Austin Real Estate Blog

The city of Austin has created a new Web site to advise residents on how to reduce their carbon output. The Austin Climate Protection Plan is behind the Web site, located at www.coolaustin.org, helps Austin residents learn how they can contribute to the effort city wide to become more environmentally aware and change their lifestyles to reduce their contribution to global climate change.

The Austin Climate Protection Plan was adopted in 2007. The plan was developed to reduce carbon output by increasing the energy efficiency of new house and building construction, as well as reducing emissions from the city owned fleets of vehicles and exploring optional sources of energy for electricity generation by Austin Energy.

There is huge support from city residents for Austin’s climate protection plan, but people need to learn what they can do to contribute. And the Austin Climate Protection Plan site provides information on simple steps Austinites can take to change small things in their lives that will help them on the road toward energy efficiency and a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle.

The site contains information on reducing greenhouse gases, offering such simple solutions as planting a tree to more complicated changes such as installing solar panels. Programs to improve insulation and home weatherization for the poor and elderly are discussed. Progress reports and news updates on legislation are provided as well.

Not only does the site provide the community with information, but it seeks to get feedback from residents as well. The city of Austin wants everyone to get involved. Said Mayor Will Wynn recently, “This Web site is the first step in a series of community engagement efforts we’ll take this year to make sure everyone who wants to can play a role.”