Austin Residents Reveal Daily Sustainable Habits Cutting Waste and Energy Use

Residents in Austin have tightened daily routines around composting, transit and local sourcing as summer temperatures climb and utility bills rise.

The push comes as the city grows and households look for ways to lower costs tied to water, power and landfill fees that climbed again this spring.

One East Cesar Chavez resident walks three blocks to the weekly market at Republic Square every Saturday for produce and eggs, then drops food scraps at the Austin Resource Recovery drop-off site on the same trip. A family in the Mueller district uses the neighborhood community garden plots to grow herbs and tomatoes, cutting weekly grocery runs by roughly one trip.

City data released in May showed that households enrolled in the curbside composting program cut landfill waste by an average of 28 percent last year, with the program now serving 92,000 addresses after its 2024 expansion.

Composting and food choices

Locals keep two bins on the counter: one for yard trimmings and one for kitchen scraps that they empty twice a week into the green cart. Several households report buying only what fits in a single reusable tote at the market, which has trimmed their monthly food spending by about 15 percent since they started the practice in 2023.

Getting around without a car

Many skip short drives by taking the CapMetro Route 1 or 3 buses along East 7th Street or pedaling the trail around Lady Bird Lake. One household tracked its mileage and found it saved $180 on gas over three months after switching two weekly errands to the bus and bike.

Start with one change that fits an existing route, such as bringing a compost bucket to the next market visit or testing the bus for a single errand this week.