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Article filed under Banking, Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | 7 Comments | Updated on May 5, 2009

Soaring Credit Card Transaction Fees Squeeze Independent Businesses

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/soaring-credit-card-transaction-fees-squeeze-independent-businesses/

Independent businesses are largely at the mercy of Visa and MasterCard when it comes to the fees they must pay every time they swipe a credit card.  These fees, which are ultimately passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices, have soared from $27 billion in 2004 to $48 billion last year (or $427 per household). Recognizing the tremendous market power held by card processors, many countries now regulate credit card transaction fees, setting them at rates as low as one-sixth of what U.S. businesses pay.  Continue reading

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Justin Dahlheimer | No Comments | Updated on May 5, 2009

Little Saigon Defeats Mega Development

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/little-saigon-defeats-mega-development/

Since 2005, residents and local business owners have been working to block this large retail development from spoiling their vibrant, walkable, urban neighborhood, which is home to many immigrant-owned small businesses. In late April, the developer backed out. Continue reading

Article filed under Waste to Wealth, Zero Waste & Economic Development | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on May 1, 2009

Up to Date in KC

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/up-to-date-in-kc-2/

My old friend Neil Seldman emailed me the other day. He was shocked after reading Kansas City, Missouri was still in the drop-off phase of recycling and people are fighting to keep the last drop-off center open. Continue reading

Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Apr 30, 2009

Tim Nulty Interviewed at 2009 Freedom to Connect Conference

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/tim-nulty-interviewed-2009-freedom-connect-conference/

Benoit Felten of FiberEvolution.com interviews Tim Nulty (former GM of Burlington Telecom, currently working on massive rural FTTH network in Vermont) at the Freedom to Connect Conference. Covers many topics, especially the economics of FTTH and why the public sector should invest in these networks. Continue reading

Article filed under General | Written by Stacy Mitchell | 1 Comment | Updated on Apr 30, 2009

Did NAFTA Spawn the Swine Flu Epidemic?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/did-nafta-spawn-swine-flu-epidemic/

Smithfield Farms was heavily fined for dumping waste into a Virginia River and forced to build a sewage treatment plant.  When we changed  trade rules by enacting NAFTA, Smithfield set up in Mexico, where environmental laws are virtually non existent.  And the whole world may now be paying the price.  Continue reading

Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Apr 29, 2009

Cable Companies Strangling Internet to Maximize Profits

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/cable-companies-strangling-internet-maximize-profits/

Who makes the rules for how you use your Internet Connection?  Who decides whether it should upgrade the network speeds?  For most of us, private companies make these decisions and they are more interested in maximizing their profits than what is best for the community.  This is a major reason why broadband is slower and more expensive than other countries like Japan, Sweden, and France.

 The Economist takes on the cable companies and why they are not interested in bringing faster speeds to the U.S.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 28, 2009

New Tool Helps Low-Income Communities Evaluate Food Retailers

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/new-tool-helps-lowincome-communities-evaluate-food-retailers/

The newly published Sustainable Food Retail Framework aims to help cities struggling with a lack of grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods better balance the need to quickly fill the gaps (a mandate that often favors large supermarket chains) with the advantages of fostering development that delivers more long-term stability and greater economic, community, and environmental benefits (a framework that favors local business). Continue reading

Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Justin Dahlheimer | No Comments | Updated on Apr 24, 2009

Canadian City Council Rejects Wal-Mart’s Bid to Expand

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/canadian-city-council-rejects-walmarts-bid-expand/

Sticking up for its downtown businesses, the Owen Sound City Council derailed Wal-Mart’s plans to expand a current store into a supercenter. Continue reading

Article filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Apr 24, 2009

If it’s citizens vs. utilities, utilities win

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/if-its-citizens-vs-utilities-utilities-win/

The PUC has an approval process that stacks the deck against the public.

A few days ago the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a massive high voltage transmission project (known as CapX) that will cost Minnesotans an amount equal to the projected biennium state budget deficit and four times the total bill to taxpayers for the Gopher and Twins stadiums. 

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 22, 2009

Distributed Renewables Can Defer Infrastructure Investments

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/distributed-renewables-can-defer-infrastructure-investments/

This recent article by the Manager of EPRI published on EnergyCentral.com discusses how conventional photovoltaic (PV) applications can act as distributed resources when the sun is shining — rather than solely as a reduction in load. They also can help diversify supply portfolios and meet other goals. The most basic scenario is for utilities to aggregate grid-connected PV installations owned by others and to treat them as demand-side resources.

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