Thanks To Your Local Economy, Renewables Aren’t Going Anywhere (Episode 15)

Welcome to episode fifteen of the Building Local Power podcast. In this episode, Christopher Mitchell, the director of ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews John Farrell and Karlee Weinmann, researchers for ILSR’s Energy Democracy initiative on the prospects of renewable energy given President Trump’s executive orders undermining the Clean Power Plan. The group discusses how the strong market … Read More

Breaking Through Partisanship: Left-Right-Local (Episode 14)

John Farrell, Director of ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative, Stacy Mitchell, Director of Community-Scaled Economies, and David Morris join host Christopher Mitchell to reflect on the role and nature of local policies and politics and the innovative economic structures communities are building.… Read More

The Year in Building Local Power (Episode 8)

Date: 29 Dec 2016 | posted in: Building Local Power, Podcast | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In this episode, Chris Mitchell, the director of our Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews a roundtable of ILSR staff members. Participants are: Olivia LaVecchia of the Community-Scaled Economies initiative, Karlee Weinmann of the Energy Democracy initiative, and Nick Stumo-Langer, ILSR’s Communication Manager.… Read More

Amid Murky Energy Outlook, Some Reasons To Be Thankful [Infographic]

Date: 22 Nov 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Without a clear policy plan from President-Elect Donald Trump, the nation’s energy future hangs in the balance. But in a year that saw an influx of state-level ballot initiatives targeting action in the energy sector, a murky (or hostile) federal landscape will only deepen calls for action in statehouses and city halls. Despite the unclear future, … Read More

Broadband Boosted at the Ballot, An Election Wrap-Up (Episode 5)

Date: 17 Nov 2016 | posted in: Building Local Power, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In this episode, Chris Mitchell, the director of our Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews Lisa Gonzalez, Senior Researcher for the Community Broadband Networks initiative about the recent election and what it means for municipal broadband networks across the nation. In this podcast, Gonzalez delves into the election results coming out of Colorado regarding the two dozen communities who voted to reclaim their broadband connectivity future. 26 additional Colorado cities and counties opted out of a restrictive, cable monopoly-supported state law, passed in 2005, that prevents these entities from providing service or partnering with the private sector.… Read More

Going Beyond Candidates: Three State Initiatives That Could Change America

Date: 11 Nov 2016 | posted in: From the Desk of David Morris, The Public Good | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On November 8th citizens in 35 states vote on 163 ballot initiatives. They cover a wide range of subjects (e.g. marijuana, minimum wage, taxes, gun control). To my mind, initiatives in three states—California on reducing drug prices, South Dakota on revamping its political system, and New Mexico on the inequitable use of bail– stand out as having … Read More

Christopher Mitchell Interviewed on Daily Tech News Show on 2016 Colorado Broadband Ballot Initiatives

Date: 11 Nov 2016 | posted in: Media Coverage, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In the wake of the Tuesday election, 26 separate Colorado communities voted to reclaim their local authority over broadband networks bringing the grand total of communities that have opted out of the restrictive 2005 law, SB152, to 95. Below you can watch the segment of the show regarding this vote, however, the entire show is available at the YouTube link below.… Read More

Seeds of Hope

In February of 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama visited ILSR project manager Linda Bilsens’ backyard urban farm to demonstrate the benefit of growing and eating local. The home gardening magazine Clever Root details this visit and the prominence of the White House Kitchen Garden.… Read More

As Trump Heads to White House, Lack of Actual Policy Threatens U.S. Energy Future

Date: 9 Nov 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The U.S. energy economy faces unprecedented pressure to integrate clean and renewable fuel sources like wind and solar, but after a distracting 2016 presidential campaign sidelined energy policy, troubling and untenable gaps in the president-elect’s strategy remain unchecked. In the run-up to Tuesday’s election, the lone flicker of interest in clean energy was promptly extinguished when … Read More

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