by Annie Kluger, Marketing Coordinator, Green Mountain Solar, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility Member
Since we were founded in 2017, our goal at Green Mountain Solar has always been to build a more environmentally and economically sustainable future for Vermont by making solar easily accessible to more people. As a member of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, we take our commitment to climate action seriously not only because it benefits our business but because climate change disasters and disruptions impact how we do business in Vermont. It has become more and more clear that the need for our work is important and urgent for the well-being of our beloved communities. The reality is that to help all Vermonters adapt to a more sustainable future and be protected against our new climate reality, Vermont businesses, legislators and residents need to work together to support and uphold climate action laws and policies.
Solar power is one of the best ways to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels— the leading contributor to climate change, and a costly energy resource. Over the years Green Mountain Solar has been in business the effects of climate change have become increasingly more evident in Vermont with destructive storms, flooding, and abnormal winters. The cost of powering homes and businesses has also continuously increased. Vermont is a small, but mighty state. Being a leader on climate can provide a model to the wider New England, and beyond, for collective action towards a more sustainable and economically viable future.
The Global Warmings Solutions Act is Vermont’s bedrock climate legislation which not only advances programs to address climate change causing emissions but also works to protect Vermont’s businesses and economy through resiliency measures. To ensure the requirements of the law are met, the Climate Council was formed and created a Climate Action Plan in 2021, which is updated every four years. It’s crucial that Vermont businesses, legislators and residents rally together to defend this important piece of legislation so that Vermont businesses can continue to grow while reducing our emissions from fossil fuels.
With a new Climate Action Plan currently underworks, now is the time to urge for protections against climate change so that our communities can continue to be thriving places to live and work— while keeping Vermont affordable for working people. As a small state, our economy relies on prospering local businesses, access to housing, and natural resources. With the effects of climate change impacting our land and infrastructures, in addition to the high costs of energy, it’s becoming harder for small business owners to maintain their operations in Vermont. We know that energy costs are a key element of Vermont’s high cost of living, and we recognize the need to balance priorities of maintaining affordable energy for all Vermonters with the environmental mandate to reduce the impacts of climate change and transition away from fossil fuels as far as possible.
At Green Mountain Solar, we try as hard as we can to make solar and energy storage systems accessible to as many Vermonters as possible. We’re proud to have installed thousands of solar and batteries across the state and have the aspiration to install thousands more. We’ve seen an increase in battery installations, driven by climate events, as well as by innovative utility programs, such as Green Mountain Power’s Energy Storage System program. Through it, Vermonters can lease 2 batteries for $55 a month, while getting renewable battery backup and supporting grid resilience. This is just one example of how Vermont has been a leader in balancing both economic and environmental aims in the face of a changing climate. Now is the time for Vermont to do what it does best, and act as a progressive model for the rest of the US in the fight against climate change.
We encourage everyone to contact your local representatives to urge wider collaboration across businesses, state legislators and residents to uphold the core tenants of the Global Warmings Solution Act as we all work together to better our state for future generations. Let’s bring together stakeholders from the state, business owners, utilities, and residents to feed into the process to develop a Climate Action plan that works for all Vermonters.