Vermont Living More Sustainably Pledge

Vermonters for Sustainable Population (VSP) is pleased to offer our fellow Vermonters the opportunity to take a pledge to live more sustainably. We urge all who feel a responsibility to the earth and to future generations to do so. Our pledge importantly includes an action related to population growth because replacing yourself no more than once is among the best, and easiest things that can be done to reduce ecological footprints. While there are literally dozens of things that can be done to live more sustainably, and they are all important, it is the big items that really make the difference.

We ask that you take this pledge to do your part in reversing the ever growing environmental problems the earth now faces including global warming, pollution of land and water, loss of biodiversity, water shortages, and rampant development. We must pledge, personally and collectively to change our lives, and in particular to free ourselves from the fossil fuels that cause so many forms of damage.

To the extent possible and applicable I pledge that within the next three to five years and thereafter as appropriate:

1. If a homeowner I will install a solar electrical generating system and/or a solar hot water system.

2. I will grow at least some of my own food, even if it is just a container on the porch or deck; and to purchase as much as possible of the rest of my food from local food growers and producers.

3. If a homeowner I will have a home energy audit and insulate my home, as indicated, to high standards; and to conserve energy in other ways.

4. I will do my driving as much as possible in a car that that gets an average of at least 35 miles per gallon.

5. I will walk, bicycle, or use public transportation as much as possible.

6. I will take most of my vacations within a day’s drive of home to avoid driving long distances or flying by jet plane; and, if I must go long distances for any reason I will also consider taking a train.

7. If (as either a male or female) I have not as yet had children I will replace myself no more than once. If I have already had a child or children, then I will support my children or grandchildren in replacing themselves only once.

8. I will support with time and/or money an organization that promotes sustainability and/or family planning.

9. I will calculate my ecological footprint and then based on the results also put at least one other action into place. Try these sites: www.footprintnetwork.org, www.myfootprint.org, and www.footprintofnations.org.

10. I will tell some of my family, friends and colleagues that I have signed the pledge, encouraging them to do likewise.

Thank you for supporting sustainable living in both word and action!

We ask that only Vermont residents or seasonal residents take this pledge and that in taking this pledge you share your name and Vermont place of residence so that you will be a motivator for others to also take the pledge. Please note that this pledge says “More Sustainably.” As long as we are dependent on fossil fuels we will not be living sustainably but at least we can begin to move in that direction.

To take this pledge, please fill out the following information:

Name

First

Last

City/Town

I pledge to live more sustainably.

Explanation of some of the pledge items will hopefully be helpful to you in deciding whether or not to sign the pledge. If you can not afford something then it is "not possible and applicable." While we support buying organic we think it is more important to buy local and a lot of the food producers in Vermont have very healthily grown food that is not always certified organic.

Traveling to visit relatives is important and is considered more than just vacationing.

The reason for the population item is that population size and growth is very closely related to long term sustainability and particularly two of the most important environmental problems we are now facing, global warming and loss of biodiversity. With the highest fertility rate of all of the developed nations, 50% of all pregnancies in the U.S. unintended, the third largest population in the world, and having an ecological footprint that greatly exceeds its carrying capacity, the U.S. is undeniably part of the problem and part of the solution needs to start here.

To illustrate what “replace myself no more than once” means in practical terms if you have a partner and you have your first child then each one of you has replaced yourselves by only one-half. If the two of you have another child then you each have each replaced yourself once. If you stay partnered then hopefully you will agree that you will do your best to raise those two children as sustainably as you can. However if the two of you were to separate and one of you finds a new partner, and that new partner has not had any children, then the new partner would have only one child. So a female could end up having two, three, or more children depending on whether or not the people she partners with have had not had children.

Please make sure you have filled out the form above before submitting.

For more information on Disappearing Vermont, Environment Population, Family Planning, Growth, Human Population, Overgrowth, Overpopulation, Population Resources, Smart Growth or Sustainable Population, please visit the links section of VSPOP website.