Providing passionate people the opportunity to serve the environmental needs of Vermont communities.
To guide the next generation of Vermont’s environmental leaders through enriching and immersive experiences. By collaborating with our partners, we will add vital capacity to strengthen local communities and foster a deeper stewardship of our natural environment.
Our focus
Water Quality
New guidelines around excessive phosphorus and other nutrient levels in the Lake Champlain Basin and other bodies of water means careful vigilance and the employment of best practices to reduce nutrient pollution at the source. Lake Champlain is a major economic driver for tourism and recreation and provides drinking water for 200,000 people living near it. Phosphorus and other pollutants are entering Lake Champlain via streams and rivers resulting in ecosystem degradation, drinking water threats, and recreational impacts. Toxic algae blooms could have serious public health consequences. Heightening awareness and concentrating efforts to mitigate the run-off will meet the ultimate goal of improving and maintaining water quality in Lake Champlain and continuing the high quality of life all Vermonters value.
Universal Recycling
It’s estimated that more than half of the materials we throw away could be recycled or composted, leaving our recycling goals unmet, wasting natural resources, and contributing to climate change. New guidelines require recycling and bans the disposal of leaf and yard debris, clean wood, and food scraps by 2020. The increased capture of recyclable materials and a variety of meaningful alternatives for uneaten food and food scraps find value in materials previously considered waste, conserving resources and saving energy. Assisting solid waste facilities and haulers to increase their capacity for collection of recyclables and organic materials, and educating residents and businesses on the law, are vital steps towards successful implementation of Universal Recycling in Vermont.
Check out this list of current host organizations.
Interested in becoming a member? Visit our Prospective Member page.
CONTACT US
For more information about becoming a host site, applying to be a member or general questions about the program, please contact:
Dustin Bowman
anr.ecoamericorps@vermont.gov
(802) 461-5222