Inviting all Walk to Shop trolley owners to complete a 5-minute survey about your user experiences and how we can improve Walk to Shop!! Complete our short survey by March 15th and be entered to win a $100 gift card and a pair of Darn Tough Socks!

Find the survey here and thank you in advance for your valuable input and your time to let us know how we can make the Walk to Shop project better.

Encouraging walking, walkable communities and an easy way to carry groceries and necessities home using a stylish green Walk to Shop Trolley!

Grocery shopping is a universal task where most people drive a short distance to the market.

Walk to Shop’s stylish European trolley is a convenient and fun way to shop and carry things. It’s so light and maneuverable it pulls with just one hand.

Today, more than 700+ residents are participating in Walk to Shop–enjoying the ease and convenience of using a trolley to walk to shop and wheel groceries and other necessities home.

Our mission: use our “feet first”–encouraging more people to walk, use public transit and invest in people-centered downtowns.

We’re committed to 15-minute cities and neighborhoods–where most residents live within 1,500 steps or a short 15-minute walk of a market and services. People who walk tend to be healthier, save money on transportation and help the environment.

Benefits of Walking and Active Transportation

Physical fitness and proven health benefits

Improved mental wellbeing and lower stress levels

More time to yourself

Transportation independence

Save money

Social interaction with neighbors

Cleaner environment

With more than 30 percent of seniors in greater Burlington with no car, Walk to Shop is helping residents experience a safe and easy way to shop for food, ride the bus and be active.

Wright House residents enjoy their new Walk to Shop trolleys, Shelburne, VT

FIND US AT THESE EVENTS

Walk to Shop will be at several public events across Vermont. Join us to try out a trolley at these upcoming events. Not in your location, contact us to arrange a demo for you and your neighbors.

CALENDAR OF COMMUNITY DEMOS, EVENTS & PRESENTATIONS

MARCH

22ndJust Getting By—a new documentary film be Bess O’Brien is a sweeping, and yet intimate look at the lives of Vermonters who are struggling with food and housing insecurity. Walk to Shop team will be on hand to share information on how we’re partnering to support neighbors .

Fri. March 22nd 7pm Burlington Main Street Landing Arts Ctr 60 Lake Street

Sat. March 23rd 7pm Burlington Main Street Landing Arts Ctr 60 Lake Street

TBD–O.N.E. One Community Center ARLO Winter Farmers Market. Join us for fun at the Market and thanks to grants and donations, trolleys will be available for additional discounts. Drop by and save on a stylish new trolley and enjoy carrying your groceries with ease.

APRIL

13th–Saturday, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm– Waterbury LEAP Energy Fair, Central Vermont’s largest gathering of exhibits, experts and presentations; fun for the whole family. Get information on almost anything green.

17th–Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission-Municipal Energy Workshopping, Old Labor Hall, Barre, VT

WAYS TO GET A TROLLEY

Trolleys can be purchase at the above events or by contacting us directly by email or phone. Wondering what size is right for you, checkout the trolley dimensions below.

Decide which size is right for you?

Four trolley sizes: Kids $40, Medium $45, Large $55 and 4-Wheel Convertible $65.

All sizes in stock. What size is best for you?

Select a medium for a 40 pound capacity–good for single or smaller families. The large capacity trolley carries 50 pounds, ideal for families with 5-6 bags of groceries, laundry & daily essentials.

Our new 4-Wheel Convertible is a popular design, where you can push or pull up to 50 pounds with ease.

Our new Kid’s Walk trolley eliminates the weight on the shoulders of a heavy backpack. Easily carries all your books, lunch and gear to school, sports and special events (all in one bag and on two wheels).

If you miss us and still want a trolley, contact coordinators, Stu or Phil. to coordinate a purchase.

These trolleys are a great value!! We sell them for less than one-half the retail price ($100+) due to generous grants from Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and Go! Vermont’s Mobility in Transportation Innovation grants, and through generous corporate sponsorships.

Team Coordinators

Stuart Lindsay, stu@netzerovt.org (802) 862-2980

Phil Hammerslough, phil@netzerovt.org

Deb Sachs, Director, deb@netzerovt.org (802) 238-9807

Susan Hayward, susanspace@comcast.net

Peggy O’Neill-Vivanco, Director and Eliza Gebb, Coordinator of the Vermont Clean Cities Coalition, at the UVM Transportation Research Center, play a key supportive role in advancing this project.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Partners and providers play a key role in helping Walk to Shop to spread the word to residents online, Front Porch Forum, posters and social media.

Find us demonstrating the trolley, its features and your closest walking routes (shown below on resource map) at a location near you. Invite us to come visit you and your neighbors.

Look for our stories and notices on Front Porch Forum and Facebook and our events calendar.

Pop-up events are where to learn more about the benefits and incentives to walk. 

Maisie Melican and Maddie Rabidoux (LR), staff Walk to Shop’s Demo Day, Sunday, Winooski Farmers Market, Downtown

Two happy shoppers leave Jakes One Market, Burlington with their new shopping trolley.

Working Together to Improve Access

For many Vermonters, the only way to get groceries is to walk. Project partner, Vermont Clean Cities Coalition staff is helping to elevate walking for purpose, to be more food secure and for “just communities”. Mobility independence is vital to residents to everyday chores, like shopping and laundry.

Vermont Clean Cities Coalition offers community leaders and decision-makers expert technical assistance, survey development, equity education, outreach and community engagement.

We’re reaching hundreds of residents through key providers including Northern Tier Health Center (NOTCH), Vermont Food Bank, Vital Communities, Tri-Valley Transit, City of Burlington, Champlain Housing Trust, CarShareVT, AALV case managers, Cathedral Square SASH Coordinators, and AARP-VT.

We appreciate the continued coordination and collaboration though small group trolley demonstrations, socials and listening sessions.

Aisha Bitini, AALV Translator and
Front Desk Administrator takes the trolley for a test drive.

Our stylish, durable, lightweight and maneuverable, European trolley makes it safer and easier to shop, do laundry, picnic and garden.

Walk to Shop’s shared objectives are to live:

-a more active, low carbon lifestyle

-to alter a lifelong car habit

– to save money, improve health, and the environment through tools and incentives.

Below are a few project highlights made possible by these forward thinking partners making a difference for residents every day.

Partners & Providers — Making A Difference

Bennington His Pantry at the Sacred Heart St. Francis deSales Church, used grant funds to make 50 trolleys available to their neighbors and patrons. Other groups in Bennington are working in lockstep with the Vermont Food Bank to provide trolleys to help meet the needs of more neighbors.

Northern Tier Center for Health (NOTCH)–Richford, VT. Main Street Market. Subsidized and distributed 50+ trolleys to patrons of their social grocery store.

UVM, Burlington, VT–A student led project is encouraging students to walk using a trolley through a trolley-share program housed in each residential dorm.

Champlain Housing Trust, Burlington, VT–making trolleys available to staff, and equipped each resident of the 30 transitional housing pod (Elm Street) with trolley loaded with basic necessities.

Vital Communities, White River Junction–Coordinator with partner providers to provide area residents with a trolley to facilitate transit rides and basic shopping needs.

Winooski Necessities Store and Veggie VanGo (a Vermont Food Bank program) is facilitating Walk to Shop to distribute trolleys to neighbors in need.

Swanton Energy Committee, Swanton VT–and partners NWRPC and NOTCH to secure a batch of 50 trolleys for the community to walk to the grocery store.

Randolph Area Food Shelf–Randolph, VT. Distributed 8 trolleys to clients including individuals and families in need.

Burlington Public Works–Sponsored distribution of 50+ trolleys to North Winooski residents and employees as part of a bike lane project and reduction in parking.

Burlington Electric Department–purchasing trolleys to raffle at special events including their annual fall Energy Fair. Walk to Shop demonstrates the trolley as an ultra-low carbon transportation option.

Cathedral Square Senior Living, SASH Coordinators–invited Walk to Shop to demonstrate with residents in Essex, South Burlington, Burlington and Shelburne.

Walk Bike St. Albans committee hosted a presentation during their regular meeting to learn about Walk to Shop and its potential in St. Albans.

Vermont Food Bank is a proud partner with affiliate food pantries across Vermont. Stay tuned for news and happenings on how VFB is contributing resources to hundreds of residents in need of convenient and reliable ways to wheel groceries and other items home from area pantries and food shelves.

Vermont Interfaith Power & Light is underway with strategic plans to advance their vision and mission to take action to address climate change by encouraging interested faith-based congregations to promote and use the Walk to Shop trolley for short trips.

Happy Trolley Users

Last January more than 20 Congolese women participated in a special event including dinner and trolleys. The women, including some from three generations shared and learned about shopping with a trolley as part of a demonstration sponsored by Go! Vermont.

Nearly two dozen diverse speaking women from greater Burlington learn how to use their new shopping trolley at a special AALV and Walk to Shop sponsored event (2021)

Visit us often for more news, dates and locations of upcoming demonstrations. If you are interested in hosting an event, please let us know by contacting a coordinator.

Thank you for your help. Spread the word and encourage your friends and others to walk to shop more often, too.

Supporting Community

Walk to Shop’s mission is to encourage more people to walk for purpose and to enjoy the many benefits of active mobility.

Our shared commitment is to develop transparent and transferable programming that improves transportation access, mobility independence and food security. Anyone who wants a trolley is afforded access regardless of financial ability.

Consider donating to Walk to Shop to help a neighbor and household get a trolley.

Every donation of $50 buys a trolley for a neighbor in need.

Consider becoming a project sponsor.

Your tax deductible donation to Net Zero Vermont, Inc. can be made here. Contact deb@netzerovt.org on ways to donate. Make requests for a demo or trolley by phone or email to Stu or Phil.

In the News

Can Dubliners Do Their Big Shops by Foot Instead of by Car?

How a trip to the Grocery Store can be a tool for Sustainability

Vermont Program Encourages Walking for Grocery Trips

Walk to Shop BED 2030 Podcast Interview

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, 7-22-2021 The Other Paper

This active mobility, equity and food security project is made possible with seed funding from the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission and Go! Vermont and project sponsors.

Many thanks to project partners: Vermont Clean Cities Coalition and to project sponsors: Burlington Farmers Market, AllEarth Renewables, Burlington Electric Department and others.

This project was piloted in 2021 with seed funding from Go! Vermont’s 2020 Mobility & Transportation Innovation (MTI) grant, VT Agency of Transportation and EcoStrategies, LLC.

Contact us about becoming a corporate sponsor.

Learn more about how you can contribute by contacting deb@netzerovt.org or 802-238-9807.