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state-by-state-campaign-to-gut-consumer-telecom-protections
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Apr 24, 2012

State by State Campaign to Gut Consumer Telecom Protections

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/state-state-campaign-gut-consumer-telecom-protections

In most states, telephone companies are required to serve everyone and when there are problems with the service, the state can mandate that the company fix them. But AT&T and ALEC are leading the charge to let these massive companies decide for themselves who should have access to a telephone, taking state regulators out of… Continue reading

let-the-fcc-know-that-you-support-expanding-community-radio
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on Apr 24, 2012

Let The FCC Know That You Support Expanding Community Radio

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/let-fcc-know-you-support-expanding-community-radio-0

As we recently reported, the FCC has made changes to clear the airwaves for more low power radio stations. The Prometheus Radio Project, instrumental in that decision, hosted an April webinar to help interested groups learn about the application project. Community radio orgainzations can obtain waivers to get on the air, but there is a… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 20, 2012

Is Today’s Energy Policy “Saving the Buggy Whip”?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/todays-energy-policy-saving-buggy-whip/

The editor’s column from the March 2012 edition of Public Utilities Fortnightly describes how policy inertia can hamper distributed renewable energy development.  To illustrate, Michael T. Burr draws on the history of the automobile: When the first Model-Ts sputtered down the street, few people could’ve imagined the remarkable transformations they’d bring. Instead, they only saw… Continue reading

John Farrell, ILSR Senior Researcher
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Apr 20, 2012

Welcome to the new Energy Self-Reliant States

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/energy-self-reliant-states-2/

ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell launched the Energy Self-Reliant States blog in late 2010 to provide hard data and analysis on the economic and political advantages of focusing on distributed renewable energy and local ownership.  For a while, it lived off our website, due to technical and aesthetic limitations. Today, we’re happy to repatriate the… Continue reading

new-community-broadband-map
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Apr 20, 2012

New Community Broadband Map

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/new-community-broadband-map

We have re-launched the interactive community broadband map! The new version allows you to hide or show layers and now incorporates our other map showing state barriers to publicly owned networks. This is a screenshot: We are excited to have the ability to hide / show layers as it will enable us to continue adding… Continue reading

radio-interview-about-rural-broadband-in-washington
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Apr 19, 2012

Radio Interview about Rural Broadband in Washington

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/radio-interview-about-rural-broadband-washington

Christopher Mitchell spoke with Gavin Dahl about community broadband on KYRS, a community radio station in Spokane, Washington, on April 11. The discussion touched on legislation in Washington that could have encouraged rural broadband deployment by area public utility districts and why the private sector is not getting the job done. We also discussed the… Continue reading

mendocino-county-local-leaders-want-to-leave-the-slow-lane-behind
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on Apr 18, 2012

Mendocino County Local Leaders Want to Leave the Slow Lane Behind

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/mendocino-county-local-leaders-want-leave-slow-lane-behind

VisitMendocino.com sums up this northern California community as a peaceful and serene: “Mendocino County, where rugged coastline, breathtaking beaches, picturesque villages, majestic redwood forests and America’s Greenest Wine Region beckon you to escape to a slower pace.” While the people of Mendocino County love life in the slow lane, they would love a fast lane for the Internet. Mendocino… Continue reading

foreverstamp
Article, Resource filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 2 Comments | Updated on Apr 18, 2012

US Post Office Best Deal in the World

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

The US Post Office needs money.  As this chart shows, US postal rates, at 45 cents for a first class stamp, are the lowest in the world, often by far, excluding a few small island countries.  Yet Congress, the Postal Regulatory Commission, set up by Congress in 2006 to oversee the Post Office, has proven… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Apr 17, 2012

A Devastating Critique of the World Bank’s Love Affair With Water Privatization

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/devastating-critique-world-banks-love-affair-water-privatization/

In the 19th century, small private companies in U.S. and European cities supplied water only to those who could pay a premium. Then came epidemics of cholera and other waterborne illnesses, which vividly illustrated the widespread stakes for public health and human life and invigorated the political will needed to make a shared commitment to… Continue reading

walmart-dusk-parking
Article, ILSR Press Room filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | 3 Comments | Updated on Apr 17, 2012

Top 10 Ways Walmart Fails on Sustainability

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/top-10-ways-walmart-fails-sustainability/

Since 2005, Walmart has been making splashy announcements and issuing slick reports to highlight its environmental and social responsibility efforts. In this new brief, Food & Water Watch and ILSR contend that the world’s largest retailer fails to live up to its promises and continues to ignore the fundamental problems with its business model that harm the environment, undermine healthy food choices, and exacerbate poverty. Continue reading