Summer of Solutions in Burlington, VT « It’s Getting Hot In Here

x-posted from Solutionaries

As communications facilitator for Summer of Solutions, I’m featuring every program to paint a picture of the diversity of solutions young people are building across the country. This post will feature the amazing work happening in Burlington, VT and the dynamic leaders there.

The Summer of Solutions is a summer program designed to empower youth to create self sustaining community based solutions to environment and social injustice, climate change and economic insolvency. We work to build an inclusive, local community that connects across the country that will propel us into holistic, renewable energy economy.

There are seven projects happening this summer in Burlington. Some are continuations/expansions of last summer’s programs, and others are completely new.

The Programs: There are seven basic contiguous programs set to run this summer. Here’s a sampling of four programs:

1. Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative

Last summer, participants worked with the Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative to bring pellet-stove heating systems to low-income households. They received a grant for $20,000 to buy and install pellet stoves. Over the year, Tom and Beth Tailor have been keeping in touch with/checking up on recipients of the stoves. There are currently 15 different stoves in 2 counties in the state (Addison and Washington).

This summer, they are applying for another grant to expand this project. The program participants will continue the process of bringing pellet stoves to low-income households, and will be ahead of the learning curve, picking up the project after a year of research.

2. Bio-Fuel Feasibility study for Chittenden County

The program leaders received $25,000 in federal money, and $5,000 in local funding. This study will be researching the feasibility of starting a pellet manufacturing co-op in Chittenden County. Tom said that while it’s great to give pellet stoves to low-income people, a whole systems change also means a way to provide jobs. In particular, the manufacturing plant would be aimed at producing grass-based pellets, as a more sustainable pellet than wood.

3. Passive Community Refrigerator/Freezer

Construction of a passive refrigerator freezer construction for community use using W(n)IMBY {Why not In My Back Yard}. The passive community freezer will freeze 2000 two liter soda bottles next winter and use them to keep the freezer cold year round. It will be made in part out of recycled and natural materials. Construction of eatible landscape, including localavore rabbit warren, and sustainable gardens.

4. Vermont Engineering Summer Camp at UVM

Another aspect of the program involves educating high school students about green engineering. Last summer, Summer of Solutions program participants taught for a week at the Vermont Engineering Summer Program. According to Beth and Tom, this was one of the most fun aspects of the summer, and they are looking to partner as trainers again.

Last year, SoS participants and high school students built a small-scale, working windmill. This summer, a new strand of the engineering camp will focus on the engineering aspects of de-commissioning a nuclear plant.

The other three projects include starting a rabbit colony for meat and yarn, a permaculture garden, and a community garden.

To apply as a participant to Summer of Solutions – Burlington, go here:http://grandaspirations.org/apply/burlington.html

For more information, contact Tom and Beth Tailer at: tbtailer [@] hotmail[.]com

About Abbie

Hello, world! I'm a twenty-something college student (for now) living in St. Paul, MN. I'm double-majoring in English and Social Justice, and my ultimate life goal is to become a professor and teach at the undergraduate level. However, I'm not entirely sure whether I will be seeking my PhD in Anthropology, International/Development Studies, or English/Cultural studies. In all of these areas, I hope to be a critical thinker and get my students to think outside of the box. One of the main issues on my mind these days is the overwhelming problem of Climate Change. Without this wonderful world, we would have nowhere to live. The possibility of climate change is not one that I take lightly, and so I feel that it is the calling of my generation to find the solutions to this problem. As for activism, I'm working with Grand Aspirations, a start-up non-profit that focuses on building programs in diverse locations around the United States. These programs focus on connecting college-age activists with their communities, and while the program is running, campaigns and projects are designed and implemented in the realm of community energy efficiency, environmental justice, clean energy, and economic growth. The programs are designed to be long-term, with connections that last longer than the summer or the duration of the program. I do most of the communications and media work for the organization, and am on the advisory committee at the national level. On the local level, I'm involved in Hamline SPROUT (Students Proposing Real Options for Underutilized Territory), which is a gardening group on campus. During the growing season, we grow food and donate it to local organizations. We're growing every year, and are looking into some personal sustainability education and education about hunger in our neighborhood. While I'm not a full time student and a (nearly) full time activist, I am usually knitting, writing, reading, watching movies, or all of those things at once. I am a coffee and tea fanatic, and am very rarely seen without a mug of something close by. That's me for now! Check out my personal blog for ... personal updates, solutionaries.net for updates about Grand Aspirations, itsgettinghotinhere for updates on the general climate movement, and hamlinesprout.com for updates about SPROUT.

It’s Getting Hot In Here