March E-Newsletter from VNRC
Today is Town Meeting Day in Vermont! Don’t forget to vote, if you haven’t already. Read on for news and updates from VNRC.
Latest News
— Town Meeting Day is today — Have you voted yet? Find your polling place at mvp.vermont.gov. All polls in Vermont close at 7pm.
— New! Vermont Environmental Report is available — The latest issue focuses on investments Vermont must make in our people and environment in order to weather current and future crises, and build back better from COVID-19. Read it here.
— Catch up with VNRC’s Climate Dispatch! — Our weekly video series clues you into what’s happening at the (virtual) State House around climate, including transportation modernization, energy efficiency, and more. In our latest episode we speak with Rep. Laura Sibilia about a bill promoting equitable access to broadband internet. Find all episodes here and sign up here to receive each week’s installment in your inbox.
Virtual Film Nights
— Coming up: April 8: VNRC’s 13th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival — We’re back with another installment of this acclaimed film festival celebrating the world’s most wonderful places and the people who care for them. View the film line-up and get tickets here. Learn more below.
— March 2-12: Climate Action Film Festival — Suncommon’s 2nd Annual CAFF begins tomorrow! Enjoy a showcase of short films about global approaches to addressing the climate crisis. Get tickets and learn more here.
Apply Now…
— James W. Marvin Award in Science and Conservation — This award is offered annually to a Vermont-based young professional or a post-secondary or high-school student pursuing work in the areas of botany, maple science, and conservation. Nominate yourself of someone else by April 12. Find more information here.
— Tiny Grant Applications are Open — The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) welcomes conservation commissions across Vermont to apply for this year’s round of Tiny Grants, which support projects in land conservation, education and outreach, stewardship and management, and planning. Learn more and apply here. (Plus, view AVCC’s 2020 Annual Report, which profiles last year’s Tiny Grant recipients!)
— Small Grants for Smart Growth — VNRC’s Small Grants program is accepting applications on a rolling basis for community-based initiatives related to smart growth. Find out here if your project is eligible!
In the News…
— Vermont is a safe haven for climate migrants — Our Executive Director Brian Shupe penned an article about the need to prepare for inevitable climate migration to Vermont, and our Sustainable Communities Program Director Kate McCarthy served on a panel about dealing with these challenges. Plus, if you haven’t seen it already, catch this CBS This Morning segment on how people with the means are relocating to “climate haven” locales like Vermont.
— Vermont’s federal delegation once again among greenest in the nation — Check out the National Environmental Scorecard from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV). See how well Vermont’s federal delegation did advancing pro-environment, pro-democracy policies in 2020. (Hint: pretty well!)
— Rep. Deb Haaland’s confirmation would be historic — If confirmed by the Senate, Haaland (President Biden’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior) would become the first Indigenous person to serve in this role. She is expected to lead us towards a more inclusive and equitable vision for nature conservation in the United States. More here.
— “Black Bears, Black Liberation” — “An enslaved Black man becoming an expert in black-bear behavior, ecology and hunting techniques is an incredible feat and has been an untold story.” In Patagonia, wildlife biologist Rae Wynn-Grant uncovers a part of the history of slavery that few people know about. Read it here.
Find more details below…
Town Meeting Day is Today!
Have you voted yet? Find your polling place at mvp.vermont.gov. All polls close at 7pm.
Though the pandemic has upended Vermont’s town meeting tradition of in-person debate, today is still an important opportunity to play a part in shaping local policy.
(If you’re interested in universally mailed ballots becoming a permanent part of Vermont elections, learn more at vermontvoterchoice.org.)
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
We’re back for our 13th year hosting the acclaimed Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Vermont. Join us for a night of inspiring short films, from the safety and comfort of your own home!
This year’s films explore the resilience of people and the environment, from the bikepacking adventures of an all-Black female team, to a project turning marine debris into 3D-printed prosthetic limbs, to the uncertain fate of penguins on a remote island off Antarctica.
Tickets are by donation. A donation of $10 or more enters you in this year’s raffle (prizes will be announced soon). Each household only needs one ticket to view the films. Some ticket options include VNRC memberships.
Get tickets and view the film line-up here: vnrc.org/wsff2021.
Investing in a Better Future
Our newest edition of the Vermont Environmental Report (VER) is now on its way to members’ mailboxes! View it online here.
This issue is about how the right investments in our environment and communities will do more than ensure a healthier, greener state. They’ll also help usher in Vermont’s economic recovery after COVID-19.
Featuring: A spotlight on the cost of toxic contamination, a discussion of the “intangible” costs of delaying investment in Vermonters, a Member Profile with Paul Zabriskie of Capstone Community Action, and much more!
Support Us!
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