This commentary is by Andrea Stander, a resident of Montpelier, a 350VT board member, and former executive director of Rural Vermont. Earlier, she held major roles with the Vermont League of Conservation Voters and the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.
On Feb. 23, I had the honor of speaking to the group of about 150 committed activists who gathered in front of the Vermont Statehouse for the Climate SOS Rally organized by 350VT and co-sponsored by many other climate and social justice groups.
During the two hours of the rally, we were buffeted by high winds and experienced a temperature plunge from a spring-like 56 degrees at noon to below freezing by 2 p.m. It seemed like Mom Nature was putting an exclamation point on our core message that the climate crisis is an emergency, and it requires bold and courageous action by Vermont’s legislators — this year.
With the help of members of the Vermont Youth Lobby and other schoolkids, homemade Valentines were delivered to the Statehouse with a letter tucked inside. Here’s what the letter asks the legislators to do:
- Listen to our frontline communities — To ensure that all state-level policies and decisions reflect the lived experience and needs of your constituents, particularly those who will be most impacted by your decisions and climate disruption.
- Make resources equally accessible — To ensure low-income and BIPOC Vermonters have greater agency over their lives and communities.
- Increase in-state renewable energy — To catalyze the production of significant amounts of new in-state renewable energy by:
— Providing weatherization-at-scale, prioritizing low-income Vermonters, including renters, and training a safe workforce to be paid fair wages.
— Incentivizing heat pump technology and solar power in our communities.
- Provide public transportation — To enable all Vermonters to get around without burning fossil fuels. We ask you to prioritize the development of a robust public transportation system, starting with electric public transit and school buses, fare free transit, extended hours of service, and accountable transportation management.
- End false energy solutions — To transition our energy away from sources that continue polluting and harming communities under the guise of renewable energy, such as:
— Trading of renewable energy credits that result in continued purchase of dirty energy from out of state for Vermont.
— So-called renewable natural gas/biogas.
— Hydro-Quebec and other mega-dams.
— Large-scale biiomass.
The passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act in 2021 created a path forward. The Vermont Climate Council did herculean work to develop the possible steps along that path. Now it is up to you, our legislators, to lead and take the most courageous steps you can, to pursue reak solutions that will improve Vermonters’ lives while significantly slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
We can no longer afford false solutions for the sake of corporate profits. We know this is not easy, but it is what we need you to do, and we are here to support you.
If these “asks” make sense to you, please join us in reaching out to your elected representatives and senators and tell them why you feel bold action to address the climate crisis is needed — now.
