Local Analysis

Solar Peer-to-Peer Trading

RUTLAND HERALD 02/08/20 TIMES ARGUS 02/08/20 By Michael Shank When it comes to green energy innovation, there are few American states that innovate like Vermont. Recently, Vermont’s biggest power utility — Green Mountain Power (GMP) — launched a peer-to-peer energy sales platform that will allow businesses to buy locally generated […]

Brandon, Vermont — The Birthplace of EVs

VTDIGGER 1/23/20 By Michael Shank Editor’s note: This commentary is by Michael Shank, of Brandon, who is the communications director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and adjunct faculty at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. He is co-organizing the EV Festival on July 11 from noon-10 p.m. at […]

EVs Celebrated

RUTLAND HERALD 01/18/20 TIMES-ARGUS 01/18/20 By Michael Shank When it comes to green technology, Vermont has been and continues to be a national leader. Whether it’s the cutting-edge partnership between Tesla and Green Mountain Power to roll out Powerwall batteries across the state — ensuring resilient homes for Vermonters while […]

Vermont Actions to Slow Climate Change

RUTLAND HERALD 12/21/19 TIMES ARGUS 12/21/19 By Michael Shank Given the climate inaction among national governments — from America and Australia to Brazil and Britain — there’s been a big focus on actions individuals can take — in Vermont and beyond. This pivot is helpful because it does, in fact, […]

Vermont Wetlands Management

RUTLAND HERALD 10/05/19 TIMES ARGUS 10/05/19 By Michael Shank The way our society responds to problems — be they social, economic or environmental — rarely prevents that problem from occurring again. We’ll quickly treat a cough, by temporarily suppressing it with cough medicine, for example, but not change the conditions […]

Pesticide Raises Human Health Concerns

ADDISON COUNTY INDEPENDENT 09/30/19 By Michael Shank The way our society responds to problems — be they social, economic, or environmental — rarely prevents that problem from occurring again. We’ll quickly treat a cough, by temporarily suppressing it with cough medicine, for example, but not change the conditions that created […]

Brandon Environmental Film Competition

Key Dates for Student Competition Competition announced on September 3, 2019 Submissions accepted until March 1, 2020 Winners announced online on May 1, 2020 Purpose of competition To encourage environmental awareness in the Brandon area To foster Brandon area skills-building in storytelling and environmental filmmaking To support young aspiring filmmakers […]

Do We Need to Spray?

RUTLAND HERALD 06/15/19 TIMES-ARGUS 06/15/19 This spring, a settlement was reached between the state of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont’s Toxics Action Center office, and the Brandon-Leicester-Salisbury-Goshen-Pittsford Insect Control District, where I live. While it technically ends a legal dispute over pesticide spraying in Vermont, which originated due to […]

Mosquito Control a Safer Way

VTDIGGER 05/17/2019 By Michael Shank Editor’s note: This commentary is by Michael Shank, of Brandon, who is the communications director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. He serves on Brandon’s planning commission and energy committee. Last month, a settlement was reached between the state […]

Moving to Action on the Climate Front

VTDIGGER 11/28/18 By Michael Shank Editor’s note: This commentary is by Michael Shank, of Brandon, who is the communications director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network. He serves on Brandon’s planning commission and energy committee. Environmentalists have long depended on good data and sound […]