Burlington Vermont - Jennifer Green Interview Notes

Jennifer Green - Sustainability Director in Burlington Vermont

Interview by Darby Minow Smith

Old in sustainability: 11.3 million dollar bond for energy efficiency in the 90’s, working on climate change since 1996

8% of food from within city limits

problems: high poverty rate

transportation

air quality increases and decreases

very low vacancy rate means housing costs are very high

1-2% vs. 12% as a national average

energy consumption has been level since the mid-‘80s

municipal energy department

energy efficiency measurements, surcharge towards energy conservation

easy access to information, public domain as Burlington Electric is owned by the citizens

floodplain, Winooski River through the city floods regularly making it unsuitable for housing

also a historic farming hub

Intervale - several dozen community-supported agriculture endeavors

sold in the city market, a cooperative

A fair portion of what the kids in Burlington Schools eat is locally sourced, creativity is key

Sustainability: Connecting four E’s

Environment

Equity

Education

Economics

First Climate Action plan of its kind in the country under Peter Clavelle

Now ICLEI software helps

Institute for Sustainable Communities, Montpelier

prominent nonprofit in the realm of climate change

new resiliency project in Vermont

ideas are beginning to percolate around this topic

infrastructural and agricultural challenges as a result of climate change

Source: Jennifer Green Interview - Sustainability in Burlington, Vermont