Why is Austin the Going Green Authority?

Year after year, the community is placing a lot of focus on Austin Texas as one of the greenest metropolitan areas in the country! It's settled along the Colorado River, this metropolitan region is not exclusively one of the quickest growing cities in the nation, but its soaring oak trees and crystal clear streams are snuggled within this buzzing metropolitan region. It's the ultimate marriage between nature and a hip urban setting, no wonder the city of Austin has taken first place and gaining so many awards. Here is just some of the recognition that Austin has gained during this year alone:

In April, Austin is considered among the top 10 greenest places to retire by US News and World Report. With its many urban parks and its preserved wilderness sites, Austin is considered the perfect place to help rear your grandchildren.

The US Department of Energy calls Austin's Green Power Program to be number one in the nation. This is ranked by renewable energy sales where Austin Energy outdid Portland General Electric in sales that topped 578 million kWh in 2007.

University of Cincinnati researchers ranked Austin at number 2 in clean drinking water in 2006. After researching data, consumer confident reports showed that Austin has the lowest levels of lead, turbidity, and halo acetic acid.

This leads Austin as one of the nation's greenest cities thanks to their Sustainable Community Initiative. They are here to help the city and its suburbs achieve the best quality of life throughout for many years to come. Here are just some of the things that have helped them stay green for so long and gain recognition from everyone:

Austin's Green Energy Building calendar keeps the entire city updated on future events and green workshops. They hold these events four times a year.

Austin Energy, which provides the city with electricity provide their customers with the option of becoming a Power Partner. If you decide to participate, not only do you save $25 off of your bill, but you will also receive a free programmable thermostat from them. Furthermore, if you decide to join, then they will turn off your HVAC for a couple of minutes every day, when there is the most demand for energy.

Austin has a plan to reduce waste down to zero by the year 2040. The city already recycles a significant amount of trash, which in 2007 the citizens of Austin has recycled over 32,000 tons of waste to different recycling centers or around 25% of the city's total waste which could be sitting in a landfill for several years. At least 30% of Austin's residents and businesses are making the shift to renewable energy sources in the next 12 years.

Austin has a program where you can get up to three high efficiency toilets to put in your home for free. You may need a plumber to install them, but if you don't like the look of them, you can receive a $150 rebate to put towards a new toilet.

About the Author:

Joe Cline writes articles for Austin real estate. Other articles written by the author related to Austin REMAX and Lakeway real estate can be found on the net.