Initiatives

Banking

Overview

The financial crisis and its economic aftershocks have spawned the first serious examination of the structure of our current banking system and the public policies that have fueled consolidation over the last 30 years and untethered financial institutions from their communities.

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Featured Article, ILSR Press Room filed under Banking | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2012

Banking For the Rest of Us

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

In this cover story for Sojourners Magazine, Stacy Mitchell writes that there is remarkably little evidence to support the idea that bigger banks are superior. They have come to dominate, not because they are more efficient or offer better services, but because they have rigged government policy in their own favor. It’s time for a new set of rules—banking policies for the 99 percent. Continue reading

Featured Article filed under Banking, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 5 Comments | Updated on Mar 1, 2011

And The Academy Award for Cowardice Goes To….

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/and-the-academy-award-for-cowardice-goes-to/

After winning an Oscar for Best Documentary for Inside Job, Charles Ferguson injected some much-needed real world relevance amidst the fabulously glitzy proceedings. Continue reading

Featured Article filed under Banking | Written by Stacy Mitchell | 1 Comment | Updated on Mar 18, 2011

Why Republicans Hate Warren’s CFPB But Love Another Bank Regulator

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/why-republicans-hate-warrens-cfpb-love-another-bank-regulator/

What’s really at issue in the fight over the CFPB is not how the agency is structured or how much power it will have, but whose interests it serves. Continue reading

Biomaterials

Overview

In 1992, ILSR’s work on plant derived plastics and other materials led to our co-hosting the first International Workshop on Biodegradability. The concept of a Carbohydrate Economy – one that uses plant-based chemicals to replace petro-chemicals – was born...

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Featured Article, Resource filed under Biomaterials, Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on Jul 30, 2012

Atlanta Airport Launches Compostable Foodservice Ware Packet

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/atlanta-airport-launches-compostable-foodservice-ware-packet/

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA) sends more than 19,000 tons of waste to Georgia landfills each year. Food scraps are the single largest component of HJAIA waste, making up about one-third of this tonnage. HJAIA has a goal to divert 50% of its waste from landfill disposal by 2015. Composting food waste is essential to reach this goal, and switching to compostable food packaging will enable successful food residuals recovery. Continue reading

Featured Article, Resource filed under Biomaterials, Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Oct 11, 2012

Exemptions/Exclusions Added to Atlanta Airport Info Packet

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

The Sustainable Food Court Initiative (SFCI) Airport Pilot, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, works closely with the SFCI Team to bring sustainable operating practices to their operations, especially regarding food waste. In early 2012 the Atlanta Airport made a bold statement in the new concessionaire contract, the largest foodservice contract executed in North America. Continue reading

Broadband

Overview

Access to the Internet is an essential infrastructure for any community that cares about economic development, quality of life, and educational opportunities. Unfortunately, most communities are presently dependent on a few unaccountable absentee corporations that act as gatekeepers to...

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Featured Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on Jun 17, 2013

Wireless Internet 101 Fact Sheet

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/wireless-internet-101-fact-sheet/

ILSR’s Wireless Internet 101 fact sheet provides quick information on wireless technologies and policy. Most of us take wireless for granted. We use it every day but we have very little understanding of how it works, its limitations, or how it is managed. This fact sheet offers answers to questions many of us ask at… Continue reading

Featured Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on Apr 3, 2013

Broadband 101 Fact Sheet

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/ilsrreleases-new-broadband-101-fact-sheet-2/

ILSR’s fact sheet is a reliable quick reference guide for policymakers and citizens. As discussion about the telecommunications landscape expands, language about broadband abounds. In order to make informed decisions without stumbling over terminology, ILSR has assembled some basic facts about broadband. This fact sheet is a great reference for anyone who may take up… Continue reading

Featured Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on Mar 6, 2013

“The Monopoly Magnate”

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

ILSR is following HB 282, restrictive legislation moving through the Georgia General Assembly. The bill would effectively end the ability for existing networks to expand. Communities considering investing in their own telecommunications networks would face almost insurmountable financial and practical hurdles. As the bill is heavily lobbied by incumbent telecom giants, local leaders make the… Continue reading

Energy

Overview

Wind and sun are available everywhere, so renewable energy can be economically harnessed at small scales across the country. This nature of renewable energy, and the exponential increase of renewable energy generation, promises to decentralize the nation’s grid system. ...

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Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 21, 2013

Steve Johnson: Episode 3 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/steve-johnson-episode-3-local-energy-rules-podcast/

In this edition of Local Energy Rules, John Farrell and Wade Underwood speak with Steve Johnson of Convergence Energy about a successful 660 kilowatt community solar project near Delavan, WI. The project required 33 separate LLCs to take advantage of the state’s net metering rules, and also used the limited-time federal cash grant program to… Continue reading

Featured Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Apr 17, 2013

Proposed Solar Standard is Cheap Compared to Minnesota Utilities’ Rate Increases

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/proposed-solar-standard-cheap-compared-minnesota-utilities-rate-increases/

If you’re a state legislator in Minnesota, here are a few grains of salt to season the message you’ve been getting from electric utilities about the proposed solar energy standard. The bill (HF956/SF901) requires most utilities to get 4% of their energy from solar by 2025 and offers a standard, fixed-price contract to distributed solar energy… Continue reading

Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 19, 2013

How a City Can Get More Clean, Local Energy

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

Like many cities attempting to solve climate change at a local level, Minneapolis is finding the prospect more challenging that it may have imagined. The lion’s share of emissions (two-thirds in the case of Minneapolis) come from electricity and gas sold by two monopoly, corporate utilities. Minnesota’s state-level policy is helping: a renewable energy standard… Continue reading

Independent Business

Overview

Over the last 25 years, a handful of giant retailers have grown to dominate the U.S. economy. ILSR challenges the wisdom of this market concentration. Through research and analysis, we have built a compelling case that places that are home to...

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Featured Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on May 13, 2013

After 20 Years, Congress May Finally Pass Internet Sales Tax. Is it Too Late?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/20-years-congress-finally-pass-internet-sales-tax-late/

Not having to charge sales tax fueled Amazon’s growth for nearly 20 years. While it’s impossible not to see the company as a horse that’s already out the barn door, there’s still good reason to believe that the Marketplace Fairness Act will slow Amazon’s consolidation of retailing and provide benefit to independent businesses. Continue reading

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

The Public Good

Overview

At the founding of the American Republic the word “private” had pejorative connotations. Derived from the Latin word “privare”, private meant to divide or tear apart. A privateer was a pirate. The word “public” was an honorable adjective, often...

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Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jan 4, 2013

Who Should Pay the Costs of Climate Disasters?

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

Who should pay the costs of climate disasters? In light of the current debate in the United States about federal assistance to Hurricane Sandy victims and the recent debate at the recent Doha Climate Conference about international assistance for climate change victims, that has become an increasingly pressing question for humankind. The frequency and cost… Continue reading

Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 11, 2013

Why Won’t Conservatives Let Communities Decide for Themselves?

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

In his 1996 State of the Union Address Democratic President Bill Clinton famously declared, “the era of big government is over.” And during his tenure he did everything he could to make that true–deregulating the telecommunications and the financial industry, enacting a free trade agreement severely restricting the authority of the federal government to protect… Continue reading

Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jun 18, 2013

On Liberty and Security Democrats and Republicans Drastically Differ

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

The gridlock that plagues Washington leads many, fairly or unfairly, to lump together the two parties and declare a pox on both their houses. But most state governments are not gridlocked. Just the opposite. In almost two thirds one party controls both legislative houses (Nebraska has a unicameral legislature) and the governorship: Republicans 20, Democrats… Continue reading

Waste to Wealth

Overview

ILSR's Waste to Wealth program helps communities across the country create policies and practices that address citizens' environmental concerns and economic needs. We help citizens fight the incinerators and landfills that pollute their air and water, and drive property...

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Our Projects

Featured Article filed under Waste to Wealth, Zero Waste & Economic Development | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Jan 21, 2013

New Mexico Recycling Industry Poised to Add 5,000 Jobs

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/nm-recycling-industry-poised-add-5000-jobs/

A new report released by the New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC) details the estimated number of jobs in the recycling industry and predicts how many jobs could be gained through increased recycling activities. It is estimated that close to 5,000 new direct, indirect and induced jobs will be created in New Mexico when the state recycling rate reaches 34%. Continue reading

Featured Article filed under Waste to Wealth, Zero Waste & Economic Development | Written by Neil Seldman | No Comments | Updated on Jan 28, 2013

Decentralized Recycling Models for Cities: Berkeley and El Cerrito, CA

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/decentralized-recycling-models-cities-berkeley-el-cerrito-ca/

Berkeley, CA, and El Cerrito, CA, in the San Francisco Bay area are special examples of government, grassroots, and private business collaboration in recycling and reuse for the past 30 years. Below are comments on the decentralized model by one of its key advocates and activists, Dan Knapp. Dan is the founder of Urban Ore, which operates in both cities. Continue reading

About the Energy Initiative

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Nov 1, 2006

Selection of Energy Ballot Initiatives Will Greet Voters Next Tuesday

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/selection-energy-ballot-initiatives-will-greet-voters-next-tuesday/

Citizens in cities and states across the country will be casting their votes on some interesting energy issues on November 7th. Ballot initiatives ranging from a renewable energy portfolio requirement in Grand Forks, ND to increasing taxes to fund global warming programs in Seattle, WA will give citizens an opportunity to decide directly which path their communities will take. Democratic energy in action!

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Oct 19, 2006

NY Limits Eminent Domain Rights of Gas and Electric Companies

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/ny-limits-eminent-domain-rights-gas-and-electric-companies/

New York Governor George Pataki has signed legislation (Senate Bill S8349-A) that will limit the use of eminent domain by electric and gas corporations.

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Oct 6, 2006

Xcel Energy’s Green Pricing May Be Abolished in Colorado

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/xcel-energys-green-pricing-may-be-abolished-colorado/

The fact that a small portion of Public Service Company of Colorado’s (Xcel Energy) ratepayers pay a “green premium” on their electric bills to support 60 MW of wind energy while 1000 MW of wind power costs will be spread over all customers is deemed to make “little sense.” The PUC staff have proposed the elimination of Xcel’s Windsource green power program and for the program’s cost to be absorbed by the entire ratebase.

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Sep 28, 2006

Four University Campuses in Wisconsin Planning to be Energy Independent and Green in Five Years

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/four-university-campuses-wisconsin-planning-be-energy-independent-and-green-five-years/

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced a pilot program to demonstrate that four state university campuses can make their campuses completely energy independent within the next five years. University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point will take part.

If they meet the challenge, the schools will be the first state-owned facilities capable of acquiring or producing renewable energy equivalent to their consumption.

Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Sep 21, 2006

David Morris on WCCO’s Good Question – Was Gas Priced Low for the Election?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/david-morris-wccos-good-question-was-gas-priced-low-election/

ILSR’s Vice President, David Morris, was interviewed on WCCO’s "Good Question" segment that asked if gas prices were kept low for the election. Segment aired September 21, 2006. Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Sep 11, 2006

Farmer Ownership Should Be Federal Focus in Building Cellulosic Ethanol Industry

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/farmer-ownership-should-be-federal-focus-building-cellulosic-ethanol-industry/

A new report issued by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance urges the U.S. Department of Energy to change its piecemeal approach to commercializing ethanol from cellulose and develop a comprehensive strategy. "The future of American agriculture may depend on this," says David Morris, Vice President of ILSR and author of Putting the Pieces Together: Commercializing Cellulosic Ethanol.

Article, ILSR Press Room filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Sep 11, 2006

Farmer Ownership Should Be Federal Focus in Building Cellulosic Ethanol Industry

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/for-immediate-release-september-11-2006/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 11, 2006 Contact: David Morris, 612-276-3456, dmorris@ilsr.org Farmer Ownership Should Be Federal Focus in Building Cellulosic Ethanol Industry Full report Putting the Pieces Together: Commercializing Cellulosic Ethanol – September 2006 Minneapolis, MN – A new report issued by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance urges the U.S. Department of Energy to… Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Sep 11, 2006

New World Trade Center Complex Will Use On-Site Distributed Generation

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/new-world-trade-center-complex-will-use-onsite-distributed-generation/

The Freedom Tower and other buildings on the redeveloped World Trade Center site will be partially powered from a suite of on-site fuel cell power plants totalling 4.8 MW. According to NY Governor Pataki, the buildings will meet LEED’s gold standard for green buildings.

Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Sep 7, 2006

David Morris on WCCO’s Good Question – Were Gas Prices Pumped Up?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/david-morris-wccos-good-question-were-gas-prices-pumped/

ILSR’s Vice President, David Morris, was interviewed as part of a segment on WCCO’s "Good Question" segment that asked if gas prices were unnaturally pumped up. Segment aired September 7, 2006. Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Sep 6, 2006

ND Cooperative’s Green Pricing Premium Drops to Zero

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/nd-cooperatives-green-pricing-premium-drops-zero/

Finding that wind power provides their customers and business with financial benefits rather than increased costs, Nodak Electric Cooperative announced that they have dropped their green pricing premium altogether for the 650 customers who signed up to purchase renewable energy.

About the Energy Initiative

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