00:10:17 Kurt Haigis: Kurt from Ferrisburgh 00:10:22 Laural Ruggles: Laural Ruggles Danville Energy Committee 00:10:23 Stephen Dotson: Stephen Dotson - Sustainability Coordinator - Town of Brattleboro 00:10:25 Diane Foulds: Hi. I’m Diane Foulds, Windsor Energy Committee. 00:10:26 Nicole Gratton: Nicole Gratton, Planning Director, Town of Lyndon 00:10:27 Jim Stiles: I'm from St. Albans 00:10:32 Keith Epstein: Hello, Keith Epstein from the South Burlington Energy Committee. Looking forward to this 00:10:38 Peggy O'Neill-Vivanco: Peggy, VT Clean Cities at UVM in Burlington. 00:10:44 Dakota Butterfield: Dakota Butterfield here from Barnet — Zoning Officer, Planning Commission member, Barnet Energy Committee 00:10:46 Kevin Thorley: Kevin Thorley, Sustainable Williston and Williston Energy Committee (newly formed) 00:10:48 Ann Janda, Energy Project Manager, CCRPC: Snowing in Hinesburg 00:10:50 Oliver Lane: Hi everyone! I’m Oliver representing The Bixby Library here in slightly dusting Vergennes 00:10:51 Nancy Faesy: Nancy Faesy from Dorset Energy Committee 00:10:52 Keith Epstein: slight snow dusting in SB 00:10:55 Richard Butz: Richard Butz, Bristol Energy Committee and Vermont Interfaith Power and Light 00:10:57 Phil Bush: Phil Bush - Sustainable Lebnon (NH) 00:10:59 Yves Gonnet: Snowing in Huntington 00:11:06 Steven Isham: Steve Isham, St. Johnsbury Town Energy Committee 00:11:07 Kelly, AARP VT: Hello. Kelly Stoddard Poor AARP VT. Montpelier 00:11:10 Dana Clawson: Dana Clawson- Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, Town of Hartford 00:11:21 Charles Lindner: Charlie Lindner, Norwich Energy Committee 00:11:59 Virginia Clarke: Virginia Clarke from Richmond Climate Action Committee and Planning Commission 00:12:06 Yves Gonnet: Yves Gonnet Huntington Energy Committee 00:12:32 Pam Parker: Pam Parker from the St Johnsbury Energy Committee tuning in from Media, PA 00:12:32 Bethany Barry: Pollinator Pathways of Addison County! 00:12:48 Sarah Danly (she), F2P: Sarah Danly , VT Farm to Plate Network which is based in Montpelier, but I'm in Royalton 00:13:01 Alexis Leacock (she/her): Alexis Leacock, Warren Energy Coordinator 00:13:57 Kurt Haigis: Jon frozen 00:14:18 Bill Cunningham: Bill Cunningham, Tri Valley Transit, Middlebury Vermont, and the Middlebury Energy Committee 00:15:01 Thomas McBride: Hi all - Tom McBride from Bradford Energy Committee 00:15:23 Bob Atchinson: Bob Atchinson - Plainfield Energy Coordinator and XR VT & Becky Atchinson - Plainfield Conservation Commission 00:22:45 Diane Foulds: Jim, what would a climate action team do? Can you give some concrete examples? 00:24:55 Jim Stiles: Two issues that would come together under Climate Action Teams would be making communities highly walkable (which makes communities more efficient in many ways) and soil health work combined with local food initiatives. There are LOTS more, but those two would be important in most communities. 00:25:18 Fran Putnam: Fran Putnam, Weybridge Energy Committee and Pollinator Pathways of Addison County 00:26:33 Sam Lash: Without taking away from the great work being done on Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency, I keep trying to ask about exactly the issue you are discussing Jim- I asked specifically how we might elevate other aspects of comprehensive climate action e.g. soil health, water management, science literacy, affordable housing, etc in legislative priorities alongside emissions-related goals and it was interesting that some hadn’t considered non-emissions related priorities 00:30:14 Bethany Barry: What is the hourly wage? 00:31:05 Vince O'Connell: How do you reconcile the high relative cost of local food versus conventionally distributed food? 00:31:42 Jon Copans: Current minimum wage is $11.75 in Vermont... 00:32:00 Jim Stiles: Sam- Creating the Vermont that is going to be involves a lot of parts and pieces, as you allude to. Certainly climate adapation is big, but creating an adapted Vermont has to work together with lots of other priorities. It's a big challenge, but it is up to us to do a good job on lots of priorities. Fortunately some of them play really well together, which makes it easier. 00:34:45 Stephen Dotson: Statistic that I can’t remember the source of: 25% of all groundwater goes to growing food that is eventually THROWN AWAY. This would also mean that all the energy to grow and transport, as well as all the labor involved, goes to waste, and could be solved somehow. 00:36:49 Steven Isham: St. Andrews Episcopal Church also has an outdoor fridge to exchange food. It is part of program called “Freedge” 00:36:51 Sam Lash: ^World Resources Institute I think Stephen! 00:37:00 Steven Isham: That is in St. Jay 00:37:07 Sally Burrell: Great ideas from Sarah. Please post those links. Thx 00:37:57 Peggy O'Neill-Vivanco: Friends in Burlington have a My Little Pantry for non-perishables & put out a cooler (with notice on Front Porch Forum) with perishables when available. 00:37:58 Sarah Danly (she), F2P: Here are the links from my presentation: Local Food Resilience in Vermont: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/1653bd8d31554ef69dc302d5e46e480c?item=1 Local Planning for Food Access: https://www.vtfarmtoplate.com/resources/local-planning-for-food-access Farm to Plate Strategic Plan Issue Briefs: https://www.vtfarmtoplate.com/plan/ 00:38:09 Sam Lash: Thank you Sarah- so helpful! 00:39:33 Sarah Danly (she), F2P: The livable wage data is prepared every two years by the vt legislative joint fiscal office. The most recent stats are here: https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Subjects/Basic-Needs-Budgets/1defd5222f/2021-Basic-Needs-Budget-and-Livable-Wage-report-FINAL-1-16-2021.pdf, I apologize that I didn't have the chance to update my slides from 2018 numbers. The farm income data (and lots of other really helpful data) is from the USDA Census of Agriculture, which comes every five years (most recently 2017) 00:43:22 Kurt Haigis: Is there a correlation between the age rubrick and the pedestrian rubrick? 00:45:04 Kurt Haigis: segment not rebric 00:45:40 Sam Lash: How can we help support complete street options that may be proposed within the planning process? Do didactic signs explaining completed projects help drum up community support for similar projects in the future? 00:47:29 Mark Kennedy: How does a group succeed in lowering the speed limit on a residential street? Anything in law they can lean on? My 80+ year old parents enjoy walking on their street in Grand Isle. Many others walk and bike on their street. Very narrow edge. Speed limit 40 mph (which means cars usually travel faster than that!). I shudder to think of the day someone is going to be maimed or killed. What can we do to change a situation like that? 00:47:38 Bethany Barry: Pollinator Gardens along the streets! 00:49:21 Jeff Forward: Great presentation by AARP. Not a typical partner that I think about. I would love to work with them on a walk audit of our community. 00:50:29 Jeff Forward: I think our transportation agencies should be required to plan for pedestrians, bikes and cars in that order instead of the reverse. 00:50:35 Kelly, AARP VT: @Jeff Forward: here is my email kstoddardpoor@aarp.org; I would be happy to work with you on a walk audit. 00:51:13 Keith Epstein: Related to Kelly's discussion, I think one really powerful way to help good decisions get made is for more people who walk and bike to become decision makers - legislators, council members, town/city employees like public works directors, state employees, hiring committees, etc. 00:51:18 Sam Lash: Thank you Kelly! These strategies have so much overlap with ideas in low-impact development and also are key to emergency preparedness&response (e.g. in extreme weather conditions)- great to see you here! 00:51:20 Jon Copans: Kelly's great recent op-ed with Kati Gallagher - https://www.caledonianrecord.com/opinion/columns/kati-gallagher-kelly-stoddard-poor-smart-growth-progress-report-highlights-opportunity/article_df66a274-f126-5578-a157-529f3ee3c030.html 00:51:52 Mark Kennedy: Thanks for your contact info., Kelly. I will contact you about a Walk Audit on the Champlain Islands, beginning with where my parents live in Grand Isle. 00:52:43 Greg Hostetler: Thanks Kelly. Great presentation! 00:52:55 Kelly, AARP VT: @Mark Kennedy - depending on the class of road it will determine if the speed limit can be changed by the town or if it is a state hwy then it has to go to the state committee. There are other ways that can help reduce speedlimit. Look forward to connecting with you. 00:53:35 Mark Kennedy: Thank you Kelly. 00:54:07 Kelly, AARP VT: Here is the link to the walk audit tool kit: https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/getting-around/info-2014/aarp-walk-audit-tool-kit.html 00:54:39 Bill Cunningham: As the Regional Director of Tri Valley Transit Addison Region, I can assure you that planning that we do, takes into consideration all of the first mile and last mile considerations for multi modal transportation. As a transit agency planner, we certainly need to work closely together. It does often seem like we are all competing against each other at times. 00:54:50 Richard Butz: Thanks Kelly, Bristol would benefit from a Walk Audit - we just established a safe walking and biking committee. 00:57:55 Mark Kennedy: We need clean air to be able to enjoy and be healthy being outside. A related problem: unregulated wood stoves. We have emissions standards and annual checks for car tailpipes. How about annual required inspections of wood stoves AND resources to support those who cannot afford to upgrade their wood heat systems. 01:00:25 Jeff Forward: I really like this idea of informal community mapping. Building community neighborhood by neighborhood is the way we get to true security. F35s don’t make us safer. Knowing our neighbors makes us safer. 01:00:26 Dara Torre: Thanks, Steve! I am inspired by this Brattleboro success story - https://regenesisgroup.com/project/brattleboro-coop/ 01:01:03 Keith Epstein: applause!! 01:02:45 Chuck in Hartland: Flocks of geese - a real VErmont solution 01:03:39 Alexis Leacock (she/her): Excellent presentations! Thank you! 01:03:46 Bruce Lierman: There is work going on to modify the VTrans measurement standard for speed limits. Contact Jon Kaplan, VTrans bike ped coordinator to support this work. 01:05:05 Jeff Forward: I live on a rural road with a 45 MPH speed limit and really crummy shoulders (quite literally). It also only has a center line that is frequently faded. I would love to reduce the speed, improve the shoulders and stripe it with at least fog lines along the road edge. I would like to get our road commissioner to prioritize pedestrians and bikes over cars and trucks. However, I think that will new a tough sell. 01:05:41 Mark Kennedy: RE: mass transit options: The Champlain Islands are completely unserved by public transit and yet thousands of cars daily travel toward NY and toward Burlington morning and afternoon. I've wondered for years how we can finally have bus service to/fr the Islands. In addition, all Islands students travel off Islands for high schools. Can that pop be included in public transit option as in Burlington (and in cities throughout the US) where h.s. students ride public transit? 01:07:09 Jeff Forward: The Old Spokes Home is doing this in Burlington. It is an awesome program. 01:07:26 Bethany Barry: What about trains and intersection with buses? With new train to Burlington, you won't be able to get into NYC and leave south on Amtrak- why not? 01:07:27 Mark Kennedy: Maybe restoration of the Island Rail line to Burlington, with ability to carry peoples' bicycles. Too bad the line ever was removed, with all due respect to the lovely bicycle causeway many of us enjoy. 01:07:49 Fran Putnam: Little City Cycles in Vergennes has a huge collection of used bikes. They refurbished a bike for me that worked very well. 01:08:19 Greg Hostetler: You can look up your local bike recycling options by searching for “bike collectives wiki”. Most are volunteer run and operate on a shoestring budget. 01:08:30 Bob & Becky Atchinson (he, him & she, her): Traffic calming road paintings: https://www.hotcars.com/20-weirdest-things-people-painted-on-roads-to-slow-down-speeding-cars/ 01:08:45 Kelly, AARP VT: I believe Morrisville set-up a community wide bike share program. I don't have the details. 01:08:56 Peggy O'Neill-Vivanco: And most utilities have e-bike purchase incentives. E-bikes will also be included in Replace Your Ride transportation options. 01:09:16 Spence Putnam: Little City Cycles converted my regular bike to a low-range eBike for less than $500. 01:10:42 Vince O'Connell: Farm efficiency, direct to consumer, CSA capital financing, implement sharing, land use tax incentives 01:11:24 Sam Lash: I’m wondering if at the TEC level we could help put together a municipal workshop just to get stakeholders in the same room thinking about resilience. I recently coordinated the Municipal Resilience Program in RI which a partnership between TNC and the RI Infrastructure Bank and municipalities- part of the program was a Community Resilience Workshop in which we got a group of approx 30 municipal staff, state and community leaders tog to identify infrastructure, social, and environmental vulnerabilities, strengths, and top projects… (including producing community maps like the ones you showed Stephen!) could we do a modified version here? If anyone is interested in developing this idea with me I would love some group brainstorming! 01:11:43 Sam Lash: (samantha_lash@brown.edu) 01:12:44 Bruce Lierman: With walk-ability, what do you suggest as the kind of business - activity to stimulate walking to the downtown center? 01:12:57 Lynn Bohi: Resilian Hartford is planting fruit and nut treesin our parks 01:14:20 Sam Lash: Is there a consistent trend in the relationship between walkability and cost of living in VT? 01:15:05 Stephen Dotson: I’d like to highlight a related issue: the fact of the free market in housing, etc. means that our community’s are essentially up for sale. If we succeed in making our communities more resilient, do we have the structures in place to make sure that the current populations of our resilient communities aren’t displaced by people with means who are seeking security? That’s already been happening with COVID, especially down here in SoVT. 01:16:50 Richard Butz: Highway rights of way for pollinator gardens from Gail Butz 01:16:58 Chuck in Hartland: Emerald Ash borrer now found throughout Vermont. We will loose millions of ash trees, which also become dangerous when they die. 01:17:31 Sarah Danly (she), F2P: Seconded,, Stephen. And it has a huge impact on ability of farmers to access land too -- even land that is successfully protected from development is still in a very competitive market where prospective farmers are at a financial disadvantage, and may very likely not end up being farmed. 01:17:31 Bruce Lierman: Windowdressers, yes! If you haven't heard about it , look it up at windowdressers.org. A model for all kinds of community - based self-help programs. Apply it to food processing, bicycle recycling. 01:17:41 Kati Gallagher, VNRC: Some of the projects mentioned here would be a great fit for the Small Grants for Smart Growth program! We just launched a special Climate Action Plan-focused round with one grant of up to $5k: https://vnrc.org/win-a-5000-small-grant-for-smart-growth/ 01:18:14 Jeff Forward: I appreciate that EVs are becoming more and more available. However, I am so disappointed that the direction auto manufacturers are going is to use the SUV platform for EVs. Electric Hummers and Jeeps are not the answer. They are also incredibly unsafe because drivers can’t see the road in front of them. Smaller is better. 01:19:08 Dara Torre: Safe Routes to School was key in our town for getting sidewalks 01:19:14 Sam Lash: That is an excellent point Stephen particularly as VT has been highlighted as a potential future Climate Refuge… so as we look at how we develop and also what socioecologically-responsible land use looks like writ large we probably need to consider further increase in pop but more so the displacement of many of us without as many resources +1 to Sarah too on this 01:20:34 Stephen Dotson: Propublica published research analyzing every county in the US and how impacted or not it would be by climate. ALL 14 of VT’s counties were at the very bottom of the list, in other words, least negatively impacted. More so than any other state in the Northeast. People are going to come here, what does it mean to be resilient to climate migration? 01:20:49 Mark Kennedy: I was struck years ago in Europe with how frequently people used public transit and how that contact with one another strengthened community vs. here in the U.S. where we drive private cars fr private homes to private offices and vice versa, allowing us to choose to remain in the silos we build around ourselves. 01:21:11 Bekah Kuster, VECAN: Final Conference Workshop: https://vecan.net/conferences/14th-annual-vecan-conference-2021/ 01:21:51 Bruce Lierman: Jon - Love your passion for this grassroots organizing! 01:22:14 Jeff Forward: A significant disconnect between the CAP and the Comprehensive Energy Plan is the call for more in-state renewables. The CEP basically says we have enough in-state renewables through 2030 and we can buy our way to clean energy by purchasing more HQ. This is just wrong on so many levels. We need to step up and do our part to ADD to our renewable energy generation. 01:22:15 Bekah Kuster, VECAN: VECAN 2022 Workshop Series: https://vecan.net/vecan-2022-workshop-series/ 01:22:30 Richard Butz: Thanks so much - awesome meeting. 01:22:33 Ann Janda, Energy Project Manager, CCRPC: Excellent work Bekah! 01:22:36 Jeff Forward: Bekah is awesome! 01:22:39 Alexis Leacock (she/her): Thanks, Bekah! 01:22:43 Steven Isham: Yes, Kudos to Bekah 01:22:47 Mark Kennedy: Thank you all! 01:23:12 Sally Burrell: Thanks for this great conversation! 01:23:15 Lynn Bohi: intersting workshop good presenters 01:23:18 Pam Parker: Thank you, everyone! 01:23:18 Ann Lawless, HEAT Squad NEK Outreach: Thanks all - so very encouraging and informative. 01:23:23 Sarah Danly (she), F2P: thank you everyone, great to talk with you! 01:23:23 Jeff Forward: Thank you Jon for your excellent facilitation skills. I’m glad you are on our team.