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charter-losing-money-cuts-customer-support
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Dec 5, 2012

Charter Losing Money, Cuts Customer Support

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/charter-losing-money-cuts-customer-support

A Stop the Cap! story about Charter cutting customer service positions makes a point we make too rarely. Not that customer service from the national cable and telephone companies is terrible and getting worse, but that some are constantly struggling to make a profit. Investors don’t think too highly of the company either. Charter reported… Continue reading

commercial solar grid parity report ILSR 2012 cover page
Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 15 Comments | Updated on Dec 4, 2012

Commercial Rooftop Revolution

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/commercial-roofop-revolution/

Although only 0.1% of electricity is generated by solar power in 2012; within a decade, 300,000 MW of unsubsidized solar power will be at parity with retail electricity prices in most of the United States and more than 35 million buildings may be generating their own solar electricity sufficient to power almost 10% of the country. Continue reading

community-broadband-bits-24-dr-browder-of-bristol-tennessee
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Dec 4, 2012

Community Broadband Bits 24 – Dr Browder of Bristol, Tennessee

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-broadband-bits-24-dr-browder-bristol-tennessee

Dr Browder runs Bristol Tennessee Essential Services, the municipal utility on the southern side of Bristol’s Virginia border. For our 24th Community Broadband Bits podcast, he tells us how they built a FTTH network and how it has helped the community. Like so many others, they started by seeking to ensure maximum reliability of the… Continue reading

rural-california-farms-need-fiber-to-be-fertile
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Dec 3, 2012

Rural California Farms Need Fiber to be Fertile

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/rural-california-farms-need-fiber-be-fertile

In yet another reminder that fiber optics and wireless are complementary, not substitutes, we just read about rural California farms needing better telecommunications that the big companies have refused to provide. This article offers a good introduction to why farms need access to the Internet. Modern farming takes advantage of gains in communications technology –… Continue reading

Article filed under Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Dec 3, 2012

National Capital Region Organics Task Force

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/httpwww-ilsr-orgnational-capital-region-organics-task-force/

The National Capital Region Organics Task Force is a group of government, public interest, institutional and business representatives working to expand recovery, full capture and utilization of organic materials in the metropolitan Washington, DC region. The Task Force is chaired by: Brenda Platt, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) John Snarr, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments… Continue reading

comcast-gamed-fcc-for-internet-essentials-concession-in-nbc-merger
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on Dec 3, 2012

Comcast Gamed FCC for Internet Essentials "Concession" in NBC Merger

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/comcast-gamed-fcc-internet-essentials-concession-nbc-merger

Last year, when Comcast unveiled its Internet Essentials program, the corporate powerhouse received accolades from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. The program was promoted as an example of corporate philanthropy helping to bridge the digital divide. Comcast received all kinds of positive media coverage for its program. Most of that coverage failed to note that the… Continue reading

Article filed under Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Dec 3, 2012

Promoting Compost Amended Soils and Compost Related Products for BMP’s for Stormwater Management and Erosion Control

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/1national-capital-region-organics-task-force-compost-amended-soil/

Naturally occurring (undisturbed) soil and vegetation provide important stormwater functions including: water infiltration; nutrient, sediment, and pollutant adsorption; sediment and pollutant biofiltration; water interflow storage and transmission; and pollutant decomposition. These functions are largely lost when development strips away native soil and vegetation and replaces it with minimal topsoil and sod. Incorporating compost to establish a… Continue reading

Article filed under Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Dec 3, 2012

Development of a Master Composter Training Program in the Washington, DC Region

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/national-capital-region-organics-task-force-mc/

An active Master Composter Training Program is pivotal to establishing a decentralized community based composting infrastructure. The Organics Task Force has created a subcommittee to drive the development of a Master Composter Training Program at the University of the District of Columbia and throughout the DC Metropolitan Area. On September 24, 2012, the Task Force… Continue reading

Article filed under Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Dec 3, 2012

National Capital Region Organics Task Force

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/national-capital-region-organics-task-force/

The National Capital Region Organics Task Force is a group of government, public interest, institutional and business representatives working to expand recovery, full capture and utilization of organic materials in the metropolitan Washington, DC region. The Task Force is chaired by: Brenda Platt, Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) John Snarr, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments… Continue reading

ted-shot
Featured Article, Resource filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | 9 Comments | Updated on Dec 1, 2012

Why We Can’t Shop Our Way to a Better Economy: Stacy Mitchell’s TEDx Talk

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

In this TEDx talk, delivered on October 20, 2012 at TEDxDirigo‘s Villages conference at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine,  conference, ILSR Senior Researcher Stacy Mitchell argues for a new phase in the local economy movement. She notes that there’s been a resurgence of support for small farms, local businesses, and community banks, but argues: “As remarkable… Continue reading