BURLINGTON, VT - At last weekend's Eco-Fest in City Hall park, Christopher Pearson offered the crowd a simple idea to invigorate the conversation about climate change. "Let's start the conversation in homes and town halls. Let's remind our neighbors that the cheapest energy is what we don't have to buy and that we're all in this together."

Pearson said, if elected, he will push for an energy competition between Vermont towns. The idea is to see which town can reduce its electricity use the most per person over the next year. The winning town would be given a solar array for its grammar school. "The best part is everyone will actually win because we'll spend less if we're using less. And we'll be talking about these issues a lot more."

Pearson said, "We just have to have the courage to face the facts about climate change and demand that our political leaders do the same. Get involved, and start demanding a louder conversation. The planet is begging us. It is our defining challenge."

BURLINGTON, VT – As students and faculty took their lunch break today Progressive Christopher Pearson declared his intentions to return to the Vermont Legislature. Pearson is hoping to replace long-time representative David Zuckerman who will not be running this fall.

“I am running to be your representative in the state legislature for one simple reason” he told the crowd of 40 on-lookers, “We have to get serious about a sustainable future and I’m the right person to jump-start the conversation.”

Pearson said jobs and a sustainable future go hand in hand. “You better believe we’re going to create jobs when windmills dot our landscape. When more and more people install solar hot water and beef up the insulation in their homes it will create jobs. Just like it will create jobs when we stop importing apples from Chile and clothes from China.”

Pearson served the district that includes all of UVM as well as much of Wards 1 & 2 from 2006 to 2008. He wants to return because he said he was just getting warmed up. “I am running because I was an effective legislator and I was just getting started. I know how the game works in Montpelier. Over 10% of the bills I sponsored became law – and that was in my first term.”

Hoping to earn attention from students for the fall election, Pearson’s campaign offered up ice cream courtesy of local ice cream mogul Jerry Greenfield. As Pearson thanked the Ben & Jerry’s co-founder he said he was humbled to have support from someone who has created both delicious ice cream and a socially responsible business model.

[Read full remarks here]