We believe in an Upper Valley that is building climate-resilient communities by deepening relationships, embracing climate adaptations, and implementing a just transition to renewable energy.
To survive and thrive in the long term, every community in the Upper Valley needs to be resilient in the face of climate change. We work with community members, non-profits, municipal leaders, state agencies, direct service providers, farmers, and business owners to include climate resilience in a wide range of projects. We focus on three different strategies: climate mitigation, climate adaptation, and community resilience.
Climate mitigation is an essential strategy to reduce the severity of climate impacts tomorrow and 50 years from now by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We support communites transitioning to renewable energy because it is the most effective way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while bringing down people’s monthly energy costs, creating new jobs, and ensuring more reliable access to energy sources.
Climate adaptation is an essential strategy to respond to the ways our changing climate is already everything from the food we grow to the roads we drive on. We collaborate with a wide range of partners who are using everything from traditional land practices to new innovative technologies to deal with the current impacts of the climate crisis.
Community resilience is the essence of nimble communities. We connect people all across the Upper Valley to form new relationships and deepen existing ones. We believe in an Upper Valley where no matter how intense the climate crisis becomes, everybody has someone to call for support.
A leaky window is like a hole in your wall, sucking in cold air when the temperatures drop. Since 2010, the Maine-based nonprofit WindowDressers has helped thousands of households become more comfortable and fuel-efficient by building custom-fitted window “inserts” that block those drafts. They have perfected a method for enlisting local volunteers to reach out…
This article was originally published in the Valley News, April 15, 2024 By Rebecca Bailey, Vital Communities A “time-space machine” — that’s how Sharon’s Ryan Haac playfully refers to his car. Particularly when he takes the interstate, the experience is one of disconnecting from one place and, in an astonishingly short time, popping out in another,…
Farmers, artists, friends, and family joined us Friday, April 6, for an opening reception to kick off the “Portraits of Resilience: Farming In A Changing Climate” exhibition. This educational art show is a partnership between Billings Farm & Museum and the Climate Farmer Stories project at Vital Communities. The show features the original artworks created by…
Want to see the beautiful, original artwork created for Vital Communities’ Climate Farmer Stories project? Last summer, you might have seen some pieces of the Climate Farmer Stories project that toured Upper Valley libraries and other public spaces. This summer you will have more chances to see this beautiful and inspiring view of what farmers…
To reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, our communities need to transition to “clean transportation” — including electric vehicles, public transit, carpooling, and walking or biking. Significant state and federal resources are being dedicated to this effort. How can we use those resources so everyone is part of this transition —…
More than 200 community members joined us at the Farm to Film Fest on Saturday, October 21, to learn about and celebrate regenerative agriculture and local climate farmers. Our day kicked off with some family fun that included setting up DIY time-lapses of growing seeds, exploring the difference between dirt and soil using flour and…
Both VT and NH NOFA’s have funds to help farmers The Vermont and New Hampshire chapters of the Northeast Organic Farming Association are calling for donations in the wake of recent flooding and the devastation it caused to farms. These donations go directly into funds that provide emergency relief to organic farmers and NOFA members.…
The Climate Farmer Stories project continues with another cohort of Vermont and New Hampshire farmers and artists! At the end of March 2023, the second cohort of farmers participating in the Climate Farmer Stories project met virtually to learn about the project and a bit about each other. The cohort of 12 farms represents a…
Where you can view in person a new multimedia exhibit celebrating Upper Valley farmers whose methods help the climate. From June through November, about a dozen Upper Valley libraries and other public locations will display “Climate Farmer Stories,” a new multimedia exhibit that shares the stories and portraits of 13 Upper Valley farmers who are…
A new multimedia exhibit shares the stories and portraits of 13 Upper Valley farmers who are using agricultural methods that mitigate and adapt to climate change and help build a food supply that can withstand the impact of climate disruption. “Climate Farmer Stories” opens Monday, April 3, in the Vermont State House Cafeteria exhibit…
How does a concerned community member effectively lead local climate projects? The Climate Change Leadership Academy (2CLA) encourages helps folks do just that. Co-run by Vital Communities and the Upper Valley Adaptation Workgroup, 2CLA offers in-person and virtual meetings, guest speakers, group discussion, a project development workbook, and collaborative work time. The group explores climate change science, mitigation,…
Did you know that the Community Supported Agriculture movement in the United States was born in this region? Temple Wilton Farm in Wilton, NH, and Indian Line Farm in South Egremont, MA, are both credited with developing the beginnings of the CSA model here in the US in the late 1980s. Since then the CSA…
What are Climate Wise Business practices and how can businesses be wise about climate? This Upper Valley Adaptation Workgroup invited local business leaders to discuss how they are mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change by becoming more resilient, and proactively managing risks and leveraging opportunities. Event Summary On December 7…
Did you ride an e-bike this past year? If you were in Upper Valley, you would have had many chances to do so, for free, through the Upper Valley E-Bike Lending Library. From April through October, this fleet of four contrasting styles of electric bikes traveled around the Upper Valley – to 14 towns and…
Be inspired all year by the Climate Farmers 2023 wall calendar – a celebration of farmers whose practices draw down carbon, nurture healthy, resilient soils, and build food security in the Upper Valley of VT and NH, with portraits by Vermont and New Hampshire artists. Randy Robar and Velveeta of Kiss the Cow Farm,…
“When’s the next one? Will this be annual?” These questions dominated post-event conversations about the Affordable Energy Resources Fair, organized by Vital Communities, on Saturday, November 19 at the LISTEN Community Dining Room in White River Junction. About 80 people came in from an unseasonably warm late-fall day to get help dealing with the cold…
