Amazon fulfillment centers impose so many hidden costs on local economies that cities ought to reconsider welcoming them at all, much less greasing the way with public funds.… Read More
Stetser Elementary and Main Street Elementary Green Team students took the lead in starting a successful recycling collection pilot project at their respective schools during Spring 2015. This is the first phase of the Chester Zero Waste School Project, a partnership of the City of Chester, Chester Upland School District, and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance … Read More
Every city, county, and state must think about waste. For most it is a headache, but for a growing number of forward-thinking locales it is a boon for economic development. If your community is interested in green jobs, the discard stream is a logical place to start. When handled properly, the items in the discard stream … Read More
At MuniNetworks.org, we provide resources that support local authority for broadband networks that are directly accountable to the communities they serve. As more community leaders realize the economic benefits of faster, more reliable Internet services, they are pursuing local control of connectivity through public ownership, cooperative models, and other nonprofit approaches. The vast majority of community … Read More
As of January 2015, more communities than ever before have realized the value of publicly owned broadband infrastructure. Many communities that choose to invest in publicly owned infrastructure do so because their needs are not met by large corporate providers. While some invest to bring reliable connectivity to local residents, others have no choice; businesses increasingly need high-speed … Read More
Independent businesses are poised to draw more people this holiday season. To illustrate the ways that local businesses are growing in popularity, delivering stronger economic returns, and expanding in numbers, the Advocates for Independent Business, a coalition of 14 groups coordinated by ILSR, put together this infographic.
This fact sheet provides information on the most common ways local communities finance their municipal networks. When a community decides it needs to establish its own publicly owned network infrastructure, one of the biggest challenges is financing the investment. Each community is unique but three main methods of financing are most popular. This fact sheet offers … Read More
ILSR and the Center for Popular Democracy now offer the Building Community Access Policy Brief. We teamed up with CPD to bring you a fact sheet that succinctly describes our country’s problem with unequal access to broadband. The fact sheet also offers basic solutions that can facilitate development of publicly owned networks. In addition to offering … Read More
Our suggested reading list for better understanding Amazon and the implications of its growing dominance. … Read More
