For decades, Ben & Jerry’s has been more than just an ice cream company. It has been a bold voice for social, economic, and environmental justice, values that align deeply with VPIRG’s mission and the work we do together here in Vermont. Right now, that legacy is facing a serious challenge.1 You may have seen …
Today is Earth Day — and this year, one of the most important things you can do to protect Vermont’s climate future has nothing to do with Washington, D.C. – it’s happening right here, in the State House in Montpelier. You’ve probably heard about the massive boom in data centers nationwide, driven by the rapid …
There is an important but overlooked climate bill winding its way through the State House right now: H.740. It would create a new, robust statewide carbon pollution and fossil fuel reporting program. And thanks to the voices of Vermonters like you, H.740 passed the House of Representatives! But our work isn’t done, and the importance of …
We are drowning in plastic. It shows up in every corner of life, from our clothes to our food, in the environment around us, our oceans and waterways, and even, at times, the air we breathe. Our bodies are full of microplastics, and the chemicals contained within leach into our tissues and are passed on …
A week ago, I visited the federal courthouse in Rutland, where the office of Vermont’s Attorney General Charity Clark defended our state’s landmark Climate Superfund Act from attacks by the oil industry, Republican attorneys general from other states, and the Trump Administration. Here’s the update… Climate change is hitting Vermont hard and is costing us …
Legal Defense of the Climate Superfund Act: An Update Read More »
As the Vermont House Agriculture Committee prepares to consider H.739, legislation that would ban the toxic pesticide paraquat, a new statewide poll finds strong bipartisan support among Vermont voters for taking action. Scientific studies have linked paraquat exposure to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. Earlier testimony from Dr. James Boyd, a neurologist with UVM …
New Poll: Nearly Three-Quarters of Vermonters Support Banning Paraquat Read More »
It’s difficult to put into words the level of violence, intimidation, fear, and prolonged chaos that ICE agents brought to Vermont with their bungled raid in South Burlington on March 11. It started when ICE agents misidentified a suspect and began a car chase down a busy street during morning hour rush near two schools. …
If my appearance on Vermont Edition on Monday made one thing clear, it’s that the Scott Administration is very serious about the possible siting of a new nuclear plant in Vermont – and about weakening the Renewable Energy Standard, which currently requires all Vermont electric utilities to be 100% renewable no later than 2035. As …
Governor Phil Scott signed S.23 into law on Thursday, legislation that sets strict rules for the use of artificial intelligence in Vermont’s elections. The new law requires that any campaign media featuring AI-generated images, audio, or video used within 90 days of an election must include a clear disclosure. It also establishes regulations on the …
S.23, An act relating to the use of synthetic media in elections, passes in to law Read More »
I’m thrilled to share some incredible news from the State House: S.202, the bill to bring portable solar to Vermont, just passed the Senate with a unanimous 29-0 vote! This is an important step forward for energy democracy in our state. For years, the clean energy revolution has felt out of reach for too many Vermonters—especially renters, condo owners, and others who can’t go …
