Vermont’s Bottle Bill is our state’s most successful recycling program. Thanks to the Bottle Bill, we recycle 85% of covered beverage containers, while states without Bottle Bills recycle, on average, only 24%.
Read how expanding the Bottle Bill can keep millions more containers out of landfills and off of roadsides.
We continue to work toward building a clean, renewable, reliable energy future for our state. VPIRG is working to pass a bill ensuring that a greater portion of your electricity comes from renewable sources. And, with 50% of Vermont’s electricity already coming from clean energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower, our goal, of an additional 30% more by 2025, is well within our reach.
The passage of Act 48 in 2011 puts Vermont on the path to a new universal and publicly financed health care system called Green Mountain Care (GMC). The Vermont’s Health Care Road Map brochure provides an introduction to the law and the time line for decision-making.
By embracing an ambitious “zero waste” program, Vermont can, and should, break from current linear use of our resources, wherein which raw materials are extracted, processed into consumer goods, consumed, and then disposed primarily by being landfilled or incinerated.
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.
A recent study found that expansion of Vermont’s bottle bill to include water bottles and other non-carbonated beverages could lead to an increase of jobs in the state, according to a new study by the Container Recycling Institute (CRI) called, “Returning to Work: Understanding the Domestic Jobs Impacts from Different Methods of Recycling Beverage Containers.”
Speaker of the House Shap Smith and Representative Peter Peltz hosted our Morrisville health care forum on December 13th, hailed by many who attended as a huge success. An expert panel comprised of BISHCA Commissioner Steve Kimbell, incoming Chair of the House Health Care Committee Mike Fisher and Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations Jane Kitchel were on hand to answer attendees questions about health care reform in Vermont.
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…
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.
In May, Gov. Peter Shumlin signed Vermont’s landmark health reform law, moving us one step closer to a health care system that’s fair, patient-centered, and affordable for everyone. It’s an exciting vision, but you may be wondering: “What does this mean for my family?” and “How will this affect my business or medical practice?” Rest assured, you’re not alone – and that’s why we’re bringing the experts to Huntington and Morrisville for a community discussion on Vermont’s health reform roadmap.
