Walk to Shop is an innovative project designed to educate, encourage and incentivize Vermonters to walk to shop. Working in partnership with several organizations, we’re encouraging at least 7-10 enthusiastic people within each of several market locations of greater Burlington to participate.
Grocery shopping is a task that is universal. For 90% of residents in the Queen City, they’re within a mere 1500 steps or short 15-minute walk of a market.
The Walk to Shop team offers coaching and support while working with partners and local markets/grocery stores to help inform and encourage Walk to Shoppers with discounts and incentives.
With most Vermonters vaccinated, many are looking for a more active lifestyle. This is an ideal time to advance a low carbon, fun and practical walking project that celebrates walkers offering a light and maneuverable trolley that makes it easy to shop, do laundry, picnic or community garden.
For some, this may be the ideal opportunity to alter a lifelong car habit. Participating is a great way to save money and improve health, enjoy incentives, encouragement, support. Participants are reporting that it is fun and enjoyable to use the colorful trolley!
Project coordinators intend to place (in use) at least 100 shopping trolleys throughout greater Burlington by fall 2021. It’s still summer and already 85 Walk to Shoppers are onboard. Initial feedback is positive, accepting feedback, assessing effectiveness and looking forward to sharing lessons learned, as more and more villages and towns express interest across Vermont.
Net Zero Vermont is pleased to partner with Old Spokes Home, AALV, Green Mountain Transit, AARP, Go! Vermont and others to help celebrate walkers, encourage others to participate including engagement of diverse and underserved populations of greater Burlington, VT.
Old Spokes Home and AALV will assist Net Zero Vermont staff ambassadors in development and design of effective marketing and communications strategies to attract and engage interested participants to use the trolleys and report back their experiences.
Events Calendar
Big thanks to Healthy Living, Jake’s One Market, and Burlington Farmers Market for hosting Walk to Shop demonstration events last June and July.
Stay tuned for specific dates and locations of upcoming demonstrations. If you are interested in hosting an event, please let us know at info@netzerovt.org.
Thank you for your help. Spread the word and encourage your friends and others to walk to shop more often, too.
How to get your trolley
Stu Lindsay, demos how to use the trolley to shop to new Walk to Shoppers, June 5th, Healthy Living, Williston
BTV Pilot: Rolser model trolley
The last Walk to Shop demonstration at Healthy Living on Dorset Street was a big success. Folks were lined up at 10:00 a.m. to not miss out on securing a trolley.
The good news is that we still have a supply of trolleys available at our warehouse and we’ve placed another order. If you missed us and still want to participate, contact Stu or Phil at the numbers below.
Yes, you can participate in this exciting project and learn more how to purchase a trolley at a reduced cost of $35.00, contact Project Coordinators:
Stuart Lindsay, stu@netzerovt.org, (802) 862-2980
Phil Hammerslough, phil@netzerovt.org, (802) 233-9143
*Reduced rates available for income sensitive individuals and households, available upon request by emailing Stu or Phil.
In the News
State-funded campaign offers Vermonters an easier walk to the grocery store June 3, 2021 Joel Banner Baird, Burlington Free Press
New Center Will Make City Walkable in 7-22-2021, The Other Paper
This project is made possible with seed funding from the 2020 Mobility & Transportation Innovation (MTI) grant through the VT Agency of Transportation and EcoStrategies, LLC and others including: AARP.
Learn how you can contribute by contacting deb@netzerovt.org or 802-238-9807.