Blogs & Ecology

Eat this, pay more on insurance... Photo: thebittenword.com

Even if you disagree with the point they’re trying to make, you’ve got to admire the chutzpah of PETA. The well known animal rights group is calling on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont to raise insurance premiums for people who eat meat and lower them for those people who don’t. This is based on the oft-claimed benefits of vegetarian diet such as lower chances of getting cancer, diabetes, heart disease; plus issues related to recent meat contamination in the state.

While we’ve covered both consumer green energy programs and the animal waste-to-electricity projects a number of times, this is the first combination of them that I’ve seen. And I can thank action by the US Forest Service for bringing it to my attention.

The Forest Service has announced that it will be offsetting 25% of its electricity usage through payments made to the Vermont-based CVPS Cow Power. Cow Power receives a $0.04 premium for each kilowatt-hour of electricity offset; which means that the Forest Service’s electric bill with be $2100 higher next year.

photo: Ricardo Ferreira

So you think you’re doing everything you can to improve your home’s energy efficiency. And if you haven’t done everything you can do personally, both TreeHugger and Planet Green have plenty of tips on how you can get up to speed on saving energy. But the bigger question is how is your state doing as a whole?

Orlio, which is now part of the Magic Hat group, is an organic craft beer. Last year, we reviewed the Common Ale and the Black Lager, however this year, we get to try the Seasonal India Pale Ale.

Image source: Tara Lynn Studios

Farmhouse in Charlotte, Vermont

Pill - Maharam Architects

Via Building Green in Vermont