Filed under: Austin Green Living, Austin News and Events, Austin Sustainable Living, Austin Texas, Austin Texas News, Austin Texas Real Estate, Texas
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, Austin is a city with a green living vision. I am proud to announce that both the Dell Children’s’ Medical Center and The Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Lone Star Austin campus have been awarded high honors by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design (LEED) rating system.
Dell Chrildren’s Medical Center was awarded the highly coveted platinum rating. The platinum rating is the highest award to be granted by the LEED rating system. The AMD – Lone Star campus located in Austin was awarded a gold rating, the second highest.
The platinum ratings make the Dell Children’s Medical Center the greenest hospital in the world and the first hospital to be recognized for its design and implementation of green living standards. The gold award received by AMD – Lone Star Austin campus is makes it one of the greenest corporate centers in the world.
The LEED Green Building Rating System is the national and worldwide benchmark for environmentally friendly building standards which include design, construction and operation. LEED rates buildings on the materials which improve energy efficiency.
The Dell Children’s Medical Center and the AMD – Lone Star Austin campus display not only their own commitment to sustainable living but to Austin ’s vision of becoming a sustainable city.
Filed under: Austin News and Events, Austin Texas, Austin Texas News, Austin Texas Real Estate, Texas
The City of Austin has established a program in which homes in the city can be habitats for Austin ’s wildlife.
There are no tax benefits or discounts to be had. As a matter of fact, there is a $15 application fee to be certified as a wildlife habitat but the benefits to your quality of life are priceless.
The City of Austin would like to be named by the National Wildlife Federation as a community wildlife habitat. There are already 900 homes that are participating in the program and have already been certified by the City of Austin as wildlife habitats. Schools and businesses are also eligible to become certified wildlife habitats.
A certifiable habitat must provide water and food supply as well as shelter for the little critters. In addition, you must follow sustainable garden principles. Sustainable gardening includes such things as water-wise plants, mulching and composting.
You do not have to own acreage or have a large yard to become a habitat
Eastern Screech Owl - Photo: Austin Parks and Recreation
for wildlife; almost any yard space will do. Most backyards already have the features required to become a certified wildlife habitat. Water saving plants, flowers, plants with berries, trees, bushes and even bird baths found in many yards can be the start of your own wildlife habitat.
A watering source can be a bird bath, a fountain, a pond or a small hole with rocks which fill-up with rainwater. Living spaces for wildlife can be shrubs, bird houses or a small brush pile (a great home for little foxes). Berry and pollen producing plants can be food sources.
Not only do you make a home for Austin ’s little critters, you will also reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to Austin ’s green living lifestyle. Maintaining a habitat is probably easier than a formal yard. They require less watering, mowing, pesticides and upkeep while bringing nature into your everyday life.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and your habitat doesn’t need to be either. By adding water-wise plants, a diversity of shrubs, bushes, flowers or trees, just one plant-at-a-time, will improve the quality of your yard.
Habitats allow you a simple way to return to simpler times in a busy and complicated world. You can enjoy the chirps of sparrows, view the glory of the cardinal, watch a owl teach her young to fly, hear the croak of a toad or see little creatures scurry all in your own little corner of the world.
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