Check out the latest this week from some of the best sustainable institutions!
Second Nature (good watch):
New Release: Second Nature Sustainability Sit-Downs Video #4
Sustainability Sit-Downs #4 is out. This week’s video features Tim Carter, President of Second Nature, discussing higher education’s role in making a sustainability society. Sustainability Sit-Downs is a new Second Nature video series consisting of 12 short interviews with sustainability leaders in higher education and partner organizations. A new video will be released every Wednesday.
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/gsbOIcamwXk
New Release: Second Nature Sustainability Sit-Downs Videos #5This week’s video features Katharine Jacobs, Director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions and former Assistant Director in the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of the President. She will discuss challenges and solutions for higher education in promoting a sustainable society. Sustainability Sit-Downs is a new Second Nature video series consisting of 12 short interviews with sustainability leaders in higher education and partner organizations. A new video will be released every Wednesday.Watch the video: https://youtu.be/tHgsMBtPdM8
AASHE (good reads, conferences, jobs)
Vermont Campus Sustainability Network’s Spring 2015 Newsletter (good read/recycling/energy/transportation):
Spring 2015 Vermont Campus Sustainability Network Meeting Newsletter
Champlain College on January 28
Representatives from Champlain College, St. John’s Academy, Green Mountain Power, Green Mountain College, Efficiency Vermont, St. Michael’s College, CATMA, VEIC, Marlboro, VT Dept of Environmental Conversation, Goddard College and University of Vermont attended.
Agenda:
10 am: Welcome from Christina Erickson (Champlain College) followed by attendee introductions
10:15 am: Universal Recycling Law Presentation by Bryn Oakleaf of the VT Department of Environmental Conservation
11:00 am: On Campus EV Charging Stations and Transportation Demand Management Presentation by Vermont Energy Investment Corporation’s transportation group and Campus Area Transportation Management Association.11:45 am: Tour of Champlain College’s Campus Transportation with Christina Erickson and Nic Anderson
12:30 pm: Lunch (provided by Efficiency Vermont) and Networking
1:15 pm: Real Food Challenge at UVM presentation by Caylin McKee and Maria Carabello
2:00 pm- 2:10pm– Richard Donnelly2:10 pm: Campus Updates, Announcements, and Open Discussion
3:00 pm: End
Universal Recycling Law
Bryn Oakleaf
VT Agency of Natural Resources
Helpful Links:
Standardized Symbols for download:
https://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/solid/URsymbols.htm
Universal Recycling for Businesses & Institutions:
https://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/solid/URbusiness.htm
Publications & Reports generated by/for ANR:
https://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/wastediv/solid/Pubs_and_Reports.htm
Vermont Organics Recycling Summit – April 2, 2015
https://www.compostingvermont.org/VORS.html
Waste Composition Study reveals more than half of our current waste can be recaptured and recycled. Currently, 18% of waste or 29,000 tons of organics can be diverted. We need to change our view of waste. VT recycling rate has been 30-36% for the past 10 years, it is anticipated to become 50% with the new UR law. Consistent messaging and logos will help the public choose the right container and recycling containers should be bigger than trash.
The Universal Recycling Law mandates collection by facilities/haulers that collect trash. Compliance dates are as follows; July 2014 generators of 104 tons/year must divert materials to any certified facility within 20 miles, July 2015 generators of 52 tons/year must comply, July 2016 generators of 26 tons/year must comply, July 17 generators of 18 tons/year must comply, and July 2020 all food scraps banned from landfill. This summer residential trash charges by volume or weight must be charged, recyclables are banned from landfill, facilitates must accept leaf and yard debris, haulers can not charge extra for recycling, and public buildings must provide recycling containers.
Forty-nine million Americans live in food insecure homes (1 out of 6). Thirteen percent of Vermonters are food insecure, which is an increase from 2000 (4%). Reducing food losses by 15% could feed 25 million. Forty percent of food produced in America goes uneaten. The average US family of 4 wastes $1,500/year in lost food. The University of Vermont uses this calculation for students 13,000 x lbs./student/week 1.13 x = 14,690 lbs/week.
Opportunities for VCSN
⁃ Food Recovery Network, Campus Kitchen
⁃ USEPA Food Recovery Challenge, USDA Food Waste Challenge
⁃ Ecoteams or ecoreps
⁃ move-in/move-out help with reuse organizations & community shelters
⁃ conduct waste audits
⁃ Digester on Campus
CATMA Presentation
Sandy Thibault
CATMA is a TMA (Transportation Management Association). It links the private and public sector to facilitate movement of people and goods with the ability to decrease traffic and parking congestion. There are 175 TMAs in the US. The founders are Champlain, UVM, & UVM medical school, with associate members CCRPC, City of Burlington, Redstone Lofts/Apartments, and Seventh Generation. They coordinate programs and services, such as bike/walk reward program, CarShare VT, free bus passes for students, and guaranteed ride home. Working together on transportation issues help make program more economical to implement. Single occupancy vehicles rates have decreased (70% in 2000 to 40% in 2012). UVM students with cars have decreased from 50% in 2003 to 35% in 2012.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for College Campuses
Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Michelle McCutcheon-Schour
Forty-six percent of Vermont’s GHG emissions are from transportation. Electric vehicles (EVs) usage is growing, mostly hybrids. EVs benefits include; gas cost reduced, reduced emissions, and are comfortable. There are three levels of charging equipment:
⁃ Level 1 120v – 6-10 hours
⁃ Level 2 208/240v – 1-3 hours
⁃ DC-Fast Charging 480v – 15-30 minutes
When deciding on what kind of charger, you need to think about the users needs and behavior, the electricity available, and the site location (visibility, accessibility, and durability). In Vermont, you need to think about plowing issues. EV charging locations are predominately located in the home, workplace, and public. Campuses are unique because they are both workplaces and residential. The benefits for campuses to install charging stations include; data collection, commitment to the environment, and opportunity to charge for charging.
Real Food Challenge
Caylin McKee and Maria Carabello
The Real Food Challenge is committed to 20% real food by 2020. It was founded in 2008, to leverage higher education institution to create more opportunities for real food. There are four categories for food: local, ecological sound, fair, and humane. UVM was one of the first to sign. UVM students have taken advantage of leadership trainings hosted by the Real Food Challenge. UVM leaders invested in the Real Food Challenge have organized a working group with representatives from dining services, staff, students and faculty. There are three sub-committees concentrating on policy, implementation, and outreach. They have patterned with classes to do research. A student club called Real Food Revolution has been established. There are paid internships for students to help with gathering data for the calculation. Student eco-reps help gather data from non-Sodexo establishments on campus. Sodexo supports the Real Food Challenge, so any institution with Sodexo can join the Real Food Challenge. The calculator is available to institutions that have not signed the challenge.
Please find information about the Efficiency Vermont’s Deep Energy Retrofits initiative and powerpoints attached:
Attachment Size VCSN_28Jan2015.pdf 6.73 MB VCSN-CATMA Jan 2015 Final.pdf 3.15 MB 20150123 VCSN Charging Station Presentation.pdf 967.95 KB Deep Retrofit Application FINAL.PDF 142.47 KB Deep Retrofit FAQ FINAL.PDF 97.06 KB
- Questions or comments? E-mail us at admin@vtgreencampus.org.
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Are you interested in becoming a sponsor of the Vermont Campus Sustainability Network? As a sponsor your company will appear on our website. For more detailed information please contact us at admin@vtgreencampus.org.
VCSN receives support from Efficiency Vermont and the University of Vermont’s Office of Sustainability.
Peace and Justice Center (good read/local events):
Vets for Peace
petition to
De-Militarize the Police
Militarization of the police has negative impacts on both the relationship between the public and the police as well as security and safety concerns. Vermont is arming our police forces in our own backyard with assault riffles and other weapons. The Will Miller Green Mountain Veterans for Peace has created a petition to start the conversation with legislators on beginning to change these laws and create regulation around these weapons. Please join us in signing the petition to demilitarize police in Vermont.
$2.00 tickets for Gregory Porter
Pick up a voucher at PJC and redeem it at the Flynn for a $2 ticket. For current members and volunteers.
Find membership info here.
The Flynn Center Presents Gregory Porter
Thurs, Feb 19, 7:30pm
“The brilliant new voice of jazz.” -Huffington Post
A big man with a big sound, Gregory Porter has quickly become one of jazz’s most important male vocalists. The 2014 Grammy winner for Best Jazz Vocal Album is a soul-drenched singer with star power, and has “what you want in a male jazz singer, and maybe a thing or two you didn’t know you wanted” (New York Times). A minister’s son with a deep love of Nat King Cole, Porter personifies the soulful spirit of the ’70s and combines gospel-shout power with the honeyed tone of a crooner. Prepare to be moved by this incredible live performer.
Find more info here.
Monday–Friday: 10am-6pm
Store HoursMonday–Thursday: 10am-6pmFriday–Saturday: 10am-7pmSunday: closed Jan-Feb; starting March 1 open 11-4pm
Hours are subject to change. Call 802-863-2345 x2 to confirm.
Location60 Lake Street, 1CBurlington Waterfront.(Next to The Skinny Pancake)
If you would like an event listed, please emailcalendar@pjcvt.org
International Women’s Day Screening:“I Am A Girl”
There is a group of people in the world today who are more persecuted than anyone else, but they are not political or religious activists. They are girls. Being born a girl means you are more likely to be subjected to violence, disease, poverty and disadvantage than any other group on the planet. As each girl moves closer to coming of age, I AM A GIRL, a feature length documentary, reveals what it means to grow up female in the 21st century.
Thursday, March 12, 7-8:30pm
In honor of International Women’s Day, the Peace & Justice Center is presenting a documentary film about the trials and tribulations women face and the strength they carry in confronting them. This screening, at the Roxy Theater, is contingent on 60 tickets being sold. Help us reach our goal and reserve your tickets now.
Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform, founded in 2013, is working on this. We didn’t start the work; many efforts to provide alternatives have gone on in Vermont for a long time, from the early days of setting up the community justice centers in the 90s to the most recent efforts in the legislature to ensure bias-free policing.
What we’ve added is statewide coordination and grassroots organizing. The Vermont Justice Coalition consists of about 30 organizations and departments of state government attempting to work together on a broad range of reforms, organized around alternatives to incarceration, conditions inside, and re-entry. This is a “grasstops” coalition.
The heart of our work, though, is the grassroots, movement-building effort. We work to develop local leadership, especially among those directly affected, and have local coordinators – both established and emerging – in St. Johnsbury, Bennington, Brattleboro, Montpelier, Rutland, WRJ/Upper Valley, Middlebury, and Burlington. Local coordinators set up their own activities, which we share in monthly phone calls. At the grassroots level, the Locked Up & #ShippedAway campaign focuses on Vermont’s practice of shipping ¼ of our inmates out of state as a result of having too many people to lock up here. (Sign the petition here.) Our Stories Project involves getting people’s stories on video and thus out to the larger public. We invite and encourage stories from everyone, especially those directly affected. This is how we will change hearts and minds.
Our legislative task force – where the grassroots and grasstops meet – has developed a strong legislative proposal. The bill, with Rep. Mollie Burke (P/D Brattleboro) as the lead sponsor, has the strong support of the Women’s Legislative Caucus and many others. It was introduced in the House today, February 17 and numbered H221.
The immediate goal of all our work is to reduce the number of people in jail. Along the way, our goals are to humanize the inmate population – these are our mothers, fathers, brothers, friends, to reduce the stigma of incarceration, and to draw attention to the brutality of locking people in cages. We oppose the War on Drugs, the racial disparities in the system, and using Corrections to provide social services that should be provided by community-based programs on the outside. Our long-term goal is to replace our current system of punishment with a more restorative system. Community-based restorative justice aims not to punish and instead to hold people accountable and repair relationships and communities. This is the vision that sustains us in the face of a continual onslaught of disheartening experiences.
We invite everyone to get involved. For more information, check out our website, send us an email or call Suzi at 864-5651.
Click here to register for this workshop at the Peace & Justice Center. BRING A CUSHION. Free.
All hands on deck: Help make voting possible for all Burlington residents! Volunteer or donate today!
Dear Friends,
Loving our neighbors may come in many forms, including the universal act of sharing. For me, power sharing is one of the most definitive ways to demonstrate our care for one another, which is at the root of why all of our neighbors should be eligible to participate in local decision-making processes.
At Town Meeting Day on March 3rd, Burlington voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on the following non-binding ballot question: Shall the Vermont Constitution be amended to give residents of Vermont who are not currently citizens of the United States of America the right to vote in municipal and school elections?
It’s clutch time for supporting noncitizen residents and it is with great enthusiasm and some anxiety that I’m reaching out to you today. The enthusiasm comes from all the positive feedback and overwhelming support we’ve received in the community around the opportunity torestore voting eligibility to legal noncitizen residents in Vermont. The anxiety comes from the increasing workload involved in doing ample outreach to educate voters about the benefits of allowing legal noncitizen residents the opportunity to vote in local citywide elections.
For more information about the ballot item, watch the February 5th Public Panel on Voter Eligibility introduced by Mayor Miro Weinberger on Channel 17, or check out I Vote Vermont’s website or Facebook page.
As we move closer to March 3rd, we need more people to contribute time and/or money. We hope to beef up to a solid force of people ready and willing to do some door knocking, phone calls and distribute leaflets around town. Please let me know if you can be available to help reach out to your neighbors between now and Town Meeting Day, and we’ll meet you when and where it’s convenient with materials for you to share with them.
If you find the demands of life to be preventing you from committing your time right now, please consider giving atax-deductible donation to the project. We can really use your help.
We are experiencing a drought in our CSA (Community Supported Action) and we need to make it rain! If we can get about 30 people to donate $50 each,we will be in good shape. We are very grateful for any amount you can contribute.
Please donate online or send checks payable to the Peace & Justice Center, 60 Lake Street, Burlington VT 05401, and please note I Vote Vermont in the memo section.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Sincerely,Infinite Culcleasure, Lead Organizer for I Vote Vermont
“No great victories are won in a war for the transformation of a whole people without total participation. Less than this will not create a new society; it will only evoke more sophisticated token amelioration.” – MLK
More Upcoming Events
February 21, Saturday
- 10-12 Will Miller Green Mountain Chapter of Veterans for Peace meets monthly in Montpelier’s Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
- 11:30 – 12:30pm Vermont Compassion Centers:learn about the VT law allowing for legal medical marijuana access. We are available online at and we meet on the first and third Saturdays at the Peace & Justice Center, Burlington. Note – these classes are not sponsored by or authorized in any way by the Vermont Marijuana Registry or the state of Vermont or any governmental agency of any sort. The presenters are solely responsible for the information presented.
February 20 & 21 & 28, Friday & Saturdays
- Concert to Benefit “THE PALESTINIAN VIOLIN”with violinist, Michael Dabroski. Friday, Feb. 20 at 7pm: Richmond Library, 201 Bridge St. Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2:00pm: Ascension Lutheran Church, 95 Allen Rd, South Burlington. Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7pm: Collins Center, Dartmouth College. The concert program includes Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suite No. 5 BWV 1011 (arranged for violin) and Michael Dabroski’s original Suite for Ramallah (2014) inspired by a trip to Ramallah, West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza in December 2013.
$20 suggested donation; $10 for seniors and students. All proceeds go to Al Kamandjati, a nonprofit association in Ramallah that provides music education to Palestinian children living in refugee camps and rural villages. Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel is partnering with the Tree of Life Educational Fund and Al Kamandjati to present these concerts. For more info contact Mousa and Kris Ishaq or 802-878-3695.
VTJP proudly sponsors “The Palestinian Violin: A Journey to Elevate the Human Spirit” in three parts – a story of music and hope about a violin and its maker, and violin performances. The journey commences with fundraising concerts to commission the making of a violin by Palestinian Shehada Shalalda from Ramallah. Vermont-based violinist Michael Dabroski then visits Ramallah in March 2015 to meet with Shehada and receive the instrument. Mr. Dabroski returns to Vermont and the US to perform concerts with the instrument for all to rejoice in its sound and living spirit.
March 2, Monday and March 4, Wednesday
- 6:30-8pm Mindfulness and Self-Compassion andMindfulness in Interpersonal and Difficult Relationships at the Peace & Justice Center. There is a natural progression from one to the other. Bring a cushion. See article above for registration link.
March 4, Wednesday
- 5:25pm CORN, (conversation on race now) show on Channel 17 on Interracial Relationships. (Online under CCTV social justice category.) There will be a live portion and folks are invited to call in. For more information and if you would like to be a guest on the show, contact Vivian Mason at vhm8446@gmail.com, co-founder of CORN.
- 7pm India Rising. With its sweeping victory in the 2014 elections, India’s right-wing Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party is promising to revitalize the economy. But critics warn that the BJP has often advanced its policies through authoritarianism and religious violence. UVM history professor Abby McGowan considers the challenges and opportunities facing the new government. Rutland Free Library, 10 Court St.
March 7, 14, 21, 28, Saturdays
- 3:30-5:00pm. How to Talk to Kids About Racism.Fletcher Free Library, College St Burlington. This group will be guided by two facilitators, one white and one person of color. Please plan to attend all four sessions. 20 person maximum. The discussion group is free, but registration is required. If we are over-enrolled, preference will be given to PJC members. For membership information, visit www.pjcvt.org. Pleasepre-register. If you need childcare in order to attend, please note that on the registration. For more information, contact Andi or call 802-863-2345 x9
March 8 & 10, Sunday & Tuesday
- New Jim Crow Discussion group 3-5 on Sunday and6-8pm on Tuesday. Although reading the entire book is encouraged, participants are expected to have read the introduction at a minimum. To register, please email Andi with the subject “New Jim Crow.” All are welcome to attend. This is a FREE program. Pre-registration is required. 25 person limit. Preference will be given to current members. Turning Point Center, Barre.
VNRC (good read):
Get Involved Visit Our Website Give
E-News February 2015
We’re approaching the mid-way point of the 2015 legislative session, the sheen of a new session gone, and serious cold has settled in. This is when the really tough work begins, and this is a time VNRC and our partners need your help.
Lawmakers need to hear from you now, as they begin to make important decisions. They need to hear that Lake Champlain cleanup matters, that putting a price on carbon pollution matters, and that a strong farm and forest economy matters. Right now is a great time to talk to the lawmakers who represent you and we urge you to make your voice heard. Want find out who represents you? You can go here and in the search bar click “legislator” and then type in your town. You House reps and Senators and their contact information will be listed.
If you want more information on pending legislatio, please email Jake Brown, VNRC’s Director of Communications/Public Affairs. We’ll get you all you need to make your voice heard.
(Late update: an important and positive renewable energy yesterday passed a key committee in the House. Public Service Department Deputy Commissioner of Darren Springer offers a good summary of the measure, H.40, in this short video.)
As always, thanks for all you do!
In Recent Op-Ed, VNRC’s Jamey Fidel Makes Case for Keeping Current Use Strong
In a commentary piece that has appeared recently in various media outlets including the Rutland Herald, Barre/Montpelier Times Argus, the Burlington Free Press and VTDigger, VNRC’s Forest and Wildlife Program Director Jamey Fidel recently laid out policy suggestion to assure Current Use, the farm and forest tax equity program, remains financially strong well into the future. In his piece, Fidel suggests increasing the penalty for taking land out of Current Use and developing it. Increasing the penalty, he argues, is far better than taking a time out on the program, something that has been under consideration in the State House.
“Rather than stifling the conservation of productive farm and forestland through a moratorium on new enrollments or increased taxes on enrolled landowners, a better solution is to strengthen the weak penalty for landowners leaving the program and developing their land,” he writes. You can read the piece here.
VNRC Continues to Explore Policy to Put a Fair Price on Carbon Pollution
VNRC continues to work with a growing coalition of diverse partners to advocate for Vermont to put a price on carbon pollution. The Energy Independent Vermont coalition recently convened a successful, small training for Vermonters interested in a deeper look at the policy – and how they can help shape and advocate for it.
“We know that it is going to take a lot of hard work and creative minds to ensure that Vermont puts together a policy that significantly reduces carbon pollution, grows jobs and our economy and mitigates the impact to people who are already struggling to make ends meet,” said Johanna Miller, VNRC’s energy program director (pictured at left in front of screen). “We know its possible to craft a policy that achieves all three of those goals, but it won’t be easy,” she said. “Strengthening people’s understanding of the issues and support for this kind of policy is essential.”
Read more about the effort here or attend an upcoming forum on it in your community. Mark your calendars for a forum in the Upper Valley on March 5.
Vermont’s Profession Regulation Office Suggests Foresters Should be Licensed
The Vermont Secretary of State’s professional regulation office recently recommended that Vermont foresters be licensed.
The advice comes in response to a request last year from the Legislature to the Secretary of State’s Office of Professional Regulation to research the question.
The report found that Vermont and Rhode Island are the only New England states that do not have some sort of regulation of forestry as a profession.
VNRC is on record supporting licensure, but to move forward it will require legislation and input from foresters as far as how the requirements will work.
Well-Established in Chittenden County, CarShare Vermont to Set up Shop in Montpelier
CarShare Vermont has announced it’s expanding into Montpelier this April.
After two years of outreach and market research, the organization will be launching its first expansion project outside of Chittenden County.
Generally speaking, car share systems allow people to get access to cars in their communities when they need them. This offers people the option of not having to own a car.
CarShare organizers believe Montpelier is ready and eager to embrace car-sharing. This spring, in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Transportation and with the city’s support, they will be rolling out a two-year pilot project to place two fuel-efficient vehicles in the downtown.
If you would like to get involved, please email CareShare at alicia@carsharevt.org or call (802) 861-2340.
Have You Ever Wondered How to Pay for Solar? New Guide Outlines Financing Ideas
The Montpelier-based Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) has released a newguide to help homeowners navigate the complex landscape of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) system financing. The free online publication, titled A Homeowner’s Guide to Solar Financing: Leases, Loans and PPAs, can help homeowners make sound decisions and select the best financing option for their needs.
VNRC has also been working with partners, including the Vermont Law School and Vermont League of Cities and Towns, to put together a compendium of resources — model documents (such as RFPs), model contracts and lease agreements, case studies, guidance on siting and more. These resources will be available at VECAN.net soon. If you’d like more information about these Vermont-specific resources or have questions about going solar, contact VNRC’s Energy Program Director Johanna Miller —jmiller@vnrc.org or 802-223-2328 ext. 112.
VNRC, Green Mountain Club, Vermont Chapter of Sierra Club to Host Talk on Forests
Please Join the Vermont Natural Resources Council, The Green Mountain Club and the Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club for a discussion on forest fragmentation at the Green Mountain Club Headquarters in Waterbury on Tuesday, March 10 from 6:30 -8:30 pm. Discussion will be facilitated by Sierra Club Chapter Chair Mark Nelson.
GMC’s Executive Director Mike Debonis will discuss why intact forest landscapes matter and why they are important to wildlife, communities and public health. VNRC’s Jamey Fidel will present current research on fragmentation trends, and an action plan for addressing fragmentation. Join us at the start of the event for a pizza social. For more information please contact Robb Kidd, at the Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club at802-505-1540.
Express Yourself! VNRC, Partners to Hold Clean Water Day at State House March 17 
Come learn about pending water-related legisation and show your support for clean water at Clean Water Day on March 17.
The upcoming citizen day of action at the State House is coordinated by VNRC, the Vermont Conservation Voters, Toxics Action Center, and Lake Champlain Committee, Watersheds United Vermont. The event will start at 9:30 am and run through the morning and possibly into the early afternoon. Please join us, and help spread the word to your friends, family and colleagues. We need to show legislators there is broad and diverse support among Vermonters for clean water. Stay tuned to VNRC.org for details.
Save the Date: April 11 is the 9th Annual LEAP Energy Fair in Waterbury
Mark your calendars for the 9th annual LEAP Energy Fair on Saturday, April 11 from 9 am -3 pm. The fair will take place at the Crossett Brook Middle School Gym in Duxbury.
Last year there were 75 exhibitors and some 700 attendees at the fair, which focuses entirely on renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation, and other topics related to green energy. Exhibit space sells out every year.
You can find our more on the Waterbury LEAP website.
Pipeline Firm Sues S. Portland Maine after City Says “No Thanks” to Tar Sands Oil
The oil industry has sued the City of South Portland, Me., saying the city’s vote last year to bar the export through its port of oil – possibly tar sands oil piped all the way from Alberta – is a violation of federal and constitutional law.
For several years, environmental activists in northern New England, including VNRC, have warned that the company plans to use an existing, but decades-old, pipeline that runs from Canada across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, to ship climate-disrupting, dangerous tar sands oil from Alberta to the Maine coast for export.“Moving tar sands through New England would present immense threats to wildlife every step of the way,” writes National Wildlife Federation attorney Jim Murphy in a recent blog post. “Towns and cities along the route from Vermont’s remote Northeast Kingdom to South Portland have overwhelmingly expressed opposition to having a tar sands project in their communities.” Stay tuned for further updates.
Writer Says Smart Urban Development Can Blunt Climate Change
Peter Calthorpe, the founder of the Congress for a New Urbanism, in a Grist blog post makes the case that sustainable urban development, or what he calls “green urbanism” will likely be a critical component of efforts to confront the climate crisis. Calithorpe is the author of Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change says that sustainable urban development, or what he calls “green urbanism” will likely be a critical component of efforts to confront the climate crisis.
According to Calthorpe, “confronting climate change is a little like the war on drugs; you can go after the supplier – coal fired power plants – or you can pursue the addicts – inefficient buildings and suburban sprawl.” He says both with be necessary.
ECHO (good read, local events):
Tuesday, February 17, 2015ECHO and the Sandra Mansi Champ PhotoChampFest is under way here at ECHO and in honor of our favorite lake monster, I thought it would be fun to tell the story of how his most famous photo came to live with us.Our tale starts in 1977, when Sandra Mansi was a on a fun-filled family vacation and happened to snap the most famous photo of Champ in existence. The story of her encounter and the photo has been well documented over the years. For more information about it, take a read through this article in Yankee Magazine and come visit us during ChampFest to see an interview that Sandra did for ECHO, showing at 4 p.m. daily. Since Sandra’s story is readily available, I wanted to focus this Ripple Effect on how the original photo and its rights ended up calling ECHO home.
From the moment Sandra realized what she had snapped, she knew the importance of using it to make a positive impact on Lake Champlain as opposed to personal financial gain. Her mindset created an easy relationship with ECHO since it is so well aligned with our mission. According to Linda Bowden, ECHO’s Guest Experience Liaison, Sadra has been a long-time friend of ECHO and has always been willing to participate in special events and programs share our guests.
In 2012, Sandra decided that the time had come to pass on the original photo so her story could to be accurately told. Never wavering from her original plan to use the photo for the protection and education of Lake Champlain, Sandra generously gifted the photo and its rights to ECHO. Today, we continue to use it to inform visitors of all ages about Champ’s habitat and inspire Lake Champlain stewardship.
As always, if you have any questions about your membership, Playing Together: Games, or ECHO in general, please feel free to contact me by phone or email at (802) 864-1848 x134 or rdaudelin@echovermont.org.
Sincerely,
Ryan Daudelin
Development AssociateUpcoming Programs & Events:
Playing Together: Games – Exhibit open until May 10, 2015Play King Tut’s favorite game of Senet. Challenge a friend to a game of Mancala. Play chess on a giant chessboard with huge game pieces.Be inspired by our lakeside setting and rediscover the joy of playing together. Reconnect with your family and friends while playing a multitude of games that span generations and cultures – all while getting closer to the lake.
Playing Together: Games is divided into game categories of strategy, math, coordination and physical skills, and racing to the finish with a focal point of an over sized chessboard with giant game pieces. In addition to specific game areas, visitors can “check out” a game from the game library for use the “House of Cards” gaming area or invent their own games using various playing pieces, game boards, and timers.For deeper understanding, the exhibit also explores how people react to winning and losing with a photographic installation recording facial expressions.
ChampFest – February 14 – March 3, 2015
Spend winter break celebrating the mystery and majesty of our beloved Lake Monster, Champ. Be inspired to make his home, Lake Champlain,the healthiest it can be. Every day enjoy an investigation into the mythology and science behind Champ through our “Believer or Skeptic” program.Treat yourself to the ECHO exclusive film, Champ, exploring the connection between a now famous photograph taken of Champ in 1977 and how it has brought the message of Lake health and stewardship to thousands-and-thousands of people.
Story Explorers: Sugaring – March 10 & 14, 2015
Near the end of winter, before spring has sprung, something special happens in the woods of Vermont. Come learn about the exciting process of making maple syrup, take a taste test of last year’s harvest and vote for your favorite grade of syrup.
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, 1 College Street, Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 864-1848 www.echovermont.org
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