Youth activists in Vermont take on climate change

September 2, 2007

Earlier this year, Ivan Jacobs was washing dishes at Burlington's Blue Star Café and enjoying the regular buzz of free coffee. And then one day he noticed the yellow signs posted on telephone poles around the neighborhood.

"They said, 'Jobs for the environment,'" Jacobs recalled. "And I said to myself, 'Well, I like the environment.'"

And so the 20-year-old took one of those jobs. He began work as a youth canvasser in May for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, a Montpelier-based advocacy organization, and spent his spring and summer going door-to-door in towns around the state to talk with residents about the hot political issue of 2007: Global warming.

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VPIRG Targets Energy Bill Opponents

Essex Junction, Vermont - July 25, 2007

Vermont environmentalists are stepping up the pressure for expansion of energy efficiency programs. The legislature failed to over-ride the veto of Gov. Jim Douglas, R-Vermont, earlier this month. Now, advocates are targeting lawmakers who voted against the bill.

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group is hitting the streets with flyers in favor of the global warming legislation. James Moore, a VPIRG energy expert, told Channel 3, "The folks that voted against the energy will were really siding with special monied interests in Vermont and not the public interest."

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Special veto session to start in a stalemate

July 11, 2007

MONTPELIER – When lawmakers return to the Statehouse today for a one-day meeting they will be greeted by an energy activist in a polar bear costume — and by a decision about whether to make an energy efficiency bill into law over Gov. James Douglas' veto.

Both sides said Tuesday their opponents had failed to compromise enough to allow a new version of the measure to be crafted and made into law.

Meanwhile, advocates for the legislation, including AARP Vermont, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility and the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, continued to pressure for the passage of the bill despite the governor's veto. Advocates are said to have arranged for a volunteer wearing a polar bear costume to arrive at the Statehouse to highlight the impact of global warming pollution — including from heating fuel use — on the species.

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Democrats Fail to Override the Governor's Vetoes

July 11, 2007

On a steamy summer day, hundreds of activists swarmed the statehouse, hoping to persuade lawmakers to override the Governor's veto of an energy bill.

"I'm excited about the turnout," said Carol Butterfield from Barre, "It's wonderful I wish there were 100,000 people here.

"The bill would set up a new program to help Vermonters use less heating oil, by giving them money to weatherize their homes. Supporters say using less oil, will help fight global warming.

The closely watched vote, turned out not to be that close at all. The 49 Republicans stuck together and 11 Democrats went against their leadership. Along with one independent, the vote was 86 - 61, far short of the 2/3 needed.

"Disappointing," said activist Natalia Fajardo from Montpelier, "We weren't sure what was going to happen. We had worked really hard to make this pass."

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Global warming rap

July 6, 2007

MONTPELIER – X10, the high school rappers who gave us the Web hit "802," have come out with their latest YouTube effort, dubbed "C02."

The new rap, which is filmed in a field in front of solar panels, stresses the problems of global warming and urges lawmakers to pass H.520, the Energy Bill.

"Instead of polluting use wind power," sing the trio. "Because not using oil makes big business sour." The rap also manages to rhyme in (mostly) topics such as methane and manure, the shortened ski season, efficiency, gasification and bike riding.

The video ends with a plug for VPIRG, which is also publicizing the video on its Web site.

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Moore's 'Sicko' promises to be an 'eye-opener'

June 28, 2007

MONTPELIER – The Savoy Theater is prepping for crowds.
Michael Moore's latest cherry bomb, "Sicko," an exposé of the U.S. health care system, opens Friday at the downtown Montpelier cinema for a run of at least three weeks.

Three years ago, when theater owners Rick Winston and his wife, Andrea Serota, showed Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," which won the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, they were "so overwhelmed by the crowds" that they added a 4:30 p.m. show, Winston said.

The film is also being promoted locally by a coalition of advocacy organizations – Vermont Health Care for All, the Vermont Workers' Center and the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. The groups plan to make as many as 1,000 free tickets available to uninsured and underinsured Vermonters.

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News Coverage of VPIRG's Work

News coverage since May 2007 will be posted on this blog.

Click here to view archives of earlier news coverage. We've had such great media coverage this year on our work that we're a little backlogged (not a bad thing!). Remaining 2007 coverage will be posted as soon as we can.