Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, a global grassroots movement formed to solve the climate crisis, addresses a standing room only, public joint legislative session at the Vermont State House in Montpelier, Vermont. The State House was packed to the brim by many Vermont constituents, local student groups and numerous members of both the House and Senate who had gathered to hear the Middlebury College Schumann Distinguished Scholar discuss the urgency of climate change and it’s potential future impacts on Vermont. McKibben received multiple standing ovations and more than one belly laugh from the gathered Vermont audience for his insights, before fielding a number of pointed questions from members of both the Vermont House & Senate.
Quoted from Bill McKibben’s speech & later responses:
But just as we adapt to that which we can’t prevent, we also have to prevent that which we can’t adapt. Temperature increases beyond two degrees are impossible, unthinkable—and yet they are coming fast; unless we can help lead the charge against them. …Let’s think about the cost of not taking action.—Bill McKibben
A full transcript from the speech can be found HERE.
© Copyright 2013 Seth Butler. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.sethbutler.com
(via theboulderrollingsociety)
A number of other images from the Connect The Dots event during 350.org Climate Impacts Day in Waitsfield, Vermont recently published in the Burlington Free Press
Defining Sustainability: Education
Hundreds of Vermonters gathered on May 5th, 2012 for the 350.org Climate Impacts Day, Connect The Dots event in Waitsfield, Vermont to learn about recent developments surrounding the climate crisis. Many who attended this event had spent the morning volunteering at Vermont Green Up Day activities in and around the Mad River Valley, one of the regions hardest hit by Tropical Storm Irene.
Speakers during the day’s events included 350.org founder Bill McKibben, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin. The event was particularly special for many Vermonters in that it was first in a series of recent global climate action events where Bill McKibben was able to attend the day’s events in his own home state of Vermont. Climate Impacts Day included thousands of communities around the world who came together to Connect the Dots, learn, raise awareness and call for urgent action to stop the climate crisis. Keep connecting the dots
These images are part of a long-form documentary project I have undertaken on sustainable living in Vermont with the working title: Defining Sustainability
© Copyright 2012 Seth Butler. All Rights Reserved. http://www.sethbutler.com
vermonters opposing tar sands pipeline
Vermont Govenor Peter Shumlin addressed an estimated 1000 Vermonters gathered for the 350.org Moving Planet event on the State House lawn in Montpelier, Vermont. The Montpelier event was one of over 2000 such gatherings that took place in approximately 175 countries on September 24th, 2011 in the interest of transitioning the world beyond fossil fuels to a clean energy future.
Photo: © Copyright 2011 Seth Butler. All Rights Reserved.
After recent outreach from David Stember and other members of 350 Vermont, Governor Peter Shumlin has written a letter opposing the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
Excerpt from the letter:
I oppose the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline project… We need to find sources that will mitigate the impacts of climate change as much as possible for Vermont and the United States.
Our nation must come together to find local, clean, renewable energy to reduce our carbon footprint and spur the economy. Due to the number of major environmental and public health hazards possible in the Keystone XL Pipeline project, the cost of building an oil pipeline across many of our nations most economically and environmentally important aquifers, natural lands and wetlands is too great at this time.
350 Vermont is an important part of Tar Sands Action, bringing busloads of Vermonters to voice opinions in Washington, DC after the state was recently hit by Tropical Storm Irene.
Sign up for the Tar Sands Action: http://www.tarsandsaction.org/next-steps
inverting the sublime
Interview with photographer Edward Burtynsky before the opening of his OIL exhibition in the museum Huis Marseille in Amsterdam (Nov 29 2009 - Feb 28 2010), about his approach of the subject connected to his photographic style, as well as about his commitment to the environment.
VERMONT: See You In Montpelier on the State House lawn at 3 PM on September 24th, 2011!
(via graceisless)
