Best Environmentalist

Paul Robbins, 'Austin Environmental Directory'

Don't let the bashful smile fool you. Robbins may be slight of stature (he once joked that if he turned sideways, he'd disappear), but inside that oversized blazer, you'll find the heart of a lion undeterred after three decades of fighting for sustainability, transparency, and wise energy policy at City Hall. A tireless wonk and expert on everything from energy efficiency to synthetic fuels, Robbins – and his work The Austin Environmental Directory, now in its seventh edition – has become an indispensable resource to city officials, so much so that in 2007 they named a Downtown cooling plant after him. How cool is that?

Austin Environmental Directory
512/447-8712
www.environmentaldirectory.info/Austin