Grants will benefit students with hands-on learning about sustainability
Young people all over Austin will be implementing sustainability projects this year to make local schools a little greener. The work will involve water conservation, waste reduction, growing healthy food, and learning about bike safety.
“Kids are passionate about Austin’s bright green future,” said Lucia Athens, the City of Austin’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “These projects allow students to learn about environmental responsibility in a real-world application that has long-term benefits for the entire community.”
The City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability has announced grant funding for 29 new and exciting projects at local elementary, middle, and high schools. The Bright Green Futures Grants program is sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, Austin Resource Recovery, and the Watershed Protection, Public Works, and Transportation Departments.
The following projects are this year’s recipients of Bright Green Futures Grants:
About Bright Green Future Grants
Sponsored by the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability, Austin Resource Recovery and the Watershed Protection, Public Works, and Transportation Departments, Bright Green Future Grants is a competitive program that provides funding for school-based sustainability projects. Launched in 2012, the grants program was designed to recognize and support innovative projects that will inspire students to become lifelong environmental stewards. To date, 155 projects at local K-12 schools have been funded with Bright Green Future Grants; recipients were selected by a panel of judges composed of representatives from funding departments, and community members who serve on the City’s Environmental Board, Electric Utility Board, Sustainable Food Policy Board, Water and Wastewater Commission, and Zero Waste Advisory Commission. For more information, visit www.austintexas.gov/brightgreenfuture.
About the Office of Sustainability
The City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability was established in September 2010, when Lucia Athens, a leader in sustainability and green building, was hired as the Chief Sustainability Officer. The Office works to ensure a thriving, equitable, and ecologically resilient community by providing leadership, influencing positive action through engagement, and creating measurable benefits for Austin. The Office works to achieve net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a healthy and just local food system, resource efficient strategies for municipal operations, tangible projects that demonstrate sustainability, and a resilient and adaptive city.