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CALENDAR May Council on the Future of Vermont Forums Target Dates (May through August) VCRD staff and Council members will meet with thousands of Vermonters across the state in the coming months, and will strive to reach people from all walks of life. Responses from the project will serve as an educational tool for future planning, program development, and citizen engagement. We hope you can join us for one of these community forums to share your thoughts on the future of Vermont. What does Vermont mean to you? What are our challenges and opportunities as a state? What should our priorities be? St. Johnsbury May 8 Middlebury May 29 Burlington June 19 Barre July 10 Hartford July 31 Brattleboro August 21 To learn how to participate in the CFV program, or for more information, contact Sarah Waring - 223-6098 or CFV@sover.net. NWEI (Earth Institute) launches its new course on food and sustainability, Menu for the Future - A six session discussion Course Session Themes include: What’s
Eating America?
Menu
for the Future will be launched at Shelburne
Farms this spring, starting Tuesday, May 27 from 6:00-7:30.
This
course will be pre-registered. We are also looking for a sponsor for a
Burlington based group. If you can imagine yourself with a groups of
friends and neighbors having this discussion over local strawberries
and cream …contact Leah
and we will help set it up!Anonymous Food Farming for the Future You Are What You Eat Toward a Just Food System Choices for Change May 1st through 9th WAY TO GO! Commuter Challenge May 1st Kick Off at Pocket Park, Montpelier Way to Go Week: May 5 through 9th Way to Go Week highlights the many alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle, one of the greatest contributers to greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont. Reducing 500,000 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont can happen in one week! Sign up at waytogovt.org. Way to Go Week Kick Off on May 1st, at Pocket Park, Montpelier, noon. Information, commaraderie, music, refreshments, and a few words from the Governor and local leaders. May 7th is Carpool Day! Fill your car with people and enjoy your ride to work even more! May 9th - Dime Day -- that's right, you can leave your car behind and ride any bus to work for just a dime! May 5-9 WAY TO GO! Commuter Challenge (Addison county) Visit www.waytogovt.org to register yourself or your organization. Addison County will launch its own Way to Go! Commuter Challenge the week of May 5th to May 9th. Commuters are asked to spend the week biking, walking, carpooling, telecommuting or taking the bus, to reduce air pollution from motor vehicles, save money, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. May 7th Systems Thinking and Sustainability (Burlington) 7 PM AT THE FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY. with Lance Polya, Ph.D. How can we make the systems that we work and live in more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable? Sustainable solutions to the pressing challenges of today depend upon our ability to synthesize information from a myriad of sources and perspectives. Systems Thinking is a tool that helps you gain a deeper insight into how complex systems behave, by enabling you to see "the big picture” from all the information that comes your way. In this nontechnical talk, with active audience participation, Dr. Polya will connect the relevance of systems thinking to creating - and living in - a sustainable world. Lance Polya has been teaching Systems Thinking to organizations and educational institutions for twenty years. He currently teaches courses in Systems Thinking and Sustainability at the University of Vermont and Burlington College. He earned a Ph.D. in Systems Science from the State University of New York. Dr. Polya was awarded a National Science Foundation grant to develop and teach Systems Thinking to non-technical students. The Burlington Sustainable Living Network (BSLN) sponsors this presentation. BSLN is an educational project that presents films, speakers and discussions that assist and support us in creating a sustainable future for our families and our communities and the earth. For information, call Sophie Quest, 802-238-4927. Geothermal Heating and Cooling (Middlebury) 7:00 p.m. - Addison County Regional Planning Commission’s office, 14 Seminary Street in Middlebury. Are you interested in alternative energy? Would you like to know how geo-thermal heating works? What it costs? Whether it might be a good alternative for your property? On Wednesday, May 7, 2008 the Energy Committee of the Addison County Regional Planning Commission will be hosting a FREE educational meeting open to the general public to discuss practical questions regarding when, how and at what cost a home or business owner in Addison County might consider using geo-thermal heating/cooling to regulate space or water temperatures in their home/business. The meeting will include a presentation by Jeff Spafford of Spafford and Sons Water Wells regarding some of the science behind geothermal heating or cooling, how it works, what is necessary on a site for it to work optimally and covering some basic cost calculations for installation. Additionally, the Committee intends to have a homeowner that has installed a geothermal system at their home available to describe their experiences and to help Jeff answer practical questions from audience members regarding whether or how this technology may work. Please join the ACRPC Energy Committee for an informative evening providing practical guidance on locally based alternative energy options for your home or business. Anyone with questions regarding the meeting should call Bob McNary at (802)343-4853 or the Addison County Regional Planning Commission, Adam Lougee, Executive Director at (802) 388-3141. Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future (Middlebury) Discussion with Bill McKibben; focus: Eating locally, and its impact on local community and local economy. 6 to 8 p.m. United Methodist Church. Sponsored by Addison County Localvores. May 8th Global Warming: Changing CO2urse (Burlington) City Market, Burlington - 6 to 7 p.m. Join your friends and neighbors for this four session community discussion course that informs and empowers individuals to understand the issues, and take action to curb global warming. The course, created by the Northwest Earth Institute, and brought to you by the Vermont Earth Institute, is free. To register for the course contact the Vermont Earth Institute 343-1956, veicoordinator@yahoo.comwww.vtearthinstitute.org/programs/html. May 8th through June 12th (6 Thursday evenings) PRACTICAL HERBALISM (Burlington) - facilitated by Melanie Putz Brotz, RD This 6-Week Field Training Program provides 15 hours of hands-on experience. Activities include 3 days of field identification, sustainable and ethical harvesting, wild food tasting, herbal first-aid, tincture making, drying and storing, identification of non-native and invasive species and their culinary and medicinal uses, students creating their own sets of Plant Cards, and more. Students who complete the training will receive a Field Practicum Certificate. Dates: Thursday evenings; May 8th - June 12th. 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm. Location: Burlington, VT; Local Natural Areas, Parks, Intervale, etc. Cost: Early Registration Discount - $125. before 4/15/08, $155. after 4/15/08. Phone: 864-9572 -- email: mel@burlingtontelecom.net Melanie Putz Brotz, RD is a registered dietitian and community herbalist with 15 years of experience as a field guide for herbal studies in Vermont. Melanie is an avid wild foods enthusiast, and thoroughly enjoys sharing her plant knowledge with others. May 10th Wild Edible Feast (So. Woodbury), Saturday, May 10, 10 am to 4 pm. Vermont. The spring offers us much welcomed local, fresh wild food. Come harvest, prepare and eat a variety of tasty wild edibles! Learn the principles of safe and sustainable wild harvesting, address issues of identification and toxicity, and communicate with the plants. Gain the confidence you need to prepare common wild foods. You will go home with a handout of wild food recipes. $80. Pre-registration requested. $10 non-refundable deposit holds your place. Wisdom of the Herbs School, South Woodbury. Call Annie McCleary, 802-456-8122. Class size limited. Post Oil Solutions Sponsors Backyard Chicken Raising Workshop (Brattleboro) Repeating its highly successful workshop of a year ago, Post Oil Solutions is once again offering its Backyard Chicken Raising Workshop on Saturday, May 10, 2008, 9:00 AM, at Fair Winds Farm, Upper Dummerston Road, Brattleboro. The workshop will be led by Bekah Murchison who, with her parents, Jay and Janet Bailey, run Fair Winds, a diversived, horse-powered farm that has been raising chickens since 1978. The workshop is geared toward those with little or not experience with chickens, and is intended to inspire and provide information for participants to start their own backyard flock. Children are welcome, but, please, no more than 2 per adult, and must be supervised at all times. The workshop fee is $5, participants are limited, and pre-registration is required (802 869 2141). May 10th -11th “GOING GREEN” Exposition & Workshops (Burlington) May 10-11, 2008 University of VT, Burlington, VT Ticket Cost: $10.00 for adults; children 15 and under free. 25% of proceeds from your admission will be shared with nonprofit organizations doing important sustainability work. The Future Doesn’t Just Happen . . . You Make It! Help Us Take Green Mainstream. OK so you’re tired of that feeling that you are mortgaging your future when you fill the gas tank of your car. Tired of being dependent on fossil fuels and looking for ways to create a future for your family that does not use your entire paycheck up to simply stay warm and keep the lights on. Looking to create a greener life for yourself and your family by switching to environmentally friendly products. There are thousands of entrepreneurs who have been thinking about all this and generating ideas, reviving old traditions and creating new products around the notion that we can build a sustainable future for ourselves and for our planet. We are working to bring many of them together to let you learn the latest and greatest and to start making plans for your own green future. See website. May 12th Community Teaching Garden (Burlington) Classes begin May 12 Friends of Burlington Gardens has announced that the Community Teaching Garden at Ethan Allen Homestead is accepting applications for its Class of 2008. This 20-week hands-on gardening program teaches beginners the basic skills of planting, cultivating, harvesting, and preserving garden produce. Community Teaching Garden classes are held Monday and Thursday evenings from May 12 through September 29. The basic course fee is $200, which includes 40 class sessions, use of a 4 ft. by 20 ft. organic raised bed, seeds, plants, special events, access to tools, and all the fresh organic produce you can grow. Classes are taught by FBG's executive director Jim Flint in partnership with UVM Extension Master Gardeners. Community Teaching Garden participants will also receive a copy of Barbara Kingsolver's best selling book, "Animal Vegetable Miracle: A Year of Food Life," included in the course fee. Scholarships covering up to half of the course fee are available for people in limited income situations. Application deadlines for Burlington area participants are April 9 for early admission and April 30 for regular admission. To learn more about the Community Teaching Garden, visit Burlington Gardens website. Choices in Sustainable Living: An eight session course (Winooski) Starting Monday, May 12th 7:00 pm at the Winooski Library. Register at the Winooski Library (655-6424) or by contacting VEI at veicoordinator@yahoo.com or 343-1956. In good weather this course may meet out by the river! May 14th SPRING '08 UPPER VALLEY REGIONAL ENERGY COMMITTEE GATHERING (Hanover, NH) Date: May 14, 6-9pm Location : Mayer Room, Howe Library, Hanover Representatives from local town energy committee will discuss their latest projects, roadblocks & solutions, possible collaboratives with other committee reps followed by separate workshops on (1) funding opportunities for community energy initiatives and on (2) forming new town energy committees. All Upper Valley energy committees and folks interested in starting new energy committees are invited. Pizza and cider served - donations to cover costs appreciated. RSVP - for more information or to let us know you are coming, please contact Bob Walker at SERG@valley.net or 802-785-4126 and let him know if you are with an exisiting committee (which one) or if you are interested in forming a new committee (where). May 15th 2nd Annual Distributed Energy Conference (Stratton Mountain Resort, VT) Building Resilient Communities Join us for this day-long conference as we focus on distributed energy solutions such as customer sited combined heat and power projects, district heating systems, community wind plants, targeted energy efficiency measures, building local bio-fuel supply, smart grid technologies and much more. This conference is an excellent opportunity for utilities, businesses, homeowners, local communities and others interested in our energy future to explore distributed energy technologies and policies. New this year is a pre-event reception the night before the conference. Visit with many local and national renewable energy businesses and experts. Come hear from local and national experts, including: VT Lt. Governor
Brian Dubie
Be sure to visit the website at www.REVermont.org for the complete
updated agenda, registration details, lodging information and much
more!!Key Note Panel - Creating a Distributed Energy Future: Paul Peterson,
Synapse
Key Note Address by John Robb, (author of Brave
New War) Strengthening Our Energy Security - Building Resilient
Communities Panel on the Future of Vermont's Energy Grid Eric Winkler, ISO New England Audrey Zibleman, Viridity Blair Hamilton,
VEIC
Making Community Projects work David Blittersdorf, Earth Turbines Jeffery Wolfe, groSolar Lisa Daniels, Windustry - on community wind energy projects Scudder Parker, New Generation Partners - a new community energy framework Tim Maker, Biomass Energy Resource Center - on community District Heating & CHP projects Other Speakers Include: Chris Young,
North East CHP Initiative
James Rose, Network for New Energy Choices Beka Kosanovic, Northeast CHP Application Ctr Bruce Bentley, Central Vermont Public Service Tom Bourgeois, Pace Law School Energy Project Francis Cummings, Renewable Energy Trust, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Register before May 4th and SAVE!! (price increase as shown in parentheses below) Registration fee
includes continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments.
REV Member: $100 ($125) Non-Member: $150 ($175) Student: $75 ($100) May 17th LYME ENERGY COMMITTEE OPEN HOUSE AND ENERGY TOUR (Lyme, NH) Lyme Town Garage Saturday, May 17 from 10-12. Learn about alternative energy sources and ways to conserve energy. See the new wood pellet boiler, visit educational vendor displays about alternative energy sources, and learn how you can conserve energy in your home or business. From 12-2 there will be a self-guided tour of homes in Lyme that use alternative ways to save on energy use and cost. Maps for the tour will be available at the open house. For more information contact Rebecca Lovejoy at lovejoy@sovernet.com Homestead Chickens for Eggs and Meat (Thetford) Rice's Mills Community Center, Rt. 132 Thetford Center, 10 - noon. Scot Zens and Niko Horster, Thetford residents experienced in raising farm animals, will discuss many issues related to raising chickens, including breeds, feed, housing, pasturing, fencing, equipment, building a "chicken tractor" (portable coop & cage) and slaughter. This will be a very full 2-hours, so come prepared. Workshop organized by the Thetford Energy Committee and Rice's Mills Community Association; free, but donations to support ongoing RMCA and TEC activities and schoolhouse upkeep are appreciated. Generously sponsored by Thetford growers and producers, Cedar Circle Farm and Crossroads Farm. For more information contact Bob 785-4126. May 18th Business Climate Change: VBSR’s 18th Annual Spring Conference (Burlington) 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM The IDX Student Life Center, Champlain College Cost: $125 for members; $175 for non-members before May 5 earlybird deadline For More Info: Call 802-862-8347 or e-mail info@vbsr.org Join us for VBSR's 18th Annual Spring Conference in Burlington! We will be joined by our keynote speaker, John Abrams, Co-Founder and CEO of South Mountain Company, and author of 'The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community and Place.' Full conference details are now available online. May 20th Sustainable Heating In Vermont (Bristol) Where - Mt. Abraham Union High School, Bristol Vermont When - Tuesday May 20th 8:30 a.m. A conference on the future direction of affordable and sustainable heating in Vermont; hosted by Representative David Sharpe and the Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative. **Focus groups
for the conference**
The future of home heating in Vermont relates to
technology, land use, and affordability. We need a clear vision
of how
to steer our state to an affordable and sustainable future. The
economic, environmental and social consequences for not planning ahead
could be disastrous. Please join with us and other leaders in all
of
the above areas to engage in a planning discussion. Advantages and
Disadvantages of Cord Wood Heat, Wood Chips, Wood
Pellets, and blended Biomass Pellets.
Land use, Agriculture, Sylva Culture, and Sustainable Yields How do we provide Heat to those who can’t afford it? A planning session for a Pilot LIHEAP project in Bristol. RSVP to Jessie-Ruth Corkins of the Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative: jesasinxi@gmail.com or 453-7361. May 27th Menu for the Future: Brand new Vermont Earth Institute six session course (Shelburne) Starting Tuesday, May 27 at Shelburne Farms. Register by contacting Julia Penca <jpenca@shelburnefarms.org> phone: 802.985.0341 May 31st Wild Edibles Saturday, May 31,10 am. For teens. Youth Environmental Summit sponsored by the Association of Vermont Recyclers, Hulbert Outdoor Center, Fairlee, Vermont. Interested teens can apply on line, www.vtrecyclers.org. June June 4th Herb Walk (So. Woodbury), Wednesday, June 4, 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Learn local edible and medicinal plants, principles of sustainable wild harvesting, and plant spirit communion. $15. Wisdom of the Herbs School, South Woodbury, Vermont. Call Annie McCleary, 802-456-8122, to register. June 7th Local Plant Identification: Newcomb’s Wildflowers Guide (So. Woodbury), Saturday, June 7, 10 am to 4 pm. Learn to reliably identify many of the wild plants that you see. Gain a solid foundation in using the standard field guide preferred by amateurs and professionals alike, Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb. This field guide includes excellent illustrations and a powerful, easy to use botanical key for wild plant identification. This workshop offers step-by-step instruction, appropriate for beginners as well as those familiar with botanical terminology. Bring Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb. $75. Pre-registration requested. $10 non-refundable deposit holds your place. Wisdom of the Herbs School, South Woodbury, Vermont. Call Annie McCleary, 802-456-8122. June 26th Herb Walk (So. Woodbury), Thursday, June 26, 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Learn local edible and medicinal plants, principles of sustainable wild harvesting, and plant spirit communion. $15. Wisdom of the Herbs School, South Woodbury, Vermont. Call Annie McCleary, 802-456-8122, to register. July July 11th through 13th SolarFest! (Tinmouth) Welcome to SolarFest! Held at Forgot-Me-Not Farm, Tinmouth, VT! For 14 years, we've been celebrating the power of renewable energy, the arts, and community action to change the world - the time is now. Learn how: 50 workshops on renewable energy, sustainable living, the art of community, agriculture skills, green building, plus two solar-powered stages featuring great music. Learning and inspiration thrive in the volunteer-powered SolarFest community every July. Together we create a world as it might be lived. It's fun... join us! ACoRN members Jeff Jones and Ron Slabaugh are preparing a Transition Town Vermont workshop for presentation at this year's SolarFest... In response to the twin pressures of Peak Oil and Climate Change, some pioneering communities in the UK, Ireland and beyond are taking an integrated and inclusive approach to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their ability to withstand the fundamental shift that will accompany Peak Oil... these communities are using the Transition Town model. Attend the workshop to learn more about how this might work for Vermont towns. Coming This Fall 2nd Annual Northeast Animal Power Field Days September 26 – 28, 2008 Tunbridge Fair Grounds, Tunbridge, VT The Northeast Animal Power Field Days is a celebration of sustainable farming and renewable resources promoting conservation, stewardship, small farms, healthy forests, and the roles that they play in vital communities. This 3-day conference will feature working animal and equipment demonstrations in field and forest settings, workshops, exhibits, networking sessions, and an auction and swap meet on Sunday. Workshop topics will include grazing management, working with draft animals, livestock health, getting started with animal power and more. For more information, go to: www.animalpowerfielddays.org or contact Carl Russell and Lisa McCrory, info@animalpowerfielddays.org, 802-234-5524. Join our discussion forum; www.draftanimalpower.com . VERMONT PEAK OIL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS: Addison
County Relocalization Network
(ACoRN) meeting
Meets fourth Monday of the month 7:00 p.m. at the Ilsley Public Library in Middlebury. Information: gpahl (at) sover (dot) net WEBSITE: http://www.acornvt.org/ Bennington Sustainability Outpost: http://www.benningtonoutpost.org For more information: benningtonoutpost@gmail.com Brookfield Energy Group A local energy group that is concentrating on working on reducing energy use of all kinds-electricity, home heating, transportation, etc in our community. Contact Anita for further information on this group: anita (at) innevi.com First Branch Sustainability Project (Tunbridge area) Meeting 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. Proposed Mission statement: "Work together to maximize quality of life as we reduce dependency on oil." Contact Henry: swayze (at) pngusa (dot) net Mad River Sustainability Group meeting 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 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 Plan C! - Chittenden County Sustainability and Relocalization Group If you... Reside in Chittenden County Are concerned about Peak Oil Want to take positive steps to prepare, and Are interested in working with others You are invited! Representatives in Burlington, Essex and Charlotte. Info: Plan_C (at) vtpeakoil.net Post Carbon Sustainability Network (formerly Greater East Montpelier Peak Oil Group/Central Vermont Sustainable Living Network) Meets the second Wednesday of each month in the Unitarian Church, Montpelier. 6 pm potluck (please bring your own plate, cup, bowl, and utensils, if feasible); 6:30 presentation; 7:00 or 7:15 business meeting. Contact Carl: carl (at) etnier (dot) net Post Oil Solutions meeting (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. Montly Organizational Meeting: 1st Wednesday: Rm 211, Paramount Bldg, Main St., Brattleboro Building Sustainable Communities Monthly Forum: 3rd Wednesday: Rm 2 East, Marlboro School Grad Center, 28 Vernon, Brattleboro Contact: info@postoilsolutions.org WEBSITE: http://www.postoilsolutions.org Rutland Peak Oil Concerned Meet with area folks who want to discuss Peak Oil and/or develop strategies to address the consequences of an oil depleted future. Contact Mike: SJF468 (at) aol (dot) com St. Albans Peak Oil Aware Contact Kelley: kelleybilodeau (at) msn.com Vermont Peak Oil Political Action Group Statewide membership from VPON as well as the community at large. If you would like to receive notice of peak oil action opportunities (ranging from participation in "letters to the editor" flurries to engagement in legislative education efforts, and more), please sign up for future mailings at: http://vtpeakoil.net/mailman/listinfo/action_vtpeakoil.net. Vermont Earth Institute's Sustainable Living Networks Meetings To get regular notices of SLN activities in your area, put your name on the local e-mail list by contacting the local representative. Burlington
- For
information, contact Sophie
Quest soqu
(at)
earthlink.net or
Moshe Braner Plan_C
(at)
vtpeakoil.net
Charlotte - 3rd Tuesday of the month, Charlotte Senior Center, 7:00pm For more information contact: Ron Miller at holistic(at)gmavt.net. Brattleboro - 2nd Monday of the month, private homes For more information contact: Marcia Bourne (802) 254-2522; E-Mail: justmart (at) sover.net Central VT - Central VT - 2nd Wednesday of the month - joint meetings with GEMPOG, Unitarian Church, Montpelier, 6:00 pm For more information contact: Carl Etnier at carl (at)etnier.net Randolph - 2nd Wednesday of the month, Kimball Public Library, 6:30pm -- POTLUCK DINNER For more information contact: Susan Mills (802) 728-9033; E-Mail: susan.vt (at) juno.com Rutland - For more information contact: Mike O’Brien (H) (802) 438-6170; E-Mail: skyobrien (at) yahoo.com Upper Valley - Every other month. King Arthur Flour kitchen, 6:00pm POTLUCK DINNER For more information contact: Barbara Duncan (802) 333-3664; E-Mail: vei (at) valley.net See vtearthinstitute.org/upcomingevents.html |