Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
The Austin City Council is considering a $600 million streetcar proposal that would connect major destinations in the heart of the city.
"These cars are modern, they're efficient, they are attractive, they're very comfortable," said Austin Mayor Will Wynn.
The 15.3-mile line would run from downtown to the airport, through the University of Texas and east toward the Mueller development. It would also stop at destinations like the State Capitol, the Austin Convention Center and the Long Center for the Performing Arts. The line could link into Capital Metro's "red line" commuter rail, which is set to open this fall.
"Austin's gonna lead the way when it comes to folks who want to do something other than get stuck in traffic alone in their car," said Mayor Wynn.
The proposal is in is early stages, but the city is looking to Portland, Oregon as a model. The six-mile downtown system there draws an average 8,000 riders a day. It was paid for through tax increment financing, which means the tax base from new development and the area along the line helped pay for the line itself.
Consultants estimate the Austin line would cost $550 million to $614 million to build and $21 million to $23 million annually to operate. But they say it could draw 32,000 boardings a day.
"That's very cost effective compared to other transportation that we have lately," said Wynn.
The streetcars would have double tracks throughout the line, with overhead wires. At least 20 electric rail cars would run at 10 minute intervals for 17 hours a day.
Public transportation users in Austin say they would give streetcars a chance.
"Construction costs, construction delays due to construction might pose some problems but in the long run I think it would be very beneficial to the infrastructure of the city," said Nicholas Smith.
The plan will next have to be reviewed by a working group of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) board. If approved by council, voters will likely have to give their green light to the proposal. The mayor says it could happen as early as the citywide elections in 2009.
