Net Zero Vermont
On July 13th, Net Zero Vermont publicly announced an effort to help Montpelier reach its laudable goal of freeing the city of carbon pollution by 2030. To that end, we’ve mobilized resources from local companies like Ben and Jerry’s, All Earth Renewables, National Life Group, Vermont Creamery and the Vermont State Employees Credit Union to support a unique design competition. We’re offering a $10,000 prize for the best architectural design to help citizens imagine a sustainable Montpelier in 2030.
Over the past couple of weeks, several groups have added their public support for this effort, including the Vermont Sierra Club. Net Zero Vermont is delighted that so many organizations have recognized importance of bringing a fresh approach to the crucial issue of climate change. These organizations understand that we must either start working on alternatives to carbon now, or we will find that we will have change forced upon us by economic, climate and political realities. They understand that we need to embrace a vision of a future place we live that we can believe in.
Here’s what’s behind our thinking. Please take a look at the map below. See all the red? That is the amount of downtown Montpelier real estate committed to the daily care and nurture of the automobile.
In fact the most valuable and easily buildable land in the city is basically tied up in parking lots. Besides convenience for their drivers, these parking lots provide little public benefit and a lot of toxic runoff to the river, which ends up polluting Lake Champlain. Most land used for parking is charged no or minimal tax in a city that is constantly complaining of ever increasing property tax burdens. Obviously there is something wrong with this picture.
What if we developed a smarter, more positive, vision of Montpelier? What if we could turn all that wasted real estate into something more valuable and create a more livable city center? Such a vision could help us all generate the energy needed to support a more sustainable way of living in our classic home town.
Of course, such a vision will require a change to our transportation habits, and the design competition asks participants to imagine better alternatives to the automobile. Admittedly, some people have suggested that we are more than a bit crazy to take on the parking issue in a city that is constantly complaining about the lack of parking. We are told than no one believes that Montpelier could change its transportation and land use habits to accommodate a real Net Zero future, but we beg to differ.
If we want a Net Zero Montpelier, then a positive vision has to be presented in such a way that our citizens can imagine an improved lifestyle that would come with the needed changes. What better way of getting a powerful positive vision than to invite the best designers you can find to help you create it? That’s why we hope to harness the most forward-thinking, creative energy imaginable by inviting architects and designers to join in the competition.
Our invitation goes out to architects and designers throughout the state and the country who, we have been informed, would enjoy an opportunity to imagine what a whole small city could look like in a post carbon future. But that is the starting point. Once we receive the initial entries in October, we will invite the community to select and embrace best designs (and Ben and Jerry’s will treat everyone to ice cream!). The competition will progress through two rounds of public participation, culminating with a final award in December.
Visit our website www.netzerovt.org if you would like to know more about this competition and how it will operate.