Canada to end COVID travel restrictions

The mountains around Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Starting on Oct. 1, Canada will remove all travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That means travelers into Canada will no longer have to provide proof of COVID vaccination, undergo pre-travel testing, or go into quarantine or isolation after entering. Masks mandates on planes and trains will also be lifted, and the ArriveCan app — used to upload health documents for visiting Canada — will become optional. 

In their announcement on Monday, Canadian officials cited the country’s high vaccination rate as a major factor for making this change. Around 82% of Canadians have received two doses of COVID vaccine, and over 90% of Canadians over 12 have received at least one dose, according to news sources. 

Bordering U.S. states were quick to praise the move. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott called it a long-awaited one for the state, which has extensive economic ties with its neighbor to the north. 

“Removing barriers to cross border travel allows our border communities to return to normal social and economic activity, which is an important part of the connection between our two countries,” Scott said in a Monday statement. “As was made clear during my recent trade mission to Montreal, there is a lot of interest in Vermont as a place to vacation and do business — and this step will also make tourism and businesses travel easier, benefitting Vermont’s economy.”

Canada’s announcement comes one week after members of Parliament and border-city mayors wrote a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden, urging them to lift all remaining COVID travel restrictions. Proof of vaccination is still required for all non-U.S. citizens traveling into the United States.

— Gareth Henderson

Welch: Allies standing strong for Ukraine; aid continues to be crucial

(Gareth Henderson File Photo)

Even amid the most treacherous and dangerous situations, acts of kindness and compassion shine through. 

A great many people have stepped in to help those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Neighboring Poland has given refuge to nearly 3 million Ukrainian refugees as of Wednesday, according to data from the United Nations. 

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., saw this in action when he recently went to Eastern Europe, visiting Latvia, Poland and Slovakia. He traveled with U.S. Reps. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., Mike Quigley, D-Ill, and Jason Crow, D-Colo., with whom he serves on the House Intelligence Committee. Welch said the trip was meant to inspect how the U.S. policy of arming the Ukrainians and the coordination with humanitarian aid, is proceeding.

In a Tuesday interview, Welch reported that the coordination between European allies — both NATO, and non-NATO — is impressive.

For the Ukrainians who have fled their war-torn country, their neighbors in Poland have been answering the call to help from the beginning. 

“There are no camps. They're all sheltering in the homes of Polish families who have welcomed them and are willing to house them for as long as it takes,” Welch said.  

Working in partnership with U.S. aid efforts, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia have played important roles in bolstering Ukraine’s strong military operations against Russia, Welch noted.

“Even though they’re small countries, they've been sending an immense amount of military aid,” he said. “They're enormously grateful the U.S. is all in. They feel the U.S. is a full partner with them in their efforts to resist Russian aggression.”

These allies are spurred on in large part by their memories of World War II, and wanting to help their neighbors and prevent the tragedies of war from spreading.

“It’s like it was yesterday,” Welch said, of how they remember WWII. “It's just embedded in their psyche.”

Looking toward the long-term, Welch said there will be a vast amount of work for years to come, to rebuild the damage Russia has inflicted on Ukraine, with cities like Mariupol reduced to rubble. 

There will be a need for aid on many fronts, and Welch said there are ways Vermonters can play a role. 

“Governor (Phil) Scott has expressed an openness to accepting Ukrainian refugees in Vermont,” Welch said. He added that the Biden administration is facilitating those opportunities for Ukrainians to relocate to the U.S.

Also, Vermonters and many Americans have contributed to the humanitarian relief effort by donating to organizations involved, and Welch encouraged that generosity to continue. Vermont recently approved a legislative bill to send more than $640,000 in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

In a recent statement, Scott spoke of those displaced by the war and Vermont’s “moral obligation” to help.

“We are ready, willing and able to accept refugees from Ukraine if need be,” the governor said.

— Gareth Henderson

Vermonters making history at the 2022 Winter Olympics

A winter scene from Starksboro, Vt. (Gareth Henderson File Photo)

Not everyone gets to witness a home-spun connection when it comes to the Olympics, but Vermont is making it an historic year at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

This week, Vermonter Ryan Cochran-Siegle won the silver medal in the super-G, becoming the first Vermonter to medal in Alpine skiing since his mother, Barbara Ann Cochran, took home the gold in 1972.

On that same day, Tuesday, Jessie Diggins, who lives in Stratton, became the first American woman to win an individual cross-country skiing medal, taking the bronze in the 1.5km sprint.

A day later, the winning ways continued, when Lindsey Jacobellis from Stratton won the USA's first gold medal of the 2022 Winter Olympics, competing in the snowboard cross.

Some members of the Vermont Army National Guard are also competing in Beijing, and one of them, Jericho resident Deedra Irwin, finished seventh in the 15k individual Biathlon. That's the best Olympic result ever by an American biathlete.

Irwin's history-making moment on Monday came just a couple days after Team USA's best-ever Olympic finish in the Biathlon mixed relay. Surging into seventh place were Vermonter Susan Dunklee and teammates Sean Doherty, Clare Egan and Paul Schommer.

Olympic glory indeed has its brightest and most memorable expression on the snow and ice. But the impact moves far beyond that, into the hearts of athletes and the many fans around the world. The greatest Olympic feat is the unity of purpose that expels any sense of division when athletes gather for these amazing, unforgettable events. And that resonates with people.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott captured this spirit well, in his recent video remarks congratulating the Vermonters competing in the 2022 Winter Games.

"Every four years, athletes from around the globe show the value of preparation, perseverance and patriotism," Scott said. "No matter what's been happening politically, the Olympics have always been a beacon of hope, pride and unity. During these times of uncertainty, it's more important than ever to show the world all the good we have to offer."

— Gareth Henderson

Vermonters urged to order at-home COVID tests

A trail near Lake Pinneo in Quechee, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday strongly encouraged Vermonters to order at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests at covidtests.gov.

This Biden Administration’s initiative – which launched this week – is similar to a program piloted by the State, according to a Thursday statement from the governor. Through this new federal program, each household is eligible to receive four tests, which are expected to ship within 7-12 days of ordering, state officials said. Supplies are limited. 

“Rapid at-home tests are a useful tool that will help us continue to move forward,” Scott said in the statement. “Vermont has worked hard to gain supply of these tests, and I appreciate President Biden’s recent efforts to do the same. The USPS website is up and running now, but federal supplies remain limited, so Vermonters should act fast.”

Any Vermonter without internet access can call the Governor’s Constituent Services Office at 802-828-3333. “My team will help complete the online request form for you,” the Governor continued.

The federal effort is similar to the state of Vermont’s pilot partnership with the National Institutes of Health, which sent 350,000 tests to Vermonters. Many of these tests have already arrived at Vermonters’ homes.

As the state awaits the arrival of an additional 150,000 tests it ordered for the pilot program, it is reevaluating the best use of these tests – including potentially allocating them directly to schools, child care programs and long-term care facilities – now that the general public has access to the new federal program.

Vermont is the national leader in both PCR testing and the distribution of at-home tests, according to state officials. They noted Vermont has consistently performed the most PCR tests per capita of any state. Since late December, the state has also distributed about one million at-home tests directly to Vermonters, schools, child care programs, long term care facilities and other community partners.

States’ access to supplies of at-home tests continues to be a challenge, and the state of Vermont will continue to work to acquire more. The nation’s governors are working with the federal government to improve coordination in procurement and distribution, according to the governor’s statement on Thursday.

— Gareth Henderson

Vermont Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale running for Congress

The U.S. and Vermont flags flying in Bridgewater, Vt. (Gareth Henderson File Photo)

A Vermont senator from Chittenden County has announced her campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives, joining a race that has grown quickly in recent weeks. 

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, a Shelburne resident who also served seven years in the Vermont House, will face Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint and Lt. Gov. Molly Gray in this year’s Democratic primary. Vermont has never sent a woman to Congress, and if elected, Ram Hinsdale would also become the first person of color to join the Vermont Congressional Delegation. The incumbent, U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, is running for the Senate after U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy announced he would not seek reelection. 

Advocacy for Vermont’s working families and for action on climate change are prominent issues for Ram Hinsdale, as expressed in a campaign statement Thursday. 

“I’m running for Congress to be Vermont’s fighter for working families, our democracy, and our climate,” Ram Hinsdale said in the statement. “Now is the time to dream and deliver, to advance a bold vision for our multicultural democracy while building a responsive government that meets the everyday needs of Vermonters.”

She told Vermont Public Radio that her commitment to progressive environmental policies began years ago. 

“I was fighting for the Green New Deal before it had a name — that’s how I got into politics in Vermont,” she told VPR. “I introduced Vermont’s first environmental justice bill in 2007 as a senior in college.”

She also mentioned the impact of her upbringing in a multicultural, working class family, noting she felt the economic insecurity when the family’s restaurant failed. 

“And I think my lived experience has propelled me to be someone who’s on the steps of the Statehouse with teachers fighting for their pensions, to be alongside working Vermonters fighting to create more access to housing and homeownership, and to recognize that the fight for our climate is also one that matters deeply to people who are mobile home park residents or migrant farmers,” she told VPR.

Ram Hinsdale moved from Los Angeles to the Green Mountains to attend the University of Vermont, and she graduated from UVM in 2008. She served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 2009 to 2016. Ram Hinsdale lost a bid for lieutenant governor in 2016, but returned to the Legislature when she was elected in 2020, becoming the first woman of color to serve in the Vermont Senate. She is a member of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs.

— Gareth Henderson

Local broadband network gets huge funding boost

Utility lines along the edge of a field off Cox District Road in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

A local organization that’s been growing its broadband network in central Vermont for over a decade is getting a major funding boost to help its expansion.

ECFiber, a municipal organization operating in east-central Vermont, has secured $11.8 million in funding. That number includes $9 million from municipal bonds and $2.8 million in grant money through the Vermont Community Broadband Board. The majority of the bond money will fund construction of lines in Norwich, Woodstock, Wilder, White River Junction and Quechee, according to an ECFiber press release on Wednesday. Funding from the statewide Broadband Board will pay for expanding ECFiber’s network into eight new towns, which are Topsham, Newbury, Washington, Corinth, Bradford, West Fairlee, Fairlee, and Windsor.

Formed in 2008, ECFiber is a Vermont municipality akin to a water district and consists of 31 member towns, according to the funding announcement. Officially known as the East Central Vermont Telecommunications District, it has no taxing powers and has — since its transition to a communications union district in 2016 — been funded mainly by municipal bonds backed by customer payments for service, ECFiber officials said in the statement. 

“We are the model for how to make world-class broadband available to every home and business on the grid in rural Vermont, infrastructure that is essential to social and economic well-being,” said Board Chair F. X. Flinn. “Investors have shown their appreciation for the work we are doing by paying a premium for our existing debt and competing for our new debt. That said, we will continue to pursue the new grant funding aggressively as we go all out to complete the network.”

Federal money coming to help health care sector

Many Vermont health care providers are seeing an influx of federal cash to help weather the pandemic. 

This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began distributing nearly $46 million to 143 of Vermont’s rural medical providers and suppliers serving Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare beneficiaries. 

Awarded under the American Rescue Plan, this funding will provide much-needed relief for Vermont’s rural health care providers, who have struggled under the financial and operational challenges of the pandemic, according to a press release. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch played a key role in securing this funding for Vermont, the announcement said. 

This money is part of $7.5 billion in American Rescue Plan Rural payments being distributed nationwide. For more information about the funding, click here.

— Gareth Henderson

Exploring the history of Daylight Saving Time

Faulkner Park in Woodstock, Vt., in late October. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

I was traveling in Peru during my college years, and during a conversation with a Peruvian friend, I mentioned Daylight Saving Time. We lose an hour in the fall, I explained, and set the clocks forward one hour in the spring.

“What, lose hours? We never lose hours,” she said, rather baffled. 

Admittedly, and probably like many people, I couldn’t explain why we do this every year. This time, I got curious and looked around for that information. It turns out, it stems from the World War I era, when in 1916 Germany and England adjusted their clocks to save energy, Vermont Public Radio reports, thinking more hours of daylight in the summer would lead to less time indoors. In 1918, upon entering the war, the U.S. did the same thing. This practice was dispensed with after the war, and re-adopted during World War II, but again, afterward, it did not become a lasting national policy. Years later, to make the time zones more consistent, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966. 

In recent days, several people have asked me about efforts to do away with this system on a state level (and it is Daylight Saving, not Savings, as VPR notes). Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states which have passed bills to stick with Standard Time year-round. Federal law does not permit states to switch to Daylight Saving Time all year — that’s why such proposals, like a current legislative bill in Vermont, won’t go into effect even if passed. 

It’s always interesting to delve into this kind of historic background, especially on a topic that’s often taken for granted. Daylight Saving Time is not something many people think long and hard about — it’s just a part of life. On my summer travels out of state this past summer, it was occasionally important to know which time zone you’d be in at 4 p.m. Other than that, I think of it two weekends per year.

Though not a huge issue, the autumn return to Standard Time is indeed a harbinger of the cold season, after which darker, frigid nights build up and, eventually, the snow happens. For now, we can enjoy the autumn sunshine, and a whole week of expected 50-degree weather coming up. For us outdoor enthusiasts who aren’t quite skiing yet, we don’t mind a few more fall-weather days before late November arrives. 

And of course, remember to turn those clocks back one hour tonight. It might help the week start off a little more smoothly.

— Gareth Henderson

Officials: Vt. ready to vaccinate children ages 5-11 against COVID-19

The Ottauquechee River in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Parents of children ages 5-11 will soon be able to have their kids vaccinated against COVID-19.

CDC advisers voted unanimously on Tuesday to recommend the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for this age group. Following that panel’s decision, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky is widely expected to issue final approval. This vaccine for children ages 5-11 will be given in two doses three weeks apart. It is one-third the dosage of the Pfizer vaccine for adults. 

In anticipation of the final CDC approval, registration will open at 8 a.m. for Vermont parents to sign their children up. People will be able to go to healthvermont.gov/myvaccine or call 855-722-7878 to make an appointment. With support from EMS and other health care partners, the state Health Department has also arranged for clinics in nearly 100 schools across the state over a six-week period, beginning on Monday, Nov. 8.

“Our goal is to get as many doses as possible into students’ arms before the holiday break at the end of December — that’s first and second dose,” said Mike Smith, Vermont’s secretary of human services. 

At a Tuesday press conference, it was clear the gears were fully in motion in Vermont. The state was receiving 6,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5-11 by Tuesday night — part of 23,400 doses being shipped to the state this week. Of those, 15,900 are going to the state, with the remaining 7,500 heading to clinics at pharmacies and health care sites around Vermont, according to officials.  

“This will be an enormous step forward and a significant opportunity to protect as many people as possible,” Gov. Phil Scott said of the expected vaccine.

At the briefing, Scott urged those who are skeptical about vaccinating their kids to consider the following factors.

“We know from recent experience how important in-person instruction is for our kids, and by getting them vaccinated, you’re not only reducing their chance of getting COVID, but you’re taking an important step to keep them in school, improving their education, and all the social and mental health benefits that come along with it,” Scott said.  

Dr. Rebecca Bell, president of the Vermont chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said this has been “a long-awaited and much-anticipated development.” This low-dose Pfizer vaccine was shown to be 91% effective against COVID-19 infection, Bell said. The doses are expected to be available at local pediatrician offices by mid-November.

Bell also noted the success of the effort to vaccinate older children, adding that 31,000 Vermonters ages 12-17 have been vaccinated against the virus. 

“Those are our patients, and we have been so grateful that they are vaccinated and protected from serious illness,” she said. 

The governor was hopeful that most parents of kids ages 5-11 would have their children inoculated. He said Vermont leads the country in a number of vaccination-related categories, including youth vaccination. 

“About a week ago, we were the first state to cross the 80% vaccination threshold for kids 12-17, with over 70% of them being fully vaccinated,” Scott said. 

There are about 44,000 children ages 5-11 in Vermont; the state’s total population was just over 643,000 as of April 2020.

— Gareth Henderson

US to lift land border restrictions for vaccinated travelers

The U.S. and Vermont flags in the mid-day sun. Vermont and other northern states have been advocating for the U.S. to allow non-essential travel from Canada for weeks. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

U.S. officials have announced plans to lift land border restrictions in November for fully vaccinated foreign nationals. All U.S.-bound travelers over land borders will have to show proof of vaccination before crossing. 

Current restrictions on non-essential travel have been in place since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Biden administration has come under increasing pressure from governors and other groups to allow non-essential land travel, citing pressure on commerce, citizens and the economy. 

In an announcement, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the administration next month "will begin allowing travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to enter the United States for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings."

In early January, as part of a two-phase approach to ease land border restrictions, proof of vaccination will also be required for all travelers entering the U.S. for essential reasons. “This approach will provide ample time for essential travelers such as truckers, students, and healthcare workers to get vaccinated,” Mayorkas explained.

For weeks, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott has added his voice to the pressure from state officials, during a scheduled Tuesday call between governors and the White House. This week, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington State raised the question again during that Tuesday call. The White House started putting the word out about the announcement late Tuesday, though no precise November date was given for the change. 

In a statement, Scott said the border announcement was good news for many Vermont residents and communities. 

“Vermont and Canada are not just neighbors, our communities are linked by family, friends, social and cultural connections, natural resources, commerce and more,” Scott said. “Reopening the land border will allow our communities to reunite, after being separated for nearly two years.”

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, of Washington, echoed that sentiment, saying the change “will provide great relief to those waiting to see friends and loved ones from Canada,” according to Reuters.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, added, “Since the beginning of the pandemic, members of our shared cross-border community have felt the pain and economic hardship of the land border closures,” as quoted in The Buffalo News. “That pain is about to end.”

The exact date in early November for this major change in land travel restrictions will be coming “very soon”, Reuters reported, quoting a Biden administration official. Unvaccinated visitors will still be barred from crossing the U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico. 

As for Canada-bound travelers, restrictions remain in place there as well. All travelers going into Canada must submit proof of vaccination and be tested for COVID-19 up to 72 hours before arrival. More information on Canada’s border-crossing restrictions, including the required testing, are at this link.

— Gareth Henderson

Vt. governor remembers WWII veteran Sidney Walton

An American flag in Woodstock Village on July 4, 2020. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

In public remarks on Tuesday, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott took some time to remember World War II veteran Sidney Walton, who famously embarked on his “No Regrets” tour in 2018 to raise awareness on veterans’ issues. 

Walton passed away on Saturday at age 102 in Santa Monica, California. A native of New York City, Walton was an Army infantryman who joined the military nine months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In his nationwide tour, Walton’s goal was to visit all 50 governors in all 50 U.S. states, and it was two years ago that he traveled up to Vermont to meet Scott.

“I was the 24th governor he met back in November of 2019, and he met his 40th, Gov. (Kevin) Stitt in Oklahoma, just one week ago today,” Scott said at a Tuesday press conference. “As you know, while I have a great deal of respect for anyone who served our country, World War II veterans hold a special place for me, with my dad serving in the Third Army in France as a tanker under General Patton.” 

Scott said Walton’s passing shows how important it is to thank World War II veterans of the Greatest Generation “whenever you have the chance.” 

“Unfortunately, there aren’t many of them left, and they did more than we’ll ever fully know or appreciate. They literally saved the world and were the best of the best,” the governor said. “So again, whenever you’ve got the opportunity to thank someone who served, take it.” 

Seeing Walton’s dedication to his fellow veterans, he exemplified a lifetime of service, as so many veterans have. His tour drew national attention and gained more exposure for issues impacting those who have served in the armed forces. On his 99th birthday, Walton readily accepted when his son, Paul, came up with the idea for the tour. For years, Walton had told his children about one regret: how he passed up an opportunity in 1939 to meet a group of aging Civil War veterans who gathered at the World’s Fair in New York City, the Los Angeles Times reported. 

“I said, ‘How would you like to go on tour across the country, meet every governor in every state and meet people along the way and give each and every one of them an opportunity to meet a World War II veteran before it’s too late?’” Paul recalled in his interview with the Times. “He said, ‘Son, I’m up for that.’”

Paul Walton called his father’s tour “a symbol of unity” for the U.S., according to the Los Angeles Times. 

“This is not a Republican campaign, it’s not a Democrat campaign, it’s not an independent campaign,” he told the newspaper. “It’s an American campaign.”

— Gareth Henderson

FDA authorizes booster of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

Federal officials have authorized a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, with a focus on several higher-risk groups. 

On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the booster is for people in three specific groups, at least six months after receiving the standard two doses of the vaccine. They are: people age 65 or older; ages 18-64 and at high risk of severe COVID-19; and ages 18-64 and at high risk of the virus due to “frequent institutional or occupational exposure”. 

The FDA decision amended the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine's emergency use authorization. Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock noted the context of the decision. 

“This pandemic is dynamic and evolving, with new data about vaccine safety and effectiveness becoming available every day,” Woodcock said in a statement. “As we learn more about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including the use of a booster dose, we will continue to evaluate the rapidly changing science and keep the public informed.”

Before the booster is made available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its advisers still have to detail who should receive the extra shot, according to The Washington Post. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to make its recommendation on Thursday. After full approval, the booster is expected to be available at pharmacies and some doctor’s offices as soon as this week, the Post reported. 

States have been gearing up to prepare for this approval, including Vermont. At Tuesday’s state press conference, Human Services Secretary Mike Smith said registration for Pfizer booster shots should start the day after they receive full approval.

“We have been actively planning for those that may qualify for boosters, making some assumptions so that we could be ready when approval comes through,” Smith said. 

All this comes as the nation continues to face the Delta variant of COVID-19, however recent statistics show that cases are beginning to come down in some western and southern states where cases skyrocketed at the beginning of the Delta wave, according to data announced at Tuesday’s Vermont press conference. That trend has not yet hit New England, Vermont officials said Tuesday. 

Statewide, 87.4% of Vermonters had received at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, as of Tuesday, and over 78% were fully vaccinated. Though Vermont’s hospitalizations due to the virus have trended upward in the past week, officials said Vermont continues to have the fewest COVID hospitalizations of any U.S. state.

— Gareth Henderson

Update (9/23/21): The state has issued an update at this link about starting initial Pfizer booster shots on Friday, Sept. 24, as well as details about availability in the coming weeks.

Update (9/24/21): Following this morning’s announcement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., the state will expand eligibility for booster shots to people aged 18 to 64 with underlying medical conditions on Friday, Oct. 1. It is anticipated these conditions will be more specifically defined by the CDC later today.

Vermont one step closer to welcoming Afghan refugees

(Gareth Henderson Photo)

With a key federal decision this week, Vermont's plan to welcome Afghan refugees to the Green Mountains is moving forward. 

Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday announced the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) was approved by the U.S. Department of State to welcome up to 100 Afghans in Vermont in the weeks ahead. An exact timeline of arrivals is not yet established.

USCRI is a national nonprofit resettlement agency that assists people who have migrated to the U.S. to help them live safe and dignified lives, as Thursday's announcement said. USCRI’s Vermont Office, the Scott administration, the State Refugee Office at the Vermont Agency of Human Services and other refugee programs have been pursuing opportunities to welcome refugees over the last several weeks. The goal is to accommodate some of the many Afghans who are being targeted due to support of the U.S. military and U.S. government agencies, as well as media and non-governmental organizations, following the end of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, according to state officials.

“We have a moral obligation to help the people of Afghanistan, who did so much to help us in the War on Terror,” Scott said in a statement. “In addition to this being the right thing to do, we know that welcoming more refugees also strengthens communities, schools, our workforce, culture and economy.” 

For years, the governor has requested annual increases in refugee resettlement in Vermont as part of a strategy to increase economic growth and expand Vermont’s workforce. In Thursday's announcement, Tracy Dolan, the director of the State Refugee Office, noted the interest shown by businesses. 

“It is an honor to help those who have helped our service members overseas and it is a wonderful opportunity for Vermont’s communities and for our businesses who are very interested in expanding our workforce and filling our job vacancies,” Dolan said.

She added, “We are learning from our colleagues at military bases and arrival centers across the country that employment is one of the highest priorities mentioned by these newly arriving Afghans. They are eager to find jobs and rebuild their lives.” 

USCRI Vermont will work closely with the state, as well as with schools, employers, landlords, and health and social service programs, to meet the needs of arriving Afghans and of the community. Before they arrive in Vermont, Afghans will have completed medical and security screenings, and will be authorized to work, officials explained. USCRI is continuing to respond to Vermont volunteers and businesses interested in offering support.

“I want to thank Vermonters for the outpouring of support we are receiving — we are not always fast to respond immediately to your offers due to the preparations we are making but want you to know we are thankful as we work together to extend a warm welcome to our Afghan neighbors,” said Amila Merdzanovic, director of USCRI Vermont. 

The State Department also approved the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) to open a new field office in Brattleboro. ECDC is a resettlement agency that works with refugees from around the world and hired Joe Wiah, who will begin his new role as director of the Brattleboro Office on September 20. ECDC plans to submit a proposal to the State Department to welcome 25 Afghans to Brattleboro in the coming months. Jessica Chapman, community outreach manager for the ECDC, thanked the Brattleboro community and local, regional and national partners for supporting this effort.

“After many months of planning and discussions we look forward to starting the work of welcoming refugees and Special Immigrant Visa holders to the southern part of Vermont,” Chapman said in a statement.  

Also in southern Vermont, Rutland has shown interest in welcoming Afghan refugees to its community. In a recent report in the Rutland Herald, Merdzanovic told local officials the resettlement effort would start in Chittenden County, Vermont's most populous county, and USCRI would reach out to supporters in other communities. 

The state plans to provide further information on the resettlement of Afghans in Vermont as more details become available.

— Gareth Henderson

President requires vaccines for 100M American workers

President Joe Biden announced new vaccine mandates for as many as 100 million American workers, two-thirds of the nation’s workforce, on Thursday. 

Under the new rules, companies with over 100 workers must require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly tests — that’s estimated to affect about 80 million people. Full vaccination is also required for workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid, as well as federal executive branch employees and contractors that work for the U.S. government, according to The Associated Press. 

These new requirements are part of a national plan by the Biden administration to stem the rise in COVID-19 cases and increase vaccination rates. The mandate already faces stern criticism from some lawmakers and union leaders, while others praised the move Thursday night. Biden’s order for executive branch employees and contractors has exceptions for those seeking religious or medical exemptions, the AP reported. 

More than 177 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases recently rose to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The federal change came just a day after a new vaccine rule was announced for Vermont state employees. Effective Sept. 15, all state of Vermont executive branch employees will be required to attest they are vaccinated, or be subject to at least weekly testing and mandatory masking at work, as announced at a Wednesday press conference. This comes after a vaccine requirement went into place on Sept. 1 for state employees working in prisons and other state-run residential facilities. 

Currently, Vermont’s state government employs over 8,000 people. Leadership of the Vermont State Employees Association says most of the workers they represent approve of the Scott administration’s new requirement, the AP reported, though the union and state have some details to work out. 

Vermont adjusts masking guidance for schools

This week, Vermont also updated its public health advisory for schools, which almost all local school districts have followed since the school year began recently. 

Originally, the state recommended that masks be required for all students for the first 10 days of school, allowing that masking rules can be lifted when 80% of a school’s students age 12 and over have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. On Wednesday, state officials asked that school masking requirements stay in place until October 4, regardless of the school’s vaccination rate.  

“We hope by then the Delta wave that has impacted the entire country — though fortunately not anywhere near as severely in Vermont — will have begun to subside,” Scott told the media Wednesday. 

In recent weeks, some have urged the governor to reinstall a state of emergency and bring back a statewide mask mandate. Scott has said there isn’t a need to do so currently, and in his Wednesday remarks, he noted that all schools except for one have implemented masking requirements. The Canaan School Board voted 5-0 last month to not require masks. 

“By encouraging schools to implement the state’s recommendations, we’ve essentially achieved a universal masking requirement in schools, without a state of emergency (order),” Scott said.

Under the state’s recommendations, it’s asking that all students under 12 continue to wear masks at school until they become eligible for the vaccine. A COVID-19 vaccine for children under age 12 is expected to receive federal emergency use authorization later in October, experts say. The approvals could come in waves for smaller groups within that age range, NBC5 reported.

According to Vermont Public Radio, state officials want to understand more about how the virus is circulating through communities before they encourage schools to lift mask mandates. In Vermont, more than 1,000 tested positive for COVID in the past week, VPR reported. However, state officials are encouraged that cases in Chittenden County have trended downward in the past seven days, as reported at Wednesday’s press conference.

In a bid to increase vaccination, the Vermont Agency of Education is reserving $2 million in grant dollars for schools who receive high vaccination rates. The Scott administration is still finalizing details for the school vaccine incentive program.

The state is continuing to offer school-based vaccination clinics throughout Vermont in collaboration with local district officials.

Statewide, the rate of eligible Vermonters with at least one dose of the vaccine is 86.7% as of Thursday.

— Gareth Henderson

Hundreds of acres conserved in Killington’s AT corridor

One can follow the Thundering Falls boardwalk, pictured here, up to the newly conserved 629 acres. (Photo by the Green Mountain Club)

In another step forward for conservation, 629 acres of land surrounding the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Killington, Vermont, will now be protected for generations to come. 

The Conservation Fund recently conveyed the property to the National Park Service (NPS), thanks to funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

This action secures the immediate viewshed and day-hike entry on both sides of a 1.3-mile stretch of the AT, according to the official announcement. With that, the newly conserved land will continue to provide recreational access for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. 

“This acquisition highlights the power of partnership in preserving and protecting the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The National Park Service thanks all those involved for their commitment and support to secure this property and its critical viewshed for the enjoyment and benefit of all,” said Wendy Janssen, superintendent of the AT.

The Conservation Fund, a national environmental nonprofit, purchased the property in 2014 through its Working Forest Fund with support from the Richard King Mellon Foundation as part of 30,000 acres of former industrial timberland threatened by conversion across Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Maine. The organization managed it as a sustainable working forest until the NPS could secure the necessary LWCF funding to acquire and protect the land. 

Those scenic 629 acres are now being managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) and provides critical habitat for black bears, moose and migratory birds, as well as important wintering areas for deer.

“The GMNF is excited about the new acquisition along the Appalachian Trail in Killington because the lands will provide extra protection of the trail and add valuable wildlife value and habitat connectivity along this high use trail section,” said Christopher Mattrick, ranger for the Rochester and Middlebury District.

This latest acquisition complements decades of local efforts to conserve over 16,000 acres of natural lands in the region and enhance protection for the AT corridor, including 1,017 acres adjacent to the state-owned Les Newell Wildlife Management Area that The Conservation Fund conveyed to NPS in 2012 through the Chateauguay No Town Conservation Project.

“The rugged ridgeline traversed by the Appalachian Trail in the Chateauguay region is at the heart of this high priority and vulnerable landscape of wilderness amidst an increasingly developed area of Vermont,” said Sally Manikian, The Conservation Fund’s New Hampshire and Vermont representative. “The Conservation Fund’s efforts over the last three decades to ensure habitat connectivity, recreational beauty, and watershed protection here have been driven by partnerships and bolstered by local community support.”

This is one of Vermont’s first conservation wins since the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, which fully and permanently funded the LWCF, the announcement noted. LWCF is a bipartisan program that conserves ecologically and scenically valuable land across the U.S. — including many of Vermont’s iconic natural places, like the GMNF, Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Vermont’s Congressional delegation — U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch — supported the use of federal LWCF funding for this project.

Leahy, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: “This trail in Killington is perhaps the most important gateway to the Appalachian Trail and to the National Forest in Vermont and the region. … This is a legacy for generations of Vermonters now, and to come.”

“We have a long history of conservation in Vermont,” Sanders said. “And it’s because of conservation efforts like this that we are able to safeguard our ecological heritage, our proud tradition of working the land, our local economies, and some of the most extensive, accessible and scenic outdoor spaces in the U.S.”

“Vermont’s outdoor recreation opportunities are world-renowned and our shared commitment to conservation and sustainability is critical to our way of life,” Welch said. “The protection of these acres around the Appalachian Trail will preserve Vermont’s wildlife and ensure this historic area remains accessible and safe for recreators.”

Management and stewardship of the AT in the Northeast is accomplished by a unique array of partnerships, all of whom helped design and implement this acquisition, according to the recent announcement. Through a partnership agreement between the NPS and the U.S. Forest Service, the lands will be added to the GMNF Appalachian Trail Corridor management unit. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Green Mountain Club support the AT in Vermont through stewardship and maintenance.

— Gareth Henderson

Helping those inside, and outside, our borders

(Gareth Henderson Photo)

It’s been an honor to recognize how Vermonters have helped each other, but today we’d like to highlight how the state has extended a helping hand to those from outside the Green Mountains. 

The state of Vermont is hoping to take in up to 100 refugees from Afghanistan who are fleeing the danger they face back home now that the Taliban are in power. A number of volunteers and businesses have reportedly offered to help refugees who end up settling in Vermont.

The last U.S. soldiers departed Afghanistan on Monday, following the collapse of the Afghan government in August and the Taliban’s rapid takeover. From Aug. 14 to 31, the U.S. evacuated more than 122,000 individuals from Kabul airport, including 6,000 U.S. citizens, according to news reports. Thirteen U.S. service members died in a suicide bombing at the airport on Aug. 26, while the evacuation effort was in its final days.

The U.S. is currently housing 20,000 Afghan evacuees in five states, with another 40,000 overseas. 

On Wednesday, the Vermont office of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants said it submitted a proposal to the State Department, WCAX reported. That came after Vermont Gov. Phil Scott recently told the White House his administration would like to help with the resettlement. 

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) released a statement of support on Wednesday. He noted, as the governor has, that a number of these refugees helped the U.S. during the Afghanistan War over the past two decades. 

“I am gratified that Vermont is volunteering to welcome and resettle one hundred Afghans who have fled their country in recent weeks,” Leahy said. “Many of these Afghans supported the U.S. military and our government over the past two decades, risking their lives and the safety of their families. Vermonters recognize that it is our moral obligation to provide them refuge from retaliation and persecution by the Taliban and other extremist groups in Afghanistan.”

He added, “Vermont has a long history of warmly welcoming refugees who have become an integral part of communities across our state. They have made Vermont stronger. It is fitting that Vermont is stepping up yet again to offer safe haven to vulnerable Afghans in their hour of need.” 

For some here in the Green Mountains, the current situation in Afghanistan is a personal, heartbreaking struggle to help family and friends escape the country. Vermont Public Radio spoke to Wazir, who is working to get his family out of Kabul (his last name was withheld for his family’s protection). Wazir left Afghanistan at age 16, went to college in Vermont and now runs a business in the state. Like others who have settled here and made their home in Vermont, he is part of our community, and now, he faces the challenge of helping his family come here so they, too, can experience a new sense of security and success.

Many are working and praying to help people like Wazir’s family and others who seek refuge and a new life outside Afghanistan. We hope these kind, steadfast efforts help them find a path to safety and fulfillment, despite current obstacles. We hope the love being expressed to them from afar helps build the path to freedom they earnestly seek.

— Gareth Henderson

A journey of camping, and patience

A rural scene just off Interstate 81 in Wytheville, Virginia. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Camping is booming business, and we saw that first hand on our recent journey westward and back. The entire industry is thriving, from gear to RVs and campgrounds.

We camped in or passed through 15 states in 12 days. Our first stop was in upstate New York, where we set up our tent at a KOA campground outside of Cooperstown. Many of the people there brought the whole family with them, reflecting a growing trend of parents and young children visiting campgrounds, many for the first time, according to KOA data in North America. From 2014 to 2020, the total percentage of KOA campers with minor children in the household went up from 41 to 54%. The industry continues to skyrocket this year, even above summer 2019 levels, as we learned in Cooperstown.

Before last week, our camping experience had been limited to tenting in Maine — and usually in the same spot in early June, just after dropping off our daughter at summer camp. But over the states we traveled, the great interest in getting outside was clear, even if some of the experience, well, wasn't exactly "roughing it". I'm at the point in life where campgrounds with better amenities do help me sleep at night. We became KOA members, and KOA sites have a baseline of amenities in most of their franchised locations.

Along the way, we stayed almost entirely at KOA campgrounds, and there were plenty of people enjoying their RVs, cabins and tents. Some of our favorite tenting was at KOAs in Cooperstown, New York, and also one outside of Nashville, Tennessee — where the individual sites were nicely spaced out and on grass. We stayed in cabins near St. Louis and also Columbus, Ohio, and we attempted to tent in the rain in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, before intensifying weather put the damper on that plan. We ended up driving for a little while, before the little while turned into 90 minutes, and we finally — after many attempts — found a nice hotel room in Washington D.C. It was a blessing in disguise, allowing us to get an earlier start on touring D.C. the next day and a very comfortable bed.

Farmland along our detour from Route 24, passing through Cadiz, Kentucky. (Gareth Henderson)

On the whole, the camping experience was an enjoyable one, which can be done on a minimal budget. But it's really the experience that sticks with you — the time with family, the kind folks who help along the way, and the fresh air and scenic sunrises out in the open. Most of the campsites were just a bit off the highway, offering some beautiful rolling hills and plains along the route. We were able to see farms and life in each of these communities. The humanity that we saw, and how everyday Americans are living, cannot be captured in a highway hotel or interstate. The stories of people passing through were priceless. They are also grounded the fundamental goodness of neighbor helping neighbor, an age-old story.

One of the overarching themes of the trip was patience, because at any point, plans can change — and a couple times they did. The night we spent outside of Nashville was a surprise-tenting night. A major highway, Route 24, was shut down for several miles due to paving with a detour over a narrow county road that had backed-up highway traffic as far as the eye could see. My wife took a left on an unmarked road. For part of the way, we had no cell service and it was a leap of faith into some of the most beautiful country. We had no idea where the road went at first, but we eventually went from western Kentucky to Tennessee and found a wonderful little campground, right by a cow pasture, which very much reminded us of home. It was another proof that patience, with a bit of waiting and trusting, can go a long way, even when the long way head of you seems like a lot to handle. On the road, its rewards were great, and interlaced with some beautiful, scenic camping we hope to repeat some day. The road is always waiting.

— Gareth Henderson

Permanent increase coming for US food aid program

The setting sun in West Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

As of Oct. 1, low-income Americans relying on monthly food assistance from the federal government will see a permanent increase in the funding.

Officials recently announced a 27% increase in grocery benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), media reports stated. About 42 million people currently receive SNAP benefits, and the change will impact about 70,000 Vermonters, according to Vermont Public Radio.

Anore Horton, the director of Hunger Free Vermont, said an increase has been needed for a long time.

"Advocates across the country have been saying for years and years and years SNAP benefits are inadequate; they have no relationship to the real cost of food," Horton told VPR. "And this is, while not a complete step toward fixing that, a very significant and important one."

This announcement comes as a temporary 15% increase in these benefits is set to expire next month.

The upcoming 27% increase will add, on an average per-person basis, about $36 per month to the pre-pandemic monthly amount of about $121 per person, according to CBS News.

The SNAP benefits were recently recalculated based on a program-wide assessment that Congress requested in 2018. The reassessment found that the benefits were too low, officials said.

Speaking to the media earlier this week, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the adjustments to the program are responding to higher food prices, evolving nutritional guidance, and changes in how Americans cook.

"We need to modernize those assumptions based on what is happening in kitchens and homes across America," Vilsack said.

— Gareth Henderson

Gov. Scott meets with Biden; Democrats unveil $3.5T bill

A view from Cabot Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott visited the White House on Wednesday to talk infrastructure with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and also state and local leaders.

Scott was among a small bipartisan group of governors and mayors visiting Washington, D.C., who also met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, Boston's former mayor. The main topic of the day was the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, which proposes $1.2 trillion in infrastructure investments. 

In a statement released Wednesday, Scott noted the nation's great infrastructure needs and the importance of uniting around opportunities to address them. 

“As I have long said, smart infrastructure investments are needed to repair America’s roads and bridges, invest in rural broadband and clean energy systems, create good jobs, and secure our economic future,” Scott said. 

The president's proposed framework includes funding for "clean transportation infrastructure, clean water infrastructure, universal broadband infrastructure, clean power infrastructure, remediation of legacy pollution, and resilience to the changing climate," according to the White House. 

The meeting with governors came after Senate Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a $3.5 trillion investment plan that would be in addition to the existing $1.2 trillion infrastructure proposal, Reuters reported. The Senate Democrats' proposal focuses on what Biden has called "human infrastructure", including health care and home care workers. The $3.5 trillion plan would include a substantial expansion of the Medicare program, and further details were expected to be released this week. 

So far, the Senate's 50 Republicans are not expected to back the plan, Reuters said, meaning Democrats may use the budget reconciliation process to pass the bill by a simple majority vote.

— Gareth Henderson

As local celebrations near, Juneteenth becomes national holiday

(Gareth Henderson Photo)

When Juneteenth celebrations begin on Saturday across the U.S., they’ll be taking place on a new national holiday that was just signed into law. 

President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on Thursday, after the bill sailed through Congress this week. The nation’s 12th federal holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S., when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, and announced that slaves in Texas were free by order of the President of the United States. The announcement came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation — which had become official January 1, 1863.   

At Thursday’s signing ceremony, Vice President Kamala Harris and Biden acknowledged the Juneteenth bill was an important step forward for the country, but also a reminder of how much work remains on racial equity in the U.S.

“We have come far, and we have far to go, but today is a day of celebration,” said Harris, who is the first woman and first person of color to hold the office of vice president. “It is not only a day of pride, it is also a day for us to reaffirm and rededicate ourselves to action.” 

During his remarks, Biden said learning from the past is a key part of making a better future. He called Juneteenth “a day of profound weight and profound power.”

“Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and a promise of a brighter morning to come,” he said.  

For local Juneteenth celebrations, the declaration of a national holiday shines a brighter spotlight on this day, and related efforts to promote diversity and education about American history. In Hartford, Vermont, the town government and the Hartford Committee on Racial Equity and Inclusion (HCOREI) are hosting a Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at Lyman Point Park, at 171 Bridge St., in White River Junction. 

Hartford’s annual commemoration of African-American emancipation brings together Upper Valley communities for a casual gathering, an announcement said. It provides a space where people can honor this day and engage in “education and fellowship,” Allene Swienckowski, chairperson of HCOREI, said in the statement. 

“Juneteenth is such an important moment in history that should be acknowledged and celebrated,” she said. 

This will be Hartford’s second Juneteenth Celebration, but the first in person — last year’s inaugural event had to be held online due to the pandemic.

Joe Major, vice chair of the Hartford Select Board, said the celebration is meant to be an inclusive event, where anyone can come and learn more about this important day. He said several local residents have come up to him recently, wanting to learn more about the Juneteenth Celebration and what it means.

“It’s not just Black history; it’s American history,” Major said. “I want everyone to learn this, be a part of this, grow with this. It’s an inclusion celebration, not a segmented celebration. That’s the goal.” 

This year, speakers at the event include: Dia Draper, the assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business; Maggi Ibrahim, equity coordinator for the Hartford School District; U.S. Rep. Peter Welch; and State Rep. Kevin “Coach” Christie, who is also chair of the Hartford School Board. There will also be performances by Northern Stage and JAG Productions, and members of the Juneteenth 2021 planning committee will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

Major, who is Black, grew up celebrating Juneteenth in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, which has the oldest Juneteenth celebration in the country. He saw the new federal holiday as a chance for the nation to learn, and grow, together. 

“I’m excited, once again because we’re learning about history and what this is all about,” Major said.

— Gareth Henderson

Unexpected recycling, for an old problem

The evening sky as seen from Mountain Avenue in Woodstock, Vermont (Gareth Henderson Photo)

One of the thrills of being a journalist is learning interesting facts that have a broad impact, and then sharing them.

The following was news to me: It can take four centuries for a tennis ball to naturally break down in the environment. Well, that's why a Vermont nonprofit is working to keep this popular athletic item out of the landfills.

In fact, RecycleBalls, in South Burlington, Vermont, has found some success in putting this material back to use, when many serious players would discard the balls after one tennis match. The key: founder Derrick Senior invented a machine that separates the fuzz from the tennis ball rubber, NECN's Jack Thurston recently reported. The fuzzy material has been used as footing for horse arenas, and the chips of rubber have even been used to help construct new tennis courts. Other balls are punctured, to use as floor protectors on the legs of tables and chairs, Thurston reported.

Senior and his son, Ryan, are continuing to expand their efforts, distributing their collection boxes to gyms, parks and other tennis facilities across the country. Part of that is getting people used to the idea that you can recycle old tennis balls. "We are changing habits in this country," Derrick Senior told NECN.

A few hundred million tennis balls head to U.S. landfills annually, estimates the renowned tennis brand Wilson, a major supporter of RecycleBalls. That number equates to 20,000 tons of waste that doesn't break down. This Vermont nonprofit has kept about 6 million balls out of the waste stream over the past four years, the NECN report states. "We're definitely making an impact," Ryan Senior said during his interview.

Though the issues of waste in this country are vast, a number of compelling efforts have come to light in recent years — this being one of them. It's encouraging to hear about this effort happening right here in the Green Mountains, and even more so to hear about this nonprofit's work across the country. Learning about this solution, one wonders what other non-decomposing materials could also be diverted to new uses that keep them out of the waste stream. With recent innovations and the drive to protect the planet, we can expect other fresh ideas down the road. There's no better time than now, for this type of new thinking to resolve old problems. We have a shared responsibility to encourage and create such solutions, so we can all thrive in a stronger future.

— Gareth Henderson