Dan can’t you see that big green tree where the waters runnin’ free
and it’s waiting there for me and you.
Water, cool water.

The opening lines to this blog are an excerpt from the song, Cool Water, sung by the Sons of The Pioneers. I wanted to let Dan, Austinites and the rest of the nation know that the cool, clean drinking water is right here in Austin, Texas.

Forbes.com has found Austin, Texas to be #2 in the nation for clean drinking water. Here is what Forbes.com had to say, “Austin has a lot going for it, including clean drinking water. The Austin-San Marcos region was among the top 10 metropolitan statistical areas for lowest levels of lead, turbidity and haloacetic acid.” (Haloacetic acid is a byproduct of drinking water chlorination.).

So, Austinites, let’s all make a toast to the great City of Austin, Texas with a drink of water straight from the tap.

Note:
Drinking water has been a topic of concern for many years as proved by the consumption of bottled water growing each year due to the perception that bottled water is cleaner to drink than tap water. Recent studies have shown that this may not be the case. Depending on the bottling process, source and the container, bottled water may not be any better for drinking than your tap water. The water in Austin is probably cleaner than the one you are paying extra for in the bottle.

Green living activist are concerned about the high consumption of drinking water because of the impact on the environment in producing and disposing of plastic bottles. According to Eric Yaverbaum, co-founder of the new pro-tap water campaign, Tappening: “We’re spending millions of dollars a year to clean waste in the water stream from plastic bottles that are discarded,” . According to Forbes.com, Austinites can certainly help in this campaign by turning on their taps.

Water, another great reason to live in Austin, Texas!

One of the most amazing sights in Austin takes place every evening around sunset. Mexican free-tailed bats materialize in a black cloud from under the Congress Avenue Bridge.

During the months of March and April, thousands of bats migrate to the Congress Avenue Bridge. Most of these are female and pregnant. By the end of season, there are approximately 1.5 million bats! Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America for the past two decades.

Bats are everywhere but in 1980 when the Congress Avenue Bridge underwent renovations, the Mexican free-tailed bats found their favorite place to hang out. The narrow and deep openings under the bridge make a perfect place for bats to live.

Bat watching has become a favorite pastime in Austin and a unique sightseeing adventure for tourists. The best time to bat-watch is in August when the bat pups are ready to go forging with their mothers. Bats usually come about 8:00 - 8:30 p.m. but since they don’t have an alarm clock it could even be a little earlier or later. Austin provides a Bat Hotline that you can call for each evenings expected flight times. (Bat Hotline at 416-5700 ext. 3636). You can view the bats from many locations along Town Lake as well as the sidewalks around the bridge itself. Other hot spots are the Austin American-Statesman public viewing area located on the southeast end of Congress Avenue, The Shoreline Bar & Grill, The Four Seasons Hotel and The Radisson Hotel. There are even bat-watching cruises!

Bat-Watching Do’s:
>Bring an umbrella if you are in the flight pattern; but not for rain!
>If you chose to view from the Town Lake, bring a blanket and refreshments
>If you chose a restaurant - check to see if reservations are necessary - bat-watching is very popular event.

Bat-Watching Don’ts:
>Pedestrians -Watch where your walking - not where the bats are flying
>Drivers - Keep your eyes on the road
>Never touch a bat. If by some weird event a bat would be close enough to touch - Don’t!

Bat Facts:
>Bats emerge from their dwellings at speeds of about 35 miles an hour.
>In flight, bats travel between 40 and 60 miles an hour.
>Bats consume from 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of insects each night. Bats consume what is equivalent to their own body weight.
>Bat colonies are biggest congregations of mammals in the world.
>The largest non-urban colony is located north of San Antonio at Bracken Cave with an estimated 20 million bats.
>Bracken Cave bats consume up to 250 tons of insect per night.

Where To Go?…Napa California or Texas Hill Country.
Spring is here and the wildflowers are blooming in the Texas Hill Country. Time for a picnic basket and a glass of wine.

Napa, California is known for its fine wineries and beautiful countryside and I am in the mood for both. But California is a long way from Texas and I don’t want to plan a vacation trip. I just want to relax so I will head to the Texas Wine Country.

Five million visitors a year come to the Texas Wine Country located just outside of Austin. Five million people sounds like a lot. Yet, overall, it is a little known fact that Texas Hill Country is also wine country and is ranked as the #2 wine destination in the nation, second only to Napa, California

Spring time is a wonderful time for visiting the wine country; roadsides are filled with colorful windflowers and open fields make for a wonderful scenic drive. You can follow the wine trail from the privacy of your own car or you can schedule a tour and sample all the wine you want and be safe. Safe you will want to be as there are 22 winaries along the trail. Wine country tours range from limos to hot air ballon rides or candlelight dinners.

Well, gotta go now. My private limo just arrived for my day in the beautiful Texas Hill and Wine Country. I will toast you at my first stop. “See” you next week.
Shay

Wearing Green again

I’m still in a green mood so I thought I would share a little more about living green.

Here are some quick and easy ways that we can all do our parts:

Put you computer to sleep - turn it off or put it on standby. Screen savers cause your computer to run at full power.

Turn off the TV and radio when not in use. Here’s an idea read more!

Keep your thermostat at 76 during the summer and 68 during the winter. Lower or raise it about 10 degrees accordingly when away from home. Changing your thermostat by even one degree can reduce your costs by about 4%

Use real napkins instead of paper, same with paper towels and plates. There are many inexpensive alternatives to these items which are not only costly to the environment but to your pocket book as well.

Carry your own grocery bags. Whole Foods Markets has recently banned using plastic bags in their stores. Don’t trade plastic for paper - save that tree!

Use fluorescent bulbs through out the house, including lamps. They last longer, use less energy and give off less heat.

Recycle - Recycle - Recycle

Saving our environment is important to all of us which is why I have posted a blog on the subject. As a real estate agent I know today’s buyers are looking not only at a home but also at the cost of maintaining it. Energy efficiency has become part of the real estate world both in features like double pane windows and in utility bills. Buyers are now asking what the utilites run per month. This is especially true for buyers relocating to the Austin area.

Keep these tips in mind for your personal enrichment but also remember that energy efficiency can influence a person’s decision when they are buying a home.