Topic: Green Mountains

Green Mountain Transit in Vermont removed five new Flyer electric buses from service following a battery recall due to fire hazards. The buses, which are less than a year old, currently sit idle in the snow because they require temperatures of at least 41 degrees to charge. Local agencies are sharing resources to maintain transit schedules during the subfreezing winter weather.

Mandy Bates is officially knighted as "Dame Mandy Heeler in the Green Mountain State." The hosts read the birthday list for the week and perform the traditional knighting ceremony, which includes a list of humorous food and drink pairings. This segment concludes the formal recognition of the show's high-level supporters.

The discussion on Alec Baldwin's podcast turned to nuclear energy as a zero-emission solution. Scientists expressed agnosticism toward nuclear power, citing the energy-intensive process of uranium enrichment and the long-term problem of nuclear waste storage at sites like Yucca Mountain. The segment notes that no new reactors have been built in decades primarily due to cost-effectiveness rather than environmental opposition.

Climate scientist Michael Mann spoke at Green Mountain College, defending his "hockey stick" climate curve and criticizing political assaults on environmental science. Mann drew controversy by adapting Martin Niemöller's famous Holocaust-era "First they came" quote to describe the targeting of immigrants, scientists, and environmentalists in the current political climate.