Vermont

Is It Possible To Have A Friendly Social Media Platform? It Is If You Live In Vermont – CleanTechnica

Published

3 hours ago

August 11, 2024

Is It Possible To Have A Friendly Social Media Platform? It Is If You Live In Vermont – CleanTechnica

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Move fast and break things is the credo of the tech industry, which sees that strategy as the key to enormous profits. That model has been spectacularly successful — if your definition of success includes shoveling billions of dollars into the pockets of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. But if success is measured by creating online town halls — places where people can come together to discuss matters that interest them, whether its politics or the latest recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie, without all the drama and chest thumping we find on Facebook or Xwitter — Front Porch Forum in Vermont is the model.

In 2006, Michael Wood-Lewis launched Front Porch Forum in 40 Vermont neighborhoods after several years running a neighborhood internet mailing list in Burlington. An engineer by training, Wood-Lewis was constantly tinkering with different ways of running the mailing list. Should users be anonymous or identified by their real names? Real names were best for building community, he decided. Should people outside a neighborhood be allowed to join? Not if you wanted to keep it feeling safe and intimate, he believed. Local businesses are permitted to join, but they have to pay for advertising. (Local ads make up most of the company’s revenue.) Should any topics be off limits? Not necessarily, but certain behaviors should be, Wood-Lewis decided.

What he learned quickly is that if you don’t set and strongly enforce rules for how people can talk to each other, things will get ugly in a hurry. “What we say is, attack the issue, not the neighbor,” Wood-Lewis told the Washington Post recently. “If your issue is a barking dog or hypodermic needles in the park, then let’s talk about that. But don’t say, ‘This particular person’ or ‘This particular dog.’ We can’t fact check that, and you could totally destroy someone’s reputation.”

Serving Vermont Since 2006

Front Porch Forum caught on quickly and began expanding across the state. In 2011, it played a leading role in mutual aid during major flooding. Growth surged again during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020 when people used the site to offer masks and coordinate grocery drop-offs for elderly neighbors. Flooding the last two years in Vermont has spurred fresh bursts of signups and activity, with the site now claiming 235,000 active members in a state with just 265,000 households. Front Porch Forum says nearly half of the adults in Vermont are active members. It is where Vermonters go to interact with their neighbors online — without disparaging each other.

While Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have sought to frame their networks as forums for free speech, Wood-Lewis said he thinks of Front Porch Forum more like a corner pub. If a patron starts making a ruckus, moderators ask that person to tone it down, and they remove anyone who doesn’t comply. In rare instances, the site imposes a “topic timeout,” temporarily shutting down a debate the moderators feel has turned sour. But Wood-Lewis said the beauty of careful moderation is that, over time, most users learn to adhere to the site’s norms on their own.

At a time when Americans are increasingly disenchanted with social media, researchers are studying Front Porch Forum to try to understand what makes for a kinder, gentler online community. It has achieved critical mass in the Green Mountain State not by embracing the growth hacks, recommendation algorithms, and dopamine-inducing features that power most social networks, but by deliberately avoiding them.

New research from the nonprofit New Public finds Front Porch Forum is one of the few online spaces in America that leaves its users feeling more informed, more civically engaged, and more connected to their neighbors, rather than less so. What’s more, its users seem to genuinely like it. “I can’t imagine life in rural Vermont without FPF,” Don Heise of Calais, Vermont, told the Washington Post. He described it as “the glue that holds our community together.”

Move Slowly & Moderate

The secret to success for Front Porch Form is to move slowly and moderate heavily. It has no real-time feed, no like button, no recommendation algorithm, and no way to reach audiences beyond the local community. It offers users no reward for posting something provocative or sensational other than the prospect that your neighbors will see it and perhaps bring it up the next time you run into them at the grocery store. The company “ultimately exists to stimulate real world interactions among neighbors,” said Wood-Lewis. “It doesn’t exist to be an online metaverse. We’re not trying to hold people’s attention online 24/7. We’d love people’s attention for 10 minutes a day.”

While most tech giants view content moderation as a necessary evil, Front Porch Forum treats it as a core function. Twelve of its 30 full-time employees spend their days reading every user post before it’s published, rejecting any that break its rules against personal attacks, misinformation, or spam. The process is slow and laborious, but it seems to work. Front Porch Forum is the highest scoring platform ever on New Public’s “Civic Signals” criteria, which attempt to measure the health of online communities.

One recent topic that got a lot of attention was the decision by Tractor Supply to cut its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and abandon its climate commitments in response to a pressure campaign by reactionaries. The debate stayed civil, if sometimes testy, on Front Porch Forum. If anyone tried to post an ad hominem attack or denigrate a group of people, there was no evidence of it on the forum. Such posts are typically rejected by its moderators before publication. “I’m just not going to shop there,” one person posted. “Their bird seed is too expensive anyway!”

Front Porch users’ satisfaction shows how careful moderation and prioritizing civility over engagement can lead to a vastly different experience of social media, said Eli Pariser, co-director of New Public and author of a book entitled The Filter Bubble. “I think there’s a real social media fatalism that has set in, that it’s just irredeemably toxic, and never going to get any better. The goal here is to demonstrate that local conversations don’t have to be toxic. That’s a result of the business model and how they’re designed.”

81% Approval Rating

In a New Public survey of more than 13,000 Front Porch Forum users, led by University of Texas at Austin communications professor Talia Stroud, 81% of respondents reported feeling like the site makes them a “more informed citizen.” Just 26% of respondents said the same about Facebook and 32% about Nextdoor. Respondents were also more likely to report feeling safe and free to speak their minds on Front Porch Forum than on other social networks.

“It’s not totally shocking that the ‘slow food’ of social media is coming from Vermont,” a state famous for artisanal small businesses, Pariser said, acknowledging the model might not translate easily to larger, more diverse states. “But Vermont also has a class divide. And one of the things we think is notable about Front Porch Forum is it seems to kind of bridge those divides.”

While Wood-Lewis is experimenting with an expansion into Western Massachusetts and Upstate New York, he said he intends to keep it to a manageable size, and he has rejected offers to sell it to a larger company. “I agree that something like we’re doing is needed in a way that’s not being provided in the vast majority of the country,” he said. “But if you scale up a successful small enterprise, you by definition will lose what’s special about it.”

The Takeaway

Those of you who have never been to Vermont may have difficulty understanding all the nuances behind this story. Vermont is one of the most beautiful states in America, with first-class universities, great cities, rolling farmland, and some of the most amazing fall foliage you are likely to find anywhere. One of its US Senators is a Democrat, one is an Independent, and the governor is a Republican.

I visited Vermont during the Covid pandemic at a time when the rest of America was losing its mind. At a local farmers market in Waitesfield, the public was expected to wear masks and everyone did. The customers walked in an orderly counterclockwise direction to avoid most personal interactions, there were systems in place to accept payment without exchanging pathogens, and about 80% of the people were driving either a Subaru, a Volvo, or a Jeep — all with 4-wheel drive, of course.

I had a classmate in college who got a summer job working for Vermont Power. He would drive up, read the meter, then knock on the front door and present the bill. He was always paid in cash and he claims he doubled his wages by separating out the rare coins people gave him from the jars they had stashed in the pantry or under the bed. Vermonters are hard working, industrious, and frugal. They are also keenly aware that changes in the Earth’s climate seem to have targeted their state in ways that could hardly be guessed at just a decade or so ago. See Bill McKibben’s book Oil And Honey for more on that topic.

To address the climate crisis effectively, we need to be able to talk to each other without rancor and without racist or fascist tropes. It’s hard to see how the model for Front Porch Forum can be extended to other areas of the country without breaking the mold, but it would be interesting to see if some of the lessons learned by that forum could cool the toxic nature of most online communications today.

Featured image by ngoc202020 from Pixabay

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Vermont

Peregrine Falcon Nesting Season Complete

Published

10 hours ago

August 11, 2024

Press Room

Peregrine Falcon Nesting Season Complete

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Hikers and rock climbers can return to Vermont cliffs now that peregrine falcon nesting season has ended.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, in collaboration with Audubon Vermont, has confirmed that all the young falcons have learned to fly and should not be disturbed by human presence on the cliffs.

“The young peregrines have fledged, and nesting data suggest many of Vermont’s falcons had another successful year,” said Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s nongame bird biologist Jillian Kilborn. “The falcon’s nesting success is due to a combination of factors, including good weather early in the nesting season and cooperation from hikers and rock climbers who observe a respectful distance from nesting falcons during this critical period. Peregrine nesting success would not be possible without more than 50 volunteers who monitor the nest sites statewide from March to the end of July.”

According to Audubon biologist Margaret Fowle, who coordinates the monitoring effort on behalf of the Fish and Wildlife Department, biologists and volunteers monitored peregrine pairs that occupied at least 45 Vermont cliffs in early spring and summer.

“We greatly appreciate the time and effort volunteers put into monitoring the population this year, and we thank landowners and recreationists for their cooperation in protecting nesting peregrines from human disturbance,” said Fowle.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife and Audubon Vermont partner to monitor and protect peregrine nesting sites in Vermont. Peregrine falcons were removed from the state’s Threatened and Endangered Species List in 2005. Ongoing cooperation from recreationists and continued monitoring efforts by Vermont Fish and Wildlife and Audubon Vermont will help ensure the peregrine’s remarkable recovery in future years.

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Vermont

Debby causes delays at Logan, outages in Vermont – The Boston Globe

Published

17 hours ago

August 11, 2024

Press Room

Debby causes delays at Logan, outages in Vermont – The Boston Globe

New England caught a glancing blow from the remnants of Hurricane Debby as the storm that hammered swaths of the South and Mid-Atlantic with tornadoes and flooding from heavy rain caused damage to an already stricken portion of Vermont.

Debby, a slow-moving storm that trundled up the Eastern Seaboard over the course of multiple days, made its way through and out of New England overnight Friday into Saturday without causing widespread flooding or bringing tornadoes to New England, as some had feared.

But the storm did bring some strong wind gusts of more than 60 miles per hour in northern Vermont, where it damaged some buildings and toppled trees. In Alburgh, on the Canadian border, a large tree crashed into a house, and fire and rescue crews worked to eventually free three people inside, according to fire officials, but no serious injuries were reported. Power outages for more than 21,000 people in Vermont lingered into Saturday afternoon, according to tracking site poweroutage.us.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott sought and was granted a federal emergency declaration ahead of the storm, opening a path for monetary assistance. The northern reaches of the state were soaked by what Scott called “repeated” flooding last month, a year after catastrophic flooding did hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to some of the same areas.

There, locals said they were worn down. Rick Dente, who owns Dente’s Market in Barre, worked to protect his business with plastic and sandbags as the rain poured down on Friday.

“There isn’t a whole lot else you can do,” he said.

Jaqi Kincaid, who was hit by flooding last month in Lyndon, Vermont, said the previous storm knocked out her garage and well, so her house has no water. It also felled a 120-foot tree and took down fencing.

Most of the heavy rain in New England on Friday was concentrated in central and northern Vermont, where nearly 3.5 inches fell in some spots. Rainfall totals ranged from 1 to 3 inches across much of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Western Massachusetts.

Though the teeth of the storm tracked west of New England, portions of the area were under a tornado watch on Friday, though no twisters were reported.

On Friday, Logan International Airport saw more than 60 flights canceled, according to the flight-tracker website FlightAware. Flights coming into the airport were delayed an average of 2.5 hours, and departures pushed back about 40 minutes, the site showed Friday.

In a statement posted on social media ahead of the storm, the airport warned passengers that “flights may be impacted over the next few days,” and that anyone traveling should check with their airlines before coming to the airport.

Logan ranked fourth in the number of cancellations among US airports on Friday as the storm broadly disrupted travel.

As Saturday morning progressed, delays cleared up and the airport was quiet. The McNulty family said they were dealing with a cancellation that didn’t come from the storm — there was a problem with the air conditioning in Aruba, they were told — but the Plymouth residents said they’d been in a crowd of hundreds trying to deal with the various issues on Friday.

It took a couple of hours for them to be seen, Kayla McNulty, 33, estimated. So on Saturday morning, sitting in an airport Dunkin’, she said the family was just “trying to find somewhere else to go.”

It remained windy on Saturday, but the rain had passed for much of New England. In Boston, a hot sun glared down as highs shot back into the 80s. Sunday will bring similar 80-plus temperatures and scattered clouds, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS predicts some isolated storms are possible Monday afternoon in Boston, but expects an otherwise warm and dry week.

Debby first hit Florida’s Gulf Coast on Monday as a Category 1 hurricane, crossing the peninsular state before ramming back into South Carolina, still as a hurricane, on Thursday. Even after it was downgraded to a tropical storm, Debby carved a path of destruction up just inland of the East Coast. The storm dumped more than 20 inches on some parts of Florida and other areas, causing flooding and spawning some tornadoes.

At least nine people have died related to Debby, most in vehicle accidents or from fallen trees.

On Thursday alone, tornadoes spawned by Debby leveled homes, damaged a school, and killed one person, as the tropical system dropped heavy rain and flooded communities across the Carolinas.

Dramatic photographs showed flooding in Georgia, where multiple dams breached, and in Annapolis, Maryland, where stormwater swamped downtown and the US Naval Academy. On Friday, first responders launched high-water and helicopter rescues of people trapped in cars and homes in rural areas along the border of New York and northern Pennsylvania.

After leaving New England, the storm continued north into Canada.

Globe correspondent Alexa Coultoff and the Associated Press contributed.

Sean Cotter can be reached at sean.cotter@globe.com. Follow him @cotterreporter. Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.

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Vermont

7 Towns in Vermont that Were Ranked Among US Favorites

Published

1 day ago

August 10, 2024

Press Room

7 Towns in Vermont that Were Ranked Among US Favorites

Vermont is a beautiful US state whose captivating scenery, year-round outdoor recreation, and abundant history and culture make it a perfect vacation destination. And there is nowhere better to experience the best of the Green Mountain State than in its breathtaking small towns. From the small but mighty state capital of Montpelier to Green Mountain getaways like Bennington, these Vermont towns are consistently ranked US favorites.

Montpelier

A historic victorian style building in the city of Montpelier, Vermont.

Voted one of USA Today’s 10 Best Towns in the Northeast for 2024, Montpelier is a perennial US favorite. Though boasting just over 8,000 residents, America’s smallest capital city is big on history and quintessential New England charm. Stroll the downtown area and enjoy Montpelier’s distinctive 19th-century architecture throughout its Historic District. Comprised of Vermont’s largest National Register of Historic Places District, the area includes notable buildings like the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, the Pavilion Building, the Vermont State House, and several 19th-century residences.

For more signature Montpelier attractions, visit the Vermont History Museum for an inside look at the Green Mountain State’s history and The U.S.S. Montpelier Museum, which showcases the capital’s proud naval heritage. Additionally, places like the Council’s Sculpture Garden and the Capitol Complex proudly display the cozy town’s penchant for arts and culture.

With its location at the confluence of the Winooski and North Branch Rivers, Montpelier also has plenty of outdoor recreation. Highlights include Hubbard Park, with hiking and skiing trails, picnic areas, and Hubbard Park Tower observation area; North Branch Nature Center, a lovely preserve on the Winooski River; and watersports at Wrightsville Reservoir.

Bennington

Located in the Green Mountains, Bennington is consistently ranked a US favorite Vermont town because of its picturesque natural beauty and abundance of outdoor recreation. Diverse landscapes abound, with locations like Mount Anthony and the nearby Green Mountain National Forest offering hiking, biking, and stunning panoramic views. Sightseers (and history buffs) will also enjoy exploring the area’s distinctive covered bridges, including the Paper Mill Covered Bridge, the Silk Road Covered Bridge, and the Burt Henry Covered Bridge.

As Vermont’s oldest town, Bennington also has no shortage of rich culture and diverse heritage. Explore the cozy New England town’s historic district and bask in its Revolutionary War history with a visit to the state’s tallest manmade structure, the Bennington Battle Monument, or explore historic buildings like the Park-McCullough Historic Governor’s Mansion or Old First Congregational Church, both local architectural landmarks. More notable Bennington attractions include the Bennington Museum, a cultural mecca for regional art and Americana; the Robert Frost Stone House Museum, the former home of famed US poet Robert Frost; and the Bennington Theater, located in the heart of Bennington’s historic downtown.

Stowe

Stowe is a popular Vermont destination known for its small-town atmosphere and picture-perfect natural scenery. Located at the foot of Mount Mansfield—the highest peak in Vermont—the cozy town is a four-season getaway for outdoor enthusiasts and sightseers looking to soak up some of New England’s most beautiful landscapes.

Known as the “Ski Capital of the East,” Stowe has abundant winter activities perfect for adventure seekers, including skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, and snowmobiling at the famed Stowe Mountain Resort. The warmer weather also offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities, including miles of hiking and biking trails and waterways perfect for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Popular local spots include the Stowe Recreation Path, a picturesque all-season public path; the Auto Toll Road, a scenic drive to the summit of Mount Mansfield; and the nearby Winooski and Lamoille Rivers, known for watersports and epic guided tours. Additionally, sports enthusiasts can learn about Vermont’s skiing and riding heritage at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, located in Stowe’s restored Town Meeting House.

Stowe is also known for its historic charm, which can be seen everywhere, from its 19th-century architecture to its quaint covered bridges. Learn more about Stowe’s rich heritage with a visit to the Stowe Historical Society and Museums, including two historic schoolhouses and the Akeley Soldiers Memorial Building, or the Stowe Community Church, the second tallest building in Vermont. The Noyes House Museum in nearby Morristown is also great for discovering local history.

Woodstock

Woodstock is the quintessential New England village. Compete with a town square (known as The Green), historic buildings, pedestrian-friendly streets, and a postcard-worthy mountain backdrop, it is easy to see why quaint Windsor County town is a US favorite.

The best way to explore Woodstock’s distinctive blend of small-town charm and stunning natural beauty is to visit its most famous attraction: the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park. Vermont’s only national park, the popular destination, offers hiking trails, gardens, wildlife watching, historic buildings, and panoramic vistas. Nearby Quechee State Park is another popular outdoor attraction. The state’s deepest gorge, known as “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon,” Quechee is a scenic spot for hiking, fishing, and spectacular views of the Ottauquechee River. Additional Woodstock activities include hiking Mt. Tom, exploring the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, and enjoying four-season adventures at Saskadena Six, one of North America’s oldest ski resorts.

There is also plenty to explore in Woodstock Village, including a historic district featuring notable 19th-century buildings and homes such as Dana House, F.H. Gillingham & Sons general store, and First Congregational Church. Additionally, The Green is a bustling town locale hosting a farmer’s market, town events, the beautiful Woodstock Inn & Resort, and, just a short walk away, the Middle Covered Bridge. Visitors looking to learn more about the region’s history and heritage can also visit the Billings Farm and Museum and the Woodstock History Center.

Manchester

Manchester is a scenic community in Bennington County. Dramatic mountain backdrops, rich history, and a diverse culture make the southern Vermont town a top tourist destination and a US favorite.

Manchester is on the doorstep of some of the state’s most breathtaking scenery. Nearby attractions like the Mount Equinox Skyline Drive, Emerald Lake State Park, and the Dorset Trails are popular scenic spots, while the Stratton Mountain Resort and Bromley Mountain are four-season destinations for outdoor adventure. Recreational activities within the town limits include biking the town’s multi-use Recreation Park and Historic Rail Trail, touring the scenic Seven Springs Garden & Sculpture Park, and off-roading on a unique Land Rover Experience.

The cozy mountain town also has its share of one-of-a-kind experiences, from offbeat attractions to historic sites (and everything in between). The Pastime Pinball Museum Arcade and the Museum of the Creative Process showcase the town’s quirky, artistic side; while The American Museum of Fly Fishing and Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home offer a glimpse into both local and US history.

Dorset

Dorset is a tiny town in scenic southwestern Vermont. However, what it lacks in size, it makes up for with an exceptional combination of New England charm, four-season outdoor activities, and an atmosphere steeped in history.

To learn more about Dorset’s past, take a step back in time and explore its cozy village. Attractions such as the Dorset Historical Society’s Bley House Museum showcase local artists, while the onsite Marble Project details its significant contributions to the marble industry. Additional Dorset historic buildings include the Wilson Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and The Manley-Lefevre House, an early 19th-century property built using local marble.

Known for its natural beauty and abundance of recreation. Hiking enthusiasts will enjoy the variety of trails—from the more challenging Owls Head Forest trails to easier, more relaxed nature walks at the Pinnacle or Cutler Memorial Forest; there’s something for every visitor looking to soak up Dorset’s spectacular scenery. Dorset is also known for its mountain biking. Bikers of all skill levels will find many picturesque treks, including The Dorset Hollow Trail in Green Mountain National Forest and an extensive trail network in the Owls Head Town Forest. A four-season destination, Dorset has everything from warm weather fun at Emerald Lake State Park and Dorset Quarry to year-round activities at Merck Forest and Farmland Center.

Brattleboro

Brattleboro is the perfect combination of scenic beauty and bustling small-town charm. Breathtaking mountain backdrops and the meandering Connecticut River are the perfect setting for Brattleboro’s quaint downtown area, while a rich literary history and distinctive culture add offbeat character to the perennial US favorite.

History and culture abound in Brattleboro, and the best way to see its significant heritage is through historic buildings and offbeat attractions. From New England mainstays like the Creamery Bridge, a 19th-century covered bridge listed on the National Register of Historic Places, to live music and events at local landmark and architectural gem the Stone Church, Brattleboro is as eclectic as it is classic. More cultural and historical attractions include the Brattleboro Words Trail, an exploration of the town’s literary past; the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, a hub for contemporary art and events; and the Estey Organ Museum, dedicated to preserving the storied heritage of Brattleboro’s own Estey Organ Company.

Brattleboro also has its share of outdoor recreation, with plenty of stunning Vermont scenery right on its doorstep. Retreat Farm offers unique events and experiences, expansive trails, and lovely landscapes, while Fort Dummer State Park blends history, culture, and natural beauty. Additionally, nearby spots like the Hogback Mountain Conservation Area and the Black Mountain Natural Area are perfect for further exploring the region’s spectacular vistas.

Vermont is famed for its picturesque natural beauty, storied history, and exciting opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. Beautiful communities abound, each with its own brand of distinctive New England charm. These lovely destinations—with their one-of-a-kind attractions and unbeatable hospitality—are what make Vermont and its small towns consistently ranked US favorites.

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