Current openings
ONGOING / Multiple Volunteer and Stipend Opportunities
BCS is always looking for volunteers to plug into our many projects. Most tasks involve community outreach such as tracking down contacts, public petitioning and surveying, and campaign research. Stipends and temporary housing are possible. Respond here.
Past openings
2019 – ECONOMIST / Statistician
Part time / Long term
Compensation: $15/hr negotiable
Employment type: Contract
Relocation, housing assistance negotiable
Our new economist will update data and collaborate with our web designer on data visualization for our Wall Street Tax, perform a study of political donations correlated to political alignment, and generally provide expert advice for our varied projects. Limited part time work is available now. But since we have a new 501c-3 tax status, good funding may be coming (we are also looking for a grant-writer/fundraiser). Local applicants are preferred, but some research can be done from home. The economist is also welcome to assist with our agenda as it relates to general public education. Respond here.
06/08/19 — CASTING CALL / Street theater in Brattleboro Heifer Stroll Parade
The theme of the parade is farmers as heroes, and we are doing theater to emphasize climate destruction of farmers’ crops and lives. We have need/openings for two “acting” positions, three sign-carriers, and an effigy of a child (or a patient child to play dead).
Small stipends and temporary housing are possible. Respond here.
2018 – Fund Raiser / Grant writer
Part time
Compensation: Negotiable, by commission
Employment type: Contract 1 month to 1year
Relocation, housing assistance negotiable
We have recently gained our 501c-3 tax status and want to escalate our funding efforts. Your work is cut out for you: we have lists, sorted by familiarity with the organization or personally with the director. These should be enough to get a short hearing at least. Then of course we have lists of sympathetic local businesses etc, and of course you can find new contacts and donor foundations. You’re the expert. Local applicants are preferred, but some work can be done from home.
12/19/18 — Independent Contractor until late January
$15/hr
Promote energy conservation law
develop new methods of petitioning, keeping detailed records
local lodging negotiable.
Contact Kurt at: (802) 490-9363
or Respond here.
===== Position background =====
This past March the Brattleboro Common Sense (BCS) Renewable Energy Advisory was overwhelmingly approved at Representative Town Meeting (RTM) and officially adopted June 5 by the Brattleboro Selectboard. Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland is implementing the plan to make Brattleboro government’s electricity 100% renewable-sourced by next June.
Late in that campaign BCS researched public support for mandatory conservation, and we are considering something like the following, as an ordinance or as a resolution for RTM to redraft as an ordinance.
1) The town shall commission no more studies on fossil fuel consumption, carbon footprints, or efficiency of insulation, heating or air-conditioning systems until the town has implemented common sense practices by town employees to reduce fuel consumption in town buildings. These energy conservation practices shall include as appropriate:
a) lowering the thermostat setting for heat and wearing long-johns, sweaters and other warm clothing
b) mounting and sealing of doors, windows and storm windows
c) raising of thermostat settings in summer or use of electric fans instead of air conditioning
d) other practices per discretion of the energy (or sustainability) coordinator
2) The town energy coordinator is authorized to begin implementing these practices immediately upon the approval of this ordinance and to determine when they are to be considered adequate for the purposes of a report.
3) The energy coordinator will then submit a report to the town manager, indicating the implementation of the practices, and recommending further energy studies if any might be in order.
4) At the discretion of the Selectboard, before the submission of the report or at latest within 21 days of the submission of the report, the Selectboard will warn for consideration by Representative Town Meeting a draft ordinance for conservation measures by businesses and residents of Brattleboro based on subsections 1)a through 1)d of this ordinance.
Many people feel climate change is an emergency, but do they act like it’s an emergency? Brattleboro Common Sense (BCS) is committed to researching and understanding peoples’ attitudes on environmental and other issues. Our surveys over the last eight years have shown growing support for renewable energy measures in municipal buildings even with increased costs. On that basis we promoted the Renewable Energy Advisory. Now Brattleboro is approaching 100% renewable-source electricity, and Brattleboro has a plastic bag ban. Hoping to confirm the obvious next steps, our recent surveys indicated strong support for common-sense energy conservation IN GENERAL. But the same surveys indicated weak support for conservation by town residents (in the case of the ordinance that BCS is considering). We should be concerned that there is little discussion of conservation in the public. People are more focused on recycling and fuel choices. So, despite the present sanguine celebrations of environmentalism in Brattleboro, we cannot be confident of advancing serious conservation law now, while the obvious next step seems unacceptable to half of the “climate warrior” public. But Brattleboro Common Sense will fund one position to promote the legislation, because we feel it must not be delayed. This will not be easy. The chairperson of an international climate change commission said on the radio a few days ago that to address climate change seriously we need (NEED) to reduce energy use by “50 – 60 – 80 percent”. This will be hard. Is this the duty of radicals: to take the bumps to make the path easier for those who come later?