Take Action on Climate Change | Vermont Department of Health
Source: http://healthvermont.gov/environment/climate-health/take-action-climate-change
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:10
Take Action on Climate Change | Vermont Department of Health
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Translations for you
Take Action on Climate Change
Climate & Health
Air Quality Alerts, Wildfires & Your Health
Climate Justice & Affected Populations
Health Risks of Climate Change
Hot Weather
Resources for Community Partners
Take Action on Climate Change
Responding to Climate Change Will Benefit Human Health Now
The more greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere, the more we can expect the planet to warm, resulting in more severe extreme weather and health impacts. We can take action to:
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Increase the planet’s ability to absorb greenhouse gases
Improve community resilience to climate impacts
Address vulnerabilities to health risks
Often, these actions provide immediate health, environmental, economic, or other benefits today while also reducing potential impacts of climate change in the future. Many of these actions are considered “win-win” strategies because they will provide multiple benefits to society even if future climate change has less impact than is currently expected.
“Win-win” actions to reduce climate change
Action
Benefits
Develop compact, mixed-use city, town, and village centers with safe and complete pedestrian and bicycling facilities
Increased physical activity
Improved access to jobs, businesses, and other destinations
Reduced vehicle emissions due to less travel
Improved air quality
Increase use of public transit, vanpools, and carpools
Money savings from reduced vehicle fuel costs
Reduced emissions due to fewer vehicles on the road
Improved air quality
Increase energy efficiency of buildings and vehicles
Increased indoor comfort with lower heating and cooling costs
Money savings from reduced vehicle fuel costs
Reduced emissions due to less energy usage
Improved air quality
Switch to local, clean energy sources
Reduced emissions from burning fossil fuels
Increased support for the local energy economy
Improved air quality
Buy food and other goods from local sources
Reduced emissions due to less long-distance shipping of goods
Increased support for local businesses
Plant trees and develop green stormwater infrastructure
Increased carbon storage in plants and soil
Improved water quality
Reduced risk of flooding
Improved community aesthetics
Reduced urban heat effect and risk for heat-related illnesses
Reduced air conditioning costs
Reduced emissions due to less air conditioning usage
How to Adapt to Climate Change
Improving Health Through Transportation
Changing how we use transportation in Vermont is one of the ways we can reduce greenhouse gases and improve health. Vermont's Comprehensive Energy Plan sets goals to increase the number of electric vehicles, reduce driving alone, and increasing walking, biking and bus trips.
Learn more about the health benefits we could see
by meeting these goals by 2050 and find out more about
how we estimated those benefits
.
Weatherization + Health
Homes can be made more energy efficient through weatherization strategies like adding insulation and sealing air leaks. Weatherization saves money on energy bills while making homes more healthy and comfortable.
Learn more about the health benefits of home weatherization
and find a more detailed
technical report
.
These summaries below are from an analysis exploring the health benefits of home weatherization in Vermont Medicaid recipients.
Summary
Visual Summary
Technical Summary
Tools for Communities and Institutions
Here is a list of tools for communities and institutions to help adapt to climate change challenges:
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
including
specific tools for health care facilities
Resilience and Adaptation in New England database
from the Environmental Protection Agency
i-Tree toolkit
for assessing and managing community trees and forests
What You Can Do
Your “carbon footprint” is the estimate of the effect that your day-to-day activities have on the climate — the greenhouse gas emissions associated with your daily activities. You can estimate your carbon footprint, by using the
EPA Carbon Footprint Calculator
.
There are many ways we can reduce our individual carbon footprints. Learn more about
what you can do
to help you get on the way to a cleaner, greener, healthier life.
Topics:
Air Quality
|
Climate Change
|
Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
|
Healthy Communities
|
Mental Health
|
Mosquito-borne Diseases
|
Tickborne Diseases
Last Updated:
July 15, 2025
Skip to main content
MENU
x
CLOSE
Translations for you
Take Action on Climate Change
Climate & Health
Air Quality Alerts, Wildfires & Your Health
Climate Justice & Affected Populations
Health Risks of Climate Change
Hot Weather
Resources for Community Partners
Take Action on Climate Change
Responding to Climate Change Will Benefit Human Health Now
The more greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere, the more we can expect the planet to warm, resulting in more severe extreme weather and health impacts. We can take action to:
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Increase the planet’s ability to absorb greenhouse gases
Improve community resilience to climate impacts
Address vulnerabilities to health risks
Often, these actions provide immediate health, environmental, economic, or other benefits today while also reducing potential impacts of climate change in the future. Many of these actions are considered “win-win” strategies because they will provide multiple benefits to society even if future climate change has less impact than is currently expected.
“Win-win” actions to reduce climate change
Action
Benefits
Develop compact, mixed-use city, town, and village centers with safe and complete pedestrian and bicycling facilities
Increased physical activity
Improved access to jobs, businesses, and other destinations
Reduced vehicle emissions due to less travel
Improved air quality
Increase use of public transit, vanpools, and carpools
Money savings from reduced vehicle fuel costs
Reduced emissions due to fewer vehicles on the road
Improved air quality
Increase energy efficiency of buildings and vehicles
Increased indoor comfort with lower heating and cooling costs
Money savings from reduced vehicle fuel costs
Reduced emissions due to less energy usage
Improved air quality
Switch to local, clean energy sources
Reduced emissions from burning fossil fuels
Increased support for the local energy economy
Improved air quality
Buy food and other goods from local sources
Reduced emissions due to less long-distance shipping of goods
Increased support for local businesses
Plant trees and develop green stormwater infrastructure
Increased carbon storage in plants and soil
Improved water quality
Reduced risk of flooding
Improved community aesthetics
Reduced urban heat effect and risk for heat-related illnesses
Reduced air conditioning costs
Reduced emissions due to less air conditioning usage
How to Adapt to Climate Change
Improving Health Through Transportation
Changing how we use transportation in Vermont is one of the ways we can reduce greenhouse gases and improve health. Vermont's Comprehensive Energy Plan sets goals to increase the number of electric vehicles, reduce driving alone, and increasing walking, biking and bus trips.
Learn more about the health benefits we could see
by meeting these goals by 2050 and find out more about
how we estimated those benefits
.
Weatherization + Health
Homes can be made more energy efficient through weatherization strategies like adding insulation and sealing air leaks. Weatherization saves money on energy bills while making homes more healthy and comfortable.
Learn more about the health benefits of home weatherization
and find a more detailed
technical report
.
These summaries below are from an analysis exploring the health benefits of home weatherization in Vermont Medicaid recipients.
Summary
Visual Summary
Technical Summary
Tools for Communities and Institutions
Here is a list of tools for communities and institutions to help adapt to climate change challenges:
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
including
specific tools for health care facilities
Resilience and Adaptation in New England database
from the Environmental Protection Agency
i-Tree toolkit
for assessing and managing community trees and forests
What You Can Do
Your “carbon footprint” is the estimate of the effect that your day-to-day activities have on the climate — the greenhouse gas emissions associated with your daily activities. You can estimate your carbon footprint, by using the
EPA Carbon Footprint Calculator
.
There are many ways we can reduce our individual carbon footprints. Learn more about
what you can do
to help you get on the way to a cleaner, greener, healthier life.
Topics:
Air Quality
|
Climate Change
|
Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
|
Healthy Communities
|
Mental Health
|
Mosquito-borne Diseases
|
Tickborne Diseases
Last Updated:
July 15, 2025