Austin ranks behind Houston and SA for per capita pollution (Dallas: condos, job market)

[scongress1234]

the following is a letter in the recent chron:

"According to the Brookings Institute study on the per capita carbon footprint of different cities, Austin (55th out of 100) is nearly tied with Dallas (57th) and is well behind the expected Portland, Ore. (third), as well as other green meccas such as Houston (35th) and San Antonio (33rd). What gives?
Mayor, how about actually doing something to address this instead of continually marketing Austin’s long expired “green” image to bring still more “upscale” new residents and their cars to the ridiculously priced (and not “green” in the least) condos and McMansions. How about some real affordable housing centrally located? This continually moving east business is getting old. Some actual bicycle infrastructure would be nice, as well as decent public transit. Maybe one day, if you put your green money where your green mouth is, we might have a shot at catching … Houston!"



People do not want to hear the God's truth, but, in fact, Austin is far from a green, health-conscious, bike and pedestrian-friendly city.
Let's maintain the illusion, though..its more fun, and keeps those carbon footprints coming!

[atxcio]

What readers of this thread should know:

The OP doesn't believe you should put any value in these sorts of "top 10" city rankings.**

(** Unless they paint Austin in a negative light. In that case, they are accurate, and should be taken very, very seriously.)

[Mckellyb]

Yeah, and another thing, figures don't lie, but liars can figure.

Statistics can be maniputated to say anything...anything at all.

This person should stop showering and reduce their carbon footprint. How about they pitch a tent in a seemingly abandoned field? I'm all for it!

Portland is funny, because they sank a ton of money into street-level light rail. It's extremely under-used, and at one point, there was talk of promoting it as an alternative to get to the airport. Great idea! Put luggage on the train and hope it doesn't break down, again, while you try to catch a flight. Geniuses, those Oregonians.

I know I slap Oregon around, but you've really got to live there to appreciate the lack of logic with which most everything is handled.

[artsyguy]

The hill country is pretty and all but Austin is hyped up by the media and people brainwashed by it..

Originally Posted by scongress1234

the following is a letter in the recent chron:

"According to the Brookings Institute study on the per capita carbon footprint of different cities, Austin (55th out of 100) is nearly tied with Dallas (57th) and is well behind the expected Portland, Ore. (third), as well as other green meccas such as Houston (35th) and San Antonio (33rd). What gives?
Mayor, how about actually doing something to address this instead of continually marketing Austin’s long expired “green” image to bring still more “upscale” new residents and their cars to the ridiculously priced (and not “green” in the least) condos and McMansions. How about some real affordable housing centrally located? This continually moving east business is getting old. Some actual bicycle infrastructure would be nice, as well as decent public transit. Maybe one day, if you put your green money where your green mouth is, we might have a shot at catching … Houston!"



People do not want to hear the God's truth, but, in fact, Austin is far from a green, health-conscious, bike and pedestrian-friendly city.
Let's maintain the illusion, though..its more fun, and keeps those carbon footprints coming!

[scongress1234]

Originally Posted by atxcio

What readers of this thread should know:

The OP doesn't believe you should put any value in these sorts of "top 10" city rankings.**

(** Unless they paint Austin in a negative light. In that case, they are accurate, and should be taken very, very seriously.)

First, lets not use terms like OP....first, I still have no idea or care for what it means, and it just makes this seem less like real world conversation than it is already......second, it just proves that city-data is the wrong place to debate important issues, especially considering the "greening" of Austin, and the future, in light of the recent and future rapid growth, and burdening of infrastructure of the same...simple fact, greedy developers and a lax city and metro council have let the metro become essentially warped with unplanned and uncontrolled growth, which could soon end up destroying whatever ambience is left in the Austin metro..... lets simply have the courage to address it, and not focus on personal issues that totally sidetrack the issue at hand.

[love roses]

Did you want to move to Austin because you liked it or because you didn't like it and are actually being proactive in changing it into something you do like? Did you also try and do this in the city you left and didn't like? I for one call my reps all the time. They're probably annoyed with me by now

[scongress1234]

Originally Posted by love roses

Did you want to move to Austin because you liked it or because you didn't like it and are actually being proactive in changing it into something you do like? Did you also try and do this in the city you left and didn't like? I for one call my reps all the time. They're probably annoyed with me by now

Again, these are all personal questions that sidestep the issues.....just address the facts, the city, and the greening or lack of it, and, especially, the growth......actually, I would love to talk about my personal issues, but I don't want to bore people with them, and they are not germane to the
topic.....thanks for asking anyway

[AustinTraveler]

I haven't been around the boards for a while so I'm a little confused. I looked to see when you first started posting here, scongress, and found this:

I'll make my point quick and simple. I lived in Austin 6 months last year. I should have hit the job market quick while I had a 16K nest egg, but blew it partying on 6th and thereabouts, went back to Chicago, and currently have $3000.00 left from the nest egg to start over and do it right this time. I was planning on temping or such for a while at the very least. I could handle a roommate at this point. Would you folks say thats enough for a serious new start? I'm really sorry I P*ssed away all my cash, but I really fell in love with the city, and would like to do it right this time. I can truly say that those were possibly the best months of my life. I had so many sweet moments walking down all the usual ramparts, exchanging great chats with great people, and all. I can't say I ever found a sweeter, funkier, friendlier place, with festivals every week-end. God, I miss it a bunch sitting here in Chicago looking at all the snow out the window. I would love nothing more than giving Austin one more try, and seeing Barfield on Tuesdays at the Continental Club, hanging with the hippies at Eeyore's BP, and grabbing another cone of ice cream at Amy's. Can this guy with a dissipated nest egg have a reasonable chance of doing it right with 3K to start out with, but with a solid protestant work ethic this time around?
God, I miss Austin!

So, you were here for six months last year, absolutely fell in love with the place, and now you have moved back and see nothing but the bad? What happened to "exchanging great chats with great people"? Did you really move back to Austin?

[love roses]

This is off topic, but rgv just posted some pictures from the Rice Village and galleria areas in Houston if anyone is interested in seeing what these areas look like....maybe in comparison to neighborhoods in Austin or if it's really as "ugly" as some may say.

[jwb123]

So, you were here for six months last year, absolutely fell in love with the place, and now you have moved back and see nothing but the bad? What happened to "exchanging great chats with great people"? Did you really move back to Austin?

I think you are on to something AT....