How Austin stays sustainable: food, fashion and fresh air
By: Gracie Watt
The city of Austin has gained a reputation over the years of being an environmentally-conscious, “green” city. But do they live up to their tree-hugging reputation?
Three ways in which locals keep Austin sustainable are through shopping at vintage stores, eating vegan and local, and getting active outside.
Garment is a vintage store located on South Lamar Blvd. People can bring in their vintage items to exchange, but the store also sources clothing from events and sales in different cities.These boots are an example of the kind of gems that one can find at Garment. The store specializes in styles from the 70s to the early 2000s. When it comes to personal preference, though, store manager Maegen Villarreal gravitates towards a 90s look. “We really like fun patterns, designs and colors. We like to find pieces that bring a lot of life into the store,” Villarreal said.Villarreal poses with one of her favorite pieces in the store, a vintage Coco Chanel jacket. “Everything comes back into style eventually. Shopping sustainably is a really good way to reduce your waste. We go through so much clothing in our lives as we grow and styles change, so it’s better to find quality over quantity,” the conscious store manager explained.Our next stop is Conscious Cravings, a locally-owned, vegan food truck located nearby. Highlights of their menu include the Cacao Banana smoothie (pictured), the Spicy Chickpea wrap, the Quinoa salad and more.“It’s good to have all kinds of food options in a diverse community. Texas is famous for their barbecue, but in the past 5 years, Austin has become a vegan hotspot of the south,” vegan chef Hah a Hall said. He also advised that when one is attempting to eat more consciously, it’s important to look out for processed foods, GMOs, sugar and acidic foods.Mount Bonnell towers above the Colorado River, and provides ample views of Austin’s rolling hills and impressive real estate. The hill rises 775 ft above sea level, and is the highest point in Austin, therefore a popular place among tourists and locals to explore and hike.“It’s important to get outside because it helps you connect to the natural energy that’s around you and inside of you,” park-goer Leslie Baker said. Baker and her friends are gathered for a picnic at Mount Bonnell to celebrate her engagement.Mount Bonnell is a great place for sightseeing and watching the sunset from an elevated area in Austin.
