As the global scientific community continues to deliver conclusive evidence pointing to forthcoming climate changes due to human actions – thousands of Austin citizens will be showing their support for ecological sustainability and conservation this Earth Day, April 22nd.

Thank to the Austin Chronicle, we’re able review The City of Austin’s (CoA) climate protection progress and look for information that may help improve UT’s steadily growing sustainability efforts.

Quick CoA ACPP Background

Over two years ago, The City of Austin pledged to:

• Make Austin’s facilities, vehicles, and operations carbon-neutral by 2020.
• Meet 30% of all energy needs with renewable resources by 2020.
• Implement the most energy-efficient building codes in the nation.

Current Status – 2 Years Since ACPP Enactment

Achievements

“(…) the municipality itself has made impressive strides. The big positive changes at Austin Energy, Austin Water Utility, the fleet department (..), and other city departments.”

“The consciousness of council, city management, and city staff across city departments has been raised. The entire organization now regards climate protection as a core value, like environmental protection.”

Difficulties

“(…) difficulty of translating a big municipal climate-protection plan into specific practices communitywide [Austin-wide] (…)”

“Asked about the unmet goals, ACPP Director Ester Matthews described a frustrating series of bureaucratic slow-downs, interdepartmental breakdowns, lack of authority to resolve problems at the right organizational levels, inability to effectively address public outreach, and difficulties created by the program’s dual residency at Austin Energy and the city of Austin.”

UT Austin should try to learn from CoA’s difficulties as we build the detail and instruction necessary to spark an institutionalized commitment to sustainability.

The CoA has had many green successes due to the incredible team of ACPP staffers – who are directed by measurable goals, implementation plans and delegation of responsibilities.

I hope that CoA staff succeeds greatly in their attempt to implement a comprehensive climate strategy.

This year’s Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) conference hosted some fantastic speakers. One particularly interesting talk was given by Richard R. Johnson, Director of Sustainability at Rice University.

Back in the year 2000, Rice U. was trying to address their carbon footprint but found a larger force impeding their efforts. Staff and students realized they needed to tackle administrative challenges to sustainability before effectively addressing their ecological impact.

Mr. Johnson identified the following problems and solutions:

Organizational Management

• Problem: Lack of a person to speak for environmental issues
• Proposal: Hire a sustainability coordinator

Policy

• Problem: University not fulfilling commitments as a signatory of Talloires Declaration
• Solution: Enact a university sustainability policy

Rice has a very impressive sustainability resume. Richard R. Johnson, Director of Sustainability at Rice, clearly expressed the importance of addressing administrative challenges in order to better address campus sustainability.

Thanks to everyone at TRACS for the great information!