VERMONT PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP INC
141 Main St 6, Montpelier, VT 05602 www.vpirg.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: Founded in 1972, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) is the largest nonprofit consumer and environmental advocacy organization in Vermont, with over 55,000 members and supporters. For over four decades, we have brought the voices of average citizens to public policy debates concerning the environment, health care, consumer protection, and democracy. VPIRG's mission is to promote and protect the health of Vermont's people, environment and locally-based economy by informing and mobilizing citizens statewide.

Founded in 1972, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) is the largest nonprofit consumer and environmental advocacy organization in Vermont, with over 55,000 members and supporters. See Page 2 for more information.

General Membership Services - As the largest membership-based environmental and consumer advocacy organization in the state VPIRG provides educational and informational resources on our campaigns and related issues to over 55,000 members and supporters annually. VPIRG serves as a go-to resource for individuals and groups to learn about public interest policy issues and opportunities for making their voices heard on issues at critical times throughout the year. VPIRG also regularly provides training to activist members in core skills such as writing a letter to the editor, speaking in public about policy issues, organizing local community meetings, and how to lobby their elected officials.

Climate and Energy - Vermonters know that we have a moral responsibility to protect our kids and grandkids from the environmental, economic, and social havoc that fossil fuels are wreaking. VPIRG agrees with the majority of Vermonters who want to cut our dependence on fossil fuels and take control of our energy future by using clean, renewable power. VPIRG works to advance policies and programs that aim to stop our continued reliance on fossil fuels and other dirty energy like nuclear power, and to dramatically increase the use of clean, local renewable energy. * To that end, in 2018 VPIRG helped pass expanded appliance efficiency standards for 16 appliance types not currently covered at the federal level, from air compressors and commercial dishwashers to computers and computer monitors. Taking these inefficient appliances out of the market will save Vermonters $210 million by 2035 and dramatically reduce carbon pollution. * Another VPIRG-backed victory was the passage of a voluntary standard for establishing a pollinator-friendly habitat label on solar farms and recognizing solar installers that are leading the way in protecting and promoting pollinator species. Just like our work to make it easier to build solar on previously developed land such as rooftops, parking lots, and landfills, this pollinator solar program is about taking something good - solar - and making it even better. * Also in 2018, VPIRG and our members urged the legislature to require a significant portion of the $18.7 million VW settlement be allocated toward electric vehicles instead of fossil fuel vehicles. Along with our allies, we pushed for at least $4.5 million to go toward a statewide electric vehicle incentive program. While the final allocation fell short of this goal, we're proud to have played a role in ensuring that at least a portion of the funds went toward electric vehicle expansion. * Finally, VPIRG continued to grow the broad-based Energy Independent Vermont Coalition working to tackle climate change by putting a price on carbon pollution.

Zero Waste - VPIRG works to advance policies and solutions that hold manufacturers accountable for the products they put into our environment and move us closer to zero waste in Vermont. * To that end, VPIRG has defended Vermont's successful Bottle Bill law from multiple industry attacks and continues to make the case that the law needs to be updated and strengthened to cover water and non-carbonated beverages. * In 2018, after more than two decades, VPIRG finally succeeded in ending the giveaway of millions of dollars in unclaimed Bottle Bill deposits to the beverage industry and put that money to work for Vermonters instead. Under the new legislation the State will now reclaim the deposits and use the money (millions of dollars each year) to help clean up Vermont's waterways. This is a victory many years in the making - the result of hard work and grassroots advocacy by countless VPIRG staffers, members, supporters and allies. * In addition, we continued to research and advocate for stronger recycling programs and implementation of extended producer responsibility for the waste that manufacturers' products generate in the system.

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