HONK if you're green

So how about that Cadillac Escalade hybrid Eli Manning chose for his MVP award? hmmm...it's a step in the right direction I guess.

Anyhow...
Austin city vehicles will shortly be running on alternative fuel. Don't expect any Cadillac hybrids, but city council just approved a multi-year contract that includes buying new vehicles that are compatible with alternative fuels to further implement Austin's Climate Protection Plan.

The plan, introduced by Mayor Wynn, aims toward fighting global warming by reducing greenhouse emissions. Surely, new city vehicles running on alternative fuels will help this fight. The city of Austin's goal by 2020 is to have all city facilities, fleets and operations completely carbon-neutral.

SHOW US YOUR CANS!

I hope fraternitys are contributing to this one. Yes, hopefully they recycled all the leftover Keystone cans from last weeks "jungle party." But for now, we will give credit to the entire city of Austin as a whole because Cash for Cans, a city recycling challenge, just awarded Austin five thousand dollars for recycling 80,000 pounds (approximately 2.7 million cans) of aluminum during the 2007 October contest period.

Ohhh yes.

Makes you proud to be an Austinite doesn't it? Well it should! Even more so if you donated to this effort.

Mayor Will Wynn accepted the "Cans for Cash" prize on the behalf of Austin at last week's U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting. They recognized Austin for having the most innovative recycling campaign to promote recycling aluminum cans. The campaign was called "Show us your cans" and was promoted via broadcast, radio, print and an online contest. Fortunately, the campaign targeted more than 475,000 people ranging from college students to business workers. And it shows. After all, we did win.

Though this doesn't mean we are in the clear. As a country, recycling efforts need a boost.

The aluminum can is the country's most recycled beverage container with more than 100 billion aluminum beverage cans produced in the U.S. last year. Only half of those cans are getting recycled, leaving more than a billion dollars worth of aluminum cans unrecovered.

But it's not just about the money. More importantly, it's about the aluminum resources that go to waste.

In the city of Austin press release, Kevin Greenawait, President of Novelis North America says this:
"Through the City Recycling Challenge, we actively promote and encourage growth in aluminum can recycling programs in communities. In addition to its economic benefits, recycling reduces carbon emissions which help combat climate change; so it is more important than ever to energize community recycling and build a sustainable environment."

For more information on Austin's Solid Waste Services and Recycling visit the City of Austin's website.