Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Christopher
|
| Updated on
May 27, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/we-can-prevent-internet-service-providers-censoring-internet/
Cory Doctorow, a strong proponent of network neutrality explains not just why we must preserve the Internet as it is, but also why we have the authority to do it. Some Internet Service Providers want to choose what sites their subscribers can visit – and at what speeds.
Take filtering: by allowing ISPs to silently block access to sites that displease them, we invite all the ills that accompany censorship – Telus, a Canadian telcom that blocked access to a site established by its striking workers where they were airing their grievances. Around the world, ISPs co-operate with censorious governments in their mission to keep their citizens in the dark: for example, ISPs in the United Arab Emirates are blocking access to stories about a UAE royal family member who was video-recorded torturing a merchant with whom he had a business dispute.
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Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
May 27, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/payback-time-feed-tariffs-work-video/
A 10-min video on Germany’s rewarding feed-in tariff renewable energy program Continue reading
Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Christopher
|
| Updated on
May 26, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/community-networks-are-path-competition-broadband-and-cable-television/
"Community Owned Networks Benefit Everyone," an article written by Christopher Mitchell to explain why community networks are the only means of spurring true competition in the broadband cable television sector, appeared in the Spring 2009, NATOA Journal. Continue reading
Article
filed under
Independent Business
| Written by
Justin Dahlheimer
|
| Updated on
May 22, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/walmarts-faulty-impact-report-leads-california-judge-block-project/
A coalition of environmental and community groups are celebrating a recent San Bernardino County Superior Court judge’s decision that invalidates Wal-Mart’s environmental impact report (EIR), preventing a supercenter from locating in their community. Continue reading
Article
filed under
Independent Business
| Written by
Stacy Mitchell
|
| Updated on
May 20, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/south-dakota-town-creates-communityowned-variety-store/
When small town in Clark lost its last variety store, they had a choice: drive 40 minutes to a nearby town for basic supplies or pull together and jointly create a new, community-owned store. They pulled together. Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
May 19, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/energy-smart-miami-possible-model-smart-grid-and-dg/
Mayor Manny Diaz recently unveiled an ambitious, $200 million "Energy Smart Miami" smart grid project developed in partnership with General Electric, Cisco Systems, Florida Power & Light and Silver Spring Networks to ultimately deploy smart meters on every home and most businesses in Miami-Dade County. In addition to smart meters, the project aims to install solar power systems on several schools and universities, add 300 plug-in hybrid vehicles to the city’s fleet, and bring a series of new technologies like home energy use dashboards, smart appliances and smart-meter thermostats to pilot programs in 1,000 city homes. Continue reading
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy, The Public Good
| Written by
David Morris
|
| Updated on
May 12, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/ilsrs-minnesota-carbon-tax-shift-archives/
In the 1990s, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and other energy activists in Minnesota undertook an effort to get Minnesota to adopt a billion dollar "tax shift" that would have raised the cost of energy while reducing taxes on income and/or property. ILSR was integrally involved in the design of the legislative proposal and examined the impacts on various sectors of Minnesota’s economy. Below you will find the archive of the materials that were prepared to support the initiative. Over several years, the proposal was debated extensively but never enacted into law. Continue reading
Article, Rule
filed under
Energy
| Written by
admin
|
| Updated on
May 12, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/climate-change/2770-2/
In 2009 a vigorous debate is taking place about the best way to reduce carbon emissions. There are two leading proposals: a carbon cap and emissions auction with revenue returned to Americans as a dividend, and a carbon tax with revenue returned to Americans in the form of lower taxes or a dividend. In the mid 1990s Minnesota debated a carbon tax and dividend bill designed by ILSR. Several studies were done about the impact on various sectors of such a policy. Continue reading
Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Christopher
|
| Updated on
May 11, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/paperless-health-records-managed-open-source-software-created-va-dept/
One of the key reforms pushed by the Obama Administration is to move away from paper medical health records to paperless, electronic systems. Electronic records should reduce costs, improve diagnoses, and are a key part of future telehealth hopes.
But what are the rules governing these systems? Can some vendors build systems and lock hospitals into proprietary formats from which they will be unable to transition away?
Fortunately, there is an open source solution that has already been built with public money by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Article
filed under
Stop Incineration, Waste to Wealth
| Written by
Neil Seldman
|
| Updated on
May 9, 2009
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/last-gasp-for-garbage-incineration-2/
The cost of incineration is escalating as the cost of recycling, composting and reuse decline. With the penetration of recycling and composting infrastructure through out the US, the window of opportunity for incineration irreversibly closes. Continue reading
