The Energy Independent Vermont campaign held three back-to-back educational forums this week in East Montpelier, Burlington, and Waitsfield. We were delighted to see over 100 people brave cold nights and icy roads to learn more about the campaign, ask questions about the policy, provide feedback on additional information that would help make our case, and commit to helping spread the word in their communities.
Top architects of the policy led a half-hour overview of the principles guiding policy development and the Energy Independent Vermont proposal to legislators. VPIRG Climate & Energy Program Director, Ben Walsh, headlined the policy overview each evening and was joined various nights by partners Johanna Miller, VNRC Energy Program Director, George Twigg, VEIC Public Affairs Director, and Jon Erickson, of UVM’s Gund Institute for Ecological Economics and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.
Emceeing and facilitating audience engagement was VPIRG’s Field Director, Liz Edsell. “We have a great plan, but nothing will happen unless we make it happen,” said Edsell. “For that, we need you. We need your help educating your community on the plan and encouraging your lawmakers to work on this in the State House.”
When it was over, dozens of participants lingered excitedly talking with coalition leaders and organizers about the campaign and signing up to help educate their neighbors, write letters their local paper, contact legislators, and spread the word!