VPIRG is working to make Vermont the first state in the nation to ban the drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing.  Hydrofracking, or fracking as the practice is also known, can be extremely hazardous to the environment and a danger to public health for a number of reasons. This issue has recieved extensive media attention recently due to these serious concerns.

Photo of natural gas flare courtesy of Mark Schmerling

On January 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court unleashed a flood of corporate money into our political system by ruling that, contrary to longstanding precedent, corporations have a first amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of money to promote or defeat candidates. The decision in this historic case – Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission – overturned a century of campaign finance law and stands to deal a devastating blow to our democracy unless we act.

Vermont's Bottle Bill is our state's most successful recycling program. Thanks to the Bottle Bill, we recycle 85% of covered beverage containers, while states without Bottle Bills recycle, on average, only 24%.

Read how expanding the Bottle Bill can keep millions more containers out of landfills and off of roadsides.

By embracing an ambitious "zero waste" program, Vermont can, and should, break from current linear use of our resources, wherein which raw materials are extracted, processed into consumer goods, consumed, and then disposed primarily by being landfilled or incinerated.

The passage of Act 48 in 2011 puts Vermont on the path to a new universal and publicly financed health care system called Green Mountain Care (GMC). The Vermont's Health Care Road Map brochure provides an introduction to the law and the time line for decision-making.

Download the brochure to learn how Vermont's patient-centered health care overhaul will boost quality and make coverage affordable for you and your family. 

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.

For more information on toy safety, review the full Trouble in Toyland report. 

Many challenging public and environmental health questions arose following Tropical Storm Irene. This fact sheet (use link above to download pdf) includes resources and information about mold, soil, water and air quality implications following the flood.

If you have any further questions, resources, or information to share, please contact our Environmental Health Advocate, Charity Carbine-March, at charity@vpirg.org.  

On Friday, July 1st, Vermont’s new electronic waste (e-waste) recycling program will begin, providing free and convenient recycling of e-waste to Vermont residents, charities, schools, and small businesses.  The recycling program, known as “Vermont E-Cycles”, was created by a VPIRG-backed law passed by legislators last year requiring manufacturers of electronics to finance the cost of collecting and recycling their discarded products.

A guide to the Mercury Lamps Bill (S.34). S.34 would require manufacturers of mercury-containing lamps to establish a free and convenient recycling program for fluorescent bulbs.  By financing the cost of recycling their products, manufacturers will have a powerful incentive to design their lamps to last longer and to exclude the toxic materials, including mercury, that make recycling so difficult and expensive.

You can find out more of the details by downloading our fact sheet.

 
Conventional cleaning products used in schools can contain a wide variety of harmful chemicals that have been linked to asthma, cancer, and other negative health effects.  The potential for these chemicals to pollute indoor air and impair the health and comfort of students and staff cannot be dismissed.