Energy/Climate Change

Vermont Sierra Club is working with the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network to assist Vermont towns in reducing energy use and their impacts on climate change. Some of the current initiatives include:

Button Up Vermont: Sierra Club is working with the Central Vermont Community Action Council (CVCAC) to implement, Button Up Vermont, an intensive six-month program to help thousands of Vermonters reduce their energy bills by 20% improved energy efficiency. This program is being implemented with funding from the State of Vermont and in partnership with the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN). Under the program, town energy committees and other community groups offer an excellent vehicle for organizing weatherization programs in their communities. These community groups will have primary responsibility for arranging for trained energy auditors to deliver two-hour workshops for interested residents, distributing educational materials, working with local retailers to provide discounted weatherization materials, and publicizing the program in their communities. Contact Paul Markowitz at paul@markowitzvt.com for more information.

Land-use planning and energy efficiency/ renewables: Helped organize a half-day working session on “Energy Planning for VT Communities” in at the Vermont Law School on June 25^th is partnership with the Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies (VAPDA) and the Law School. Approximately 75 people attended, including energy committee representatives, town planners, and regional planners. The focus of the session was to solicit input on the development of guidelines for municipalities on local energy planning. The guidelines will be designed to help town energy committees and planning commissions prepare the energy chapter of the town master plan, a set of accompanying principles, and model language. Contact Brian Shupe at Vermont Natural Resources Council at bshupe@vnrc.org for more information.

Central Vermont Energy Network Meeting: Helped organize, in partnership with the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission a series of regional energy network meeting for town energy committees and other interested individuals. These events are designed to provide a forum for communities to share their experiences and learn about energy topics. Also helping to organize similar meetings in Chittenden County and Lamoille County.

Planning for a Statewide Conference on Community-Based Approaches to Energy and Climate Change: Helped to organize a statewide conference on community-based energy strategies on December 6, 2008. The conference was held at Vermont Technical College in Randolph. Contact Paul Markowitz at paul@markowitzvt.com for more information.

Idle-free Vermont: The Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club is supporting Idle-Free Vermont -- a non-profit, grassroots campaign formed to address the issue of unnecessary vehicle idling (idling when parked or in drive through lanes) in Vermont. Its main goal is to raise awareness of idling. It also advocates enactment of a Vermont state all motor vehicle idle-reduction law. Idle-Free VT seeks to achieve its goals by raising awareness with citizens and businesses, through media exposure, legislative lobbying, and encouraging local activism (town ordinances or resolutions and school policies). For more information: visit http://www.idlefreevt.org.

Additional Information and Resources

Letter to Welch
by John Harbison 03-19-2007
A letter to Congressman Welch asking for support on the Markey-Platts CAFE standards bill.
Cool Cities
by Denis Rydjeski 03--2007
Sierrra Club's Cool Cities initiative takes root in VT
Lighting the Way
by Steve Crowley 09-11-2005
SafePower VT
by Denis Rydjeski --
A collaborative are to broaden the understanding of the state’s need for safe, clean, reliable, affordable and renewable energy sources
Wind Talking Points
by Steve Crowley 03--2004
WIND POWER IN VERMONT Attempting to Strike a Difficult Balance The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is holding hearings to help determine its approach to the use of public lands for commercial wind power. These meetings are very important, and we urge Sierra Club members to take part.
Nukes or Wind
by Keith Dewey, AIA, LEED AP 01--2009
Commercial Wind a Better Energy and Environmental Solution than Nuclear