It’s report card time for the City of Austin, but this time it’s not Math and Social Studies grades reflected on this progress report. Instead, it’s quantitative data that shows how the city is performing in 10 key sustainability areas. This new report card can be found on the new Sustainability Dashboard, an online resource created by the City’s Office of Sustainability “as a part of former City Manager Marc Ott’s commitment to maximizing community transparency regarding City performance and operations,” according to a press release.
The 10 key areas that the dashboard reports on all fall under the general umbrellas of prosperity and jobs, conservation and the environment, and community health, equity, and cultural vitality.
Here’s what it looks like…
And here are the 10 key areas included in the dashboard…
Climate: Emissions & Impacts
Energy: Demand & Renewables Supply
Water: Use, Reuse & Availability
Zero Waste: Materials Diversion
Mobility: Alternative Fuels & Mode Shifts
Built Environment: Buildings & Land
Ecosystems
Food & Health
Economy & Creativity
Equity & Livability
A variety of indicators that the city collects data for exist under each focus area. This data is collected regularly to “report on both the performance of City of Austin municipal operations, as well as sustainability progress within the broader Austin community,” according to the dashboard description on the Sustainability Dashboard site.
The dashboard breaks down each focus area and its indicators, as well as which goals it has achieved and which areas still need improvement.
The ultimate goal of the dashboard is to provide transparent information that helps citizens and city leadership the ability to make informed decisions, track progress, and take action to help improve these important areas that contribute to the city’s overall health.
“Austin has always been green at heart, but having accessible data about how we’re actually doing gives everyone the tools to do even better. We can now apply what we know to ensure Austin’s bright, green future,” Chief Sustainability Officer Lucia Athens notes. “This is a fitting milestone for us to mark the 6th year of the Office of Sustainability.”
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Featured photo: screenshot from Sustainability Dashboard
