Bernie Buzz

It is hard to believe that it has now been two months since this summer’s terrible flooding devastated communities across our state. As we continue the difficult and too often heartbreaking work of recovery and rebuilding, I wanted to share some good news with you, as well as some important updates.

To my mind, and I think most Vermonters would agree, art is more than just entertainment. It is more than just a painting here, a performance there. Great art, in whatever form, can truly help us understand who we are as human beings, as a community, and as a society. Art can be a gateway to the soul and is absolutely essential as we work to create and sustain a more just and humane society.

Earlier this summer, the Bernie Buzz was able to go to UVM’s Virtue Field and hear from the founders and players about the team, their story, and their effort to combat climate change and advance environmental justice. I hope you will take a moment to watch the video above to learn more. Congratulations to Vermont Green FC for their great work on and off the field.

I always enjoy meeting with Vermont seniors. Pre-COVID, we used to do that on a pretty regular basis. Recently, we were able to pick up where we left off with wonderful senior town meetings in Bennington, Rutland, Brattleboro, Barre, and Burlington

While the path forward to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future will not be easy, and mistakes will certainly be made, the choice we face is pretty clear. Either we maintain the status quo and continue to see more drought, floods and extreme weather disturbances or we move away from fossil fuels and do our best to make sure that the planet we leave our kids and future generations is healthy and habitable. Frankly. That’s not much of a choice. That’s our moral responsibility.

Now, more than ever, it is important to bring people together. And to my mind, there is no better way to do that than through the arts. That is why I hope you will join me, Grace Potter, and young Vermont artists for music and conversations on Saturday, August 5 at Lyman Point Park in White River Junction at 12 P.M. and at Veterans’ Memorial Park in South Burlington at 4:00 P.M.