McKibben Invite

Dear Neighbors,

 After 20 years of inaction, this has been a season of real progress on global warming across America. State after state across the nation is passing innovative legislation; even the U.S. Senate, with real leadership from Bernie Sanders, is close to passing aggressive legislation.

One of the few dark spots on that map is Vermont—and together we can change that on July 11.

I’m writing to ask if you’ll take part on that Wednesday and come to Montpelier. I know it’s a lot to ask. Here’s why it’s so necessary:

Earlier this year, the state Legislature passed the strongest Vermont legislation yet on global warming and energy justice. H.520 would make it possible for poor and middle-class Vermonters to cut their energy bills by helping them afford good insulation and other conservation measures. It would allow Efficiency Vermont to do for oil heat what it’s already done for electricity: put the state on a painless diet that would offer an example for the rest of the country. We'd stop warming up Vermont--with the heat leaking from our homes, and with the carbon spewing from our furnaces.

Though the bill passed both houses of the Legislature with strong majorities, the governor vetoed it. Jim Douglas says it would create a “burdensome bureaucracy.” Well, what worries you most? The burden of high oil and gas bills for Vermonters who can’t afford them? The burden of a world with rapid global warming? Or the “burden” of people at work around the state installing insulation to solve our social and environmental problems?

On July 11, the Legislature will meet to try and override the governor’s veto. It’s going to be eyelash-close, and it will help enormously if you can take the time to show up that morning, grab the ear of the Senators and Reps from your part of the state, and remind them of just how badly we need action on this issue. There will be lots of folks on hand to help you track down your legislator, and when you’re done we’ll rally outside on the steps while we wait for the vote. We learned something last year when thousands of us walked up the west side of Vermont and then gathered on the Lake Champlain waterfront: politicians listen when their constituents speak. All the candidates for major office in Vermont, including the most conservative, came to our final rally and signed the pledge to cut carbon dramatically.

All the candidates except one. Jim Douglas didn’t bother to show up, and now we have an idea why. He’ll mouth the right words on global warming and on affordable energy for Vermonters, but given the chance to make good on his words, he’s instead sided with the vested interests. We don’t have the big money power to overcome his veto, but we do have the people power. If you show up! See you at 9 a.m. on July 11 at the State House. And many thanks.

 Bill McKibben