February 19, 2018
Tierra Prometida, an alpaca ranch 15 miles west of San Marcos, is home to dozens of alpacas. Alpaca wool is more eco-friendly than synthetic fibers and even other woolly livestock.
environment
State legislation threatens local tree ordinances in Texas cities
December 4, 2017
This summer, concerned citizens filled the halls of the Texas Capitol, testifying passionately over controversial subjects from insurance coverage of abortions to the “bathroom bill” aimed at transgender people. Meanwhile, city officials and activists from cities and towns across the state gathered in Austin to fight for an entirely different category of living things that call urban landscapes like Austin home: trees.
Coal, Renewable Energy and Carbon Emissions in Texas
Forty-three percent of Americans want President Donald Trump to revive the coal industry and 64 percent think he can do it, according to the spring 2017 edition of the biannual University of Texas Energy Poll.
However, energy market experts believe coal isn’t coming back.
The Value of a Tree: myTreeKeeper and Austin’s Urban Forest
Other than as hammock poles and hiding spots for the elusive albino squirrel, the nearly 5,000 trees on the UT main campus are useful for helping filter the air and keep buildings cool with shade, and a new interactive website can now show curious Longhorns an exact dollar amount for the benefits their favorite tree provides.
Buildings on campus recycle wood from Dell Medical School construction site
November 30, 2016
Trees removed from the Dell Medical School construction site are getting a second life, being repurposed into furniture for places around campus.
Science under the Stars lecture features lemurs
November 14, 2016
On Thursday at the Brackenridge Field Laboratory, integrative biology graduate student Amanda Perofsky gave a talk about the diverse world of lemurs and some of the challenges they face.
UT economics student researches sustainable agriculture
November 8, 2016
When economics junior Joy Youwakim was growing up, she grew tired of being told to eat everything on her plate because people elsewhere were starving.
“It’s ridiculous that it’s 2016, and there are still people that are hungry in the world, especially when we produce enough,” Youwakim said.
UT celebrates Texas Arbor Day, educates community about trees
November 7, 2016
with Brittany Wagner, The Daily Texan
UT Landscape Services celebrated Texas Arbor Day on Friday by planting trees next to the turtle pond, educating the UT community about tree care and giving away seedlings grown from seeds gathered from campus.
Tropical fish move to stay cool
October 20, 2016
When ocean temperatures rise, tropical fish which struggled to adapt would rather pack up and move than adapt.
As climate change causes warmer ocean temperatures, temperature-sensitive coral reef fish tend to migrate to a cooler area if given the chance, according to a recent international study led by University of Copenhagen’s Adam Habary and supervised by UT Marine Science Institute postdoctoral fellow Jacob Johansen.
UT creates first sustainability master plan
October 4, 2016
On Friday, a working group of students, faculty and staff from across campus unveiled UT’s first campus-wide Sustainability Master Plan.
The plan, intended to guide development in conservation, social equality and environmental education over the next 15 years, defines sustainability as development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the security of future generations.
Julianne Hodges 