environment: Easy Ways To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient - 06/06/08 02:34 AM
The average home spends a whopping $1500 annually on energy costs—an energy bottom line that is much bigger than it needs to be, because a significant portion of that energy is wasted and lost. The good news is, changing just a few simple things around your house can make a big difference and save a lot of energy—and money.
More than 10% of a home’s energy is consumed by light bulbs. By changing from standard incandescent bulb to compact florescent bulbs (CFLs), you can cut that consumption dramatically. A CFL uses 2/3 less energy and comes in a variety of … (2 comments)

environment: The Hidden/Green City - 06/04/08 04:08 AM
Canopy. That’s a great word and a comforting thought when shade is what you need on a hot day. When it’s canopy provided by trees, the word and the comfort loom refreshingly larger in the mind of any summer sun-smitten shade seeker. No man made shade offers quite the appeal of the dark and dappled shade of a live oak tree on a sun-baked lawn.
Austin has a rich urban canopy and, although trees can cause problems with utility lines above ground and roots that break sewer and water lines below, their benefit to the community is undisputable. There are … (1 comments)

environment: Zilker Park in Austin - 05/25/08 03:05 AM
During Austin’s warm spring and summer months, Zilker park puts on a wide array of activities for the entire family to enjoy.
Every year in March, the Zilker Kite Festival is held, bringing thousands of spectators with almost an equal number of kites, to the park. In 2008, the Zilker Kite Festival celebrated its 80th anniversary. The Exchange Club of Austin began the Zilker Kite Festival in 1929 as a way to promote creativity among Austin’s children. Today, while promoting family time, the Exchange Club of Austin also raises money through t-shirts sales and concessions as a fundraising measure to … (1 comments)

environment: Cool Parks in Austin - 05/23/08 04:35 AM
There is no shortage of beautiful scenery and greenbelts in the Austin area, where there seems to be a walking trail around every corner, and a park around every bend. One of the more unusual of these is Champion Park in Round Rock. It has a little of everything, from a kid-approved playground to a scenic trail by the creek. It’s a great place to spend a Saturday or a weekday afternoon. Just make sure you bring plenty of sunscreen, snacks and drinks because you’ll want to stay all day. Of course, a few extras like towels, sand shovels and buckets … (0 comments)

environment: Peak Oil and the '08 Election - 05/04/08 04:00 AM
The headlines this month have been taken by the most insidious of America's vices: black gold. Oil futures are now projected to exceed $100 a barrel until 2016, and continue to sit comfortably near the $115-120 a barrel mark. Many different causes have been blamed for rising prices at the pump, ranging from massive speculation to supply instability in some oil-producing nations. However, one factor must surely be worrisome to most every American: oil companies haven't been getting enough of the stuff out of the ground.
Exxon Mobil's $11 billion quarterly profit disappointed Wall Street and investors alike, their shares … (4 comments)

environment: The Twin Menaces of Inflation - 04/15/08 11:21 PM
This week, a storm of bad news gave markets cold feet, resulting in Friday's 250-point loss. While this pattern of volatility has been the status quo for stock exchanges worldwide for the better part of the year-to-date, another factor has caused at least as many difficulties for a much larger percentage of the global population: the recent skyrocketing prices in energy and food. Wheat and other cereal prices have more than doubled this year, causing widespread effects ranging from speculative overbuying, which exacerbates the problem, to food riots in many poor countries. Millions of children around the world are likely to … (0 comments)

 

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