finger on It Campaign saves lives

The Austin Fire Department responded to a fire Aug. 30 at 6918 Chinook Drive. Firefighters found three occupants in the front yard and a small mattress fire in a bedroom that was easily extinguished.

The resident, Martha Williamson, told firefighters that up until several weeks ago, she did not have working smoke detectors in the home. She knew they were not working because they didn't have batteries in them at the time. It wasn't until the "Put a Finger On It" campaign that she made a point to change that.

The media stories surrounding the campaign and, unfortunately, the story of the young lady who died shortly after that campaign, struck a nerve with Williamson, who told firefighters that she even cut the article out of the paper and put it on her kitchen table to remember to get batteries.

Sometime early in the morning Aug. 30, Williamson's daughter fell asleep with a lit cigarette, which was eventually determined to be the cause of the fire. Williamson and her two teenage children were awakened by the unmistakable sound of a smoke detector. The sound saved their lives.

The Austin Fire Department wants every resident in Austin to "Put A Finger on It." Check your smoke detector regularly to replace old batteries. It's a simple act that can save your life.

For more information about the Put A Finger on It Campaign, call Assistant Chief Kevin Baum, Fire Marshall, (512) 974-0145.

Partnership creates a safer Austin

To help the City of Austin Fire Department in its ongoing effort to educate the community about the important of fire safety, Advanced Micro Devices donated more than 50 fire extinguishers to the Austin Fire Department.

The extinguishers were inspected and repaired by Advanced Micro Devices before being donated to the City.

The extinguishers will be used for training and donated to the public.