News & Updates
Texas Hill Country: Rolling hills or empty moonscape
I am Milann Guckian, president of Preserve our Hill Country Environment. This is not the job I asked for or wanted in retirement but one I felt I must undertake. I’ve always known I wanted to come back to Central Texas to live out my days. Born in Lockhart, my...
Opinion: How to prevent repeat water crises? Reuse is a part of the answer
February 15, 2021, will forever be etched into our memory. At the height of the climate disaster that struck our state a year ago, over 13 million Texans lost access to clean drinking water. That is approximately half of the state’s population and also includes many...
How to find your city’s sustainability plan online
If you’re watching this latest episode of “Solutionaries,” the newest from our solutions journalism-based digital show, then you’re already well aware that the topic is climate change, and everything environmentally related. You might be wondering, “How sustainable...
Most Texans Worry Water Taps Will Run Dry as Droughts Worsen.
Almost nine of every 10 Texans are concerned that water supplies will be exhausted, given current weather trends and the prospect for worsening drought conditions, according to a new poll. The survey by the non-profit group Texas 2036 found that 88% of registered...
They called him the Angel of Darkness. But this astronomer just wanted to keep West Texas skies pure.
Bill Wren remembers exactly where he was when he was first called the Angel of Darkness. He doesn't remember the year, but it was at a Texas Star Party, an annual gathering of 500 or so amateur astronomers held at the Prude Ranch in Fort Davis, Texas. Wren, a longtime...
Cave climbers work to clean out caves with generations worth of trash.
These days, it's just common sense that pollutants and trash are bad for the Edwards Aquifer, which is San Antonio’s main source of water. But a hundred years ago, landowners thought nothing of using caves or sinkholes on their property as trash dumps. Landowners are...
Dripping Springs extends moratorium on development for 90 days.
DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — The City of Dripping Springs voted to extend the temporary development moratorium Tuesday night, lasting to May 21. During the moratorium, the city will not accept permit applications for the development of subdivisions, site planning,...
Why de-paving cities could help make things way less hot
If you’ve walked through a heavily populated city with a bustling downtown in the middle of summer, then you know just how hot it can be. It feels like every step you take, you can feel the heat radiating from the sidewalks, parking lots and concrete...
Water utility chief answers questions about boil-water notice
Following an unexpected boil-water notice not related to a winter storm, Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros announced his resignation last week from a job he has held for nearly 15 years. Several City Council members took the opportunity to praise his leadership at...