The City of Burlington, Vermont’s goal is to reduce, and eventually eliminate, fossil fuel usage. In this podcast series, Burlington’s Director of Sustainability Jennifer Green and her guests will be sharing ways we can all reduce our energy usage for heating, driving, and everything else we plug in.
Episodes
Equity In The Community – Ita Meno
In commemoration of Asian American pacific Islander Heritage Month, we speak with Ita Meno, an Indigenous Islander of the CHamoru diaspora, and BED’s first ever Project & Equity Analyst. They bring over a decade of experience working for the City of Burlington (CEDO and the Department Permit & Inspections) to help us bring a fresh perspective to our department’s work and to their work with CQ Strategies. Ita is helping us reach all of our customers including those who may not be able to switch to various Net Zero Energy technologies right now.
Biomass in the Big Picture | Adam Sherman & Betsy Lesnikoski
VEIC Senior Consultant Adam Sherman and BED’s Chief Forester Betsy Lesnikoski discuss the harvesting practices we support
Private vs. public forests; misconceptions surrounding biomass harvesting; how they support the future of Vermont’s forests; and carbon emissions at McNeil Generating Station.
Historic Building Preservation – Mary O’Neil
Principal Planner at the City of Burlington’s Department of Permitting and Inspections. Mary is also a historic preservationist and partnered with BED to develop a guide for owners of historic buildings working to make their buildings Net Zero Energy.
CVOEO | Virginie Diambou
Virginie Diambou, CVOEO’s Racial Equity Director, speaks about the organization’s stated mission to “address fundamental issues of economic, social, racial, and environmental justice” and, specifically, the successes they’ve had in their weatherization program.
The Soda Plant | Steve Conant
Steven Conant, owner of The Soda Plant complex on Pine Street talks about the history of the Soda Plant, today’s diverse assortment of businesses and organizations, and his efforts to reduce fossil fuel usage throughout. Renovations began in 2018 to insulate, weatherize, add heat pump. What’s next?
Home Updates and Champlain Housing Trust | Chip Patullo
South End resident Chip Patullo debunks common concerns about heat pumps, shares great advice on how to start weatherizing your house, and he talks about his work with the Champlain Housing Trust.
Building Electrification Ballot Item 2023 | Cristina Garcia and Caytie Campbell-Orrock
Deputy Directors at the Building Electrification Institute and strategic electrification experts discuss the ballot item for Town Meeting Day 2023 concerning a proposed carbon pollution fee for large buildings in Burlington.
Old Spokes Home | Jon Copans
Biking is the most energy efficient way for people to get around. Executive Director of Old Spokes Home Jon Copans talks about their mission to make bikes more accessible and affordable for all Burlingtonians and how Old Spokes Home is helping us achieve our Net Zero Energy goal.
NZE Commercial Upgrades | A.J. Rossman
Local commercial property owner and entrepreneur A.J. Rossman talks about the challenges and opportunities of bringing his commercial office space on North Avenue up to Net Zero Energy standards.
DeltaClimeVT Accelerator | Geoff Robertson & James L. Gibbons
The DeltaClimeVT business accelerator is a Vermont-based program serving startup and seed-stage ventures focusing on climate economy innovation across multiple industries. Geoff Robertson & BED’s own James L. Gibbons talk about the successes and opportunities that DeltaClimeVT brings.