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Vermont News & Alert Center
Mobilizing Organic Consumers in Vermont
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Intelligent Nutrients:
The Organic Harmonic Science of Health
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Recent Vermont Forum Posts
Vermont News
- 10/08/08 - Uniting Around Local & Organic Food to Save an Ailing Town
- 10/03/08 - Excerpt: Presidential Crimes
- 09/24/08 - Electricity From What Cows Leave Behind
- 09/22/08 - Bladder Cancer Rates High in Region; Researchers Studying Why
- 09/10/08 - The Local Food Movement Reaches Into the Breadbasket for Flour That Has the Flavor of Home
- 08/26/08 - Use of Food Stamps at Farmers' Markets Rises Nationally
- 08/25/08 - Bottling Plan Pushes Groundwater to Center Stage in Vermont
- 08/22/08 - Grassroots Direct Action: San Francisco Voters Nov. 4 Will Tell Their Congress Reps to Defund the War
- 08/21/08 - Transition Culture: Beyond the Gloom & Doom of Peak Oil, Permanent War, and Climate Chaos
- 08/16/08 - Read This Book: Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community Supported Agriculture
- 08/14/08 - Targeting End of Pesticides to Kill Lamprey
- 08/07/08 - Consumer Victory: Monsanto Admits They Are Dumping Their Controversial Bovine Growth Hormone
- 08/04/08 - Eden's Polluted Legacy
- 07/30/08 - Vermont's Unique Approach To Curbing Energy Use
- 07/24/08 - Has Your Town Declared Peace Yet?
- 07/23/08 - Environmental Politics
- 07/23/08 - There's Something Rotten... in Vermont
- 07/23/08 - Governors Race Kickoff Debate Proves Feisty
- 07/23/08 - Oh, Scrap! Businesses Feel Pinch of Order to Close Down Vt. Compost Co.
- 06/30/08 - States Taking Initiative on Environmental & Climate Crisis while Feds Do Little or Nothing
- 06/30/08 - Changing America's Industrial Food System
- 06/23/08 - Is Green the Color of Transparency?
- 06/17/08 - Impeachment: It Still Matters
- 06/11/08 - Move Over MoveOn: Grassroots Netroots Alliance (GNA) Launches New Progressive Campaign to 'Press the Politicians'
- 06/10/08 - Food Banks Ask Gardeners to Grow Extra for Hungry
- 05/30/08 - Vermont Wants Federal Permission for Farmers to Grow Hemp
- 05/15/08 - Center for American Progress: What Are You Paying for the War?
Submit News Stories
Vermont's Organic Farming Threatened By Loss of Compost
Write your elected officials and candidates!
From: dirtworks.net
Last month, author Michael Pollan told a Burlington audience that Vermont was 30 years ahead of the rest of the country in providing local food to its residents. But, all of that progress could be turned back if we don't rally to protect Vermont's organic businesses from the greedy chemical companies and their political supporters who seem to be looking for any excuse to shut us down. Our business that has been providing organic products for 21 years could be forced to close -- for nothing! Please send the following letter to Vermont's politicians to support at-risk businesses like the Vermont Compost Company which needs your support now.
Learn more from Vermont Compost Company
Updated 7/23/08
Give All Vermonters Paid Sick Days
Over 135,000 Vermonters have no paid sick days. People without paid sick days often have to make the choice between harming their health, and the health of those around them, by going to work sick, or not having enough money to pay for food or to pay the bills. No one should have to make this choice! Let your representatives know that you want them to support paid sick days for all Vermonters.
Take Action
Vermont Livable Wage
Updated 7/15/08
Vermont 2008 Legislative Roundup
(From Progressive States Network)
The Vermont legislative session ended two weeks early with legislators opting not to return for a veto session to try to overturn potential vetoes by the governor. Tough economic times and declining tax revenues left the state in fiscal trouble, yet lawmakers rightly rejected the governor's dangerous proposal to lease the state lottery to a private operator for short-term cash and long-term loss to the state.
Election Reform: The legislature passed the National Popular Vote compact through S. 270, and the bill now sits on the governor's desk. A bill authorizing mobile polling stations for early voting, S. 232, has become law. The legislature failed, however, to override a governor veto on S. 108,
which would have allowed instant runoff voting for reelection of US
representative and US senator and failed to override, by one vote in
the House, S. 278, which would have dramatically strengthened campaign contribution limits.
Labor Rights: One of the state's greatest accomplishments this session was passing H. 338 - Sweat-Free Goods,
which requires that all bidders seeking contracts to supply the state
with apparel, footwear, and textiles, provide certification that
suppliers at the point of assembly comply with workplace laws of the
vendor and with treaty obligations. The legislature also passed S. 201 to give state employees more specific protections for speaking up about job-related problems
Clean Energy & Environment: The state also passed some good environmental gains, including:
- S. 209, the Vermont Energy Efficiency and Affordability Act, is comprehensive legislation that requires, among others, a plan for meeting Vermont's renewable energy requirement of 25 percent by 2025, building efficiency, clean energy development, net metering, and steps to make renewable energy cost efficient. It was signed by the governor.
- S. 350 creates state agency energy plan and looks for all opportunities to conserve resources, save energy, encourage renewable energy use, and reduce pollution.
- H. 863 lifts land-use permitting for new housing created in specified areas alongside existing development in communities with planning in place if 20 percent of the homes meet moderate-pricing ranges.
- H. 267 permits industrial hemp farming.
- H. 865 gives the Agency of Natural Resources and the attorney general's office more authority to prosecute environmental laws. Unfortunately, the final version does not include citizen suit provisions, which would have allowed citizens, as opposed to agencies, to bring suit for violations.
- S. 304 protects groundwater by making underground water a public trust and allowing the state to regulate large withdrawals.
- H. 515 establishes a $5 bounty for returns of mercury filled thermometers.
In a step backwards, the legislature also passed H. 873,
which delays tougher standards for water treatment plants that
discharge effluents into rivers and streams that flow into Lake
Champlain.
Toxic Toys: The legislature took two strong steps forward in protecting children from toxic toys and products by passing:
- S. 152, which phases out lead in children's products and wheel weights down to a level of 100 ppm, and
- S. 261, which, beginning in July 2009, bans phthalates in products marketed to children under the age of 3.
Domestic Violence: Finally, the state also passed S. 357, which increased penalties for domestic violence and provides for more training for police on domestic violence and more money for prevention programs and services offered to victims.
Take Action. Support Green Jobs!
The Green Jobs Act of 2007 authorized $125 million per year to create an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program as an amendment to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The Green Jobs Act (GJA) is an initial pilot program to identify needed skills, develop training programs, and train workers for jobs in a range of industries - including energy efficient building, construction and retrofits, renewable electric power, energy efficient vehicles, biofuels, and manufacturing that produces sustainable products and uses sustainable processes and materials. It targets a broad range of populations for eligibility, but has a special focus on creating "green pathways out of poverty."
Congress has not yet appropriated money for the Green Jobs Act. Please contact your Senator today and urge them to fund the Green Jobs Act of 2007!
Read more at Green for All's web site.
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