Vermont
Peak Oil Network Newsletter
|
September Monthly News
and
Views
This
page is updated
monthly. Contributions
on Peak
Oil, Relocalization and Sustainability issues and efforts in Vermont
welcome!
Please
send submissions
by the third week in each
month. THANK YOU to all of our contributors.
Special
Events
Search Feature added to VPON site!
Fourth Annual Conference on
Peak Oil and Community Solutions
Northeast
Animal-Power Field Days
Trade Fair & Conference
The VPON Calendar
Under
the
Golden Dome:
When (and how) to Lobby your Legislator
Weekly Energy Related
Legislative
Activities
Tracking
Legislation in Vermont
Contact
Vermont State Legislators
Live Audio
Streaming of VT Legislative Proceedings
Tracking
National Legislation
Quote
of
the Month:
Winslow Myers, retired VT teacher
Editorial:
A Greener Mountain State
Guest Editorial:
Funding Efficiency
VPON Community Pages
From a Peak Perspective:
Featured this Month on the VPON Community Pages
Articles
Climate
Vermont Legislative Activities Pertaining to
Climate Change
1 Million Deaths from Climate Change, and counting...
Culture
Imagine if... a response to the "Imagining
Our Common Future" Conference
What a Way to Go documentary gives Vermonters
pause...
The New Village Green
Shelburne Orchards is creating a movie!
How to talk to Homer Simpson about Peak Oil
Real Time Peak
Oil Chat
Play Peak Oil Before You
Live It (comments on this spring's World Without Oil alternative
reality endeavor)
Front Porch Forum
Economy
VCRD's "Advancing Vermont's Creative
Economy" Conference
Women's Ag Network's "Growing Places"
Lite Green, Bright Green?
Energy
The Vermont Energy Digest
VT Biofuels Sales Increase
VBA Project: Feed and Fuel
Hydro
projects receive preliminary OK
Otter Creek hydro proposal dries up
Efficiency Vermont can help Farmers
Energy Updates from Vermont Clean Cities
ASPO-USA comments on the National
Petroleum
Council's report on energy consumption.
Canaries in the Coal (er, oil) Mines...
Food
Share the Harvest
Putting Up the Harvest
Vermont Farmer's Markets
Ferrisburgh bakery rises to challenge
Sustainable
Ag Scholarship
Health
Coal is not the answer
Peak Oil and Dentistry
Peak
Oil Medicine Website
Transportation
Vermont Clean Cities 2007 Transportation Energy Report
Transportation Updates from Vermont
Clean
Cities
Update from Idle-Free Vermont
Close the Gaps Campaign
Donate that old bike!
Craigslist: Ridesharing!
As
the Crow Flies: Reports from Around the State
ACoRN
Bennington
Sustainability Outpost
Cabot
Peak
Oil Network
First
Branch Sustainability Project (Tunbridge)
Greater
East Montpelier Peak Oil Group
Mad
River Sustainability Group
Plan C -
Chittenden County
Post
Oil Solutions
Route 12 Loop Group
Rutland Peak Oil Concerned
Sustainable
Energy Resource Group
Gold
Stars
to...
Shelburne!
Action!
VECAN
Activist Toolkit, and Town Energy/Climate Action Guide
Support
the Oil Depletion
Protocol
Idle-Free
Vermont Campaign
Idle-Not
Flyers for Idling Cars
Organize
a Peak Oil Book Display
Write
a Letter to the Editor of Your Local Paper
Write
a Letter to a Representative
Plan
Ahead
3rd Annual Vermont Biodiesel
Workshop - Delivering
An Affordable Energy Solution
The 2007 Renewable Energy Vermont
Conference
Clean Air, Cool Planet Conference (NH)
Resources
- Click here
to get there!
New this Month on our VT Resources
page
Clean Cities Newsletter
Climate News Digest
What's a Citizen to DO? Newsletter
Welcome to Peak Oil CD
VPON
Community Pages
- Discussion area for Vermont citizens concerned about peak oil.
VPON Archives
(February, 2006 -
present)
VT
Resources - Sustainability, Food,
Farm
& Garden, Energy, Local Economy, Community Building,
and Transportation.
National
Links/Educational
Resources - charts, DVDs,
posters, and more.
Fair
Use Notice
Information about copyrighted
material
appearing on this site
Special
Events
Search Feature
added to VPON site!
The VPON website now
offers visitors the opportunity to use Google to search by keyword or
phrase through
articles,
documents and files housed on vtpeakoil.net. You'll find the "Search"
option on the navigation bar, to the far left at the top of each page
(note: it only appears on the Monthly pages from September 07
on). Click on the button; the search feature works through a link
to Google, but limits its search to the VPON main site and
Community Pages. You may need to use
the "back" button in your browser should you wish to return to the VPON
main site after using the search feature... Enjoy! (and thank you to
Moshe Braner for figuring this out.)
Fourth
U.S. Conference on Peak Oil and Community Solutions
October 26 - 28th (early
registration by Oct. 4th)
Yellow Springs, Ohio
Keynotes: David Korten (The Great Turning, and, When Corporations
Rule the World), Dr. Thomas Princen (The Logic of Sufficiency), Richard
Heinberg (The Party's Over, Powerdown).
Also speaking: Linda Wigington (Affordable Comfort Institute),
Judy Wicks (BALLE), author Sharon Astyk, and Community Solution's Pat
Murphy and Megan Quinn.
More information: www.communitysolution.org,
or call 937-767-2161
Northeast
Animal-Power Field Days
Trade Fair & Conference
September 29-30, 2007
Fair-Grounds, Tunbridge, Vermont.
A gathering of people and resources dedicated to logging and
farming with horses, mules, & oxen. Promoting stewardship of
forests and farm land. The weekend activities will include
presentations, panel discussions, vendor exhibits, working animal
presentations, field demonstrations of animal-powered farming and
logging equipment, local food and entertainment, plus an equipment
auction. Workshop topics will include grazing management, composting,
CSA/Market Gardening, and working with draft animals on the farm and in
the woods. For information, or to reserve exhibit space, contact: Carl
Russell or Lisa McCrory, Earthwise Farm & Forest, 341 MacIntosh
Hill Rd., Randolph, VT 05060. Phone: 802-234-5524, Email: lmccrory@together.net. For
directions and lodging, go to: www.tunbridgefair.com.
Consult
the VPON Calendar
regularly for
events this month and
beyond;
updated weekly.
Under
the Golden Dome
The most important political office is
that of the private citizen.
- Louis
D. Brandeis
When (and how) to Lobby your Legislator
based on an interview with Will
Stevens (I-Addison County)
It's all about stories. We are story-tellers and story-lovers,
and our representatives at the statehouse are no different! According
to Representative Will Stevens of Shoreham, VT, relationships and
personal stories matter more to our representatives than many of us may
realize. Pressure is not the only way to get the point across. Visits,
calls and letters - the one-to-one contacts - make a strong
impression.
Leadership lies with the agency heads; committees have the power to
move and act on bills. Know who is on the committees, and target them
when you want to express concerns. Know the chairs; know when the bills
are in committee - that's the best time to lobby. Keep track
of what's happening with legislation in Montpelier by checking the bill
tracking
database
-
that way you'll know where the bills are, and when. Call or
email at crucial moments; write a thank you note when you feel they've
"done right" by you. The full picture of who Vermonters are will only
be realized when we all speak up.
At a time when we have to work harder to identify and educate about
what really matters, it's even more important to let our
representatives know what indeed DOES matter to us --- what we are
willing to do, and want them to do, to create a sustainable Vermont for
everyone. Share your
personal story, and keep your vision of a sustainable Vermont in front
of your state representatives.
Energy
Related Legislative Activities
submitted by Vermont
Citizen Thomas Weiss during the legislative session
Thomas Weiss' legislative updates
feature announcements of hearings and
activities
as well as reports
on energy and climate change hearings, initiatives and proposals in the
Vermont Legislature.
Please go to this
section
of the VPON Community Pages
for the most recent announcements and reports, as well as the report
archives. You may want
to
bookmark that page; Weiss updates weekly during the legislative
session. Thank you, Thomas.
VT Bill
Tracker: Keep
Track
of what's happening with legislation in Montpelier: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/database2.cfm
Contact
your Vermont State Legislator:
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/legdir2.htm
Hear
live audio streaming
of Vt Legislative proceedings on Vermont Public Radio's "Listen to the
Legislature" webpage: http://www.vpr.net/legislature/
And,
on the National front,
you can follow the trail of
activity at: http://www.govtrack.us/
- GovTrack is a noncommercial project unaffiliated with the U.S.
Government or any other group. You're welcome to reuse any material on
their site. "Transparency in government is key for a healthy democracy.
Transparency is achieved through spreading information about
government, and making that information accessible to everyday
citizens."
Quote
of the Month
Unless we push hard for honest
dialogue about the values and intentions
of our country, we will cede the terms of that dialogue to
self-interested powers who will carefully frame the issues merely to
get the most votes for one candidate, rather than the best country for
300 million citizens or the best policies for a world that desperately
needs help finding non-violent solutions to conflict.
- Winslow Myers of Stowe, VT, retired teacher who writes on global
issues.
Editorial
A
Greener Mountain State
by Annie Dunn Watson
Here we are in the Green
Mountain state, wondering how we might make it greener still. To answer
that question, we have to wrestle with some difficult facts, starting
with the obvious: Vermont is
a rural state, heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
Vermont has no fossil fuels of its own. We import 100% of our oil, a
commodity we receive by virtue of sending our fuel-purchasing dollars
out of state and out of the country (and as the price of oil
rises, more of our dollars
will follow that same chain, a trend that does not bode well
for the state's economy). Outside of Northwestern Vermont, where many
are able to access natural gas from
Canada (for now), oil is the primary heating source for
Vermont's homes and businesses. Many of us use wood, but rely upon
propane, a petroleum product, as
back-up. Vermont's transportation sector is its largest user of
petroleum - 60% of all petroleum sold in the state. In 2005,
Vermont's vehicles consumed over 360 million gallons of gasoline;
vehicle miles traveled that year were over 7 million.
Vermonters drive more on average than residents of other states due to
our rural characteristics and geography (VT Clean Cities, 2006; see
the VCC 2007 report here).
And, in spite of the resurgence in small scale, animal-powered and
organic farming, the
agricultural sector relies upon petroleum products to fuel its tractors
and other on-farm machinery.
Vermont's rural characteristic is something we treasure and want to
preserve;
it also poses one of Vermont's greatest challenges in addressing peak
oil.
True, Vermont could possibly feed itself, based on past
agricultural capacity (diversity, acreage). We could cultivate
renewable sources of energy - and even jobs -
through sustainable development of biofuels, wind, solar,
biomass, and small-scale hydro. But to do this, we need to come to
grips
with what has up to now been a "sacred cow" in the conversation about
Vermont's future: Our reliance upon the "growth" paradigm to create
economic prosperity for all Vermonters.
We need to redefine economic prosperity in terms
that embrace our rural nature, empower local communities and
acknowledge
the ecological constraints of living in a physical world.
The growth agenda (or "religion", as some would have it) has been
the
mainstay of Vermont's economy, just as it has been everywhere else.
Prosperity is predicated on the idea that the economy will continue to
grow materially and exponentially; that somehow, we will have access to
enough natural
resources, energy, and markets to provide a wealth, quite literally, of
opportunities for those possessing a will to work or innovate ---
or, we
will develop the technology to make up for shortfalls in any one of
these areas. These are wonderful fantasies, with some seeds that might
even bear fruit in a steady state (as opposed to a growth)
economy. The kicker is that natural resources and energy stocks
(including both renewables and non-renewables) have
limitations (i.e., it's not only about how much oil there is, but also
about how much
pollution the land, the oceans, or the atmosphere can functionally
absorb; or, how much agricultural land can be devoted to raising fuel
crops). Until now, we have not had to factor these concerns into the
prosperity
equation.
Ecoliteracy - an awareness of inter-relatedness coupled with an
attitude of care and responsibility - and the practical competence to
act on the basis of this knowledge and feeling is in
short supply, even in Vermont. Yet, we appear to have reached a moment
in our cultural and societal evolution where we cannot afford to
continue without
developing such knowledge and expertise. People, place and
prosperity are intertwined, and we need to understand how this is so;
all of these must be brought to the table when we talk
about the future of Vermont's economy. If we do not do this, we will
greatly exacerbate social inequity and environmental degradation, and
the economy will suffer as a result.
Monies should be targeted for re-visioning public transportation as
well as creating greater economic opportunity throughout the state.
Those of us who live
in Chittenden County tend to forget that "close as we are to Vermont,"
we do not typify the experience of living there! We enjoy better
public transportation, road conditions and job opportunities
than many who live outside the county; other Vermonters have tougher
travel conditions than many of us can imagine, and often have to
commute
great distances to access jobs. Criticizing these citizens for owning
4-wheel drives or pick-up trucks is disingenuous when we have done so
little as a state
to decentralized economic opportunities, increase the effectiveness of
public transportation and develop affordable housing near existing
employment centers.
Solar hot water heaters, small-scale hydro, true net
metering, on-farm production/application of liquid biofuels,
methane digesters, sustainable production of biomass, judicious
use of wind and a true "ramping up" in energy efficiency for all of
Vermont's homes and businesses... all of these are within our reach and
should be under vigorous development in the Green Mountain state.
Shifts in patterns of consumption in the agricultural marketplace, with
an increasing preference for "local,"
are quite evident; the state's Ag Committee should continue to support
and multiply these trends, reducing barriers to the development of
diverse small-scale farming opportunities and markets, and making it
easier for young farmers to enter "the field." Conversations about
specific limitations of renewables should also
get underway: Decisions about land for food vs. land for fuel will
eventually have to be made.
There is a difference between isolation and resiliance; make no
mistake, we will continue to need one another and to collaborate and
trade across lines
of every sort in the years ahead. On matters of relocalization,
however, the proper role of
state government is one of facilitation
and empowerment of communities. Rather than centralizing
initiatives and oversight, Vermont's
legislators should pave the way for community-based decision making and
regional regulatory processes, thus empowering stakeholders at the
community level to take on
more of the innovation, planning and implementation themselves. We
need
leadership
to provide the kinds of incentives and legislation that
will facilitate local development and application of sustainable
technologies and approaches throughout the state. The authorization of
a Vermont Peak Oil
Task Force with statewide, regional representation and input could also
be of great use in identifying challenges and mitigation strategies,
thus
offering an invaluable resource for community-level
planning. The development of such task forces at the local level, as is
happening now in Brattleboro,
are
likely to be equally if not more relevant and
effective, and should be encouraged as well. Funding for
broad-based programs such
as the expansion of Efficiency Vermont does
need to be thoughtfully addressed, and enlightened policy enacted; but
we should not lose track of the
larger goal: To increase Vermont's resilience to the challenges
ahead,
and to do so in a manner that renders those challenges surmountable for
all Vermonters and their communities.
VPON
Monthly News and
Views Editorials
are now archived on the VPON Community Pages.
Guest Editorial
Funding Efficiency
by Robert Walker
The Vermont Legislature failed to override Governor Douglas' veto of H.
520, the global warming bill, due largely to their concern over the
funding source. As first introduced, the bill was to be funded by
a small charge on heating fuels. But legislators balked in the
face of strong opposition from fuel dealers and came up with
alternative funding sources that did not sit well with many.
It is heartening to see a couple of major politicians (Rep. John
Dingell/D. Michigan and Sen. Christopher Dodd/D. Ct.) finally starting
to call publicly for a carbon tax. Taxing things we are trying to wean
ourselves from to support alternatives makes sense. Taxing
cigarettes to pay for smoking cessation programs and health care for
smoking related illnesses is an excellent example. Efficiency
Vermont has been able to cut electricity use in our state at half the
cost of buying new power, funded by a very small efficiency charge on
everyone's electric bill. A carbon tax could go a long way toward
creating similar benefits in the home heating sector.
People complain about raising costs on already expensive heating fuels,
but analysts expected H. 520 to add $.03 to $.05 cents per gallon (1%
to 2% of the cost of fuel) to pay for efficiency programs that would
save 20% to 40% on heating bills for many homeowners and
businesses. The results from a very conservative study by the
Governor's own Department of Public Service showed a better than 3:1
return on investment from heating efficiency measures in
buildings.
While concerns arise about funding these efficiency programs through a
small surcharge, the costs of heating fuels continue to skyrocket,
nearly doubling in the past 3 years. Fuel prices will continue rising
over the long haul as world demand grows at a rapid clip and finite
supplies rapidly diminish.
The most cost-effective and sensible way to protect ourselves against
these ever-increasing costs is to reduce our own fuel use as much as
possible by weatherizing our inefficient buildings. This would
also create local jobs, keep energy dollars circulating in the local
economy and make us less dependent on imported fuels.
Let's hope our legislators and Governor can work together to pass a
comprehensive bill next year with a proper funding source for
initiatives that will save energy, cut costs and help stop global
warming.
Bob Walker
Director, Sustainable Energy
Resource Group
Thetford Center, Vermont
The
VPON
Community Pages!
The
VPON
Community Pages offer visitors a
chance to read and, if so desired, engage
in discussion of ideas and actions pertaining to peak oil,
relocalization, and sustainability. Registered users can post
comments and create their own contents in the Discussion area; members
of VPON Regional
Groups are invited to create their own pages, and to store documents
that may be of use to individuals and groups around the state - and
beyond! - in addressing the consequences of Peak Oil.
The VPON Community Pages have their own site administrator.
Information about how to contact the administrator and access
posting privileges is provided here.
Please note that the VPON Community Pages are a separate area
from the
main VPON site: they look and behave a little differently.
Reading the "Purpose"
and "Usage Guidelines" will help
you find
your way around.
From a Peak Perspective:
Featured this month on The VPON Community Pages
The Repository!
Thanks to Carl Etnier, a Documents
Folder has been started on the Community Pages. This folder is
a repository of documents of interest that are not available elsewhere.
It contains Vermont-specific audio files, or other relevant audio that
may be unavailable; made-in-Vermont slide shows
related to peak oil, relocalization, etc.; and reports that are not
otherwise easily accessible on the web. The Audio File houses two
interviews completed this summer:
Interview of Jerome a
Paris on IEA July 2007 report
Jerome a Paris, also known as Jerome Guillet, discusses the
International Energy Agency's July 2007 Medium-Term Oil Market Report,
in an interview by Carl Etnier. The interview was broadcast on WGDR
Plainfield, Vermont 91.1 FM on July 31, 2007 on Renée
Carpenter's show, Tuesday
Mornings with Renée. Duration: 15:33. Go to the Documents
Folder to find out more.
Mad River Valley survival skills course
A Native American survival skills course was taught by Mad River
Sustainability Group member Nils Behn at his home in North Fayston,
Vermont. Carl Etnier reports on how much work and knowledge can go into
a brewing a cup of tea, in a story broadcast on WGDR Plainfield,
Vermont 91.1 FM on August 14, 2007 on Renée Carpenter's show, Tuesday Mornings with
Renée. Duration: 5:25. Go to the Documents
Folder to find out more.
Top-Level
Folders
Discussions - all registered users are welcome to
start or join a
discussion thread.
Documents - repository of documents of interest that
may not be available elsewhere on the site.
Regional Groups - VPON local groups are invited to
develop pages for
group news, events, minutes, shared documents, etc.
Events - although the VPON Calendar itself remains
the primary events posting vehicle, some groups may be posting events
in this folder.
List
of Recent
Articles Posted on the
Community Pages
Archive
of VPON Monthly News and
Views Editorials
Community
Pages Subscription: Registered VPON Community Page
members can arrange to receive email
notifications
when content is added to specific areas (articles added to folders, or
comments added to articles, etc.) - look for the "subscribe" link at
the
bottom of each page.
(ed note: The
Community Pages
are an open discussion area;
contents presented are the sole responsibility of the individual
authors, and do not necessarily reflect the ideas, beliefs, or actions
of the VPON Network, its member groups, or the VPON website/newsletter
editor. )
Articles
PLEASE
NOTE:
Occasionally, an article referred to in one of our
stories is no longer available
through the link given. Please contact the original source, or
check their
archives, for that article.
Climate
"These are scary times for thoughtful
people."
- Melissa Chesnut-Tangerman
organizer, Solar Fest
Vermont
Legislative Activities pertaining to
Climate Change
During the legislative session, Thomas
Weiss' weekly reports on hearings and other
activities at the Statehouse include frequent discussion of initiatives
to address climate change and actions taken. This link will take
you to Weiss'archived reports.
Be sure to check that folder weekly during the session for
these
helpful announcements and summaries.
WHO estimates 1 million deaths
already from climate change
Courtesy, Climate
Today
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates climate change has
already directly or indirectly killed more than 1 million people
globally since 2000. More than half of those deaths have occurred in
the Asia-Pacific, the world's most populous region. Those figures do
not include deaths linked to urban air pollution, which kills about
800,000 worldwide each year, according to WHO. "We're not going to have
a magic bullet to fix climate change in the next 50 years. We need to
motivate an awful lot of people to change their behavior in a lot of
different ways," said Kristie Ebi of WHO's Global Environmental Change
unit. Scientists have predicted droughts will lower crop yields and
raise malnutrition in some areas, dust storms and wildfires will boost
respiratory illnesses, and flooding from severe storms will increase
deaths by drowning, injuries and diseases such as diarrhea.
Article here.
Climate Today
is
a daily digest of issues pertaining to global heating
and climate change. Please encourage others to receive this free news
service - to subscribe, contact ClimateNewsNM@aol.com
Culture
Imagine if... a
response to the "Imagining
Our Common Future" Conference
Big Picture Theater; Mad River Valley, May, 2007
by Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow (reprinted by kind permission of the
authors)
Imagine if...
Every piece of open land as you drove through the
valley was being
tended for growing food, flowers or medicine, or green space or
playgrounds.
We had our own creamery for bottled milk, butter and
cheese.
We had a food processing cooperative where you could
press your
sunflowers seeds into oil or grind your grain and then sell or barter
your surplus to others who needed it.
We had a light-rail or bus service that ran from
here to Montpelier and
Burlington and other towns in Vermont.
You could buy fresh food every day at a
farmer’s market through
spring summer and fall and there were so many farmers growing food that
we needed that many markets.
We had our own valley composting system that
processed all the waste
from valley restaurants, inns and businesses.
People came to this valley, not only to ski and bike
and vacation, but
to study us as a model for community resilience and regeneration.
Mad River valley organized its sun, wind and water
to become a net
prducer of energy.
Mad River valley became known not just as a ski town
but as one of New
England’s most visionary, whole communities.
Our three schools were all serving locally grown
food and powered by
local wood.
We had our own energy bank that loaned all residents
funds to become
more efficient and renewable.
We mapped our forests to know that we could heat
every home within our
own watershed.
There were 50 small-scale neighborhood farms
producing the majority of
our food supply.
You could walk on trails from Warren to Moretown.
All our children knew what day the swallows and
peepers return.
We were confident that our children and grand
children could afford to
live here.
Imagine if we had a parade every May 12 to honor
Resilience Day…
the day we decided to really love this land and to live within it.
Peter and Helen are the directors and stewards of the Center
for Whole Communities - located at Knoll Farm, Waitsfield - created in
2003 to build healthier communities through stronger, more enduring
relationships to the land. Click here for
more information about the educational aspects of the Center for Whole
Communities at Knoll Farm.
What
a Way to Go
tour gives Vermonters pause...
What A Way To Go:
Life At The End Of Empire
A documentary by Timmothy S.
Bennett, produced by Sally Erickson.
"A middle class white guy comes to grips with Peak Oil, Climate Change,
Mass Extinction, Population Overshoot and the demise of the American
Lifestyle." Sounds like a fun evening, doesn't it? Somehow,
writer/director Timothy S. Bennett and producer Sally C. Erickson
managed to assemble an ensemble of the world's woes at "end of empire"
--- from the uncompromising perspective of where we are, how we
got
here, and, most painfully and poignantly, how little we can do about it
unless we come to grips with the first two points. "Where we are"
and "how we got here" are deeply embedded elements within the story we
tell
ourselves - about ourselves, about the world, about what to pay
attention to and what we can just ignore. "What a Way to Go"
leaves little room for doubt that what we ignore, we ignore at our
peril. Bennett and Erickson hold nothing back, nor do they offer
easy answers... no "happy chapter" concludes this work. Yet the
film succeeds at invoking the realization that only we can write the
ending to this story. Bennett and Erickson screened the film in
10 different locations throughout Vermont, southern NH and
Massachusetts. More information about the film (including how to
order the DVD - highly recommended) at the website.
The New Village Green: Living light, living
local, living large.
by Vermonter Stephen
Morris;
full review and ordering info here.
The village green is the focal point of any community, a gathering
place where the best ideas take root and the brightest voices are
heard. The New Village Green gathers some of the best ideas and
brightest voices of the green community, some famous and familiar,
others fresh and unknown. Each tells an absorbing story, and
collectively they comprise a powerful chorus that profiles the current
state of the environment.
This remarkable book gathers wisdom and insight from a compelling and
thought-provoking virtual community. Each contributor brings a unique
perspective that mingles reverence for the environment with provocative
thoughts for the future. Topics range from spirituality to solar panels
and, just like a real village green, are juxtaposed with opinions from
"the new village people," including:
Writers Bill McKibben and Michael Pollan
Scientists James Lovelock and Donella Meadows
Spiritual leaders Gandhi and Buddha
And practical, homespun topics are given equal time:
Good reasons to embrace alternative currencies
Tips for growing great garlic
Meant to be devoured in one sitting or sipped a little at a time, this
book springboards the green movement into the future by acknowledging
its roots in the past. Rachel Carson, Paul Ehrlich, and Helen and Scott
Nearing are as relevant today as the Slow Food Movement and Peak Oil.
This book will touch the heart of anyone who lives with conscience and
hope.
About the Author:
Stephen Morris is Editor and Publisher of Green Living Magazine, "A
Practical Journal for Friends of the Environment," and founder of The
Public Press, an alternative to the traditional trade publishing model.
For over ten years, he was President and Publisher at Chelsea Green, an
independent book publisher based in Vermont.
Shelburne Orchards is Creating a Movie!
(courtesy, NOFA - VT)
With the talent and assistance of filmmaker Ken Peck, Shelburne
Orchards is creating a movie about the importance of sustainable
farming. The documentary is primarily about our annual Small Farms Food
Fest which showcases our local farmers & food producers, musicians,
and community folks who want to know where their food comes from in
Vermont. Nick Cowles, owner of Shelburne Orchards, explained, "The
movie shows how much people in the community want to support small
farms in Vermont...and folks could do the same thing we're doing here
pretty much anywhere!" As a person interested in keeping farms and
local food production in Vermont viable, YOU can join this exciting
venture. We’re looking for people who would like to offset the
cost of producing the film. Though your donation is not tax-deductible,
you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re part of
a wonderful local movement. And if you donate $20 or more, your name
will be listed in the movie credits. Your contribution may be sent to
Nick Cowles, Shelburne Orchards, 216 Orchard Road, Shelburne, VT 05482.
Thank you in advance for your support!
How
to talk to Homer Simpson (and a few other folks) about Peak Oil
Sharon Astyk offers suggestions for how to explain Peak Oil to almost
anyone; the ultimate spoof on framing Peak Oil (with some actual gems
for the considering!) article here.
The way to explain it to Homer Simpson is: "Beer comes from oil.
You
use oil to run tractor to grow barley. You use oil to run fermenting
equipment. You use oil to ship beer to liquor store. You use gas, made
from oil, to drive drunk to the store to get beer. No oil means no more
beer - ever."
The solution you offer is: "More beer good. Beer comes from oil. Must.
Save. Beer."
You get the idea...
Real-time
Peak Oil Chat
Welcome to Peak
Oil Chat, Come join the discussion in real-time on such things as
depletion scenarios, economics, survival, self sufficiency and more!
You need only choose a nickname, and click "Chat". Once you click the
chat button, you will have to wait a few seconds while being connected
to the chat server. You will join the PeakOil chat room upon
sucessfully connecting to the server. There is no registration
involved, absolutely nothing to install, and we don't want your email
address. All you need to do is choose a name, and click chat. It really
is that easy! If you need help, we have a link for you to follow.
We hope you'll join the conversation.
(This is an
independent chat service; it is not co-ordinated by or
affiliated with members
of the Vermont Peak Oil Network.)
Hundreds
"played
peak oil" before they lived it...
By Eliza Strickland.
Full story here.
On April 30, 2007, an oil crisis shook the world. Supply chains were
interrupted, and in the ensuing weeks the price of gas pushed higher
and higher, peaking around $7 per gallon. The American economy
sputtered to a halt as shortages spread -- Detroit's car factories
cited lack of demand and shut down for the duration, trucking fleets
scrambled for fuel to move their cargo, supermarkets jacked up their
prices, and commuters bitched and moaned and grudgingly changed their
lifestyles. Looting broke out, along with the occasional riot.
A month later, good news began to emerge. When gas hit $7 per gallon,
America didn't disintegrate into chaos with warring clans jealously
guarding their oil tanks. No further Middle Eastern countries were
invaded, although there was a surreptitious scuffle in the oil fields
of Alberta, Canada. The U.S. government hastily invested in public
transit and alternative energy, and the grumbling populace began making
lifestyle changes. People carpooled and bought bikes. They moved out of
the exurbs. They planted
"World Without Oil" used the imaginations of hundreds of people to peer
into an oil-depleted future and brainstorm ideas about how to cope.
(The results are archived at: World Without Oil.)
Front Porch Forum: Building Strong
Neighborhoods, one Neighbor at a time!
By Michael Wood-Lewis,
support@frontporchforum.com
Knit your neighborhood together! Start (or join!) a Front
Porch
Forum! Your neighborhood's forum is only open to the people who
live there. It's free and requires no work from you. Simply join and
receive occasional email newsletters written by your neighbors.
Contribute messages as you like. It's all about helping neighbors
connect. More details on how to join here.
Front Porch Forum works better for everyone when lots of neighbors join
in, so please spread the word. Send folks to http://frontporchforum.com/ to
sign up. Thank you for participating!
Economy
Vermont
Council on Rural Development's Creative Economies Conference
VCRD's summer conference,
Advancing Vermont's Creative Economy, drew over 200 participants from
across the state, eager to share their stories, strategies and
questions about creating a vibrant economy rooted in creativity,
entreprenuership and Vermont values. Notes from the conference
can be read here.
Priorities for projects (identified in break-out sessions at the
conference) included:
Marketing the Creative Economy
Building a Creative Economy Region
Developing Arts and Community Facilities
Advancing Agricultural Innovation
Incubating Creative New Businesses
Expanding Partnerships between Cultural Organizations
Using the Web as a Creative Economy Tool
Developing Downtown Activity and Accessibility
(Summary of priority project details, here.)
Women's Ag Network's
"Growing Places"
Growing Places, a non-credit course designed to help people explore the
possibilities and realities of owning or expanding an agricultural
business, will be offered by the Women's Agricultural Network (WAgN) at
two Vermont locations this fall: Randolph and Middlebury. Additional
on-line sessions will be offered in early 2008. The course will help
participants develop goals for themselves and their businesses, become
more familiar with financing options, identify and evaluate available
resources, examine marketing strategies, and learn about agencies and
organizations that provide support and assistance to farmers. No prior
experience is necessary, and people interested in all types of farm
enterprises are welcome. "Growing Places is designed to help ag
entrepreneurs get off to the right start in business planning and
development," says WAgN Coordinator Beth Holtzman. The two fall 2007
course schedules are as follows: Randolph on six Wednesday evenings
beginning September 12; and Middlebury on three Saturdays (full days)
beginning October 13. Registration is on a first-come, first-served
basis. Tuition is $125, but there is a $25 discount for people who
register by the earlier bird deadline (Aug. 22 for the Randolph class
and September 24 for the Middlebury class). Regular registration
deadlines are Sept. 1 for the Randolph class, and Oct. 2 for the
Middlebury class. Additionally, limited scholarship assistance is
available. For more information and to obtain registration materials,
visit WAgN's website. Or,
contact WAgN Coordinator Beth Holtzman at 802-223-2389 or toll-free in
Vermont at 866-860-1382.
Lite
Green and Bright Green - more than just a shade of difference...
Privatizing
Responsibility: the Times On Green Consumerism
Alex Steffen, WorldChanging
http://www.energybulletin.net/31575.html
"And here's the essential break between lite green and bright green
thinking: the reality is that the changes we must make are systemic
changes. They involve large-scale transformations in the ways we plan
our cities, manufacture goods, grow food, transport ourselves, and
generate energy. They involve new international regulatory regimes,
corporate strategies, industrial standards, tax systems and trading
markets. If we want to change the world, we need to forge ourselves
into the kinds of citizens who can effectively demand such things."
(ed note:
Steffen is responding to a NYTimes article, "Buying into the
Green Movement," also archived at EnergyBulletin - just below Steffen's
piece.)
Energy
Renewable energy and
energy efficiency can
have the most immediate and
longest lasting positive effect on energy availability, stable prices,
and greenhouse gas emissions.
- from the Congressional letter to
President Bush, December, 06
The
Vermont Energy Digest
The Vermont Energy Digest: An Inventory of Renewable Energy and
Efficiency is now available thanks to the Vermont Council on Rural
Development (VCRD). The Digest, a component of VCRD's Vermont
Rural Energy Council is a comprehensive inventory detailing Vermont's
current status in efficiency and renewable energy sectors, potential
capacity and impediments to progress. The Digest will be a valuable
resource for anyone looking for a composite summary of existing and
potential renewable energy businesses and technologies. To reserve your
copy, contact vcrd2@sover.net. A
PDF file may be downloaded from the "Reports/Councils"
section of the VCRD website.
VT Biofuel Sales Increase 425%
from Vermont
Biofuels Association
A Green Mountain Power Truck is refueled with biodiesel. All GMP
trucks run on B5 to B20 biodiesel blends.
Over the past year, the VBA conducted the state's only survey regarding
biodiesel distribution and found that over 1.4 million gallons of
biodiesel blends were sold in 2006, up from 275,000 gallons in 2005, or
a nearly 425% increase! (A special thanks to all the VT fuel dealers
who participated in the survey)
At the end of 2005, there was only one municipality in Vermont using
biodiesel in their vehicle fleet. But as a result of VBA member and
staff efforts with town select boards, 12 of Vermont's cities and towns
are now using biodiesel in town trucks and to heat buildings, and more
are considering it as this goes to 'print'. In addition, there are now
at least 13 stations offering biodiesel at the pump.
Want to know where to buy biodiesel? The VBA website has the most
up-to-date location
information in Vermont for Biodiesel Dealers.
Feature VBA
Project: Feed and Fuel
from Vermont Biofuels Association
It is a little known fact that oilseeds like canola, soy and
sunflower grow well in Vermont. Over a dozen farmers are experimenting
with growing oilseed crops and some are producing biodiesel for on-farm
use in the state. Oilseed crops create a variety of marketable
products such as oil for biodiesel production, meal for livestock feed,
food grade oil and glycerin.
The Vermont Feed and Fuel Project set out to explore the market and
economic opportunities, infrastructure, capital and equipment needs,
and production issues associated with three scales of operation:
1. Individual Farmers - for on-farm liquid fuel needs
and animal feed.
2. Groups of Farmers - for farmers who wish to share
the capital cost of producing oilseed crops for biodiesel production
and animal feed.
3. Small-scale Commercial Producers - we anticipate
that there may be farmers who want to grow oil-seed crops but not
produce biodiesel and entrepreneurs who want to produce biodiesel but
not grow the oil-seed crops. The Vermont Feed and Fuel Project will
attempt to provide the tools necessary for them to work together for
mutual benefit.
This 2-year research and demonstration project will be issuing its
first report in July. Stay Tuned! The project is made possible with
funding from the High Meadows Fund,
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, Maverick Lloyd Foundation and U.S. Dept.
of Energy.
Hydro
projects receive preliminary OK
excerpts from June 14, 2007 Times
Argus article
By Louis Porter Vermont Press
Bureau
MONTPELIER The Agency of Natural Resources gave early
encouragement to three proposed small hydroelectric projects...
...
The three dam proposals will have to get approval from federal
authorities as well as formal state assent by both ANR and state
electricity industry regulators. But the initial sign from the agency
charged with protecting the state's environment could encourage the
developers of the three community projects.
Some environmental advocates said the politics surrounding renewable
power in Vermont may have had a hand in the timing of the agency's
announcement.
The three projects which won preliminary support by the agency and its
secretary, George Crombie, are on the Winooski in Plainfield, at the
Bennington Water Treatment Facility and on Otter Creek in Middlebury.
The first two are being proposed by Plainfield-based Community Hydro,
run by Lori Barg, in conjunction with local authorities. The Middlebury
project is being developed by brothers Peter and Anders Holm, in
collaboration with the town. (ed note: see report on the
Middlebury project, following.)
...
"This is welcome news. This demonstrates that small-scale hydroelectric
power has a role to play in Vermont's energy future as it has in
Vermont's energy past. It's clean, responsible and local."
(ed note: Lori
Barg of Community Hydro reports
that the Bennington Water Treatment Facility project received
funding from VT's Public Service Board's Clean Energy Development
Grant. See story, following.)
Otter Creek hydro proposal dries up
August 16, 2007
By JOHN FLOWERS
Addison County Independent - full
story here.
MIDDLEBURY Planning for a proposed small-scale hydro project for
the Otter Creek Falls in Middlebury has come to a screeching halt after
a Vermont Department of Public Service (DPS) decision to take a pass on
a grant request submitted by the project’s local developers.
...
State officials recently announced that they will award $2 million in
grants to 17 projects designed to promote clean electric energy
technologies and programs primarily with respect to renewable
energy resources and the use of combined heat and power
technologies.
The DPS received 34 proposals requesting more than $4.7 million in
funding in response to the CEDF’s June request for grant
proposals. Applicants submitted proposals for projects for pre-project
financial assistance, small- and large-scale systems and special
demonstration projects. Maximum grant awards of $25,000 were awarded
for pre-project financial assistance, $60,000 for small-scale systems,
and up to $250,000 for all other projects.
Anders Holm had hoped to secure $250,000 through the CEDF. He and his
family would have used the grant to refine their plans for a hydro
turbine to be installed under the Holms’ Main Street building,
which borders the Battell Bridge on the south side of the falls in
downtown Middlebury.
Holm calculates the turbine could generate between one and three
megawatts of power. One megawatt can supply power to around 1,000
homes, according to Holm.
...
The news left Holm discouraged especially in light of the fact
that the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources in June had given the
Middlebury project a preliminary thumbs-up. “It is disappointing,
to say the least,” Holm said on Monday.
He noted the grant money would have helped further develop the Otter
Creek hydro proposal, including funding research on how the power could
be sold and delivered to prospective users. That’s information
that potential investors want to see before infusing cash into such a
project, Holm said.
Holm vowed to seek grant money from other sources in an effort to keep
the hydro plan rolling. But absent an infusion of such cash, the
project will remain dormant, he said.
“We’ll just have to dust ourselves off and try
again,” Holm said.
(full list of projects funded through
the VDPS/CEDF here.)
EFFICIENCY VT CAN
HELP FARMERS!
Farm incentives from Efficiency VT -- Efficiency VT has been working
with farms for quite a while to help them use less energy, with a focus
on electric savings. Towards that goal, they look at ventilation,
lighting, refrigeration, the vacuum and milk transfer pumps on milking
systems, and plate coolers. They have also secured grant money to
promote and provide incentives for using heat from the refrigeration
condenser to heat water for use by the clean in place system after
milking. Please see their Agricultural
Rebate form for farmers. For more information contact: George
Lawrence, Market Coordinator Business Energy Services Efficiency
Vermont 255 S. Champlain St S. Burlington VT 05401-4894 Tel (888)
921-5990 x 1082 Fax (802) 658-1643
Energy Updates
from Vermont Clean Cities Newsletter
To subscribe
to VT Clean
Cities Newsletter: send a blank email
to clean-cities@snellingcenter.org
with "subscribe" in the subject line.
Biodiesel from emissions?
This year's winning high school team in the Global Challenge, an
engineering design contest co-sponsored by UVM's College of Engineering
and Mathematical Sciences, proposed to use carbon emissions from
currently operating power plants to grow algae, which can subsequently
harvested to make biodiesel. [Source: UVM]
Ethanol plant proposed (Rutland)
The Rutland Redevelopment Authority (RRA) is exploring the possibility
of building an ethanol plant within Rutland's city limits. RRA is
applying for feasibility study funds from the Clean Energy Fund
administered by the Vermont Department of Public Service. Initial ideas
are to use grass as feedstock as opposed to corn. Another option is
wood. RRA's executive director estimates that the ethanol plant would
need to 60,000 acres of grass to be viable. [Source: Rutland
Herald ]
... more updates from VT Clean Cities
under "Transportation."
ASPO-USA comments on the National Petroleum Council's
report on energy consumption.
NPC REPORT DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - National Petroleum Council report says
energy
consumption globally is expected to rise by more than 50 percent over
next 25 years because world's population is growing and living
standards are rising worldwide; holds finding supplies to match that
growth is going to be increasingly tough and will require huge new
investments in coming decades; study involved 350 participants,
suggestions from more than 1,000 people, submissions by 19 foreign
governments and dozens of subcommittees; report is billed as one of
most comprehensive analyses of global energy challenge in decades; it
also provides sobering picture of energy problem facing US and world;
warns of 'accumulating risks' to energy production, including rising
geopolitical barriers, inflation in costs, dwindling number of
petroleum engineers and growing constraints on carbon dioxide
emissions---- report here.
ASPO-USA's Randy Udall comments:
“The
NPC artfully camouflages the enormous near-term challenges
in producing sufficient oil and gas to fuel the global economy,”
says Randy Udall, a board member of ASPO-USA. “Hard truths are
hinted at, but are never clearly identified. Troubling trends are
referenced, but their ramifications are
dodged.” ASPO’s
review of the NPC study identified the following serious shortcomings:
1. The study fails to directly answer the straightforward
questions
asked
by Energy Secretary Bodman. In its multi-chapter report, the NPC buries
the critical issue of peak oil in a rambling discussion of energy
supply, energy demand, energy efficiency and climate change.
2. The NPC study hides the huge near-term problem of meeting
global demand
for liquid fuels. Mitigating the emerging worldwide shortage of oil
will take decades under the best of conditions, according to ASPO.
Ironically, the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology
Laboratory had already commissioned a much clearer discussion of this
challenge. In their seminal 2005 paper “Peaking of World Oil
Production: Impacts, Mitigation, & Risk Management,” Robert
Hirsch and Roger Bezdek coherently outlined the dire risks of delayed
action.
3. The NPC’s Executive Summary contains some profoundly
misleading
graphs, according to ASPO. One suggests that petroleum supplies will
grow for another two decades, another that five nations in the Middle
East are capable and willing to double oil exports. Experts have
serious doubts about both assumptions. Today, 10 nations produce nearly
75 percent of oil exports. But as one senior Saudi puts it,
“There has been a paradigm shift in the energy world whereby oil
producers are no longer inclined to rapidly exhaust their resource for
the sake of accelerating the misuse of a precious and finite commodity.
This sentiment prevails inside and outside of OPEC countries but has
yet to be appreciated among the major energy consuming countries of the
world.
4. The report evades discussion of the economic trauma that is
likely once
world oil production flattens. According to Robert M. Gates, current
Secretary of Defense, “It only requires a relatively small amount
of oil to be taken out of the system to have huge economic and security
implications…. If we wait until a crisis occurs to act, the
nation will have access to few, if any, effective short-term
remedies.” Gates reached this conclusion after participating in
the Oil Shockwave, a planning exercise sponsored by the nonpartisan
National Commission on Energy Policy. “We must transcend the
narrow interests that have historically stood in the way of a coherent
oil security strategy,” Gates concluded. The NPC study ignores
these and similar warnings from many other sources.
...
“In the final analysis, the NPC Study is woefully inadequate,
leaving the Secretary of Energy and the American public with inadequate
warning of the huge economic and social risks that many experts believe
are just around the corner,” says Udall. Full NPC report here. Full ASPO-USA commentary
and article here.
Canaries in the Coal
Mines
Energy Bulletin offered this list of countries with reported energy
shortages this spring and summer... a longer list than
you'd
think if all you did was listen to mainstream news... full list here.
Food
Organic foods seem elitist only
because industrial food is
artificially cheap, with its real costs being charged to the public
purse, the public health and the environment."
- Alice Waters
Share the Harvest
NOFA-VT invites you to participate in the thirteenth annual Share the
Harvest event to be held October 4, 2007. Participating restaurants,
co-ops and stores will donate a portion of their day’s sales to
NOFA-VT’s Farm Share Program which assists limited-income
Vermonters in obtaining farm fresh fruits and vegetables. In 2007 we
have close to 800 individuals participating in the Vermont Farm Share
Program. Help us meet our fundraising goal of $10,000 by eating out at
a participating restaurant or purchasing products at any participating
store (to view a list of participating stores and restaurants, visit
our website). Thank you for making
a difference in helping to fight hunger, improve nutrition, and support
Vermont’s sustainable, family farms! For more information about
the Farm Share Program or if you know of a restaurant or store in your
town that you’d like to see participate, call us at (802)434-4122.
Putting Up the Harvest
by Annie Dunn Watson
Eating locally and seasonally means paying closer
attention to
the
native foods and growing cycles of our regions, something peak oil
is encouraging many
of us to do. It also means (re-)learning a few
skills that our grandparents probably knew, but never thought they'd
have to teach us! Buying fresh, local food is easy in the summer,
and even into fall; and, with a little effort, we can grow some
of our
own fresh veggies at home or in a nearby community garden.
But putting food by... now that's another story! Drying,
canning and freezing are long-forgotten arts for many; but they can be
taught - and learned - again. The satisfaction of growing or
buying local food and putting it up is hard to beat... it forges a
connection between ourselves, our ancestors, and the earth, and
leads to the grateful awareness that we can do things for ourselves
that
perhaps we'd thought beyond our reach.
The first time I canned peaches (over 30 years ago now), I was in the
company of four other
women, all veteran canners who chatted boisterously while I tried
to pay
close attention to their flying hands. Clean this, blanch that,
peel and slice the peaches... DARN IT!! WHO LET THOSE
CHICKENS OUT AND LEFT THE KITCHEN DOOR OPEN!! The wit and wisdom
of their comraderie, familiar efficiency and cooperation captivated me,
and gave
me my first glimpse of what self-sufficiency and community might look
like.
How long do foods
"keep"? Depending on method and condition of storage, many foods can
keep remarkably well through the winter and into spring, with freezing
and canning taking them farther still. And the appearance of
Vermont winter farmers' markets is making it possible to acquire
local
food almost all year round. Rumor has it that we will soon see
"community root cellars" springing up in various parts of Vermont...
we'll keep you posted.
Apples, beets, cabbages, carrots, onions and potatoes as well as
turnips and many winter squashes have good root cellar and other cool
storage track records. Canning offers shelf life to all sorts of
veggies and fruits; there are numerous books on canning and other
storage methods, with the Ball
Blue Book of Preserving being a popular choice. Freezing is
easy, and with energy-efficient freezers coming to the market, it is
becoming more attractive as well (think carefully about where you put
your freezer, too --- the cooler the room, the less energy it will take
to run it). Drying takes a bit of practice to master, and solar
driers
are making the option an interesting challenge - as well as
one that
promises to use even less energy than drying already does when compared
with the other preserving methods. Dairy and meat, maple syrup
and honey are all locally available, and all can be processed for long
term use.
Don't want to become overwhelmed with the possibilities?
Understandable. Choose one method to try, and a food to try
it with; there'll be next year to add to your repertoire. And
consider taking advantage of a workshop or other "putting food by"
learning opportunity in your community this fall.
The VPON Calendar lists a number of food
storage workshops: opportunities to practice canning, drying, and
freezing, as well as root cellaring abound. Make your
grandparents proud... and bring a new level of personal satisfaction to
your table.
Vermont's Farmers'
Markets!
Eating locally... it's not just for Localvores! You can eat
locally, too --- it's especially easy to do in the summer
and into the fall.
In fact, the demand for local food has risen so quickly this year
that many CSA slots in Chittenden County filled up well before the
season began, and waiting lists had to be developed. Hey,
Vermont, let's do more to encourage preservation of agricultural land
and make it easier for young people to enter (and flourish!) in
farming!! Let the marketplace decide? Well, it appears to
have
spoken!
Here is a link to NOFA VT's list of Farmers' Markets this year: Farmers Markets
Ferrisburgh bakery
rises to challenge
Published: Thursday, August
2, 2007
By Ashley Matthews
Free Press Staff Writer; full story
here.
FERRISBURGH -- Erik Andrus could've chosen a smoother ride through his
pasture on a sunny afternoon, but there's a reason the 35-year-old
farmer chose to harvest his wheat using Civil War-era technology.
The jolting journey is just part of Andrus' dream to create European
artisan bread that's as old-fashioned as his equipment -- a
reaper-binder pulled by Molly and Star, his powerful Percheron horses.
"To me, it feels like driving a Lamborghini 120 miles per hour on the
freeway because it's such a rush," Andrus said of his trek through the
field. "I feel about those horses the way many people would feel about
a sports car."
...
Last week, Andrus moved closer to his goal of creating all organic,
local bread made from his own flour when he circled the field of gently
swaying wheat perched in a precarious seat atop the reaper-binder he
purchased for $1,100. Andrus estimates the tool he's using was built in
the 1940s, and he believes his is the only business in Vermont using
such technology for commercial purposes.
...
It's true that it would be easier for Andrus to use modern equipment --
a fuel-powered tractor or a combine -- but it wouldn't fit his business
model, which is to produce local bread using as little fuel as
possible. It would also be easier and less costly for Andrus to
purchase pre-made flour, but Andrus doesn't measure cost in traditional
terms. (full story here).
Sustainable Ag Scholarship Program
Annie's Homegrown is accepting applications for its new Sustainable
Agriculture Program that will award $50,000 to undergrad and grad
students pursuing studies in organic and sustainable agriculture! The
award will include three $10,000 and eight $2,500 scholarships.
Deadline: September 30, 2007. Winners announced by January 2008. Apply
online now... http://www.annies.com/programs/sustainable_agriculture_scholarship.htm
Health
Petrochemicals
are used to manufacture analgesics, antihistamines, antibiotics,
antibacterials, rectal suppositories,
cough syrups, lubricants, creams, ointments, salves, and many gels.
Coal
is not the answer.
Courtesy, Climate Today
Power generated by coal is the
single largest source of mercury contamination in the United States,
releasing 48 tons of the heavy metal into our air and waterways each
year. The amount of mercury emitted from a coal-fired power plant to
power a single compact fluorescent is just 2.4 milligrams, compared
with 10 milligrams for a regular bulb. Mercury in the environment is a
serious health problem. Some 410,000 babies are born each year to
mothers who have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood, mainly from
consuming fish. Mercury is easily passed along to infants through the
umbilical cord or breast milk and can cause mental retardation or
impairment, behavioral disorders and lack of coordination. In adults,
prolonged or intensive exposure can cause damage to the brain, nervous
system and kidneys. To remove this threat from the environment,
Congress should establish a timetable for coal power plant operators to
sharply reduce the amount of mercury they emit. (The E.P.A.'s 2005
regulations on mercury emissions mandating a 70 percent reduction by
2018 were widely criticized by environmental groups and scientists as
too little too late.) Congress should also impose aggressive new energy
efficiency standards for homes and businesses, eliminating subsidies
for the coal industry and making significant investments in renewable
sources of power. [Original in New York Times July 29, 2007.]
One result of bio-accumulation of mercury is a profusion of warning
signs at America's waterways. Indeed, mercury pollution is
"extraordinarily widespread," says Charles Driscoll, a professor of
civil and environmental engineering at Syracuse University, who studies
mercury levels in the environment. "There are 45 states with fish
advisories, 19 with blanket advisories [covering all surface waters],
12 million acres of lakes and 473,000 river miles where there are
advisories. It's a large proportion of our aquatic resources."
More here.
Climate Today
is
a daily digest of issues pertaining to global heating
and climate change. Please encourage others to receive this free news
service - to subscribe, contactClimateNewsNM@aol.com
Peak
Oil and Dentistry.
by Ben Brangwyn. 21-July-2007
(archived on Energy
Bulletin).
There is a deafening silence from the world of dentistry on the subject
of Peak Oil. As we move into the era that marks the end of cheap and
abundant fossil fuels, all healthcare systems will need to adapt to the
ensuing constraints, dentistry included. In this document, two UK
dentists respond to a set of questions regarding dentistry and Peak Oil
that were recently posted on the ODAC website. More here.
Peak
Oil Medicine
Website
Peak
Oil Medicine was
established by Dr Paul Roth, a medical professional from Australia. He
works in family medical practice and also has post-graduate
qualifications in western-style (evidence based) acupuncture and
integrative medicine. He is concerned about the looming effects of peak
oil, and has been environmentally-minded since his teenage years, when
he first joined the Australian Conservation Foundation. He invites you
to read and comment on his posts, and to use them as a starting point
for your own peak oil ponderings.
(ed note: It would be
great to hear from folks who are working on local health initiatives...
contact
us with your
resources and stories!)
Transportation
Commuting
by train or bus,
when that choice is available, will make the biggest difference.
Consider the average round trip to work — 23 miles. In the
average
sedan,
which gets 23 miles to the
gallon, that is 250 gallons of gas a
year and about 5,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
- Matthew L. Wald, NYTimes,
12/30/06
Vermont Clean Cities 2007 Transportation Energy
Report
In 2006, Vermont spent more than $1 billion on gasoline and diesel
products. This represents an increase of more than $500 million since
2002; yet, actual fuel use has remained almost the same. VCC reports
that the increase is due to the "rapid increase in gasoline prices over
the last five years."
In 2000, a Vermont Agency of Transportation survey revealed that
two thirds of Vermonters polled perceived no actions that would cause
them to drive less. In a survey conducted in 2006, that number had
shrunk to 37% of those polled.
Between 2005 and 2006, bus ridership increased 9.3%. Improved public
transportation (including light rail) was one of the actions that
Vermonters polled in 2006 said would encourage them to drive less (29%
of respondants). 17% mentioned higher gasoline taxes as an inducement
to reduce.
Read the full report from Vermont Clean Cities here.
A much-appreciated contribution.
Transportation Updates from Vermont Clean
Cities Newsletter
Vermont Clean
Cities -
committed to advancing “the economic, environmental and energy
security
of the U.S.” through cutting back on “petroleum consumption
in the
transportation sector.”
The Vermont Clean Cities Coalition supports, promotes and helps
coordinate Vermont-related efforts related to fuel efficient and
alternative fueled vehicles, transportation alternatives to the
automobile, anti-idling campaigns, and funding opportunities and
programs that address the Clean Cities mission. For more
information
on Clean Cities projects nationwide, visit the U.S Department of
Energy's Clean Cities website.
To
subscribe
to VT Clean
Cities Newsletter: send a blank email
to clean-cities@snellingcenter.org
with "subscribe" in the subject line.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle testing (Rutland)
Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain College are teaming
up to test the state's first plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
(PHEV). [Sources: Rutland
Herald]
Pedestrian mall Fridays and bike path
plans (Rutland)
Rutland's creative economy committees have advanced two plans which
will encourage walking and biking: an open-air market day downtown on
Fridays, and multi-use paths through the city. [Source:
Rutland Herald]
Slow
progress for Main Street (Rutland)
Proposed plans will make the eastern side of Main Street better for
bicycles and pedestrians. Burying power lines are also in the works.
[Source: Rutland
Herald]
Sharing the road
It's not always easy to be a bicyclist on the road,or a bike-friendly
motorist. However advocates and columnists continue to educate the
public on best practices. [Sources: Rutland
Herald], Vermont
Bicycle and & Pedestrian Coalition]
Park & Rides agreement (Willison)
The Williston Selectboard has agreed in principle to explore
construction of two park & ride facilities south and north of I-89.
[Source: Burlington
Free Press]
Anti-Idling: School buses change
for law
Chittenden South Supervisory Union has outfitted 48 buses with a system
that will allow energy-efficient red loading lights to flash without
running down the battery when the engine is shut off. The change was
prompted by the new law which prohibits school buses from idling when
parked on school grounds. [Sources: Burlington
Free Press]
Rail riders on the rise
Ridership on the two Amtrak trains that serve Vermont, one that runs
from St. Albans-Washington D.C. and one from Rutland-New York City,
have increased by 15%. The increase is attributed to several causes: a
concerted marketing effort, high gas prices, and frustration with
aviation and highway gridlock. [Source: Burlington
Free Press]
Rail tunnel nears completion
(Bellow Falls)
A year-long alteration to the Bellows Falls rail tunnel is almost
finished. The improvement drops the rails to allow modern,
double-stacked cars through the tunnel. VTrans says that the project
will streamline the passage of travelers and freight on the line.
[Source: Brattelboro
Reformer]
Update
from Idle-Free Vermont
from
Wayne Michaud
Idle-Free VT has a new email address: info@idlefreevt.org
Although the old email address is still active, you're encouraged to
update.
Since the last full-fledged Idle-Free VT update in mid April, much has
happened. Most important and rewarding for everyone who contributed
their efforts
in the forefront and behind the scenes, on May 25, Act 48--the Idling
of Motor Vehicle Engines on School Property--became law. This is our
gift to the children of Vermont.
• Idle-Free launched Business Idle-Free at the end of May. Letters
were mailed to over 200 fleet operated businesses, and businesses and
institutions whose patrons may be excessively idling their vehicles
(parking lot or drive-through). On the Business Idle-Free page, see
great examples that have been set by fleet operated Green Mountain
Coffee Roasters and non-fleet Vermont State Employees Credit
Union. http://idlefreevt.org/business.index.html
A big thanks to Idle-Free VT Advisor David Polow who funded this
effort. This brief Idle-Free VT update highlights our current effort.
Essentially three volunteers, myself and Idle-Free VT advisors
David Polow of Hyde Park and Tom Piper of South Burlington, have
contacted both fleet-based entities and those whose operations tend to
involve idling by patrons on the premises (hospitals,
banks, colleges, ski resorts, post offices, etc.). We are in the
follow up stage, splitting the more than 200 contacts among the
three of us, in our free time. There is some initial promise with
some entities being persuaded of the advantages of implementing an
idle-reduction policy. More specific details will come in a future
update.
In the meantime, the Times Argus has published an idling
commentary written by Wayne Michaud that emphasizes idling in the
business community and cites the models of Green Mountain Coffee
Roasters and Vermont State Employees Credit Union, who have taken
a leadership role in caring for Vermont's air quality and
environment by implementing idling policies (see commentary here).
We are hoping to parlay this into further media coverage, especially as
feature in a publication like Vermont Business Magazine.
• Idle-Free VT 2007 Petition Drive. Vermont has taken the first
big step in idling legislation with passage of Act 48. The next step is
a more comprehensive idling law such as a 10,000 pound law that would
cover all heavy-duty vehicles. A new petition drive seeking an all
motor vehicle idle-reduction law in Vermont is under way and is purely
an online effort. Signing is quick and easy. These petitions can really
make an impression with legislators next session. Please pass the word
on. Also, anyone who signed last year's petition can sign this petition
as the "slate is clean." http://idlefreevt.org/petition.index.html
• In the media. There's been continued presence in the media about
idling. Letters to the editor, op-eds in the Burlington Free Press,
stories in the Addison Independent and Deerfield Valley News (both
about Act 48 and the Idle-Free VT campaign) and the Brattleboro
Reformer, and another call-in on Vermont Public Radio's Switchboard
program. See them here: http://idlefreevt.org/mediaother.index.html
This helped generate the most visits ever to the Idle-Free VT website
in June, surpassing 1,200 visits a month for the first time. More
importantly, we can hope it has led to some people changing their
idling habits.
• Idle-Free VT apparel, etc.. People have requested that Idle-Free
VT offer apparel and bumper stickers. These are now available with a
fun and easy create-it-yourself offering at cafepress.com http://idlefreevt.org/apparelandprints.index.html
• Idling Facts page. This page now offers a downloadable,
printable information card about idling. http://idlefreevt.org/idlingfacts.index.html
Wayne
Wayne Michaud, Director
IDLE-FREE VT
5 Year "Close the Gaps" Campaign Launched at
Walk/Bike Summit
courtesy, Local Motion
62 walking and biking enthusiasts met in South Burlington on May 12 to
review regional progress and strategize about closing the gaps between
trails, sidewalks, and bike lanes throughout Chittenden County.
Participants prioritized the most problematic gaps in Chittenden
County. The top three were:
Route 15 corridor (Essex, Colchester, Winooski)
Winooski River crossing (Winooski, Burlington)
Williston Road corridor (Williston, South
Burlington, Burlington)
In fact, regional transportation planners have been accepting public
comments on the future of Williston Road. More info at: www.ccmpo.info/library/US2/
Attendees also discussed ways to retrofit roads to make them better for
walking and biking. One enthusiastic breakout group thought South
Burlington and Shelburne could help cyclists on Spear Street in the
near term at a modest cost. They proposed re-striping the road so that
there are adequate shoulders on both sides, and gradually increasing
shoulder width when road sections are repaved or in areas where new
developments require road work. Over time the entire road would gain
bike lanes and be safer. South Burlington completed a Spear Street
study a couple years ago that recommended bike lanes be added. By
working together, we hope the vision can be achieved.
Eight people stepped up to volunteer as Project Champions for these and
other projects - to monitor progress and build community support so
better places to walk and bike become a reality. Want to help? Contact chapin@localmotion.org.
At the meeting, two towns received awards:
Town of Hinesburg and its Engaged Residents for outstanding efforts to
develop a vibrant pedestrian-friendly village.
Williston Recreation Path Committee & Town of Williston for
leadership in drafting a bike & pedestrian plan and securing a
voter-approved $2.6M bond to advance construction of sidewalks and
pathways.
Donate that old Bicycle!
Do you have a bike just sitting in the garage? Consider donating it to
"Pedals for Progress" - a project that sends donated bikes to
developing countries where they will help low-income workers, students
and others get around. We've sent 1,000+ bikes over the last 7 years.
Pedals for Progress Dropoff
Saturday, September 22
9am to 1pm, Location TBA
$10 per bike donation requested to cover shipping
The collection is sponsored by Green Mtn. Returned Peace Corps
Volunteers, Chittenden Solid Waste District, FedEx, and Local Motion. If
you can't make it to the drop off, you can donate your bike to Bicycle
Recycle Vermont - where bikes are reconditioned for local use - by
contacting mark@bikerecycle.localmotion.org.
Craigslist's ridesharing opportunities
continue as an underutilized gem of a resource. Please consider using
it to find a rideshare partner on trips you make. You can use the
Vermont site, or sometimes the site of your destination (e.g., New York
city, Boston). The Vermont site is http://burlington.craigslist.org/rid/,
and Craigslist sites for other places are listed at http://burlington.craigslist.org/
As the Crow Flies:
Reports from Around the State
(If
you are working on peak-oil related relocalization and sustainability
efforts in Vermont and would like to network with other communities
that are doing so, please contact
us.)
ACoRN
- Addison
County Relocalization Network
"ACORN is a cooperative response to an energy-constrained future. Our
mission is to revitalize our local economy to help our communities
provide sustainable sources of food, water, energy, employment and
other essential resources, and to promote conservation and a healthy
environment." (Mission Statement, Ratified January
2006)
ACoRN Potlucks continue, with topics often including info on sourcing
local
foods. The ACoRN Energy and general membership committees meet
regularly.
Visit ACoRN on line at acornvt.org
to find out about scheduled meetings, current projects, and Addison
County resources. See their Local Food
page!
ACoRN has also posted a directory
of
Addison County's farmers, and a project catalog, where
you can view their emerging and on-going relocalization projects.
Read about ACoRN's Community Generated
Energy project and other energy initiatives here. And,
visit the ACoRN
READING ROOM!
Bennington
Sustainability Outpost: http://www.benningtonoutpost.org
The group's town energy committee runs
a monthly energy column in the local daily newspaper, the Bennington
Banner, and continues to work with the cable access channel producer on
energy shows. The committee got the Select Board to support SERG,
Thetford, and Woodstock in their petition to the Public Service Board
regarding streetlights. They are looking at and comparing energy usage
of town-owned facilities. BSO offers requent film showings and
discussions on energy-related topics, alternative modes of
transportation, and sustainability.
BSO Coordinator Scott Printz writes:
-We have a vibrant farmers market in Bennington. It has been
getting a bit larger each year. This year they added a Tuesday
afternoon market as well as the Saturday morning.
-There is a new CSA in Pownal town south of B'ton) that has about 50
customers in this first year. Most customers live in neighboring
towns or in Pownal.
-A bike path is to be built connecting northern Bennington to downtown
-Downtown development is going along well. The town seems to take
the health of the downtown community seriously. The downtown is,
of course, surrounded by walkable neighborhoods. Most new home
construction, however, is not within reasonable walking distance of
anything.
Scott hopes to see a PO task force in the Bennington area in the near
future... he'll keep us posted. For more information on Bennington
Sustainability Outpost,
contact: info@benningtonoutpost.org
CPON:
Cabot Peak Oil Network
CPON continues to develop interfaces between farmers in
Cabot.
Organic dairy farmers are aware of peak oil. Grass-fed dairy,
beef and poultry are, from beginning to end,
"sustainability."
This raises the question of what we feed chickens when "all you have is
what you have." Lee is experimenting with Devons, a breed of
cattle he feels are well-suited to Vermont. He is also working
with the town through the
Democracy Committee, using his conflict management skills. CPON
recommends Non Violent Communication training, a skill they feel we
will
need to facilitate good relationships in hard times; members of the
larger community are engaged in this training. For more
information about CPON, contact Lee: leeb (at)
pivot.net
First
Branch Sustainability Project (Tunbridge)
Meeting 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. Mission
statement: "Work
together to maximize quality of life as we reduce dependency on oil."
Contact Henry at: swayze
(at)
pngusa (dot) net and visit the First
Branch Sustainability Project on the VPON Community Pages.
You can keep
abreast of First Branch developments on the FBSP pages.
Greater
East
Montpelier Peak Oil Group (GEMPOG)
Monthly open meetings.
Film screenings
and
discussions frequently offered in the community; collaborative approach
in regards to local sustainability efforts. Contact Carl Etnier at
223-2564 or email carl
(at)
etnier.net for more
information and travel directions.
GEMPOG is preparing for its fall
activities, and will hold it's first fall potluck and meeting on Sept.
12th at 6 p.m. (Unitarian Church, Montpelier). After its short summer
recess, the group will consider its mission and plans for the following
year. Contact Carl for more information: carl (at)
etnier.net
Mad
River
Sustainability Group
Meets third Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m., with a topical
discussion or event to kick off each meeting. For more
information: dennisd (at) hastingshill.com
This spring, MRSG collaborated with other Mad River Valley
organizations to host two informative, community-building events. The
Valley's 7 Days for the Earth series, MRSG's energy fair and the
Imagining Our Common Future conference were very important
landmarks in the Mad River Valley's move toward a localized sustainable
society! More than anything else, both efforts reflected a
collaboration between many local, like-minded groups and led to
powerful networking which will enable community members and MRSG to
continue to influence community and municipal dialogues. You can
download notes from the Imagining Our Common Future event here (courtesy, Vermont
Commons, a co-sponsor of the event).
Please visit MSRG at:
VPON-regional <http://vtpeakoil.net/regional.html>
And
Relocalization Network | Post Carbon Institute <http://www.postcarbon.org/groups/>
Newbury/South
Ryegate/Wells River Group
Come talk with us about local agriculture and
energy, energy efficiency, and more. Contact Brad &
Linda: permabrooks
(at)
fairpoint.net
Brad and Linda have opened a Solar Store: Green Works,
in Groton, Vermont. Route 302 in the village center. Visit Solar
Stores
website: www.usasolarstore.com
Plan
C -
Chittenden County Peak Oil Group
A group with representatives from Burlington, Charlotte, Essex, Jericho
and Richmond came together in early 2006, and welcomes your input and
participation. The
group has
joined forces with the Vermont Earth Institute to give rise to the
Burlington-area Sustainable
Living Network, embracing a wider focus (sustainability, while
promoting peak oil awareness). BSLN has hosted
a number of films and presentations this spring, and then put aside its
activities for the summer. Check
the Plan
C Group page on the VPON Community Pages, or the VPON Calendar
for events and meeting dates.
For more information about Plan C/BSLN, please e-mail cltaussig (at)
earthlink.net
or Plan_C (at)
vtpeakoil.net
Post
Oil
Solutions (Windham County)
POS is a Windham County group working to advance cooperative,
sustainable communities in an age of global climate change and
declining fossil fuels. Meeting in Brattleboro on the 1st and
3rd
Wednesday evenings of the
month, 7 p.m. 1st Wednesday: Rm 211, Paramount Bldg, Main St.,
Brattleboro; 3rd Wednesday: Rm 2 East, Marlboro School Grad Center, 28
Vernon, Brattleboro
Contact: info@postoilsolutions.org
Visit Post Oil Solutions at www.postoilsolutions.org
At their 21 May meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard passed by a 3-2
margin the proposal made by Post Oil Solutions (POS) for a Regional Peak Oil Task
Force, something that POS first presented to the Board at their 15
May meeting. Additionally, the Executive Board of the Windham Regional
Commission (WRC) also agreed, at their 12 June meeting, to collaborate
with Brattleboro on the Task Force. Along with the fact that this body
will be made of 5 Brattleboro residents, and 4 from Windham County, the
presence of the WRC will truly make this a regional entity.
POS Localvores will sponsor a Localvore
Harvest Challenge - To eat only locally produced food for
the period of the Challenge, Friday, September 21 through Saturday,
September 29. HOW IS LOCALLY-PRODUCED FOOD DEFINED? Within a 100 mile
radius of Brattleboro, and including the State of Vermont - our purpose
is to engage with people, and to encourage them to include more local
foods in their diet, we try to make the challenges fun, warm-fuzzy
affairs, not hair-shirt exercises in political correctness.
POS On-goiong
Projects:
Community Gardens
A CSA in Every Town
2007 (Re)learning to Feed Ourselves
workshops
Hoop Greenhouse Project
2007 Summer Localvore Challenge
The Eat Local Committee of the
Brattleboro Food Co-op
Community Meat Processing Co-op
Eat Local Action Workshop
Winter Farmers' Market
Windham Energy Group (WEG)
No-Idle Campaign
Curb Your Car Challenge
Council of
Elders/Mentoring/"Growing
Local Children" Project
Route
12 Loop Group
It's in the Neighborhood! Local agriculture, energy
efficiency,
community. Conact Anita at: anita
(at)
innevi.com