FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 9th, 2018
Contact: Jaiel Pulskamp [email protected]
RESOLUTIONS LAUNCHED IN 30 VERMONT TOWNS SEEK CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
Residents in 30 towns across Vermont from Arlington to Williston are petitioning in their communities to put climate change on the Town Meeting Day agendas and ballots. The full list of towns includes: Arlington, Bennington, Brattleboro, Cornwall, Dorset, Dummerston, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Essex Junction, Hartford, Londonderry, Manchester, Marlboro, Marshfield, Montpelier, Newfane, Northfield, Peru, Plainfield, Putney, Salisbury, South Burlington, Weston, Williston, Woodbury, and Worcester.
Despite the State of Vermont’s goal to power the state with 90% renewables by 2050, Vermont is far from meeting this mark. Vermont is not alone, a recently released report from the United Nations shows that the worldwide effort to stem greenhouse gases has fallen short of the goal set by the Paris Climate Agreement. The climate resolution, developed by 350Vermont, calls on towns and the State of Vermont to make three commitments. Those commitments include stopping any new fossil fuel infrastructure, like gas pipelines, committing to at least 90% renewable energy with firm interim deadlines, and ensuring that the transition to renewable is fair and equitable for all Vermonters.
“The initial response to this campaign has been astounding,” said Maeve McBride, director of 350Vermont. “People recognize that climate change is urgent and that our political leadership is falling short on solutions. We need fair and equitable solutions that will create jobs, improve health, provide heating and power sources resilient to extreme weather, and not harm other communities in the process.”
The climate resolutions are part of a larger campaign organized by 350Vermont, called (Re)generate New Solutions: building momentum for alternatives to fossil fuels. The campaign will expand to dozens more towns next year, and will continue to broaden with additional demands for a fair and just transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable solutions.
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About 350Vermont: 350Vermont is a statewide organization in Vermont working to build a grassroots movement to reverse climate change. 350Vermont’s mission is to organize, educate, and support people in Vermont to work together for climate justice - resisting fossil fuels, building momentum for alternatives, and transforming our communities toward justice and resilience. Although we are an affiliated group of 350.org with a similar mission, 350VT is an independent organization, with local campaigns to divest from fossil fuel investments, advocate for a carbon pollution tax, and stop any expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.
350 Brattleboro, Earth Matters - Manchester, 350 Burlington, and Central Vermont Climate Action are the local organizing groups affiliated with 350Vermont and 350.org. For Brattleboro contact: Daniel Quipp - (347) 977-1192, [email protected]. For Manchester contact: Annie Dolivo - (802) 768-8144, [email protected]. For Burlington contact: Natalee Braun - (513) 886-3217, [email protected] and for Central Vermont contact: KC Whiteley - (802) 272-6085, [email protected].