Happy Earth Day!

Assorted organizations are celebrating Earth Day today, including H-E-B, which is again offering customers free reusable shopping bags in exchange for 4 plastic bags. The program runs strictly from 3-7 p.m., during which time the grocery chain anticipates handing out over a quarter million bags (and, in turn, collecting over a million plastic bags). Also of note, AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) proudly unveiled its recently-installed set of 117 new solar panels. The panels came at a cost of $125k, of which $100k was reimbursed via rebate by Austin Energy, and are expected to generate savings of $230k over the course of their 25-year lifetime. For more info on the various rebate programs that Austin Energy makes available to home customers, check out their website. [Austin Energy]