Plus, the Austin airport's newest accessibility program.
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69º | Rainy | 87% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:28 a.m. | Sunset 5:42 p.m.
 

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Passing on plastic
A shelf with products in jars at Slow North
Refill on bath products and cleaning supplies at Slow North. | Photo by @slownorth
Happy Earth Month, Austin. In recognition of our beautiful planet and efforts to preserve it, we’re answering your questions on how to live more sustainably in ATX.

In a recent survey, we asked you what type of sustainability tips you’re most interested in learning about, and 44% of you said the big one: reducing plastic waste.

Americans produced ~40 million tons of plastic waste in 2021 alone. About one third of that is consumer product packaging, the vast majority of which ends up in a landfill.

These are daunting numbers, but consumers do have tools for cutting down on plastic waste by shopping in bulk — all you need to get started are some reusable containers and a grocery list.

The bulk shopping aisle in HEB, with jars of spices on shelves

Stock up on spices, nut butters, and grains in H-E-B’s bulk shopping section.

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Photo by ATXtoday

Bulk shopping involves filling your own containers with goods from a store’s deli counter or refill stations, which often contain dry goods like beans, pasta, and grains. Bulk shopping is priced per pound, so you’ll need to know the weight of your container to be able to subtract it from the total weight at the end.

Now that you’re ready to go, you can find basic refillable dry goods at most local grocery stores, including H-E-B, Central Market and Wheatsville Co-Op. You can also find specialty items like bath products and cleaning supplies at local bulk-only stores, like Luxe Refill or Slow North.

The best way to reduce plastic waste is to not make it at all, but if you find yourself with some plastics on hand, you can still dispose of them sustainably.

Austin Resource Recovery takes most types of hard plastics in your blue bin, and you can also recycle thin plastic bags at your local grocery stores. In honor of Earth Month, H-E-B recently expanded its thin bag recycling to curbside deliveries.

Happy sustainable shopping, Austin.
 
Asked
 

What other sustainability practices do you want to learn about?
A. Buying local produce
B. Reducing gas use
C. Conserving energy
D. Addressing invasive species
 
Events
 
Wednesday, April 12
  • 8th Indie Meme Film Festival | Now-Sunday, April 16 | Times vary | AFS Cinema, 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd., Austin | $70-$200 | Watch more than 20 films in 13 different languages at this festival highlighting South Asian and Iranian filmmakers.
  • The Amazing Acro-Cats Keep it Weird in Austin! | Now-Friday, Apr. 14 | 7-9 p.m. | The Dougherty Arts Center Theater, 1110 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | $40-$60 | Watch these trained cats put on a purrfect and dynamic show.
Thursday, April 13
  • The Surreal Garden | Thursday, Apr. 13-Saturday, Apr. 15 | 6:30-11 p.m. | Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin | $40-$200 | Wander through neon sculptures at this interactive art experience.
  • Koe Wetzel | Thursday, Apr. 13 | 7 p.m. | The Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr., Austin | $30-$137 | The country artist will perform alongside The Steel Woods and Red Shahan.
Friday, April 14
  • The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association Championships | Friday, Apr. 14-Sunday, Apr. 16 | Times vary | Round Rock Sports Center, 2400 Chisholm Trl., Round Rock | $10-$20 | The best college table tennis players in North America will compete in this championship tournament.
  • 8th Annual Handbuilt Motorcycle Show | Friday, Apr. 14-Sunday, Apr. 16 | Times vary | Austin American-Statesman, 305 S. Congress Ave., Austin | $25-$ | Check out motorcycles and stay for live music from Allah-Las, Sudan Archive, Soccer Mommy, and others.
Saturday, April 15
  • Texas Rollergirls Season Opener Single Header | Saturday, Apr. 15 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Austin Sports Center, 425 Woodward St., Austin | Free-$15 | Kick off the 20th season of Texas Rollergirls with this match between the Hotrod Honeys and the Hustlers.
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
 
Traffic
  • Expect road closures downtown this Sunday, April 16 as the Statesman Cap10K returns for its 46th year. Starting at 3 a.m. and reopening on a rolling basis, closures include along Congress Avenue, 15th Street, Winsted Lane, and West Cesar Chavez Street. See the full map.
Civic
Now Open
  • Cafe at The Loren, a new all-day coffee shop and cafe, opened this week at the Loren at Lady Bird Lake. The cafe serves pastries from Sour Duck, salads and flatbreads, signature coffee drinks, and cocktails.
  • The team behind the famously pink Taquero Mucho and Revival Coffee opened a new bakery at 11101 Burnet Rd. this month. Churro Co. Dessert Shop & Bakery serves up some dishes from the food truck Churro Co., plus coffees, horchata, and other drinks. (Eater Austin)
Environment
  • The US Fish and Wildlife Service declared Texas’ bracted twistflower a threatened species this week, due to the purple plant’s dwindling presence in Austin and San Antonio. The flower will be protected by the Endangered Species Act and put on a recovery plan. (Texas Tribune)
Award
  • Austinite Christabell Nuñez was named Miss Texas Plus America 2023 last month, becoming the first woman of color from ATX to win the crown. Learn more about Nuñez and her upbringing in East Austin. (CultureMap Austin)
Shop
 
 
Travel
 

Making the invisible visible
A crowd of people wait in line at Checkpoint 1 at the Austin airport.
People with non-visible disabilities may need additional time or assistance during the traveling process. | Photo by Dan Herron, courtesy Austin Bergstrom International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport just announced a new service aimed at making travel easier for passengers with non-visible disabilities.

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, which officially launched in Austin on Saturday, April 1, offers a green lanyard with sunflowers to passengers with non-visible disabilities like autism, dementia, or an anxiety disorder.

Travelers experiencing these conditions may need additional time, support, or physical assistance during the flying process, and the lanyards act as a subtle visual cue for airport staff.

The initiative is part of an international program currently in place in 90+ airports in North America, and follows other recently implemented accessibility efforts at AUS. In December, the airport also opened a Mobility Lounge, a designated seating and pick-up area for people requiring mobility assistance.

Passengers can request a sunflower lanyard by emailing AUS.GuestServices@FlyAustin.com or calling 512-530-2414.
 
Answered
 

Your favorite locally filmed movies
A gif of a person moving a red stapler, from the film "Office Space."

Sounds like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays.

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Gif via Giphy

Earlier this week, we asked you what your favorite locally filmed movies are, and the votes are in. Here were your top three picks:
Some of you also shared your thoughts on Austin’s growing filmmaking scene.

“So cool that Austin is growing not just in whole but in filmmaking scenes as well.” — Vera C.

“It’s challenging for local filmmakers & actors that aren’t ‘connected’ to have access to costly equipment, mentorship, and audition opportunities if they don’t have agents.” — Jo Ann E.

“This should provide some valuable internships for Austin Community College Radio/TV/Film student(s).” — Phil S.
 
The Wrap
 
London Gibson

Today’s edition by:
London
From the editor
Is now a good time to admit I’ve never seen “Office Space”? Let me know if now’s the time to queue this one up for movie night.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? He risked it all for barbecue, and it’s paying off.
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