This commentary is by Daniel Wick. He grew up in Burlington and is now a student at Syracuse University, studying for a degree in fashion design.
For years, Burlington has taken pride in its status as one of America’s greenest cities. Being the first city in America to be powered by 100% renewable energy, as well as working toward becoming a net-zero energy city, we have been deemed a role model to other cities with similar climate goals. While it may seem like we’re living in a climate utopia, recent summers have told a different story.
Being born and raised in Burlington, I remember summers that felt steady and familiar — long bike rides on the waterfront, quiet swims in a lake so clear you could see the stones beneath your feet, and the hum of cicadas rising with the heat. I remember spending entire days basking at the lake, never having to think twice about the quality of the water. Now, these memories are overshadowed by smoke-filled skies from Canadian wildfires, washed away by historic rates of flooding and clouded by persistent blooms of blue-green algae.
The climate crisis isn’t on the horizon; it’s already here.
Our efforts towards mitigating our own city’s contributions to climate change may be impressive, but they don’t grant us immunity to natural disasters.
In fact, Burlington ranks the highest among Vermont cities for overall climate risk. Our proximity to water, older infrastructure, and seasonal weather extremes make us particularly vulnerable to flooding and other disruptions.
People all over the state are still recuperating from the detrimental flooding. that has occurred over the past two years. If we don’t act now, disasters like these will continue to harm not just the people’s homes, farms, and businesses, but our economy as a whole and our ability to properly function as a state.
So, where do we go from here?
First, we need a shift in our tone. While, yes, a scarily disproportionate amount of people in our country (even our president) are in denial about the presence of a climate crisis, a comparable barrier to our progress in mitigating it is the negative trend of discouragement. Although many people are fired up to do their part, the severity and extent of climate change all too often leave people overwhelmed, confused or unsure of where to start.
That is why it is so important that we speak with intent when discussing climate change in our day-to-day conversations. Instead of looking at the topic from the standpoint of doom and guilt, we need to focus our words more so on agency, opportunity and community. A call for action is imperative.
Secondly, we need to veer away from the harmful myth that climate change is merely a federal or global issue. Especially given the current state of our federal government, it would be ill-advised to allow the higher-ups to dictate the future of our planet. While national and global action is essential, having a mindset of powerlessness at the individual level will do nothing but worsen the problem. Sitting and waiting around will never enact change.
Yes, it’s true that major corporations and government entities are responsible for an overwhelming share of global emissions. This, however, should never excuse us from taking individual action.
What you can do, right now
Individual choices add up. And just as importantly, individual voices influence public will. Here are a few steps Burlington residents can take starting today:
- Drive less: bike, walk, carpool or ride the bus. Even cutting a few car trips a week can make a meaningful impact.
- Compost and reduce food waste: Food waste is a major source of emissions. Burlington makes it so easy to compost — No Waste Compost’s service picks up your compost directly from your curb.
- Shop secondhand: vintage clothing, used furniture, refurbished electronics, you name it. Shopping secondhand is one of the easiest, most impactful ways to reduce your personal environmental footprint. It keeps perfectly usable items out of landfills, conserves natural resources and reduces the demand for new manufacturing — all while saving you money and uncovering unique finds.
- Support local businesses: Local businesses often source their goods from nearby, which cuts down on emissions from long-distance shipping and freight. When you buy Vermont-grown produce or handmade goods from a local artisan, you’re sidestepping the massive carbon costs tied to cross-country or international transportation of goods.
- Support local energy and climate initiatives: Attend town meetings. Join climate working groups. Advocate for clean energy investment.
- Talk about it: One of the most powerful things you can do is simply normalize climate action — at your workplace, in your family and in your neighborhood. Drill it into people’s minds that the future of our planet depends on us!
Individual choices may seem small in the grand scheme, but when enough people continue to take initiative, they add up. More importantly, they create a culture of accountability, one that forces institutions to follow the lead of their communities.
The road ahead may be uncertain, but our direction doesn’t have to be. Burlington has already proven it can lead as a city; now we as individuals must continue that momentum with urgency, accountability and hope.
Change doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen from the top down. It takes root in neighborhoods, in conversations and in conscious choices made day after day.
No one is asking for perfection — only participation. Keep biking. Keep composting. Keep shopping secondhand. Keep supporting your neighbors and local businesses. Keep raising your voice.
The climate crisis may already be reshaping the world we grew up in, but it doesn’t have to define the one we pass on. If we act with intention and heart, the Burlington of tomorrow can still hold the spirit of the summers we once knew.
