GMO Right to Know

As Vermonters, we tend to take a special interest in our food.  We want to know who grew it, what's in it, and how far it traveled before it landed on our plate.

Children's Health Victory!

Children in classrooms across Vermont will soon be breathing easier!  On January 12th, 2012, the legislature gave their final approval to a bill that ensures the use of safer cleaning products in Vermont schools.  The bill (S.92) will now make its way to the Governor's desk for his signature.  See the bill summary below.

Reports from the Courtroom

Want the inside scoop from three-day Entergy v. Vermont court hearings?  Check out our staff reports here:

Day 1 - James Moore, VPIRG Clean Energy Program Director

Day 2 - Ben Walsh, VPIRG Clean Energy Advocate

Day 3 - Duane Peterson, VPIRG Board President

GMC Board Nominees Hit the Ground Running

Time is short and the workload is immense. The inaugural members of Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board took their seat at the table this fall and have been hard at work ever since.

The Board was created by the Vermont legislature in 2011 to oversee the design and implementation of Green Mountain Care, the state's vision for a health care system that will cover every Vermonter, with an affordable price tag. The independent governing body, whose members will serve 5 year staggered terms, is charged with:

A Valuable Lesson on Persons, Government, and Corporations

At the forum on November 29th, David Cobb of Move to Amend enthralled the crowd of more than 300 people with a fundamental lesson on the nature of democracy.  Using a whiteboard and his booming Texan, son-of-a-preacher voice, he explained:

•    what it means to be a "person" in the eyes of our Constitution; 
•    the proper role of government (with an aha "We should try that!" moment);
•    and, how corporations ended up with the rights of persons.

VPIRG comments on energy plan available here

The Shumlin administration released the first draft of their Comprehensive Energy Plan in September and entered a rigorous comment period where over 6,000 Vermonters, including groups like VPIRG, weighed in on the plan. 

VPIRG's comments, now available for download here, were informed by our decades of experience working on and researching energy issues, as well as, by the conversations we held on the front porches of Vermonters throughout the summer. 

130,000 cans and bottles redeemed for farm relief

Bottle drive raises over $8,000 for farm relief
130,000 of bottles and cans collected for the cause

VPIRG celebrated the end of a two-month-long bottle drive to raise funds for farms damaged by Tropical Storm Irene.  In total, the statewide Redeem to Rebuild drive raised over $8,000 through the collection of redeemed containers as well as through non-profit, business, and individual donations. 

VPIRG organizes bottle drive to support local swim team

Our state’s Bottle Bill program has not only proven to be an amazing tool for recycling, but it also provides a resource for community groups, like the Waterbury Rapids Swim Team, who depend on bottle drives to help fund their programs. While 5 cents might not seem like a lot, it adds up for community groups across the state. 

Poll shows strong support for Wall Street reform, report shows need for Consumer Protection Bureau

On the day that a landmark federal agency – the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – takes over enforcement of all major consumer laws, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group announced the results of a poll showing that an overwhelming majority of likely voters both support a new consumer agency (74%) and want Wall Street held “accountable” (77%).  VPIRG also released a new report documenting “10 reasons” consumers need the new CFPB.

Vermont’s e-waste recycling program begins

On Friday, July 1st, Vermont’s new electronic waste (e-waste) recycling program will begin, providing free and convenient recycling of e-waste to Vermont residents, charities, schools, and small businesses.  The recycling program, known as “Vermont E-Cycles”, was created by a VPIRG-backed law passed by legislators last year requiring manufacturers of electronics to finance the cost of collecting and recycling their discarded products.