Renewable Energy World, March 19, 2012 Vermont legislators enacted a groundbreaking bill that streamlines the installation process for small-scale solar – including the elimination of time-consuming and expensive permitting. So, how much does the bill actually reduce the cost of solar? Estimating the true cost of a residential system can be difficult to pin down. According … Read More
Andrew Sullivan’s The Dish, March 16, 2012 Pamela Ravasio wonders if we are designating our land resources appropriately: [T]he plantations of the three largest cotton growers – the US, China and India – alone account for 50 million acres, 42% of all agricultural land. In contrast, food crops amount to some 40 million acres and fuel crops … Read More
The Raw Story, March 15, 2012 Although Walmart has heavily promoted its sustainability initiatives, the company has given millions to lawmakers who oppose stricter environmental regulations. “Walmart talks big about sustainability, but doesn’t put its campaign money anywhere near where its mouth is,” states a report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. “Whatever the company may … Read More
Grist, March 14, 2012 Get a load of this: Nearly 100 million Americans could install over 60,000 megawatts of solar at less than grid prices – without subsidies – by 2021. That’s from a new report by John Farrell at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance called “Rooftop Revolution: Changing Everything with Cost-Effective Local Solar.” It’s about … Read More
Ars Technica, March 13, 2012 One of the benefits of living next to a municipal Internet Service Provider came into focus this month. Residents of Monticello, Minnesota found a hastily composed flyer in their mailboxes. The missive listed Charter Cable’s basic and digital tier offerings, with an extra enticement scribbled in hand on the right side … Read More
Treehugger.com, March 12, 2012 Perhaps no other corporation elicits such strong reactions in the environmental community as Walmart—thanks largely to the impact the mega-retailer has on communities’ small businesses and development patterns, contrasted with pledges to green up their act and potential market impact if the reality ever meets the rhetoric. The latest independent assessment of … Read More
Triple Pundit, March 12, 2012 A report by the Minneapolis-based Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) entitled “Walmart’s Greenwash” examines the retail giant’s environmental impact and finds that the results are falling far short of the promises. According to senior researcher and author Stacy Mitchell, “Walmart’s sustainability campaign has done more to improve the company’s image than … Read More
At BoingBoing.net, ILSR paints a vivid picture, shoot-out style, of their new infographic. Cory Doctorow spoke with Christopher Mitchell about what those “special offers” in Monticello mean.… Read More
Since 2002, Government Technology magazine has dedicated its March issue to highlight 25 people across the country who cut through the public sector’s infamous barriers to innovation – tight budgets, organizational inertia, politics as usual, etc. – to reshape government operations for the better. This year, they honored an eclectic group of individuals from government, academia and the private sector who share a willingness to challenge convention and find new answers to long-standing issues. One of those 2012 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers was our very own Chistopher Mitchell!… Read More
