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Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 4, 2012

New Video Explains Community Networks

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

  MuniNetworks.org has just released this informative video on community networks. The video explains why communities consider building their own broadband networks. The video runs just over one and one-half minutes and describes the benefits that come with local control over network decisions.     Continue reading

Value Chain of Local Ownership
Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 2 Comments | Updated on Apr 24, 2012

The More Local the Energy, the More Valuable

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

Local ownership of a wind project accounts for half of its lifetime economic value to the community!   From: Value Creation for Local Communities through Renewable Energies [pdf] Continue reading

logo-kyrs
Resource filed under Broadband | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Apr 19, 2012

ILSR’s Christopher Mitchell Speaks With KYRS About Rural Broadband In Washington

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

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

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Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 16, 2012

Ontario’s Feed-in Tariff Program is a Good Investment

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/ontarios-feed-in-tariff-program-good-investment/

ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell gave this presentation remotely to the Ontario Power Perspectives conference on April 16, 2012.  He was supposed to be there in person, but he forgot to renew his passport.  The presentation highlights how Ontario’s “buy local” rule, bonuses for community ownership and focus on distributed generation make their feed-in tariff… Continue reading

zero waste zone
Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Waste to Wealth, Zero Waste & Economic Development | Written by Neil Seldman | No Comments | Updated on Apr 14, 2012

Chattanooga Building a Green Brick Road

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

Zero Waste Zone, April 14, 2012 In perfect timing with Earth month, The City of Chattanooga is exploring how to bring zero waste practices to the residential and corporate community.  The main ingredients for success are in place: 1) solid local government support, 2) corporate community enthusiasm, and 3) strong local markets for recyclable material. Chattanooga Director of Sustainability… Continue reading

bb-speed-of-light
Featured Article, Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | 21 Comments | Updated on Apr 9, 2012

Broadband at the Speed of Light

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

The fastest networks in the nation are built by local governments, a new report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and Benton Foundation reveals Chattanooga, Tennessee, is well known for being the first community with citywide access to a “gig,” or the fastest residential connections to the Internet available nationally. Less known are Bristol, Virginia,… Continue reading

PEC texas local energy jff ILSR
Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Apr 6, 2012

Solving the Local Clean Energy Puzzle

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

In this April 2 presentation to the Pedernales Electric Cooperative of Johnson City, TX, ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell discussed how solving the clean local energy puzzle requires much more than a consideration of cost per kilowatt-hour. Instead, cooperatives, municipal utilities and others considering developing local clean power should consider issues of scale, value and… Continue reading

Rooftop Solar Installation
Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 13 Comments | Updated on Mar 21, 2012

Rooftop Revolution: Changing Everything with Cost-Effective Local Solar

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rooftop-revolution-changing-everything-with-cost-effective-local-solar/

With the cost of solar power plunging and retail electric prices rising, 100 million Americans in the nation’s largest cities will be able to “go solar” for a lower price than grid electricity in the next ten years. Seizing this opportunity requires rethinking electricity policy and planning even while solar produces less than 1% of… Continue reading

PLA webinar
Resource filed under Biomaterials, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Mar 19, 2012

Recycling PLA Webinar

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

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a plant-based plastic resin with applications in a wide range of nondurable and durable products from take-out food service items to textiles. PLA can be composted at industrial sites and is technically mechanically and chemically recyclable. One obstacle to PLA recovery is its current low volumes in recycling streams. This makes… Continue reading

Biobag
Resource filed under Biomaterials, Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Mar 16, 2012

Compostable Plastic Bags: A Glance of What’s Packed in the Bag

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

Compostable plastic bags are increasingly used to collect food scraps for composting. Their main benefit? Removing the “ick factor” associated with collecting food residuals by keeping collection containers clean and odors at bay, while also breaking down at the composting site. Unfortunately, many plastic bag makers claim that their products are “biodegradable” or environmentally preferable… Continue reading

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Resource filed under Biomaterials | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Mar 13, 2012

Sustainable Biomaterials: Criteria, Benefits, Challenges & Market-Based Tools

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/sustainable-biomaterials-criteria-benefits-challenges-market-based-tools/

The development of bioplastics and other biobased materials holds great promise to mitigate many of the problems associated with plastic derived from nonrenewable sources. However, they are not an automatic panacea. In this presentation, Brenda Platt shares the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative’s efforts to promote market-based tools such as purchasing guidelines and Working Landscape Certificates. Continue reading

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Featured Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | 9 Comments | Updated on Mar 7, 2012

New Report: Walmart’s Greenwash

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

In this new report, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance documents how Walmart’s heavily promoted sustainability initiatives are falling short. “Walmart’s sustainability campaign has done more to improve the company’s image than to help the environment,” said Stacy Mitchell, the report’s author and a senior researcher at ILSR. Continue reading