Research and Learning Resources

We value learning about creative approaches to the challenges of climate change, reducing the use of fossil fuels, promoting sustainable food systems and smart land use patterns. 

High Meadows occasionally hosts gatherings of practitioners who bring different perspectives to the work of reducing the use of fossil fuels or fostering sustainable food systems and smart land use.  The presentations from a February 19th gathering on energy efficiency in residential and community buildings are available here:

Vermont’s Goals and Progress Report Against Them - What goals have been set up for improving the all-fuels energy fitness of Vermont buildings and lowering Vermonters’ fuel bills? How well are we doing in achieving statewide building efficiency goals? How is progress toward achieving statewide goals being tracked?
Dave Lamont, Department of Public Service (pdf)

Why Does This Work Matter and What Will it Take to Achieve Our Goals?
Beth Sachs, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (pdf)

Examples of creative and innovative programs to improve building efficiency - What are the keys to their success? What can we learn from what is being done elsewhere?
- Julia Dundorf, Clean Air - Cool Planet | New England Carbon Challenge (pdf)
- Steve Nicholas, Institute for Sustainable Communities (pdf)

In addition, the following reports and references have informed our grantmaking:

General energy-related

Creative Approaches to Financing Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency

Climate-change, Greenhouse Gas related

  • 12.24.09 NYTimes op-ed on Copenhagen
  • Oct 2009 Behavioral Wedge report by leading scientists and professors at Michigan State, U of Michigan, Vanderbilt Univ, Vanderbilt Law and Natl Academy of Sciences.  It examines the potential impact  different categores of behavior change could have on reducing carbon.
  • University of Manchester, Sustainable Consumption Institute report on carbon consumption focus
  • Climate Change and Land Use - overlapping challenges.  Oct 2009 Article by by Jonathan Foley, Director of the Institute on the Environment at the University of the Minnesota.
  • White House executive order regarding Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance, Oct 5 2009
  • 10.02.09 Wall Street Journal article on the impact of individual human behavior on climate change
  • Rich Cowart's July 2009 presentation to national utility regulators recommending a "consumer friendly climate policy" focused on energy efficiency, not high carbon pricing.
  • Cowart's April 2009 testimony to Waxman Committee concerning need for strong federal energy efficiency policies and investments
  • 08-11-09 Wash Post on Clean Coal Technology

Selected Vermont energy conservation and efficiency initiatives

  • VECAN - a network of town energy and climate action committees that aim to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance renewable energy projects
  • Hinesburg Rides, a program of the Hinesburg Community Resource Center focuses on volunteers providing easily accessible and low cost transportation options for Hinesburg residents.
  • Middlebury unplugged - VCF's energy conservation challenge to businesses, fall/winter 2009-2010
  • See our lists of funded partners and collaborators for references to specific organizations and projects

Biomass-related

Transportation-related

Renewable Energy and the Electric Grid

Food and Agriculture

General Philanthropy