About Vermont Climate Witness

Vermont Climate Witness is a place for Vermonters to share their stories about weather and climate.

In gathering places around the state, weather has always been a hot topic of conversation, whether it's farmers reflecting on the state of their crops or skiers in search of the perfect run. It must be part of human nature to observe the changing seasons, reflect on the conditions of years past, and theorize about what lies ahead.

These days, such conversations have taken on new weight. Climate change has gone from an issue of scientific study and political debate, to a general public concern. Many Vermonters are sensitive to each unseasonable day, fearing they are witnessing the signs of changing climate or a window to future weather conditions.

But what do trends in the global climate mean for Vermont? What changes might we already be experiencing? What impacts will climate change have on the state's economy or the way of life of Vermonters? What actions are people taking to respond or adapt to climate change?

This website was extablished as a place to explore these questions -- a place for Vermonters of all walks of life to share their observations, through text, photographs, and video clips, about current weather conditions or their experiences and recollections over many years. The site is not designed to represent a particular view or advocate for certain issues, but to be a platform for sharing and dialogue on this defining issue of our day.

Up until now, climate change has been the realm of scientists and politicians. We think ordinary people should be able to share their stories, as citizen scietists and citizen journalists. We see this not as a substitute for rigorous scientific study or political debate, but as a complement, adding a new dimension to our understanding of how this issue connects to our backyard and harnessing the collective knowledge and expertise of thousands of Vermonters.

The ultimate goal of this website is to serve as a evolving digital archive and educational resource, where decades of personal stories will be compiled to help reveal trends and share knowledge.

This type of user-generated site depends on an active community of users - please dive right in by setting up a profile and posting text, photos and video clips. Also, please do not hestitate to contact us if you have an questions or concerns or ideas for how we can make this website a more effective platform for you to share your climate stories.

We are currently "beta" testing this site and, over time, will be adding more weather and climate features, including current weather conditions, historic climate data, and climate change models. Stay tuned and please join other Vermonters in sharing your weather and climate stories.