Green Tailgating Tips

By Stephanie De Luna

The football season is upon us, and no matter which team you’re cheering on, you can always win in green! Consider these tips to plan an eco-friendly, low-waste tailgate:

Behind the countertop: Kerbey Lane Café

Interview with Karli Isiyel, Marketing Coordinator

As told to Stephanie De Luna

In 1980, Patricia Atkinson and David Ayer lived in the back of where the original Kerbey Lane stands strong today. The structure, located at 3704 Kerbey Lane, used to be a French restaurant named Café Camille. At the time there weren’t many options for high-quality, healthy food in Austin; Patricia and David saw that and wanted to open an establishment that offered customers food made with local ingredients that they enjoyed eating. The couple acquired the front building for the new restaurant, and that’s how Kerbey Lane was born. That’s where it all started.

Free or Low-Cost Summer Activities

By Stephanie De Luna

The scorching heat has made its way back to Central Texas, and your first instinct may be to hide inside your nicely cooled home, but don’t let the weather hold you back from enjoying the city this summer. There are many interactive activities around Austin that can make the next couple of months unforgettable. The best thing about these activities is that they are affordable, and some are free! Check them out.

Take Polluting Cars Off Texas Roads

By Stephanie De Luna

We have all been at a stop light with the vehicle in front of us gushing out dark, dirty fumes from its tailpipe.  Instead of just thinking to ourselves what those fumes are doing to our environment and our bodies, we can take action. Reporting the vehicle to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, an agency that strives to protect the state’s human and natural resources, is one of the easiest ways to protect the air, yourself and others.

Green Mountain Energy™ Sun Club™ Invites Texas Non-Profits to Apply for Sun Club Solar Donations

By Stephanie De Luna

The Green Mountain Energy™ Sun Club™ is now collecting applications from Texas organizations looking to reduce their environmental impact, lower their electricity bills, and standout as role models in the communities they serve.  If you work for or know of a non-profit that would be a good candidate for solar, we encourage you to apply!

McNair Scholar Ana Laura Rivera Passionate about Research

By Stephanie De Luna

Ana Laura Rivera will begin her fourth year at The University of Texas at Austin this fall, with an impressive list of accomplishments and many, many hours of service to the university and her community already behind her–not to mention, a recent internship in Washington, D.C. with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and a month-long, State Department-sponsored summer exchange program in Korea.

A sneak peek into GrowNYC Union Square Greenmarket’s solar-powered van

By Stephanie De Luna

Take one step into the GrowNYC Union Square Greenmarket and colorful fruits, veggies, and other locally-grown products will catch your eye. The Union Square Greenmarket is known for its healthy and sustainable finds, so it is no surprise that the farmer’s market has taken it to the next level with a solar-powered cooking van. Union Square Greenmarket visitors now have the chance to try healthy eats from cooking demonstrations powered by the sun.

Beat the Texas Heat with Drought Tolerant Plants

By Stephanie De Luna

The Texas summer heat has arrived, and your lawn or garden may be looking a little thirsty. Instead of reaching for your garden hose, think about replacing non-native plants that require lots of water with drought tolerant natives. There are many native and adapted plants that can help you preserve water resources.

Latino Fraternity Involved in The Project Since 1999

By Stephanie De Luna

On February 25, more than 2,000 UT students, faculty, staff and alumni united in the Dove Springs community in Southeast Austin to participate in The Project 2012—the university’s largest day of service.  Among the volunteers were members of Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc., who have participated every year since 1999 when The Project was launched as Project 1000. That year, with the goal of getting 1,000 students to participate, the rejuvenation of the Rosewood Housing Complex began the community day of service that has now expanded nationwide with participation of alumni chapters throughout the country.

Dove Springs Students Prepare for Inspirational Trip to Nation’s Capital

By Stephanie De Luna

This summer, Mendez Middle School, located in the heart of the Dove Springs neighborhood in Southeast Austin, will be sending a group of seventh- and eighth-grade students on a trip to Washington, D.C., through the Nations Classroom program. The June 12-15 trip, will allow students to explore major historical landmarks, including the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial and educational institutions. Mendez’s Social Studies Coach Kenetra Malone said this trip is crucial to inspiring students to view their futures in a brighter light.