Welcome

Welcome to the citywide Kill-a-Watt Challenge, daring you to reduce your energy use during Austin's most energy-intensive months of the year: June through September. Wanna know how it works? Visit the Challenge page. Just wanna join already? Too late! Sign-up has ended, but global warming has not, so if you wanna save the planet despite lack of prize incentives, see Tips and Resources for ideas. Curious about this week's green events, eco-news, challenge updates, and more? See below!

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That's how much electricity the Kill-a-Watt Challenge's 1,152 participants saved this summer, and it translates into 799.8 tons of avoided carbon-dioxide emissions. To find out more, check out the Progress and Winners page, which also has all kinds of interesting details about the August, September, Overall Summer, and Interfaith Mini Challenge winners and runners-up. Thank you to everyone who helped make the Kill-a-Watt Challenge a success!

Interested in a little theatre, this week? Some shopping, perhaps? Wanna take a class, go to a party, eat something tasty, build a bike, volunteer, attend a lecture, or maybe just fight the man? Well, you can do green versions of all of these things this week, and by green, we don't mean the Christmas kind. It's not even Thanksgiving yet, people, c'mon!

[See Calendar for all Chronicle listings.]

Thursday, November 15

AUSTIN CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY MONTHLY MEETING Third Thursdays, 7:30pm. Austin Area Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Rd. (in Zilker Botanical Gardens). Free. www.austincss.com.

Friday, November 16

CONVERSATION WITH A TRAMP: AN EVENING WITH JOHN MUIR Actor Lee Stetson portrays the iconic environmental crusader in this performance familiar to summer vacationers at Yosemite National Park, which has hosted the play for 25 years. Stetson will re-enact Muir's final moments as he awaits an important decision from Washington about the fate of Hetch Hetchy Valley. 7:30pm. First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover, 452-6168. $18 ($15, in advance). www.texas.sierraclub.org/austin/jmuir.html.

PERMACULTURE: AWARENESS IN THE ENVIRONMENT Fridays, 9:15-10:15am. Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress Ste. D-200, 707-9637. Free, with cafe purchase. www.rutamaya.net.

THE CHANGING DEBATE ON GLOBAL WARMING The Hot Science Cool Talks lecture series returns tonight with this discussion from UT School of Geosciences Dean Eric Barron. Designed to give regular schmoes some insight into just what the heck UT's scientists are up to, these discussions always feature interactive activities, demonstrations, and Q&A sessions. If you can't make it to the real thing, you can even watch the webcast instead. See www.esi.utexas.edu/outreach/lectures.html for details. 5:45-8:30pm. UT campus, Welch Hall, 2.224, 828-2996. Free.

Saturday, November 17

AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION VOLUNTEER PROJECTS Interested in spreading some gravel, shoveling some mulch, or trimming back some vegetation along one of Austin's many outdoor trails this morning? There are several such projects around town today, and some even reward you with free food and live music. See www.austinparks.org/volunteer.php to pick your good deed for the day.

CONSCIOUS & RESPECTFUL HERBALISM Learn how to re-establish "at-risk" herbs into the environment. 9:30am-12:30pm. Austin School of Herbal Studies, 8803 Bear Creek, 301-5838. $50. www.ezherbs.net.

FRANKEN BIKE All are welcome to buy, sell, or trade bike parts and gear at this friendly once-a-month swap meet. Location changes monthly; see website for details. 11am-4pm. Free. www.frankenbike.org.

GRAZE FEST AT SUNSET VALLEY FARMERS MARKET features all the usual fresh, local produce but also features special guest experts happy to answer your questions about grass-fed, pasture-raised animals. Get your picture taken on a longhorn today to commemorate the event, and bring the kids so they can learn all about milking cows. 9am-1pm. Toney Burger Center, 3200 Jones. Free. www.sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET! Austin's weekly downtown farmers' market celebrates its fifth year with a morning of special chef demonstrations, live music, and kids activities, along with the usual abundance of fresh, local, organic foods. 9am-1pm. Republic Square Park, 422 Guadalupe, 974-6700. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

SCOTT'S 3-1-1 POTHOLE RIDE Join local environmentalist Scott Johnson on a research bike ride today to collect data on dangerous road conditions (such as utility pavement cuts and manhole covers) that need maintenance attention from the city. Food and drinks provided afterward for all participants. Call or e-mail for details. 3-5:30pm. 389-2250. scottaj1@juno.com.

TEXAS BAMBOO SOCIETY Learn all about the different types of bamboo that grow well in Austin, and groom some bamboo yourself in the Taniguchi Japanese Garden (bring hand clippers, loppers, a saw, and gloves). 10am-1pm. Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., 929-9565. Free. www.bamboocentral.net.

TREES & TRAILS CELEBRATION Join the Rotary Club of Austin-Oak Hill and TreeFolks today in dedicating a new trailhead near the Hampton library. To celebrate, there will be nature tours, the city of Austin will be commemorating the tree of the year, and TreeFolks will be giving away free saplings and tree-growing guide posters. Illustrator Robert O'Brien will be signing the posters, and Mr. Habitat brings the live music. It's a party, folks. A trees and trails party. 10am. Will Hampton Branch Library, 5125 Convict Hill Rd., 892-6680. Free. www.cityofaustin.org/library.

WALLER CREEK DESIGN WORKSHOP The Waller Creek corridor Downtown is undergoing a redesign as it's removed from the floodplain, and today the advisory committee is seeking your input in a number of areas, including the design of storm-water collection points, ideas for amenities and surrounding buildings, and visions for the overall look of creek improvements. 9am-noon. Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second, 974-7139. Free. www.ci.austin.tx.us/wallercreek.

Sunday, November 18

HAPPY LIVING WITH JUSTICE meets every week for awareness-raising discussion and yoga. Today, Nuke Free Texas' Karen Hadden discusses the proposed expansion of the South Texas Project nuclear plant near Bay City. 3:30pm. Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, 974-1010. Free. happylivingwithjustice@gmail.com.

Tuesday, November 20

NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF TEXAS Learn all about passionflowers this evening from Katie Hanson of the UT School of Biological Sciences. 7-9pm. Wild Basin Wilderness meeting room, 805 Capital of TX Hwy. N., 472-1062. Free. www.npsot.org/Austin.

Wednesday, November 21

MIDWEEK AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET Wednesdays, 3-7pm. The Triangle, 46th Street, between Guadalupe & Lamar. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

Ongoing

KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL AWARDS Who do you think deserves recognition for keeping Austin beautiful? Be sure to make your nomination soon – KAB Award winners will be honored at the annual awards luncheon in February, but the nomination deadline is almost here: Dec. 7. www.keepaustinbeautiful.org.

If you can't make it out to Fredericksburg this weekend for the Renewable Energy Roundup, be sure to catch one of the keynote speakers, Greg Pahl, in town Saturday talking about his newest book, The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook. Also, don't forget to break out your weird for Friday's Weirdest Commute Contest, and do check out the new Environmental Expo at the Pecan Street Festival Friday and Saturday. Oh yeah, then there's Al Gore's presentation of "An Inconvenient Truth" (the slideshow, not the movie) on Monday. Sheesh. That's a lot. And there's even more below ...

[Click here to see all Chronicle Calendar listings.]

Friday, September 28

GROUNDWATER STEWARDSHIP AWARDS Who do you think deserves this year's awards for protecting Austin's water resources? Today's your last day to submit nominations in the following categories: water conservation, education, research, water-quality protection, innovation, and permittee of the year. 282-8441. www.bseacd.org.

GREEN DRINKS Take note, enviro-friendlies: This monthly eco-minded happy hour has moved to a brand-new location. 5:30-7:30pm. Opal Divine's, 700 W. Sixth, 477-3308. www.greendrinksaustin.blogspot.com.

PERMACULTURE: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE Fridays, 9:15am. Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress Ste. D-200, 707-9637. Free with cafe purchase. www.rutamaya.net.

TEXAS RENEWABLE ENERGY ROUNDUP & GREEN LIVING FAIR Learn about green building and gardening, the newest energy-efficient products, and more while you enjoy live music, movies, and organic food at this weekend's three-day symposium for anyone interested in healthy living, saving money, reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, and increasing U.S. independence from foreign fuels. Sept. 28-30. Market Square, Fredericksburg, 541/482-0848. $10, Friday & Sunday; $12, Saturday ($20, weekend; free, kids 12 & under). www.theroundup.org.

WEIRDEST COMMUTE CONTEST Find out who gets prizes for this year's Commuter Challenge competition and possibly win some of your own: The three people arriving in the weirdest forms of transportation will be duly rewarded. 11:30am. Wooldridge Square Park, Guadalupe between Ninth & 10th. www.commutesolutions.com.

Saturday, September 29

AUSTIN ECOSCHOOL GARAGE SALE Help Austin EcoSchool help Austin's eco outlook by stopping by and doing a little shopping today. Your money will help this growing nonprofit find a permanent home and expand its focus from the current elementary-school programming to community outreach and leadership training. 8am-2pm. Austin EcoSchool, 3000 Del Curto, 447-8516. www.austinecoschool.org.

AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET Saturdays, 9am-1pm. Republic Square, 422 Guadalupe, 477-1566. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

GREG PAHL & RENEWABLE ENERGY Journalist Greg Pahl has written several environmental books (including Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy and The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook) and is spending some time away from his off-the-grid home in Vermont today to talk about individual and community strategies for using renewable sources of energy. 2pm. Faulk Central Branch Library, 810 Guadalupe, 974-7400. Free. www.gregpahl.com.

MAYFIELD PARK GUIDED TOURS Get the lowdown on Mayfield's peacocks, lily ponds, history, and more. Every other Saturday, 9:30am. Mayfield Park & Preserve, 3505 W. 35th, 467-1868. Free. www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/mayfieldevents.htm.

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY is a day to revel in nature, preferably by helping the Friends of McKinney Falls State Park with various projects, including trail maintenance, trash pickup (for kids), and more. Call or e-mail to register. 8am-1pm. McKinney Falls State Park, 5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy., 482-3357. cjeffri@rei.com, www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

PECAN STREET ARTS FESTIVAL This annual fest features arts and crafts vendors and live music every year but adds a slew of new attractions this time around, including the Austin Environmental Expo, the International Festival sponsored by the Central Presbyterian Church, the Pecan Street PowerFlicker film festival, and performances from the Austin Hindu Temple Dancers, the UT Middle Eastern Ensemble, the Round About Players, and many others. (See Club Listings.) 11am-10pm. Sixth Street, from Brazos to I-35. Free. www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com.

READY, SET, FALL Learn how to grow winter veggies, dry herbs, care for your lawn in the colder months, and prep your garden for spring. Don't forget to bring your problem plants for expert diagnosis. 10am-1pm. Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., 854-9600. Free ($3, parking). www.tcmastergardener.org.

SUNSET VALLEY FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, 9:30am-1pm. Toney Burger Center, 3200 Jones, 280-1976. Free. www.sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org.

TEXAS RENEWABLE ENERGY ROUNDUP & GREEN LIVING FAIR (See Friday.)

Monday, October 1

AL GORE He's here, in the flesh, to present the slide show on which his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, is based. If you still haven't seen it, now's the time. 7:30pm. Frank Erwin Center, 1701 Red River, 471-7744. $29.50-250. www.uterwincenter.com.

Tuesday, October 2

DISCOVERING THE COLORADO: ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY OF THE AUSTIN-BASTROP RIVER CORRIDOR A presentation from Kevin Anderson, coordinator for the Austin Water Utility Center for Environmental Research. Arrive early (5:45pm) for a driving/walking tour of Hornsby Bend. 7pm. Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory, 2210 FM 973 S., 972-1960. www.hornsbybend.org/locationmap.html .

Wednesday, October 3

AWARENESS IN THE ENVIRONMENT Learn about solar energy, composting, and other aspects of the green lifestyle in this weekly class from the Austin Permaculture Society's Jenny Nazak. Wednesdays, 9:15am. Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress Ste. D-200, 707-9637. Free, with cafe purchase. www.rutamaya.net.

MIDWEEK AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET Wednesdays, 4-8pm. The Triangle, 46th Street, between Guadalupe & Lamar. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

Introducing 10 cheap-and-easy projects you can mark off your Kill-a-Watt Challenge to-do list this weekend.

[For a more comprehensive list of energy-saving activities, see Tips and Resources.]

1) Run only full loads in the dish- and clothes-washers, and air dry as much as possible (choose the permapress setting on your clothes dryer).

2) Weather-strip your doors: If the strip along the inside of your door frame is brittle or broken, it’s time to replace it.

3) Clean your air-conditioning filter; if it's time to buy a new one, make sure it has a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating of 6 or higher. Also, make sure there's no high grass or other yard debris obstructing the air flow into your air-conditioner’s condenser.

4) Stock your freezer: It runs best when fully loaded. If it's already fully loaded, just make sure the air can still circulate around the food. (Another tip: Austin Energy recommends that you set your fridge temperature at 36 to 38 degrees and your freezer at zero to 5 degrees. You can test the temperature by leaving a thermometer in your fridge for 10 to 15 minutes - be ready to read it the second you open the door.)

5) Vacuum your refrigerator coils: Your fridge will run better and be less hairy, too!

6) More refrigerator advice: Replace seals and adjust latches if they’re not working properly. (How do you know if they're working properly? Close the door over a dollar bill: It won’t easily pull out if the seal and latch are behaving.)

7) Caulk the plumbing around your sinks to prevent leaking air.

8) Install an inexpensive (homemade works, too) cover on your kitchen exhaust fan to avoid letting hot air in from the outside.

9) Unplug anything you're not using. TVs, microwaves, alarm clocks, cell phone chargers ... these all tend to use electricity even when they're off. Don't feel like plugging and unplugging things all day? Combine as many plugs as you can onto power strips with on/off switches. That way, when you’re done with your microwave and coffeemaker, you can turn off their power strip; when you’re finished watching TV and playing video games, you can turn off their power strip; and so on.

10) Still using incandescent lightbulbs? Stop that! Go out and get some compact fluorescents bulbs right this minute! (As soon as you print out this coupon.)

Austin Energy saves you money, Whole Foods celebrates the greenest school year ever (since the Seventies, anyway), City Council cleans up Barton Springs, and the U.S. Green Building Council teaches you how to conserve water. And that's not all. This week, greenness abounds.

Thursday, August 16

CITY COUNCIL CLEANS THE POOL DAY Join the Austin City Council this morning (9am) for updates on the Barton Springs Master Plan, presentations on the pool's needs during droughts and floods, and a tour led by city biologist Laurie Dries. (E-mail info@friendsofbartonspringspool.org to RSVP.) Afterward, the pool-cleaning shifts begin at 10:15am and run all day; if you'd like to sign up for one, send an e-mail to service@friendsofbartonspringspool.org. Barton Springs, 2101 Barton Springs Rd., 476-9044. www.friendsofbartonspringspool.org.

LUNCH & LEARN: WATER CONSERVATION A lunchtime seminar hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council. noon-1pm. North by Northwest, 10010 Capital of TX Hwy. N., 467-6969. $10.

Friday, August 17

PERMACULTURE: SUSTAINABLE DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE features useful tips for the environmentally conscious (or aspiring to be), covering everything from local food to green building to community activism. Fridays, 9:15am. Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress Ste. D-200, 707-9637. Free with cafe purchase. www.rutamaya.net.

Saturday, August 18

AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET Saturdays, 9am-1pm. Republic Square, 422 Guadalupe, 477-1566. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

CHILE PEPPER FEST AT SUNSET VALLEY FARMERS MARKET Postponed from last week, today's fest features fresh roasted Hatch chiles (you can order a 50-pound sack ahead by calling 415-2042), along with chile pestos, jams, breads, and even crafts – plus, you can get your week's supply of fresh summer produce, too. 9:30am-1pm. Toney Burger Center, 3200 Jones, 280-1976. Free. www.sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org.

FOOD GARDEN MENTOR TRAINING Got a green thumb you wanna share with the rest of us? Learn how to help underserved communities cultivate food gardens in back yards and schools and other institutions at this all-day workshop hosted by the Sustainable Food Center and the Green Corn Project. Call to register. 9am-5pm. Garza High School, 3000 S. I-35, 236-0074 x8. www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/events.asp.

GO BACK GREEN! Go back to school green, that is, with Whole Foods' handy coupons, podcasts, and recipes tailored for students from kindergarten through college, and stop by today for the Local Taste Fair, organic-cotton fashion show, skateboarding demo, whole-body natural makeovers, and a raffle and silent auction to benefit LifeWorks' GED and life-skills programs. 11am-3pm. Whole Foods Market, 525 N. Lamar, 476-1206. Free. www.lifeworksweb.org.

Sunday, August 19

AUSTIN PROJECT FOR A PARTICIPATORY SOCIETY BOOK GROUP meets to discuss this month's book, Cynthia Kaufman's Ideas for Action: Relevant Theory for Radical Change, which provides a back story for leftist politics by looking at its various traditions, including Marxism, anarchism, anti-imperialism, poststructuralism, feminism, critical race theory, cultural studies, and environmentalism. 2pm. Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, 974-1010. Free. www.thirdcoastactivist.org.

HAPPY LIVING WITH JUSTICE replaces the usual weekly yoga session today with a screening of An Inconvenient Truth, followed by a discussion on (and opportunity to join) the Low Carbon Diet program. Light refreshments provided. 3pm. Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, 292-8093. Free. happylivingwithjustice@gmail.com.

Tuesday, August 21

NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF TEXAS MEETING Native Texas Nursery's Rich Zarria leads tonight's talk on collecting and propagating native seeds and plants. 7-9pm. Wild Basin Wilderness meeting room, 805 Capital of TX Hwy. N., 472-1062. Free. www.npsot.org/Austin.

Wednesday, August 22

LEARN HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN SAVE MONEY The Austin Chamber of Commerce hosts this presentation from Austin Energy's Bill Sparks and Clean Energy's Jose Beceiro. Find out how you can benefit from energy efficiency and the many rebate programs designed to encourage it. Register online. 11:30am-1pm. Omni Hotel Downtown, 700 San Jacinto, 476-3700. www.austinchamber.com.

MIDWEEK AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET Wednesdays, 4-8pm. The Triangle, 46th Street, between Guadalupe & Lamar. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

Other Notable Green Happenings

WANTED: VOLUNTEER WEATHER OBSERVERS The Colorado-based Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network is setting up shop in Texas, where it seeks weather enthusiasts interested in gathering precipitation data. The information gathered by the network is used for all kinds of research and educational projects, and the coordinator for Texas is none other KVET/KASE/KFMK chief meteorologist Troy Kimmel, to whom you can e-mail your questions at tkimmel@mail.utexas.edu. 335-6472. www.cocorahs.org.

TAKE THE LIVE EARTH PLEDGE On July 7, eight 24-hour concerts took place simultaneously in different cities across the globe to raise awareness about global warming. In case you missed them, you can watch them online at www.liveearth.org, where you can also sign the Live Earth pledge and commit to five Earth-saving behaviors. Five! Easy peasy!

TREEFOLKS' CARBON OFFSET PROGRAM TreeFolk's eagerly anticipated carbon offset program is finally here. It allows you to calculate your own carbon emissions and offset them by donating money to projects that help combat global warming. While there are countless similar carbon-offset programs out there, this one's unique because it lets you donate your money to local projects that you can see for yourself and directly benefit from. Yay! www.treefolks.org/prog_calculator.asp.

YELLOW BIKE PROJECT SURVEY YBP wants to know how its projects affect the community (i.e., you), so take their new online survey, and let 'em know. www.austinyellowbike.org.

Logging 20,000 rentals a day, Lyon, France's new twist on bike-sharing might be revolutionizing urban transportation. Check out "Rent & Roll" to read all about this awesome new thing that Austin doesn't have.

With seven nuclear plants proposed in Texas, local environmental groups are turning to Hollywood to help get the message out. Public Citizen and the Sierra Club showed up at the Simpsons Movie premiere to talk about the dangers of Texas' nuclear future (read more here), and then on Aug. 9, SEED joined the two groups for a similar presentation coupled with a screening of The China Syndrome at Jo's Coffee. Expect to see more from the no-nukesters in coming months. In the meantime, TXU is still moving forward with plans for an Oak Grove coal plant, but its subsidiary Luminant now plans to throw some wind power into the mix. For more, click here.

According to News reporter Daniel Mottola, reactions to the new Barton Springs Master Plan were mixed a few weeks ago after a presentation during a Save Barton Creek Association meeting. The plan aims to rehabilitate the bathhouse, manage flooding, and improve water quality, among other things. Some skeptics worried the plan was better for city staff and consultants than the springs, while others criticized the planning process – but not everyone was a critic. If you're curious about all of the subtle nuances and perspectives therein, see Mottola's article, "Making Waves."

Local eco-art outfit Austin Green Art will be giving a work of art worth $10,000 to one of the end-of-summer winning businesses in the Water Cooler Kill-a-Watter Challenge. AGA will be working with the winner to develop a unique piece of art fitting to their company. Read more about Austin Green Art's work in Chronicle Arts contributor Nikki Moore's May article,"Green on the Go."

The Yellow Bike Project will host free community workshops this summer for the neighborhood planning areas that win the monthly Kill-a-Watt Challenge competitions.

YBP volunteers will help participants repair bikes (no prior experience is necessary), and participants will have access to YBP's thousands of scrap parts. The Yellow Bike Project has been providing free bikes and educational programming to Austinites for 10 years now; read more about their accomplishments in Chronicle News contributor Dan Mottola's May article, "Yellow Bike Project Turns 10."

The usual opportunities for local food and brew continue this week, plus TreeFolks launches its new carbon-offset program, the SOS Ordinance turns 15, and architect Mark Webber (who worked on the Hyde Park home featured on This Old House) hosts a talk on green building ...

Thursday, July 26

BLACK STAR BEER CO-OP MEMBERSHIP ORIENTATION Open to the public, tonight's meeting covers general co-op history along with specifics about Black Star, including its goals and current business plan. 8-10:30pm. Wheatsville Annex, 3105 Guadalupe. Free. www.blackstar.coop/events/member-orientation.

SAVE OUR SPRINGS ANNIVERSARY CONCERT The SOS Ordinance turns 15 years old this summer, and tonight's celebration will benefit SOS' continuing work, kicking off with the SOS Puppet Show and continuing with music from Brownout!, Larry Lange & His Lonely Knights, and the Djembabes. 7:30pm. Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress Ste. D-200, 707-9637. $15 suggested donation ($10, students). www.sosalliance.org.

Friday, July 27

GREEN DRINKS This monthly happy hour is open to anyone working in environmental fields or involved in sustainable endeavors. Mingle with fellow greenies tonight, and learn all about the space-arrangement principles of feng shui and vastu from special guest Christina Simon. 5:30-7:30pm. The Tavern, 922 W. 12th, 320-8377. www.austintavern.com.

TRANSPORTATION GRANTS FORUM Discuss transportation issues in Austin, including community goals, results of recent focus groups, and available grants. E-mail to RSVP. 1-3pm. Housing Authority of City of Austin, 1124 S. I-35. Free. bcarroll@mail.utexas.edu

Saturday, July 28

BUTTERFLIES, DRAGONFLIES & SUMMERTIME THINGS FESTIVAL A full-day celebration of all things summertime: Speakers will share their expertise on gardening, natural resources, and backyard wildlife, plus there will be live music, shopping, and contests for amateur photographers and pesto makers alike. 9am-5pm. Bastrop Gardens, 316 Old Hwy. 71, 512/303-5672. Free. www.bastropgardens.com.

AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET Saturdays, 9am-1pm. Republic Square, 422 Guadalupe, 477-1566. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

SUNSET VALLEY FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, 9:30am-1pm. Toney Burger Center, 3200 Jones, 280-1976. Free. www.sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org.

Sunday, July 29

FREE YOGA & THE LOW CARBON DIET PROGRAM The weekly Happy Living With Justice group (which combines free yoga with awareness-raising discussion about environmental, peace, and justice activism) continues working today on a special program based on David Gershon's book Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds. You'll learn how to use Gershon's program to help you reduce your eco-impact and increase your chances of winning the Kill-a-Watt Challenge. (E-mail Elizabeth at lowcarbonaustin@yahoo.com for details on the low-carbon diet.) 3:30pm. Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, 292-8093. happylivingwithjustice@gmail.com, www.ci.austin.tx.us.

Tuesday, July 31

TREE OF THE YEAR CONTEST Do you have a favorite tree somewhere in Austin? If so, be sure to nominate it for the Tree of the Year Award, the city's newest way of recognizing the value of trees in our urban landscape. Prize preference will go toward trees that showcase the proper selection (e.g., native trees), placement (such as to help shade structures or reduce the urban heat island effect), and care (no branches wrapped around electric wires, please). Deadline: July 31. 505-3726. www.cityofaustin.org/treeoftheyear.

Wednesday, August 1

MIDWEEK AUSTIN FARMERS' MARKET has moved to a new location, bringing more than 40 food and craft vendors with it. Wednesdays, 4-8pm. The Triangle, 46th Street, between Guadalupe & Lamar. Free. www.austinfarmersmarket.org.

Thursday, August 2

ARCHITECTURE AT THE UMLAUF LECTURE SERIES: GREEN BUILDING The Torchbearers host tonight's special talk from architect David Webber (whom you might recognize from This Old House). 7:30pm. Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, 605 Robert E. Lee, 445-5582. $5. www.umlaufsculpture.org.

Cool New Ongoing Stuff

TREEFOLKS' CARBON OFFSET PROGRAM TreeFolk's eagerly anticipated carbon offset program is finally here. It allows you to calculate your own carbon emissions and offset them by donating money to projects that help combat global warming. While there are countless similar carbon-offset programs out there, this one's unique because it lets you donate your money to local projects that you can see for yourself and directly benefit from. Yay! www.treefolks.org/prog_calculator.asp.

YELLOW BIKE PROJECT SURVEY YBP wants to know how its projects affect the community (i.e., you), so take their new online survey, and let 'em know. www.austinyellowbike.org.

Calling all faith-based organizations: The Chronicle has partnered with Austin Area Interreligious Ministries and Texas Interfaith Power & Light to bring you the newest Kill-a-Watt Mini Challenge. The church, synagogue, or other faith-based organization with the most energy savings will win prizes ...

Austin's most energy-intensive months of the summer are August and September, so we'll be rewarding the group that shows the highest percentage kilowatt savings over last year on those months' utility bills.

Here's how it works:

• Step No. 1: Your organization will sign up using its Austin Energy account number. AE will then compare your organization's August and September utility bills from this summer to those from last year. Sign-up deadline: Sept. 20. (You can now sign up in the "faith-based organization" category; click here to go to the form. If your faith-based organization already signed up as a "business," that's fine; we'll shift all faith-based organizations over to the correct category.)


• Step No. 2: Your organization may also choose to have Austin Energy add members' at-home kilowatt savings to its on-site savings. Members who want to participate in the mini challenge must sign up (if they haven't already) as individual Kill-a-Watt Challengers, with their own AE account numbers, after which they will receive their unique confirmation receipt numbers. Your organization will simply collect those receipt numbers and e-mail them, along with the organization's receipt number, to killerwatts@austinchronicle.com (you may continue to add members up through the Sept. 20 deadline; send as many e-mails as you need).


• Step No. 3: Start saving electricity! Visit the Tips and Resources page to find out just how many opportunities you have to save energy and reduce your eco-impact where you live, work, and worship.


• Step No. 4: Win prizes! The group with the highest percentage savings over last year will win a tree from TreeFolks, gift certificates, and more!

A few weeks ago, we launched the first Kill-a-Watt Mini Challenge, posing the pressing question: What are daylight compact fluorescent lightbulbs good for (aside from making your kitchen look all eerie and blue)? Congratulations to Nick Littlejohn and Arthur Simon, whose answers we liked best. For their hard work, we gave them one dejected daylight CFL from our Kill-a-Watt Challenge czar's kitchen (pictured here) along with some concert tickets and other exciting things. See below to read what we learned about daylight CFLs from our challengers, and stay tuned for more prize opportunities.

Top Six Answers to the Question: What are daylight-emitting compact fluorescent lightbulbs good for, anyway?

1. They kill vampires while also repelling orange old ladies from Arizona, because blue is the opposite on the color wheel from orange – or something like that (Arthur Simon, Dionysium).
   
   
2. They help people with seasonal affective disorder avoid depression during long winters (Nick Littlejohn, Kill-a-Watt Challenge Forum). [According to our research, Nick's right, although the jury's still out on whether just any old daylight CFL would suffice.]
   
   
3. They emit the ideal light for spotting chin hairs (nice lady, Dionysium).
   
   
4. They help grow plants indoors (Littlejohn, forum); they help grow hemp (anonymous guy, Dionysium). [According to Merrideth Jiles at the Great Outdoors Nursury, "Grow lights in general work well within about a foot and a half of the plant." Other than that, he says, "Grow lights are really ineffective." Rather than go for a daylight CFL, he says, you might opt for a high-pressure mercury light. They're expensive, but they work. Kill-a-Watt Challenge czar recommends: Grow your plants outside.]

The Winners:

For some reason, only one person wrote into our Kill-a-Watt Challenge Forum with an answer, and it was Nick Littlejohn, a local green realtor and Kill-a-Watt Challenger. For his efforts, he got to go to the Femi Kuti concert at Stubb's and gets to ride the bus for free 10 times this month. Yay, Nick!

Arthur Simon, on the other hand, was one of several people to propose answers onstage at the Alamo Drafthouse South during the green Dionysium, and for his ability to make stuff up on the spot in a rather sweet way that still made no sense, he got the official lightbulb prize as well as an Alamo Drafthouse gift certificate and some CapMet passes.

A toast to mini challenges! Yay!

Announced in February, Austin's new climate-protection plan aims, among many other things, to power 100% of Austin's city facilities with renewable energy by 2012 and make all city facilities, fleets, and operations carbon-neutral by 2020. Click here to read the plan; click here to read Chronicle coverage.