In Videos for Bernie Sanders, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell Explains Amazon’s Monopoly Power
The two videos have drawn more than 1.8 million views across several platforms.… Read More
Video: Solutionary Perspectives Clean Energy, Community Economy, and Energy Democracy Webinar
Earlier this summer, ILSR Energy Democracy Research Associate Marie Donahue participated in an online video series entitled Solutionary Perspectives, produced by the Backbone Campaign’s Solutionary Rails project. The recent episode “Clean Energy, Community Economy, and Energy Democracy” released last week focuses on the topic of community solar, highlighting on-the-ground examples from Maryland and key resources from ILSR.… Read More
Video: What Is Community Composting? — New 2-Minute Version
Community composters address “What Is Community Composting?” in this 2-minute video.… Read More
Community Solar With an Equity Lens: Generating Electricity and Jobs in North Minneapolis — Episode 57 of Local Energy Rules Podcast
Shiloh Temple, a church two miles from downtown Minneapolis, serves more than just the spiritual needs of the community. After a recent update to its roof, this church in North Minneapolis now serves some of the community’s energy needs, as well.
In May, John Farrell visited the rooftop solar garden and interviewed Timothy DenHerder-Thomas, general manager of Cooperative Energy Futures, the cooperatively-owned company that installed the panels. The two discussed final stages of the project, the justice perspective that makes it unique, and other projects Cooperative Energy Futures has in the queue.… Read More
Small Business Owner Testifies on Internet Access in Congress, Drama Ensues
In North Carolina, no other rural community embodies the rural struggle for high-quality Internet access as well as Pinetops. At a recent hearing in D.C., one of the leading voices in Pinetops, Suzanne Coker Craig, testified before a legislative committee assembled to delve into the issue. During her short five minutes at the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Coker Craig described her town’s rescue by the local municipal network and subsequent betrayal by their state legislature.… Read More
Green America Webinar Focuses on Benefits of Local Recycling
Neil Seldman, a co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and a researcher for the Waste to Wealth initiative, joined Beth Porter of Green America for a webinar in November of 2017.
This webinar focuses on the history and practical aspects of recycling in America. ILSR and Green America (formerly Coop America) have been working partners since the inception of both organizations in the mid 1970s.… Read More
New “Fiber Film Festival” Website Features Our Original Documentaries
You may have missed Cannes this year, but we have something even better — the Fiber Film Festival! This new site will feature superior films that educate viewers about community broadband networks and inspire them to consider the need for universal high-quality connectivity.… Read More
“Dividing Lines” Docu-Series Shows the Reality of Rotten Rural Connectivity
If you have fast, affordable, reliable Internet access, there’s a good chance you don’t live in rural America. With the exception of areas served by local municipal networks, cooperatives, and a few small independent ISPs, businesses and residents in rural areas suffer along with aging, slow, and often expensive connections. In a docu-series by Maria L. Smith, titled “Dividing Lines,” viewers get the opportunity to hear firsthand what it’s like for people who live in places where there is no high-quality connectivity. … Read More
Screening Guide: Learn About Municipal Networks, Connect With Neighbors, Share This Film in Your Community
Generate conversation about broadband access in your community with a screening of the short film, “Do Not Pass Go.” We have created a helpful guide on how to host a screening of the film in your community. Spend some time connecting with others who share your questions about local options and want to learn more. Documentary filmmaker Cullen Hoback traveled to Pinetops, North Carolina, to experience firsthand the battle between municipal networks and private providers. Pinetops is a rural small town that receives high-speed Internet service from the nearby City of Wilson, North Carolina. The large ISPs have tried to put a stop to this with a state law, and all the red tape might kill the small town.… Read More