We continue to work toward building a clean, renewable, reliable energy future for our state. VPIRG is working to pass a bill ensuring that a greater portion of your electricity comes from renewable sources. And, with 50% of Vermont’s electricity already coming from clean energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower, our goal, of an additional 30% more by 2025, is well within our reach.
In addition to our work to make all products safer, every year VPIRG releases our annual Trouble in Toyland report highlighting potential hazards in children’s toys. This year Trouble in Toyland, along with an interactive tool accessible via smart phone or computer at http://toysafety.mobi, will help parents and other toy-buyers avoid some common hazards this holiday-shopping season.
Take this Toy Safety Shopping Guide along with you when heading out on your holiday shopping trip. This brochure summarizes what to look out for including toxics, choking and noise hazards, and more.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes over enforcement of all major U.S. consumer laws July 21st. The agency was created in the wake of the Wall Street scandals that led to the Great Recession, and is tasked with protecting consumers from predatory lending and financial traps. Unfortunately, Wall Street banks have asked their friends in Congress to hamstring the agency by denying it a director. Now a new VPIRG report shows why we need this agency.
On the day that a landmark federal agency – the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – takes over enforcement of all major consumer laws, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group announced the results of a poll showing that an overwhelming majority of likely voters both support a new consumer agency (74%) and want Wall Street held “accountable” (77%). VPIRG also released a new report documenting “10 reasons” consumers need the new CFPB.
The 2011 legislative session was filled with victories on VPIRG-backed legislation across each of our program areas. With a new governor in office for the first time in eight years, our small state suddenly had opportunities to pass the kind of major policy initiatives that our friends in other parts of the country could only …
One of my favorite things about directing VPIRG is that by working with members like you and our partners across the state, we manage to get things done that my colleagues in other states can only dream about. Consider our list of accomplishments in the legislative session that just ended on Friday.
With warmer weather here and the snow quickly disappearing, many of us are looking forward to getting outside to enjoy Vermont’s spectacular natural environment. Unfortunately, some of our state’s pristine, protected state lands are at risk of being damaged and degraded by the use of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs).
In 1998, it became legal to patent various methods of filing taxes, which means you could be sued for simply filling out your taxes correctly. Fortunately, Senator Leahy has been leading the effort to fix this system and the bill is now on the Senate floor.
Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) announced today in its 25th annual Trouble in Toyland report. VPIRG’s report reveals the results of laboratory testing for toxic chemicals and identifies toys that pose choking hazards. In addition, the report includes guidance for avoiding common …
