Building Local Power

The Data Centers Are Coming: Ep. 2 - They Underestimated Us

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 03:04:00 -0400

When a notice appeared in a local newspaper about a company applying for an air quality permit for a power plant, it set off alarm bells in the small West Virginia town of Davis. After residents realized that a major data center project, enabled by West Virginia’s hastily passed state preemption bill, was being pushed through without anyone knowing about it, the community took action. A coalition of artists, outdoor enthusiasts, and generations-deep mining families formed Tucker United, and we met with them to learn about the state of the fight: why Davis, West Virginia; is the proposed reduction in state income tax and influx of data center revenue actually going to reach the local community; and how do they make sure their voice is heard by local and state government and that corporations are held accountable to them in the face of a politics that is pushing an “abundance” agenda of development with few guardrails?

In this episode, we hear from:

Linda Bilsens Brolis: Associate Director for Education for the Composting for Community Initiative, who first told us about this story, and lives in Davis.
Nikki Forrester: Helped launch Tucker United, now serves as the Director of Communications and spokesperson, lives in Tucker County, West Virginia, and is a journalist.
Mayor Alan Tomson: Mayor of Davis, West Virginia, who was alerted about the project and helped organize the initial town hall meeting that led to Tucker United. He shares what inspired him to move from his life as a career Army Officer in D.C. to Davis.
Chris Parquet: lead organizer of Tucker United
Shanae Crossland: member of Tucker United

The Data Centers Are Coming: Ep. 1 - Planting a Flag

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Welcome to Building Local Power’s “The Data Centers Are Coming,” where we journey to some of the most active places in the cross-country battle over data centers in our local communities. We start at the epicenter: Data Center Alley in Loudoun County, Virginia. This once semi-rural community has now been transformed by Big Tech’s sprawling data centers, sparking a fight for land, autonomy, and transparency from local residents. What does it feel like living there now? How is it impacting home values, affordability, energy and water usage, electric bills, and the overall well-being of the people who live nearby? We took a road trip to find out.

In this episode we hear from:

Elena Schlossenberg: Our local tour guide, and deeply involved in grassroots organizing in Prince William County and Loudoun County. She has a deep knowledge of land use management and is the Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect Prince William County.
Greg Pirio: A longtime Sterling, VA resident, Greg’s home literally sits across the street from a Vantage data center. Greg is an artist and has become an unlikely activist, organizing his neighbors to advocate for local solutions and demand accountability for the relentless noise pollution impacting their daily lives.

Introducing "The Data Centers Are Coming"

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Welcome to the newest season of Building Local Power, The Data Centers Are Coming, where we take a trip across the country to some of the hot spots for data center fights. Big Tech is racing for AI dominance, attempting to steamroll local communities through secrecy and shell companies, but that’s only part of the story. We hear from activists and agitated neighbors, experts on energy supply and the environment, and tech correspondents chasing these fights across state lines.

Through this series, we start to uncover just how deeply this conflict is steeped in America’s legacy of monopoly corporations versus motivated local communities. And we learn that one thing is certain: the corporate giants behind the data center boom better not underestimate the power of passionate and organized local resistance.

Internet as a Human Right: Christopher Mitchell on Community Networks

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:22 -0400

You'd think a company with as many resources, employees, and facilities as AT&T or Comcast would have good customer service. Surely, with all the billions of dollars flowing through these businesses, there'd be some resources devoted to creating a really good customer experience, right? If only that were the case. The thing is, these telecom monopolies are so big, with their power so entrenched, that it doesn't matter if their customer service is good. When you control the market, you control the market whether customers are happy or not. Time and again, smaller, locally-controlled telecom companies and networks have better customer service and better products. Because they're small and connected to their communities, these small companies have greater motivation to please their customers. Plus, since they're competing against giants, they have a lot to prove to their customers. This is the crux of one of Christopher Mitchell's arguments about why community broadband matters. Christopher Mitchell, today's guest on Building Local Power, is the head of ILSR's Community Broadband Networks Initiative. Community broadband networks can take many forms, from municipal networks to co-ops and more. These networks are important, says Mitchell, not just because they're better for consumers but because Internet access is essentially a human right in the contemporary world. Reliable and affordable Internet access isn't just about social media and Netflix; everything from healthcare to education and beyond relies on a good Internet connection, all the more reason to leave broadband access in the hands of local communities. On today's episode, Christopher explains all this, as well as sharing his thoughts on his friend, ILSR's recently passed co-founder David Morris. It's a compelling conversation with a passionate advocate. For full show notes and transcript, visit https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-internet-as-a-human-right

Why Solving Waste Has To Be Local: Brenda Platt on Sustainability and Community

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 05:29:21 -0400

We hear it again and again on this show: neighborhoods that are presumed less likely to fight back are taken advantage of by huge corporations and monopolies. Through predatory decisions and massive market power, a chain grocery store erodes a historically black neighborhood into a food desert. Amazon locates a massive warehouse, and its associated noise, congestion, and pollution, into an already vulnerable area of town. The Target in the BIPOC neighborhood is demonstrably worse than the Target in the rich, white part of town. Now we’re seeing the same pattern play out with the question of where to put AI data centers and their enormous environmental demands. The tech companies making these decisions seek out the neighborhoods that have the least political capital, neighborhoods that Brenda Platt calls “areas of least political resistance.” And she would know. Brenda Platt, director of ILSR’s Composting for Community Initiative, has been fighting for sustainability, recycling, reuse, and composting for a bit longer than I’ve been alive. Throughout her nearly 40 year career, Brenda has taken a leading role in shifting the waste industry away from expensive, polluting, and inefficient trash incinerators. Today she’s working tirelessly to not only encourage sustainable waste alternatives like composting, but she’s fighting to ensure that such programs remain under community control and influence. Compost, she says, has to be local by default. It’s silly to ship banana peels across the country, so it’s best to figure out local and sustainable waste alternatives. Here to catch us up on her recent work, Brenda is today’s guest. Listen in to hear the story of her influential work, her reflections on how the incinerator fight resonates today, and her memories of working with beloved ILSR co-founder David Morris. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-why-solving-waste-has-to-be-local

Why Clean Energy Is Not Enough: John Farrell on Lessons from David Morris

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 05:24:47 -0400

When ILSR co-founder David Morris published his pamphlet The Dawning of Solar Cells in 1975, nearly the only people using solar power were those in the Apollo program at NASA. Yet David saw decades into the future as he laid out a vision for community control and local ownership of a solar power system that was better for the climate and kept much more money in local economies than utility monopolies ever would. In many ways, says ILSR co-director and leader of the Energy Democracy Initiative, John Farrell, the world is still catching up with things David Morris wrote 50 years ago. John Farrell is this week's guest. To hear him tell it, one of the most important lessons he took from David Morris was that the idea of clean energy itself isn't enough. In addition to the climate, we must also think about who owns energy and the systems that provide it. If clean energy systems are owned and controlled by energy monopolies, communities still find themselves at the mercy of huge corporations. A true energy revolution will come not only from clean energy, but community-owned clean energy. That's the path to energy self-reliance. That's the path that David Morris charted decades ago, and it's the path that John Farrell and ILSR's energy democracy team follow to this day. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-why-clean-energy-is-not-enough

The Problems You Can Solve: Stacy Mitchell on David Morris’s Legacy

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:01:51 -0400

On this week's episode of Building Local Power, we continue our series honoring ILSR's co-founder David Morris, who passed away in June. One way to measure the impact of someone's work is to measure their influence on those they mentored. And if you ask Stacy Mitchell, the word "influence" isn't even sufficient for what she learned from David Morris. Hired into an entry-level position at ILSR by David Morris in 1997, Mitchell now leads the Independent Business Initiative and co-directs the entire organization. Her time working with Morris led to a long and distinguished career at ILSR and in the broader antimonopoly movement. On this episode, Mitchell shares her reflections on her time working with Morris and on the impact of his work overall. Listen for her insights about how prescient Morris's work is proving to be, as well as his demanding curiosity and tireless advocacy. Ultimately, Mitchell claims, Morris's philosophy is a blueprint for what it means to build local power, and Morris did that until the very end of his life. Don't miss this stirring conversation about one revolutionary's impact on another. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-the-problems-you-can-solve

What Cities Can Do: Remembering David Morris

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 05:11:54 -0400

Here at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, we recently received some shocking news as we learned of the sudden passing of our beloved co-founder, David Morris. A giant in the antimonopoly field, an innovative thinker ahead of his time, and a crucial mentor to so many of us here at ILSR, David will be missed. I imagine I wasn’t alone in diving into ILSR’s archives to understand and revisit David’s work and legacy in the wake of his death. Reading David’s work from the last 50 years reminded me just how much he deeply understood about building local power, often well before political discourse arrived at the same conclusions. That’s the inspiration for this week’s episode of Building Local Power. Today, we’re revisiting episode 22 of Building Local Power, a 2017 interview between David Morris and ILSR's Community Broadband Initiative director, Chris Mitchell. What struck me about this interview was how much of it could be said today and how much David anticipated our current moment. In the interview you’re about to hear, when asked about the source of local power, David explained that the communal nature of cities has had massive power since medieval times. In doing so, David lauds the value of so-called “Sanctuary Cities,” asserting that the term really means mutual protection against a faraway federal government that doesn’t necessarily act in the city’s interest. Such thoughts are almost painfully relevant in the wake of June 14th’s “No Kings” rallies, as those in power cynically exploit tensions about the alleged dangers of cities. There are those who say cities should not be sanctuaries. One of the many pieces of wisdom we have from David Morris’s long career runs counter to that: cities have dramatic potential for their residents to protect each other, and to act in each other’s best interest. That’s how local power is built. I hope you enjoy revisiting this 2017 interview as much as I did. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-what-cities-can-do

Increasing Internet Access at the Speed of Trust: Sean Gonsalves on the Digital Equity Act

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 05:41:32 -0400

The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represented one of the largest ever investments in broadband infrastructure. Many in the digital equity space believed the bill would go a long way to solve the digital divide. Provisions like the Digital Equity Act promised to be powerful tools in ensuring fast and reliable Internet access for all, regardless of money, race, and the rural/urban split. Groups ILSR's Community Broadband Networks team supports got to work applying for and receiving government funds to make major progress bringing equity to the digital space. Then, on a Thursday night in May 2025, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he was cancelling the Digital Equity Act, freezing or suspending all grants awarded for it. The President's decision will likely face legal challenges because the act and the money appropriated for it represent an action that Congress has already taken. Still, the law's cancellation will have wide-ranging and devastating consequences in the digital equity space. Efforts to close the digital divide for the eight populations served by the bill are now halted in their tracks, just as they were gathering speed. On this week's Building Local Power, we are joined by Sean Gonsalves, ILSR’s associate director for communications on the Community Broadband Team. Sean brings his years of experience and expertise to explain to us the consequences and impacts of the cancellation of the Digital Equity Act. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-increasing-internet-access-at-the-speed-of-trust

The Human Side of Government Work: Paola Santana on Procurement

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 29 May 2025 05:49:00 -0400

The United States government is one of the biggest purchasers in the world. Few people or entities spend more money on more goods and services. Add state and local governments to the mix, and you have a massive market with the potential for a lot of businesses to make a lot of money. The process of governments purchasing from businesses, called procurement, quietly hums with billions of dollars every single day. Yet those billions overwhelmingly end up in the pockets of huge corporations and monopolies instead of the local company in your town, which contributes to your local economy and builds local power for your community. This often happens even if that local company is perfectly poised to deliver the exact goods or services needed with top-of-the-line service, speed, and pricing. The game is just rigged. There are many reasons for this. There are also ways to fight it. Enter Paola Santana, whose company, Glass, is working to revolutionize the procurement process in favor of local businesses. Glass’s platform G-Commerce works in many ways to fill the gaps in the procurement process. G-Commerce aims to dismantle the barriers to entry facing small and local businesses. By certifying local businesses and giving them direct access to government purchasers, G-Commerce wants to level the playing field and make small government purchases more possible for local businesses. According to Paola Santana, this is a win-win: local businesses earn lucrative sales, and local governments get better service and even better prices. Paola Santana joins us today on Building Local Power to explain all this and why it’s so important. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-the-human-side-of-government-work

The Champion of Local Champions: Recast City’s Ilana Preuss

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 15 May 2025 05:37:41 -0400

One way to build local power is to catalyze change directly in your community. Another, equally important method is to catalyze the catalysts. To really make change and build sustainable local economies, we need not only entrepreneurs but also people connecting entrepreneurs to each other — someone to champion the local champions. There is solid proof that entrepreneurs fare better when connected to fellow entrepreneurs and mentors. That's where today's guest, Ilana Preuss, comes in. Ilana Preuss connects and supports entrepreneurs and local economies in many ways. Through her company, Recast City, LLC, Preuss advocates for local economic growth through what she calls small-scale manufacturing: nimble, ingenious, local creators who generate economic activity by making stuff and selling it in their communities. She also has worked hard to find solutions to the small business funding gap: BIPOC entrepreneurs, as well as women, have historically found it difficult to access traditional bank financing to start their businesses. How does this dynamic champion of champions do it? Have a listen to this inspiring episode of Building Local Power to find out. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-champion-of-local-champions

The Diner Building Community In Times of Crisis: Ladybird’s Meg Heriford

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 01 May 2025 05:40:09 -0400

Saturday, March 14, 2020, was even busier than the typical bustling Saturday at Ladybird Diner in Lawrence, Kansas. Bottles of handmade hand sanitizer were perched on each table. It was Pi Day, a special occasion for the homey diner famous for its pie. But Ladybird owner Meg Heriford was scared and unsure. The crowds were enough to convince her not to open the next day, instead opting to regroup in advance of the gathering COVID storm. Suddenly, she found herself with a kitchen full of food and nobody to serve it to. What happened next is a testament to the community-building power of independent businesses. We revisit Ladybird Diner's story not to tell a tale from the past, but to provide the prologue for the moment we find ourselves in today. Five years later, Meg is slinging pie amid new crises and political upheaval. But her commitment to her principles is unwavering: Treat her staff well, feed both the privileged and underprivileged of Lawrence, and build community through pie, coffee, and glittery vinyl booths. In an unforgettable Building Local Power episode that can only be described as inspiring, hear directly from Meg about how she stewards her diner through volatile times and why she calls that work noble. For transcript and related resources, see the episode page at https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-the-diner-building-community

Where Things Are Happening: Ron Knox on the State(s) of Antitrust

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 05:11:38 -0400

Ron Knox was a successful reporter covering antitrust and antimonopoly issues until he couldn't take it any more. His growing passion for the fight against corporate power didn't match a reporter's need for neutrality and objectivity. Shedding the mantle of neutrality, Knox joined ILSR to fight for what he believed in: building local power and resisting corporate power. In the years since then, Knox has become a leading voice in the antimonopoly movement, creating resources about everything from Ticketmaster to Kroger to what states can do to fight corporate monopolies. In fact, that very idea is the center of this week's episode of Building Local Power. Knox has been a leader in ILSR's effort to provide resources and tools to help states fight monopolies, and he's here on the show to outline that work. Our galvanizing conversation also covers his antimonopoly history, his soon-to-be-released debut book, and his dreams for the future of the antimonopoly movement. If you're looking to be inspired by what's happening at the state level of the antimonopoly fight, as well as the people driving that movement, this episode is a must-listen. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-ron-knox-on-the-states-of-antitrust

Civil Unrest, Group Chats, and Representation: Rachel Hernandez on Governing as a First-Gen Mayor

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 05:00:30 -0400

In late 2024, Rachel Hernandez ran a successful campaign to become mayor of Riverbank, California. A small town at the top of the state's central valley, Riverbank may not fit into what you imagine as California. There are no beaches or Hollywood signs here. The town follows the rhythm of the harvest with workers passing through following the crops. If Riverbank isn't your typical California town, Rachel Hernandez isn't your typical mayor. But she doesn't shy away from that fact. Hernandez has made her identity a central part of her governing and campaigning. She's young. She's Latina. She's the daughter of immigrants. She's a renter, not a homeowner. In this way, she represents exciting generational changes in who is claiming stewardship of American cities and towns. How does she do it? The answer is actually pretty simple: partnerships. This episode of Building Local Power features Rachel Hernandez sharing her insights on all that and more. Have a listen to what the future of local governance looks like. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-rachel-hernandez-on-governing-as-a-first-generation-mayor

“A Little Odd, but A Little Amazing”: Adriana Valdez Young and the Secret Mall Apartment

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 05:35:13 -0400

In the early 2000s, a behemoth rose above Providence, Rhode Island. The massive Providence Place Mall was heralded as the solution to Providence's 1990s economic woes and cited as a catalyst for urban renewal. However, not all residents of Providence welcomed the mall. For one thing, the wave of corporate development inspired by the mall leveled working-class neighborhoods on Providence's West Side. These ethnically diverse neighborhoods were magnets for artists and other changemakers. In 2003, eight of those artists, including Adriana Valdez Young, undertook a project to reclaim some of what had been lost. The Secret Mall Apartment was their way to become developers in their own right. In the wake of corporate developers claiming every inch of available space, these artists found some space of their own to develop, hidden in plain sight within the mall. The project is the subject of the new documentary Secret Mall Apartment, and one of its stars joins us on this episode of Building Local Power. Our conversation with Adriana Valdez Young explains why the apartment was more than just a prank, how the mall forever altered Providence, and why inclusive design is essential for healthy urban development. Listen in, and never look at a mall the same way again. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-a-little-odd-but-a-little-amazing

Taking a Risk for Rural Economic Growth with Dante Pittman

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 05:25:59 -0500

The third episode in the Building Local Power, The New Class series finds us talking to North Carolina State Rep Dante Pittman, recently elected to represent his hometown of Wilson, NC and the surrounding Wilson County. From municipal fiber broadband to monumental folk art, Wilson has never shied away from innovative ideas. Those ideas, and the dynamic leaders who embraced them, have led to a rare thing: a small city in the rural South that is showing promising growth. Rural America has lagged far behind big cities in economically recovering from the Coronavirus Pandemic, slowing growth across the region. In a lively conversation, Pittman shares the ways Wilson has found ways to buck that trend and attract new residents, support its businesses, and create robust communities. Further, Pittman shares his strategies for encouraging that growth from his new seat in the North Carolina Statehouse. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-taking-a-risk-for-rural-economic-growth

From Neighborhood Streets to City Hall with Zac Blanchard

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 05:25:57 -0500

The second episode in the Building Local Power, The New Class series finds us talking to Baltimore City Councilman Zac Blanchard, who recently won a tight race to unseat his District 11's incumbent. Blanchard, a Marine vet and father of two young children, got his political start joining and eventually leading neighborhood associations. That experience, combined with his love for Baltimore, influenced his political philosophy and will guide him during his city council tenure. In this episode's wide-ranging conversation, Blanchard and host Danny Caine discuss Baltimore's challenges while also unpacking what makes Baltimore such a uniquely beautiful place. Blanchard shares his thoughts on the city's architecture and character and his journey to calling Baltimore home and eventually representing the key 11th District, which contains significant parts of Downtown and the iconic Inner Harbor. He also weighs in on the city's worst-in-the-nation heat island problem, driven by the presence of large trash incinerators within city limits. Other topics addressed include internet connectivity, highway removal, and the importance of bringing grocery stores to Baltimore's walkable neighborhoods. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-from-neighborhood-streets-to-city-hall

Staying Local at the Statehouse with Tristan Rader

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 04:45:13 -0500

This episode is the first in our new season of Building Local Power, The New Class, where we are talking to interesting changemakers among the state and local politicians newly elected in November 2024. Our first guest is Tristan Rader, representing District 13 in Ohio's House of Representatives. District 13, which is host Danny Caine's district, covers the near-West Side of Cleveland as well as the inner-ring suburb of Lakewood. Rader's experiences range from working with the Cleveland Food Bank to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign to Lakewood City Council. On this episode, Rader weighs in on what makes Cleveland great and why organized labor is a vital part of that history. We also talk about local energy, taxation, and how exactly large corporations took such control of Ohio's economic policy. A through-line of the discussion is how Ohio's Republican supermajority shapes state politics and how Rader hopes to successfully fight for change in the district he represents. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-staying-local-at-the-statehouse

How Structural Racism Fuels American Monopolies

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 05:38:13 -0500

The inspiration for this season of Building Local Power is ILSR's Power Play report, written by ILSR senior editor and researcher Susan Holmberg. Sue joins us today for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about the report and its main finding: that monopolies leverage systemic racism to build and retain their power. Our conversation ties together the previous conversations in our Power Play series, from organizing an Amazon warehouse to consumer redlining to the inequitable environmental harm of AI data centers. Sue discusses the monstrous costs of monopoly power to communities of color and the interconnected ways corporate power can ensnare these communities. But it's not all doom and gloom. Sue, like her report, has much to say about legislative and community fixes to the problem of monopoly power and structural racism. If you want to know not only how monopolies damage communities of color but also how to fix it, this conversation is a must-listen. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-structural-racism-fuels-american-monopolies

“The Bad Target”: The Rise of Consumer Redlining

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 05:43:28 -0500

AI technology and large language models are growing in popularity. Also growing is the technology's detrimental effect on the environment. Each query into ChatGPT, to use one example, requires billions of calculations. Multiply that by millions of users, and suddenly, tech companies need to greatly expand their computing power in the form of new, energy-draining data centers. Each of those centers requires staggering amounts of fresh water to keep its servers cool. By some estimates, just 10 ChatGPT queries are equivalent to evaporating a 16oz bottle of water. For context, the popularity of these queries has resulted in one of the major technology companies now having the same annual water consumption as PepsiCo. Joining us on Building Local Power to discuss what this all means is UC Riverside professor Dr. Shaolei Ren. Continuing our series exploring how monopolies exploit structural racism to gain monopoly power, Ren not only outlines the environmental effects of AI but also explains how data center location decisions by Big Tech companies exacerbate environmental inequity. Almost all of the counties most affected by AI's climate harms are low-income communities and Black communities. What can policymakers and the public do? Ren has ideas for that, too, as he pushes for what he calls "health-informed computing." For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-environmental-inequity-of-ai

A Rebalancing Act: How We Restore Local Power in 2025

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 05:13:23 -0500

ILSR co-executive directors Stacy Mitchell and John Farrell join Reggie Rucker to discuss the year in ILSR and the issues we care about. What did the media get wrong about the economy in the lead-up to the election? How can voter frustration turn into positive political change? Will we ever move past "change elections?" Will the antitrust revival last through the next four years? How can states and cities fight corporate consolidation and monopoly power? What victories did the antitrust movement see in 2024, and how can we replicate that success in the future? And how can ILSR help? All of these questions and much, much more come up in this in-depth and far-reaching conversation between ILSR's fearless leaders. Building Local Power's special year-end 2024 recap episode charts how we got to this moment, and what the path ahead can look like. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-a-rebalancing-act

The Environmental Inequity of AI

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 05:32:23 -0500

Pizza, DMs, and Solidarity: Filming the Amazon Labor Fight

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 05:15:17 -0500

In March, 2020, Amazon warehouse worker Chris Smalls led a walkout protesting a lack of Covid-19 safety measures at the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island. He was fired two hours later. In the following days, a leaked memo revealed that the Amazon c-suite (including Jeff Bezos) was planning to discredit Smalls by racially scapegoating him. When aspiring documentarian Mars Verrone heard the story, they sent an Instagram DM to Smalls asking about the prospect of turning his story into a movie. Now, three years later, that movie is here: the acclaimed new documentary Union, which chronicles Smalls' successful efforts to unionize JFK8. For this episode of Building Local Power, Verrone joins us to share the story of Union's creation, as well as the challenges distributing a film like this. They also provide insights into the role that race plays in the story of Chris Smalls and the labor struggle in general. This lively and memorable conversation is the second in our series of episodes about race and monopoly power. For the full transcript and related resources, visit ilsr.org: https://ilsr.org/articles/filming-the-amazon-labor-fight

Amazon, Labor, and Race

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 05:14:30 -0500

For many years, Reverend Ryan Brown has been a picker at Amazon's RDU1 warehouse outside of Raleigh, NC. In 2020, he was asked to work in a part of the warehouse he knew was a dangerous COVID hot spot. He refused, calling his decision to do so a "Rosa Parks moment." In the immediate aftermath, Reverend Ryan and some comrades founded Amazon CAUSE (Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment) and began campaigning to unionize RDU1. In this episode, Reverend Ryan and fellow CAUSE organizer Adam Stromme join host Danny Caine for a lively discussion of their unionizing efforts. Running through the conversation is the truth that systemic racism is deeply intertwined with the labor struggles at Amazon's warehouses. It's the first episode in a series inspired by ILSR's Power Play report, exploring how monopolies exploit systemic racism to build and maintain their power. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-amazon-labor-and-race

Bookstores and Local Power with BLP’s New Host, Danny Caine

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 05:30:25 -0400

The first bookstore Danny Caine fell in love with was a suburban Cleveland outpost of a mega-chain. Since then, he has not only fallen in love with independent bookstores and other local businesses but has also become a widely known advocate against Amazon and other corporate monopolies. Now, he's the new host of Building Local Power. This week's episode features Danny talking with co-host Reggie Rucker about his history, advocacy, and path to ILSR. Danny also shares his future plans for the podcast in hopes of inviting more folks into the Building Local Power conversation. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/blp-new-host-danny-caine

The Will and the Way to Revive ‘the Mecca’

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 06:31:40 -0400

The destruction of Dorr Street in Toledo, Ohio isn’t just a story of physical destruction; it's about the dismantling of crucial social infrastructure that once allowed residents to communicate, organize, and thrive. In the final episode of our Toledo season, we are joined by board president of the Lucas County Commission, Pete Gerken to discuss the legacy of Dorr Street — a once-thriving hub of Black culture, commerce, and community in Lucas County that was fractured by the construction of the interstate highway system. Today, Dorr Street struggles with another legacy of failed government policy: chain dollar stores. These dollar stores highlight a broader trend of disinvestment in communities of color. But, Gerken is committed to reinvesting in Dorr Street. He champions using local tax dollars to support small businesses and combat corporate greed, advocating for a food overlay district to address food apartheid and uplift community health. His philosophy is clear: power yields nothing without a demand, and the fight for local power must be relentless. With the support of local activists and a dedicated political class in Lucas County, Gerken believes that real, positive change is within reach. The journey to revitalize Dorr Street will be long and challenging, but as Gerken puts it, "You don't start till you start." For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/the-will-and-the-way-to-revive-the-mecca

Mending Broken Promises on Dorr Street

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 05:43:49 -0400

Toledo’s Dorr Street bears the deep scars of federal policies that stripped away Black economic power and prosperity. Once a thriving center of Black business, Dorr Street was decimated by discriminatory practices that prioritized urban expressways over vibrant communities. In this episode of Building Local Power, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz addresses this destruction and the long-overdue promises of renewal. With $22 million in federal funds now aimed at reconnecting the Dorr Street neighborhood torn apart by I-75, there's a glimmer of hope. While this investment can't undo the past, it's a crucial step toward healing. As the city undertakes transformative projects like the Uptown Innovation District, Toledo’s renewal efforts stand as a powerful testament to the resilience of its people and the strength of community-driven change. For the full transcript and related resources, visit the episode page: https://ilsr.org/articles/mending-broken-promises-on-dorr-street

A Heyday in the Toledo Life

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 05:00:27 -0400

Johnetta Turner McCollough and her husband, Nelson, ran The Spot, a popular restaurant on Dorr Street, Toledo, that was more than just a business—it was, well, the Spot. Known for its lively late-night gatherings and frog legs The Spot offered a unique space where people came to eat, unwind, and enjoy jazz music after the bars closed. Johnetta was only 24 when her husband Nelson was tragically killed, and soon after, their restaurant, home, and the spirit of Dorr Street were destroyed by urban renewal. Promised development turned into empty lots and minimal investment, leaving a fractured community in its wake. Reflecting on her experiences, Johnetta recalls the profound loss: "We didn't miss it until it was gone. It was a time when the people who owned the businesses were friends, neighbors, and Black. They employed Black people, and it was a good time. But we didn't realize what we had until it was taken away." Dorr Street's legacy lives on in the stories of those like Johnetta, who remember its culture, resilience, and spirit. Though the street as they knew it is gone, its impact on the community and those who lived it will never fade. For the full episode transcript and related resources, visit the episode page at ilsr.org: https://ilsr.org/articles/a-heyday-in-the-toledo-life

Rediscovering Toledo’s Black Wall Street

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 05:00:23 -0400

Lifelong Toledo resident Doris Greer takes us back to a time when Dorr Street was the heart of Black wealth, culture, and community. Doris vividly recalls the bustling Black-owned businesses, close-knit neighbors, and a deep sense of pride and ownership. But today, that vibrant community has been replaced by empty lots and chain dollar stores, a result of decades of disinvestment, discrimination, and corporate consolidation. Beginning with Doris’ firsthand account of Dorr Street’s destruction, our Toledo series explores the impact of federal policy that ushered in the forces of destruction, and the ongoing efforts to reclaim and rebuild the heart of Toledo’s Black community. For the full episode transcript and related resources, visit the episode page at ilsr.org: https://ilsr.org/articles/rediscovering-toledos-black-wall-street

Healthy Skepticism of Pharmacy Giants is Spreading

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 05:00:36 -0400

Independent pharmacies are the unsung heroes of healthcare, providing critical services that chain pharmacies simply can't match. On this summer special, ILSR’s Stacy Mitchell illustrates how corporate giants like CVS and Walgreens have used predatory tactics to drive these vital local businesses to the brink of extinction in communities and have, in many cases, subsequently abandoned these communities, creating pharmacy deserts and pushing people towards unreliable mail-order services. Stacy reflects on the significant shift in our federal regulatory agencies since the 2020 Building Local Power episode “Independent Pharmacies are on the Front Lines of COVID-19 Care,” which we revisit after the interview. She explains how we're witnessing a dramatic transformation in the federal approach to curbing predatory practices. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently released a report exposing how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are driving up drug costs and squeezing out main street pharmacies. The federal government is finally recognizing the need to challenge the monopoly power of these pharmacy giants and advocate for policies that support independent pharmacies and the communities they serve.

Absolute Power Corrupting Our Energy System

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 05:00:44 -0400

In the groundbreaking report Upcharge: Hidden Costs of Electric Utility Monopoly Power, John Farrell exposes the severe environmental, financial, and economic costs imposed by monopoly utilities. John joins Building Local Power to discuss how these utilities perpetuate a monopoly model that is damaging our health, environment, and economy. He uncovers the corruptive forces of monopoly utilities, their far-reaching consequences, and proposes actionable solutions. During the interview, John reflects on what’s changed since he and David Pomerantz discussed the dark side of the electricity business in the 2019 Building Local Power episode we replay after the interview. He shares what keeps him hopeful and why he believes we will continue making progress toward a distributed and democratic energy system.

A National Strategy for Community Composting

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 05:00:38 -0400

Last month, the Biden White House released its National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. ILSR’s Julia Spector joins Building Local Power to discuss how the leading advocacy of ILSR and allied organizations led to community composting becoming a featured component of the national strategy, and how far we’ve come since we aired the 2019 episode of Building Local Power entitled “Why Scale Matters in Protecting the Climate and How Composting Can Help.” Julia explains how the strategy’s goals — reducing methane emissions and increasing organics recycling with an emphasis on the importance of local and decentralized composting — are met by being mindful of how scale matters in tackling climate change, creating jobs, and building resilient local food systems. Following this introduction, we replay the conversation from the “Why Scale Matters” episode of Building Local Power for a deeper dive into the topic, highlighting the progress from unrelenting advocacy to integrate community composting into federal policies, ultimately showcasing how local power can drive substantial environmental and social benefits.

DOJ Takes On Live Nation/Ticketmaster

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 05:00:41 -0400

In 2019, we aired an episode titled "Independent Musicians and the Antimonopoly Movement," which explored the impact of industry concentration on independent musicians. We are resurfacing that episode in light of recent news that the Department of Justice is suing Live Nation for hindering competition following its 2011 merger with Ticketmaster. ILSR’s Ron Knox joins us to explain the lawsuit's two main points: Live Nation and Ticketmaster's monopolization of the industry and their use of power to exclude rivals and prevent competition. As Ron explains, the lawsuit signifies a major shift in government policy and underscores the importance of collective action among fans, workers, and small business groups in tackling corporate concentration and monopoly power. The 2019 episode details the impact of concentration on independent musicians and how we can rebuild our media ecosystem to make it equitable. You can find that post and episode here.

Inside Scoop on Local News’ Future

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 05:00:51 -0400

Veteran journalist, Harry Jaffe, reflects on his four-decade career dedicated to covering some of Washington D.C.’s stories, emphasizing the crucial role of local reporters in holding public officials accountable and keeping communities informed. Harry, founder of Spotlight DC, a nonprofit supporting investigative journalism, underscored the challenges facing local media amidst economic pressures and shifting consumer habits. He lamented the decline of resources allocated to local coverage, citing the closure of institutions like DCist as a significant loss for the community. Harry is hopeful that Councilmember Janeese Lewis George's Local News Funding Act, which proposes allocating $11.5 million in direct funding to media outlets that are chosen by DC residents, will potentially reshape the landscape of local news coverage. Harry’s message resonates beyond the Beltway, urging communities everywhere to support the journalists dedicated to telling the community’s stories.

Reviving the Riverfront, and D.C.

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 30 May 2024 05:00:45 -0400

In 2000, Uwe Brandes moved to Washington, D.C. to join Mayor Williams' administration with a bold vision to transform the Anacostia River waterfront, one of the nation’s most polluted rivers at the time. Uwe spearheaded a participatory planning process that was and still is far too rare, actively involving communities and stakeholders directly impacted by the revitalization efforts. He adeptly translated these community conversations into comprehensive urban planning documents, which were subsequently codified into the city's comprehensive plan. These documents now serve as the guiding framework for D.C.'s investments. Today, Uwe is a distinguished professor of urban planning at Georgetown University. He continues to influence D.C.'s development through his roles on various committees and initiatives, ensuring that community-oriented and community-led principles remain at the forefront of the city's growth.

Essential Tools for Neighborhood Revitalization

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 16 May 2024 01:00:45 -0400

Arriving in the nation's capital in the mid-90s, Gina Schaefer found herself drawn to Logan Circle, a neighborhood that had been scarred by the riots following Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Inspired by the community's resilience and potential, Gina embarked on a mission to fill a void in the neighborhood, starting with the establishment of her first Ace Hardware store. Gina's vision always extended far beyond commerce. Recognizing the importance of community involvement, she actively engaged with local residents and organizations to understand their needs and aspirations. She made it a priority to hire individuals from the local community, including those facing barriers to employment, such as former inmates and individuals in recovery. Recently, Gina initiated an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) to gradually transfer ownership of their business to their employees. This transition not only empowers workers but also gives them agency over their own lives and financial futures. For additional resources visit: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

The Seed of Local Power

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 02 May 2024 08:41:18 -0400

In 1974, in Washington D.C., amidst a backdrop of economic turbulence and social unrest, the seeds of the Institute for Local Self-reliance were sown. David Morris, Neil Seldman, and Gil Friend, driven by a shared vision of community resilience, founded the Institute in a townhouse in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. Their goal was to demonstrate that our economies and environments can thrive when rooted in community cooperation and mutual aid. Fifty years later, in the face of prevailing national norms promoting centralization, ILSR continues to challenge the status quo through research, advocacy, and grassroots organizing, promoting a framework of decentralized production, responsibility, and authority. For additional resources visit: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Giving DC Its Flowers

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 11:09:13 -0400

Born and raised in DC, Kehmari Norman established her flower shop to bridge culture and floristry. The visionary behind Blk Flower Market drew from her background as a stage designer at Temple University, transforming her skills into landscape design, intertwining environmentalism with entrepreneurship. Throughout the episode, Kehmari highlights the significance of authenticity and cultivating connections rooted in one's identity. She recognizes that “relationships are our best currency,” evident in her efforts to unite people through floristry workshops, farmers markets, and community events. Related Resources: Black Flower Market website: https://www.blackflowermarket.com/ Find @blkflwrmrkt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blkflwrmrkt?igsh=YjJvbmJjdWJ5c3Zq Articles: First-ever BLK Market event showcases variety of Black-owned businesses in Richmond - https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/first-ever-blk-market-event-showcases-variety-of-black-owned-businesses-in-richmond/ This Washingtonian florist is giving bouquets to families of homicide victims - https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/giving-people-their-flowers-dc-florist-gives-bouquets-to-families-experiencing-loss-due-to-homicides-in-dc/65-2186ae11-b307-4907-8c53-52c4ee0b7aa5 Kehmari's Book Recommendation: Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler - https://bookshop.org/p/books/bloodchild-and-other-stories-octavia-e-butler/577106?ean=9781583226988

New Generational Wealth in Detroit

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:42:35 -0400

In the heart of Detroit, a movement is underway to rebuild democracy and economic power from the ground up. The Detroit Community Wealth Fund sits at the epicenter of this movement, providing non-extractive capital and technical assistance that empowers local businesses and cooperatives. Co-founder Margo Dalal and director of community programming Rosie DeSantis joined Building Local Power to discuss their approach to fostering solidarity, building community wealth, and reshaping their economy by starting with what’s best for the people of Detroit rather than corporate shareholders. For additional resources visit: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

It Takes an Avalon Village

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:20:30 -0400

Mama Shu’s journey began with a profound commitment: healing her community. Despite the challenges faced by her hometown of Highland Park, Mama Shu felt a deep connection to the area. Determined to make a difference, she embarked on a mission to reclaim neglected spaces, tirelessly working to steward the land, organize the community, and secure resources for revitalization. Today, Avalon Village owns 45 lots that have been transformed into vibrant community spaces, including gardens, parks, a homework house, markets, a cafe, an entrepreneurial hub, a healing space, and more. Yet, Mama Shu’s impact extends beyond physical infrastructure. Her holistic approach to community development embraces spiritual and cultural revitalization, honoring and celebrating her departed loved ones while nurturing a loving space for future generations. Avalon Village stands as a testament to the resilience of communities and the transformative power of collective action.

Detroit Has No Time to Waste Food

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 11:02:35 -0500

Reneé’s journey began with a simple idea: composting isn’t just about reducing waste — it’s about building communities. Reneé V. Wallace, executive director at FoodPLUS Detroit, empowers Detroiters to drive systemic change within themselves, their homes, and throughout their community. Through innovative pilot projects like banding neighbors together to utilize alleys for community projects, partnering with farmers’ markets to pick up wasted food, and creating compost systems at universities to build bridges between farmers and students, Reneé is revolutionizing how we think about sustainability. By fostering collaboration and community engagement, Reneé is not only transforming Detroit’s economy but also nurturing a more resilient and sustainable future for all. For additional resources visit: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Feeding Detroit

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 19:21:50 -0500

Lanay Gilbert-Williams, born and raised in Detroit, experienced a childhood marked by both trauma and love, instilling in her a deep sense of community. On this episode of Building Local Power: The City Series, Lanay shares her journey to becoming the board president of The Detroit People’s Food Cooperative, a grocery store grounded in the principles of Black community ownership and food sovereignty. Inspired by the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network, the cooperative embodies intergenerational and interracial collaboration. In sharing her story, Lanay emphasizes the importance of local self-reliance, advocating for solutions grown within the city and tailored to its residents. The Detroit People’s Food Cooperative represents a vital step towards fostering food sovereignty in a neighborhood historically affected by food apartheid, contributing to Detroit’s journey towards greater self-sufficiency and empowerment. For additional resources visit: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Writing Detroit’s Next Chapter

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 05:00:12 -0500

A vibrant independent bookstore symbolizes a shared community enthusiasm for learning, discovery, heritage, and progress. Source Booksellers, nestled in Detroit, has long been a reliable hub for non-fiction literature. Janet W. Jones established the store in 1989 and nurtured her daughter, Alyson Jones Turner, amidst its shelves. Alyson recounts the origin of Source Booksellers and its vital significance in fostering self-awareness, meaningful dialogue, and shared history within the community. Alyson elaborates on how local self-reliance, to her, embodies a robust support network among individuals, businesses, and organizations—a spirit of cooperation rather than competition. For additional resources visit: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

The City Series

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 05:00:50 -0500

In our new season of Building Local Power, The City Series, we take a tour of cities and towns across the U.S. and talk to guests who are working to make their communities more locally self-reliant. Independent business owners, elected city officials, and community leaders explain how their work is moving the needle toward a more just, sustainable, and democratic future. Upcoming Cities: Detroit Washington, D.C. Baltimore If you want your city to be a focus in an upcoming season, send an email to buildinglocalpower@ilsr.org.

How to Get Away With Merger Season Recap

Luke Gannon — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 05:00:29 -0500

Over the past fifty years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the judiciary have consistently approved mergers and acquisitions, contributing to the consolidation of industries that have proven to be bad for competition, consumers, and communities. Despite the prevalence of these mergers and acquisitions, the stories featured this season serve as a reminder of the power of local initiatives to challenge profit-driven corporate consolidation. These efforts are combatting corporatism within their communities and states, mobilizing grassroots movements, and working towards a shared vision for a healthier and more sustainable future. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Cleanup on Aisle 1990

Luke Gannon — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:00:47 -0500

Is this the end of a grocery merger era that began with 385 grocery mergers from 1996-1999 alone? As news about the impending Federal Trade Commission decision to approve or deny the Kroger/Albertsons merger looms large, ILSR’s Ron Knox delves into the dominance of major grocery chains and explores the potential consequences of the proposed merger. In the second half of the episode, ILSR’s Kennedy Smith introduces her new “Community Wins” series, which highlights stories of communities establishing grocery stores that adopt innovative approaches to ownership, access, and governance. The burgeoning trend of community-driven grocery models is fueling a broader revolution of local initiatives across the country, fostering local economic resilience in the face of expanding corporate power. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Sparking a Community Broadband Revolution

Luke Gannon — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:00:18 -0500

In many places across the country, broadband communications provider, Sparklight, has a monopoly in rural towns where they price gouge their customers and deliver poor service. It has significantly expanded its presence across the U.S. through acquisitions and investments in broadband companies in recent years, and East Carroll Parrish leaders Wanda Manning and Laura Arvin have experienced the consequences of this consolidation firsthand. The two journey through their experience fending off Sparklight in their small Southern town, building a task force to create a fiber-to-the-home network so historically marginalized populations could have fast and affordable Internet access, addressing the challenges faced by communities left out of the digital landscape. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Consolidation in the Cord-Cutting Era

Luke Gannon — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 05:00:57 -0500

In 2015, Charter Spectrum bought Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, a mammoth merger in the telecommunications and cable industry that made Charter the second-largest broadband provider in the nation. Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel and manager of special projects at Consumer Reports explains how the cable industry changed dramatically after the passage of the Telecom Act, why millions of consumers are cutting the cord and leaving cable, and what the telecom giants are doing to maintain their monopoly on the way people exchange information. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Investment Funds v. A Democratic Future

Institute for Local Self-Reliance — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 05:00:08 -0400

The Permian Basin, the largest producing oil field in the United States, is located in Texas. JP Morgan is a major shareholder of the Permian Basin and in 2019, through its affiliate, Infrastructure Investment Fund (IIF), successfully acquired the El Paso Electric utility company. The utility is responsible for powering the city and operates three significant gas plants that convert fracked gas into electricity, and JP Morgan saw the acquisition of El Paso Electric as a lucrative opportunity to amplify their profits from the oil and gas industry. Amanacer People’s Project saw it differently. They saw the proposed acquisition of El Paso Electric as a direct threat to climate justice. Despite unsuccessfully blocking the acquisition, Miguel Escoto from Amanacer is optimistic about the region’s prospects for transitioning to democratic control over our energy grid. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

New Mexicans v. Fossil Fuel Giants

Luke Gannon — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 05:00:53 -0400

In 2020, Avangrid, backed by its parent company, Iberdrola, filed their case to buy Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM). Over the next three years, Mariel Nanasi of the New Energy Economy fought alongside allies to prevent the acquisition, showcasing the company’s appalling track record and arguing that the acquisition would increase rates, escalate dysfunctional customer service, and harm the environment. Just last month, the case made it to the New Mexico Supreme Court. Krystal Curley, the Executive Director at Indigenous Lifeways, shares with us her concerns about monopoly utility companies exacerbating environmental and social injustices, emphasizing the need to protect sacred sites and natural resources. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

BlackRock v. Black Gold

Luke Gannon — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 05:00:24 -0400

In 2022, international investment firm BlackRock acquired Vanguard Renewables, to help Vanguard drastically expand its number of large-scale anaerobic digestion facilities across the U.S. and BlackRock’s own energy portfolio. Brenda Platt, director of ILSR’s Composting for Community Initiative shares her concern that like in many industries, this trend towards concentrated dominance over the inputs and outputs of this new technology control will ultimately harm communities and starve them of the resources necessary to build thriving, sustainable local economies. Dior St. Hillaire co-director of the NYC composting service BK ROT, adds to the discussion with her vision for New York City that centers local economies, community engagement, and educational spaces fostered by community composting. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

A Rotten Waste Merger

Luke Gannon — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 05:00:23 -0400

Lead Editor at Waste Dive, Cole Rosengren, explains how the Waste Management and Advanced Disposal merger further consolidated the $90 billion annual waste and recycling industry, the pushback it faced from local entities, and how it impacted communities across the nation. Kirstie Pecci, Executive Director at Just Zero, shares her journey that led to the fight against polluters in her hometown and sheds light on the strategies employed by Big Waste to target low-income communities and communities of color for landfill expansion. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Beer Mergers Brew Disaster

Luke Gannon — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:11:41 -0400

In the late 1800’s there were 4,000 breweries. By the 1970’s, just 40 companies operated 89 breweries. ILSR’s Ron Knox explains how the beer industry is now dominated by just a few large conglomerates who control distribution and present challenges for craft breweries. He showcases how when mega-corporation, Budweiser, bought SABMiller they promised efficiencies, that were never fulfilled. On the second half of the episode, Amanda Wright, Chief Operating Officer at Blaker’s Brewing details the unique charms of being an independent brewer. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

How To Get Away With Merger (Season Preview)

Luke Gannon — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 05:00:21 -0400

Our new season shatters the deceptive facade often employed by merging companies that claim their consolidation will benefit consumers.… Read More

Keeping My Public Options Open

Luke Gannon — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 05:00:21 -0400

In this episode of Building Local Power, Chris Noble, the Director of Organizing at Health Access California, and Allison Hardt, the Community Development Director at T1 International, share their personal experiences accessing life-saving medication in America that ultimately led to their efforts supporting the CalRx plan to publicly produce life-saving medications, starting with insulin. Chris was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age five, setting in motion a chain of events that motivates his efforts to bring awareness to the market failures that exacerbate the high cost of medicine in the United States. Allison witnessed the challenges her mother faced as a nurse in an increasingly impersonal healthcare system and eventually, through her partner, became intimately familiar with the daily struggles and unbearable costs associated with accessing insulin. In the second half of the episode, ILSR Co-Director Stacy Mitchell delves into the hidden world of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — their role in the pharmaceutical industry and how their practices hinder people like Chris and Allison from obtaining essential medicines at reasonable prices. She explains how three PBMs currently dominate the industry, controlling over 80% of all insured prescriptions in the United States, enabling self-dealing practices that undermine fair competition and transparency at the expense of people’s health. Stacy calls for a “marriage of antitrust policies and public action,” a two-pronged approach to promote competition by decentralizing power and increasing public investment. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Broadband is Good for Your Health

Luke Gannon — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 05:00:37 -0400

Kay Eady, a lifelong Georgian, fondly recalls spending her childhood playing baseball with her siblings, reading at the library, and admiring her mother and grandmother. As she embarked on her adult educational journey, Kay learned that despite her individual blessings, there was an abundance of disparities for low-income communities and communities of color, particularly in the rural South. This was especially true for access to healthcare, and Kay devoted herself to bridging this gap. One such opportunity to bridge the gap is increasing broadband service to rural communities, opening the door for greater telehealth access. Her work at the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative, empowering communities to speak up for their needs and advocating for broadband infrastructure, has paved the way for improved healthcare access and quality of life. In the second half of the episode, Ry Marcattilio, the Associate Director for Research at ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks initiative, highlights how investments in broadband in the rural south can improve access to healthcare, education, economic development, and community engagement. Ry emphasizes that broadband service is a crucial social determinant of health and discusses the advantages of telehealth in improving patient outcomes and healthcare delivery. One of the biggest obstacles, Ry explains, is monopolistic telecom companies that put profit over service, and largely neglect rural areas. However, Ry notes that electric and telephone cooperatives can bridge the connectivity gap. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Left Out in the Coal

Luke Gannon — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 05:00:35 -0400

From an early age, Rose was taught that if you see a problem, you have a responsibility to do something about it. Now in her 70s and living just seven miles from the Sherco coal-fired power plant, Rose shares her story and secrets with us of how she is applying this lesson — working with the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal” campaign and successfully mobilizing hundreds of concerned residents in an effort to shut down the plant, and others in the region. Tyson Slocum, the director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, joins the second half of the episode to discuss how private equity firms across the country have been acquiring and sustaining coal plants like the ones Rose is fighting against. He explains how private equity firms operate differently from traditional corporations in financing and transparency, insulating them from public scrutiny and pressure to address climate change and adhere to certain ideals. Tyson provides examples of private equity firms exploiting market design changes to extract value from these plants, leaving long-term liabilities, environmental concerns, and residents’ health behind. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Housing Is Where the Heart Is

Luke Gannon — Thu, 18 May 2023 05:00:32 -0400

When Jasmine’s apartment roof started caving in, she asked her landlords to fix it. Instead of fixing it, the landlord gave her an ultimatum: accept the conditions or leave. Jasmine left, turning to activism and organizing with the Louisville Tenant’s Union to help neighborhoods throughout the city have access to safe and affordable housing. As she articulates in this episode of Building Local Power, people’s lives shouldn’t “be determined by the whims of a landlord.” In the second half of the episode, Tara Raghuveer, the Director of Kansas City Tenants, discusses how private equity firms have identified the housing market as a lucrative opportunity to reap enormous profits at the expense of tenants. What’s worse, she posits, is that the federal government has enabled private equity to infiltrate the housing market with few safeguards for buyers and renters. Tara goes on to suggest changes that can be made at the local, state, and federal level, emphasizing that cities can reform their tax incentive policies to support tenants rather than corporate profiteers. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Composters Dreaming, Investors Scheming

Luke Gannon — Wed, 03 May 2023 05:00:26 -0400

In 2022, in the small town of Alpine, California, Raquel Nuñez founded Cuatro Vientos, a community composting project that brings environmental and cultural solutions to the community. In this episode of Building Local Power, Raquel, and her partners Iriani Lopez and Aedan Lagillardaie, share how it has been a dream come true to reconnect with their heritage and the land through composting. However, over the last year, they have quickly learned that their biggest barrier to sustaining this dream is funding. Jessica Toth, Executive Director of the Solana Center, an organization driving environmental innovation, joins the second half of the episode to outline how food waste is both an environmental and a social issue and why the very people implementing solutions to lessen our carbon footprint — while providing jobs and education in a circular food system — are underfunded. Despite misaligned interests on the part of investors, environmental stewards, and policymakers, Jessica makes the case for economic incentives that can help the United States address the 40 million tons of food waste created every year in this country alone. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Graying of the Fleet

Luke Gannon — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 05:00:21 -0400

Twenty-five years ago, there were over 2,000 commercial shrimp boats in Mississippi. Today, that number has fallen to around 200. This trend is not unique to Mississippi: Across U.S. coastlines, commercial fisherfolk are seeing their way of life disappear. On this episode of Building Local Power, Tim Barrett, a local fisherman in Marshfield, Massachusetts, and Ryan Bradley, of the Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, guide us through how catch share policies — a set of regulations promoted as beneficial for the environment and for fisheries — have turned the sea into a tradeable and buyable commodity, opening the doors for investment, private equity, and corporations to hoard the right to harvest fish. The ensuing consolidation of the industry is driving up prices for both small-scale fisherfolk and the consumer, and putting countless fisherfolk out of work. Tim and Ryan explain how we need to reform the nation’s catch policy to build a more equitable and thriving fishing sector where small-scale fisherfolk aren’t the ones being hooked. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

A Country with No Farmers

Luke Gannon — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 05:00:25 -0400

“A country with no farmers is no country at all,” says Shad Dasher, owner of The Onion Man Company, an onion farm in Glennville, Ga., on this episode of Building Local Power. In the 1930s, the United States boasted some 6.8 million farms. Today, we’re down to roughly two million — a more than 70% decline. The rapid consolidation of agriculture across the U.S. has obliterated many small and mid-size farms and has posed monumental challenges for small farmers and consumers alike. In the second half of this episode, Sarah Carden, Senior Policy Advocate at Farm Action, explains how increased consolidation drives up land prices, reduces agricultural diversity, increases prices for consumers, and diminishes the economic viability of communities. What we’re seeing is a hollowing out of U.S. agriculture — “farmers are going extinct,” as Sarah says solemnly. All of this points to a clear need to shift our American ideology away from misguided notions of “efficiency” and, as Sarah suggests, to implement policies that support a decentralized farming system. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

A Food Oasis in North Tulsa

Luke Gannon — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 05:00:34 -0400

Imagine sitting in a remote region of the Sahara desert. The sun is scorching hot, the dry air is stifling, and there are no trees, no water, and no living creatures as far as the eye can see. What would you wish you had? One night in 2020, Aaron Johnson, founder and owner of Oasis Fresh Market, was up late working on a marketing plan for his new grocery store when he imagined himself in this very scenario. Then, it hit him. “In my mind, I [thought of an] oasis,” he recalled. “I remember opening my laptop and Googling the definition … it means refuge, safe place, and shelter.” For years, Aaron had lived in a different kind of desert, one common to many urban and rural areas across the U.S.: a food desert. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an urban area becomes a food desert when residents live further than a mile from a full-service grocery store; in rural areas, the range stretches to 10 miles. North Tulsa, Oklahoma had been a food desert for fourteen years. It was also, Aaron adds, a food swamp, inundated with dollar stores and fast food restaurants. Aaron knew that there was a need in his community – not only for fresh and nutritious food, but for a business that valued people over profits. With the support and aid of his family and community, Aaron officially opened Oasis Fresh Market in May of 2021. In the years since, it’s grown into a thriving independent business and nonprofit organization. Aaron thinks that Oasis can be a blueprint for other cities, mayors, and governors looking to support truly community-centric businesses. Oasis – and its associated nonprofit organization, The Oasis Projects – combines a grocery store with wraparound services, including employment, public health, and education. Together, they nurture a safe place and a refuge that only small, independent, locally-owned businesses are nimble enough to foster. In the second half of this episode, Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, expands on the policy decisions that have wiped out independent grocery stores and led to an increasingly consolidated grocery sector. She also points to smart policy decisions that some communities have implemented to preserve independent grocery stores. Pennsylvania, for example, created the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, which allocated capital for grants and loans for people interested in starting and expanding grocery stores in low-income and underserved areas. This program ultimately financed nearly 100 grocery stores in urban and rural areas. But policymakers and elected officials must create the pathway to make opportunities like this available to all communities, including by enforcing antitrust laws and returning power to the people. For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Toledo Takes Dollar Stores to Church

Luke Gannon — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 18:40:04 -0500

The Rev. Dr. Donald Perryman was born and raised into the Black church in Toledo, Ohio. Since 1997, he has served as the Senior Pastor at The Center of Hope Community Baptist Church, in the central city, where he has led a religious, social, and political movement to empower his community. Toledo’s Dorr Street was once home to a thriving Black community rich in art, music, culture, and small businesses. But after decades of disinvestment, mass incarceration, and industrialization, neighborhoods in Toledo, like Dorr Street, were stripped of their wealth. In 2015, Dollar General saw this as an opportunity to move in. But Dr. Perryman knew that chain dollar stores preyed on struggling communities. As he says, “they’re a cancer on vulnerable urban neighborhoods,” and he was unwilling to let Toledo be their next victim. He banded together with neighborhood groups, government officials, and allies to implement a moratorium to prevent dollar store construction. The moratorium expired without the city notifying Dr. Perryman, and now the fight has started all over again. Dr. Perryman is not deterred. His work in the church has grounded him in the long-term nature of the fight for justice. “I don’t know how long it’ll take,” he says, “but we plan to win.” In the second half of the episode, Kennedy Smith, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, weaves Dr. Perryman’s story into the broader fight against dollar stores raging across the country. Kennedy talks about the disconnect between what communities say they want and what planning commissions and city councils are actually doing. She details how dollar stores create food deserts, attract crime, extract wealth from local communities, and endanger workers. Dollar chain stores are threatening the very fabric that makes a community. Finally, Kennedy explains that Dr. Perryman’s work and movement-building at the local level is critical to ending dollar store proliferation, but these local leaders need help. Not only do state and federal officials need to reinvigorate our antitrust laws to prohibit dollar stores from using predatory tactics to crush independent retailers, she explains, but they “need to have the political courage to enforce them.” For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/

Shifting the Paradigm, One Community at a Time

Luke Gannon — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 12:00:58 -0500

For our final Building Local Power episode of 2022, we invited Co-Founder, David Morris, to offer a history lesson on the self-reliance framework that underpins ILSR’s work. He discusses how that framework has evolved over four-plus decades, the organization’s inherent aversion to bigness, and the successes and hardships of ILSR’s early years. … Read More

Community Broadband’s Broad Appeal

Luke Gannon — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:04:09 -0500

On this episode of Building Local Power, Christopher Mitchell and Sean Gonsalves talk about the work that immediately lies ahead for the broad array of communities seeking to free themselves from the unbridled power of monopolistic Internet providers.… Read More

Breaking Bad Energy

Luke Gannon — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:18:41 -0500

The three members from ILSR's energy team engage in a riveting conversation on the biggest energy stories from 2022, including the Inflation Reduction Act’s big funding for solar, the antimonopoly focus in the Biden administration, how utility companies are continuing to use their financial power to lobby against energy, and a new tool designed to bring distributed solar to more communities.… Read More

Unpacking the Year in Composting

Luke Gannon — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:14:56 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power, members of the Composting for Community team, Brenda Platt and Clarissa Libertelli, explain how their accomplishments in 2022 have impacted communities across the U.S. and forged a more sustainable future. … Read More

A Renewable Rural America

Luke Gannon — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 11:51:13 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power, Josh Ewing, Director of the Rural Climate Partnership, explains how we must put rural America at the forefront of the clean energy transition. … Read More

A Short-Term Win, A Long-Term Target

Luke Gannon — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 12:11:17 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power Alejandro Roark, the Chief of Consumer and Governmental Affairs at the FCC tells a captivating journey of his career from working at the Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership all the way to his current career at the Federal Communications Commission. He speaks about his LGBTQ inclusion work, racial and economic justice in the telecommunications sector, collective action, and how the ACP is filling an immediate and vital need. ILSR's Sean Gonsalves weighs in on how to strategize for longer term Internet solutions that will make our broadband economy more fair and equitable.… Read More

A Renaissance for Black Voices and Spaces

Luke Gannon — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 12:00:46 -0400

This week on Building Local Power, we are joined by Brandi Collins-Dexter, author of Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and our Political Future and Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director of ILSR. We engage in a riveting conversation on how political parties have monopolistic tendencies, how Big Tech has dominated mainstream media, and the future of Black-owned and led businesses in America. … Read More

Inflation: The True Monopoly Story

Luke Gannon — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 12:00:09 -0400

"For every crime, you need means, motive, and opportunity," Rakeen Mabud explained on the Building Local Power podcast. Executives at some of the largest monopolies in our economy are using their market power to jack up prices on consumers. Their means is market power. Their motive is profit. What is the opportunity? The opportunity is for CEOs to pocket the revenue from price hikes while blaming inflation for the increases.

On this episode of Building Local Power, Rakeen Mabud the Chief Economist at Groundwork Collaborative and Ron Knox, Senior Researcher and Writer at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, take us on a riveting journey exposing the story of inflation that most economists don't want to tell.

As workers, citizens, and small businesses are made increasingly vulnerable in the face of rising prices, corporate profit margins are hitting a 70-year high. So, despite real issues with a broken infrastructure, the war against Ukraine, and a fragile supply chain, the recent history of unchecked mergers and corporate greed underlies much of what has left the majority of Americans so vulnerable in our economy today.

Creating New Narratives: Youth Are the Present — Episode 157 of Building Local Power

Luke Gannon — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 11:43:38 -0400

"Young people have the energy to respond immediately to crises," Addison Turner, Worcester Youth Cooperatives organizer, stated in a new documentary "Radix: Youth Build Solidarity and Worker-Ownership in the Midst of the Pandemic." The pandemic exacerbated the deeply rooted issues in cities around the nation — but the youth of Worcester, Massachusetts, decided that they wanted to enact change to create a better now. Their action lead to the formation of the Worcester Youth Cooperatives where young people are delivering food and other assistance to neighbors on bikes, growing their own food, and bringing power and a voice to Gen Z.

On this episode of Building Local Power, we are joined by two youth collaborators who played an integral role in developing the Worcester Youth Cooperatives, Mario Harper and Samuel Posner. Our third guest is now an adult ally and organizer, Addison Turner, who is also featured in "Radix." The guests detail their experience growing up in Worcester, lay out the social and cultural inequities that the city faces, and rewrite popular ideologies to encourage an active community. Addison states that "we need to destroy the myth that youth are the future. Youth are the present."

Maps Can Make or Break Communities’ Broadband Futures — Episode 152 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:02:31 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power, host Jess Del Fiacco is joined by members of ILSR's Community Broadband Networks team: Ry Marcattilio-McCracken, Senior Researcher; Sean Gonsalves, Senior Reporter and Editor; and Christine Parker, GIS and Data Visualization Specialist. They discuss the importance of mapping for building broadband networks.

Policy Progress and Coalition Building — Episode 151 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 19 May 2022 08:00:07 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power, host Jess Del Fiacco is joined by several ILSR colleagues: Susan R. Holmberg, Katie Kienbaum, and Sophia Jones where they discuss ILSR's recent work at the state and local policy level, including dollar store restrictions, New York antitrust legislation, a new model for solar energy, composting and waste reduction in Maryland, and more.

In New York and Oregon, Canning Reduces Waste and Changes Lives — Episode 150 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 05 May 2022 13:46:43 -0400

In this episode of Building Local Power, host Jess Del Fiacco and Neil Seldman, Director of ILSR's Waste to Wealth initiative are joined by several guests who are involved in the canning community. Canners, also called waste pickers or scrappers, collect recyclable materials such as cans and bottles from the streets and redeem them at recycling centers. The guests are Christine Hegel and Jessica Yauri of Sure We Can, a nonprofit recycling center in New York City, and Taylor Cass Talbott and Kris Brown of Ground Score Association, a ‘peer-led’ initiative in Portland, Oregon, organized by and for workers who identify as canners.

Building Local Power Highlight: People Love Local Food. Yet Local Farmers are Disappearing. What’s Going On?

Luke Gannon — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 11:07:49 -0400

Leah Douglas is a reporter at Reuters covering the politics of food, agriculture, and the environment. Douglas discusses how the poultry industry is structured by contract production, how dairy farms are the bedrock for many rural communities, and Earl Butz's conviction for farmers to plant "fence row to fence row" to enable economic food production.

Building Local Power Highlight: Democratizing Antitrust with Harry First

Luke Gannon — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 11:29:31 -0500

Harry First, law professor and co-director of New York University’s Competition, Innovation, and Information Law Program discusses moving antitrust away from a technocratic approach, the politicization of law enforcement, and how to reinvigorate strong antitrust legislation. … Read More

Building Local Power Highlight: Independent Musicians and the Anti-Monopoly Movement

Luke Gannon — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 12:36:11 -0500

Kevin Erickson, Director of the Future of Music Coalition discusses how music is being impacted by monopoly power and what kind of marketplace breeds broad participation.… Read More

Building Local Power Highlight: Centering Racial Justice in the Antimonopoly Fight

Luke Gannon — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:30:29 -0500

In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. Jeremy Greer and Solana Rice argue for organizers of color to be embedded and centered in the antimonopoly fight.… Read More

Building Local Power Highlight: Is Amazon Picking Winners and Losers Among America’s Cities

Luke Gannon — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 12:26:33 -0500

In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. Alec MacGillis discusses how economic concentration leads to regional disparity. … Read More

Building Local Power Highlight: Zephyr Teachout on Building an Antimonopoly Movement

Luke Gannon — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 10:55:03 -0500

In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. Zephyr Teachout and Stacy Mitchell discuss the increased recognition of the intersection between race and antimonopoly. … Read More

Building Local Power Highlight: David Dayen Talks America’s Monopoly Problem

Luke Gannon — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 15:14:57 -0500

In this miniseries, we return to our most insightful podcast conversations. These five minute episodes highlight critical themes that are still relevant today. … Read More

Small Businesses Rise Up

Luke Gannon — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 15:10:46 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power, three members of ILSR’s Independent Business team, Lauren Gellatly, Katy Milani, and Kennedy Smith, answer: What challenges are small, independent businesses facing? And what legislative solutions are on the way? … Read More

Should Big Utilities Pay for Their Bad Choices? — Episode 117 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 11:54:02 -0500

Host John Farrell, Co-Director of ILSR, interviews Leslie Glustrom, founding member of Clean Energy Action, an organization working on accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy. They discuss how we can equitably transition to a clean energy future.

A Cornucopia of Policy Opportunities in the New Year — Episode 115 of Building Local Power

Jess Del Fiacco — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:53:13 -0500

In this episode, we look forward to upcoming policy opportunities. We discuss the status of small businesses across the country and the creative solutions some communities have implemented to keep them going, ILSR's 30 Million Solar Homes proposal, and why nonprofit approaches are the most reliable solution we have for closing the digital divide.

How Local Control Empowers Cities to Fight Climate Change (Episode 109)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:32:26 -0400

Host Jess Del Fiacco talks with John Farrell, Director of ILSR's Energy Democracy Initiative, about how cities are taking action around climate change. This episode also features perspective from leaders in Burlington, Vt.; Boulder, Colo.; Pueblo, Colo.; and Minneapolis, Minn., who have tackled ambitious clean energy goals.

Zephyr Teachout on Building an Antimonopoly Movement (Episode 108)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 11:00:37 -0400

Zephyr Teachout, author of the new book Break 'Em Up, shares her thoughts on building an antimonopoly movement, what she finds encouraging and discouraging in our current moment, and how she approaches antimonopoly work as a democracy activist.… Read More

Can the People Take Power Back From Big Tech? (Episode 107)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 12:00:41 -0400

Host Jess Del Fiacco talks to ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and Ron Knox about the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee's recent hearing on monopoly power in online platforms, which featured testimony from the CEOs of Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and Google. The hearing was part of a year-long investigation of anti-competitive behavior in these companies — the first time in more than 40 years that Congress has conducted a detailed investigation of monopoly power.

David Dayen Talks America’s Monopoly Problem (Episode 106)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 10:33:11 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power, host Jess Del Fiacco is joined by Chris Mitchell, director of ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks Initiative, and David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect. David discusses his latest book, Monopolized: Life in the Age of Corporate Power, which tells the story of the daily impact of monopoly power on Americans’ lives.

Why Our Best Opportunity to Challenge Corporate Control is at the Local Level (Episode 105)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 10:10:08 -0400

In this episode of Building Local Power, host Jess Del Fiacco is joined by Zach Freed, researcher with ILSR's Independent Business initiative, and John Farrell, ILSR co-director. The three discuss ILSR's new Fighting Monopoly Power guide, which spells out how local leaders can challenge concentrated corporate power in the banking, broadband, electricity, food and farming, pharmacy, small business, and waste sectors.

Mainers Consider Putting Electricity, Internet in Local Hands (Episode 103)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 10:00:19 -0400

On this episode of Building Local Power, host Jess Del Fiacco is joined by Christopher Mitchell, director of ILSR's Community Broadband Initiative, and Representative Seth Berry of Maine. Seth is the House Chair of the Maine Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, and he is leading the call for the state to takeover Maine's two largest electric companies ⁠— including Central Maine Power, which has the distinction of being the least popular utility in the United States.

Local Compost Enterprise Cultivates a Just and Healthy Community (Episode 102)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 11:01:57 -0400

In this episode of Building Local Power, host Jess Del Fiacco is joined by Brenda Platt, Director of ILSR's Composting for Community Initiative, and Kesiah Bascom, founder of OffBeet Compost. OffBeet is a small-scale, community-minded food scrap collection and composting enterprise in the Lowell, Mass., area. Kesiah and her team have an ongoing mission to connect environmental goals with social justice values.

How Cities and States Are Stepping up to Help Small Businesses in Crisis (Episode 101)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 28 May 2020 10:49:33 -0400

Host Jess Del Fiacco talks with Kennedy Smith, Senior Researcher with ILSR's Independent Business initiative, about efforts at the state and local level to support small businesses affected by the pandemic.

Locally-Owned Hardware Stores Show Flexibility and Resilience in the Face of COVID-19 (Episode 100)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 14 May 2020 10:52:43 -0400

Host Jess Del Fiacco and ILSR Co-Director John Farrell speak with Gina Schaefer, owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores in the D.C. area. Gina talks about how she and her husband got into the hardware business and explains some of the steps they've taken to adapt operations in order to safely serve customers during the pandemic, including moving to curbside pick-up and online ordering, changing operating hours and staffing, and adjusting the products they stock.

Small Businesses Wait for Help While Amazon Profits From Pandemic (Episode 99)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 11:20:03 -0400

Chris, John, Stacy, and Jess discuss the bumpy rollout of federal relief funding for America's small businesses, which are facing an unprecedented crisis in the COVID-19 pandemic. Stacy offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the legislation to help small businesses was crafted, and explains why some large franchises, including chain restaurants and hotels, benefitted from the initial round of relief funding, while many small businesses did not. Looking beyond the immediate future, Chris, John, Stacy, and Jess speculate on what the recovery process might look like for different sectors.

Home Rule Empowers Cities to Innovate, Confront Challenges (Episode 98)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 11:04:59 -0400

Host Christopher Mitchell speaks with Fordham Law School Professor Nestor Davidson and National League of Cities Research Director Christiana McFarland, authors of a recent report on home rule. Home rule gives cities the authority to make policy decisions locally, without being preempted by state or federal governments. They talk about why local officials need "all the tools in the toolbox" in order to confront challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change, and not be held back by state restrictions.

Independent Pharmacies are on the Front Lines of COVID-19 Care (Episode 97)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 10:17:28 -0400

Host Zach Freed speaks with Jim Hrncir, owner of Las Colinas Pharmacy in Irving, Texas. Zach and Jim discuss how independent pharmacies are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

How States and Cities Are Leading the Clean Energy Revolution (Episode 96)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 10:00:06 -0400

Jess Del Fiacco talks with ILSR Co-Director John Farrell about recent publications from ILSR's Energy Democracy initiative, including the Community Power Scorecard, which grades states on whether their energy policies help or hinder local clean energy action, and ILSR's recent report on community choice energy, which allows communities take charge of their energy supply.

The Pandemic is Pushing Main Street Toward Collapse (Episode 95)

Jess Del Fiacco — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 10:09:46 -0400

This special episode of Building Local Power features a timely conversation between Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director of ILSR, and small business owner Sandy Grodin. Sandy owns El Paso Office Products in El Paso, Texas. He's been in the business for more than 30 years, but his company is now on the verge of collapse due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. He's shutting down for three weeks, and, like many other small business owners, isn't sure when or if he'll be able to reopen.

Coronavirus Shows How Inequity Makes Us Vulnerable (Episode 94)

Jess Del Fiacco — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:08:22 -0400

Host Jess Del Fiacco talks with Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director of ILSR, and Christopher Mitchell, Director of ILSR’s Community Broadband initiative, about how communities are responding to the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19. It is already drastically impacting local businesses, and in many cases this crisis will further exacerbate existing inequalities -- making it impossible for people without high quality Internet access at home to work remotely, for example, and making it difficult for people without paid sick time to protect themselves and others.

Botanical Garden in NYC is a Hub for Composting, Food Recovery, Locally Grown Food (Episode 93)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 11:30:13 -0500

Host Brenda Platt speaks with Elsa Higby and Aleks Jagiello of the Queens Botanical Garden Farm and Compost Site. Their site is a part of the New York Compost Project, which was created by the city in 1993. Brenda, Aleks, and Elsa discuss how the site has grown over the last 25 years, and the many benefits their programming has brought to their community and beyond.

Localism vs. Populism: Global Movements Against Centralization (Episode 92)

Jess Del Fiacco — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 11:30:57 -0500

Host Christopher Mitchell is joined by ILSR Co-Founder David Morris for a wide-ranging conversation about whether or not modern populist movements are tied to concerns about centralized control.

Podcast Share: Green Dreamer – Decentralized Energy and Natural Disasters (Bonus Episode)

Hibba Meraay — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:00:32 -0400

This week we’re bringing you a bonus episode from our friends at the Green Dreamer podcast. Green Dreamer is a podcast for those who are yearning to live lives of vitality and fulfillment and who are dreaming of a thriving planet to call home. Green Dreamer inclusively and inquisitively dives into how sustainability is intersectional to all areas of our lives. This episode explores how decentralized energy grids can make communities more resilient against natural disasters, like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

Is Congress Starting to Take Antitrust Seriously? (Episode 79)

Hibba Meraay — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 01:00:21 -0400

Building Local Power Host Zach Freed is joined by ILSR's Stacy Mitchell to discuss the team's most recent efforts in fighting monopolies.… Read More

Local Storage is Changing the Decision Making Power of the Energy System (Episode 52)

Hibba Meraay — Thu, 09 Aug 2018 12:00:15 -0400

In this episode of Building Local Power, host Nick Stumo-Langer sits down with Energy Democracy initiative director John Farrell to discuss John's latest report on solar and storage. … Read More

Want to Strengthen Independent Businesses? Use These Policies (Episode 51)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 12:00:46 -0400

Host Nick Stumo-Langer is joined by researchers Stacy Mitchell and Olivia LaVecchia to discuss their new guide to policy tools that strengthen independent businesses. … Read More

The Huge Supreme Court Cases You May Have Missed (Episode 49)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 12:02:23 -0400

Guest host Nick Stumo-Langer and ILSR co-director Stacy Mitchell discuss two recent Supreme Court cases that have vast implications for the state of our economy and the role of the court as a centralized entity in ILSR's decentralized worldview.… Read More

Innovation in Small Town America (Episode 48)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 12:00:20 -0400

Three of our researchers (Christopher Mitchell, John Farrell, & Brenda Platt) sit down together to discuss how small cities across America are innovating in the ways they are supporting their local economies. Mitchell discusses this innovation in Idaho; Farrell details the discussions in Decorah, Iowa; and Platt portrays many different home composting programs.… Read More

A Better Way to Think about the Future of Work (Episode 47)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 31 May 2018 12:45:02 -0400

Sarita Gupta of Jobs With Justice joins us to discuss the state of labor rights in the "gig economy" and how the care sector presents a huge opportunity to change both work and aging. … Read More

Understanding Media Monopolies with Laura Flanders (Episode 45)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 03 May 2018 12:25:14 -0400

In this episode of the Building Local Power podcast, ILSR co-director and Community-Scaled Economy initiative director Stacy Mitchell sits down with Laura Flanders to discuss the disturbing trend toward a calcified and monopolistic media landscape.… Read More

Big Utilities See Pushback to Their Dominant Role in State Houses (Episode 44)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 12:00:53 -0400

Experts Stacy Mitchell, Christopher Mitchell, and John Farrell discuss the impact that concentrated economic power has in state legislatures in topics as wide-ranging as high-speed broadband access, electric utilities, and Facebook's recent Congressional foibles.… Read More

Rescuing Materials and Building Community in Berkeley Thanks to “Waste” (Episode 43)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 12:00:36 -0400

Dan Knapp and Mary Lou Van Deventer sit down with long-time friend and ILSR co-founder Neil Seldman and Communications Manager Nick Stumo-Langer to discuss their successful reuse business and how they fit into the wider Berkeley community.… Read More

Paying Taxes Is More Popular Than You Think (Episode 41)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 12:00:17 -0500

Vanessa Williamson of the Brookings Institution joins Christopher Mitchell to discuss her new book, Read My Lips: Why Americans Are Proud to Pay Taxes, and the changing American attitudes in regard to taxation.… Read More

Brendan Greeley on Why We Need a Pro-Competition Political Party (Episode 40)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 09:00:40 -0500

Economics writer Brendan Greeley joins Stacy Mitchell and Christopher Mitchell to discuss what we all get wrong when we talk about economic indicators and how he's working to change that.… Read More

Colorado State Senator Steve Fenberg on Local Power Versus Corporate Power (Episode 39)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 12:00:52 -0500

Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) talks with John Farrell about his history as a renewable energy activist and local control advocate and how he translates that work into his role in the state legislature.… Read More

Environmental Justice & Local Activism, A Conversation with NAACP Leader Jacqui Patterson (Episode 38)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:00:11 -0500

Jacqui Patterson, the director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program, talks with ILSR’s Neil Seldman and Nick Stumo-Langer about the practical implications of environmental justice.… Read More

Want Your City to Prosper? Then Forget Everything You Think You Know about Economic Growth (Episode 37)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 12:00:25 -0500

In this episode of ILSR's Building Local Power podcast, Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns sits down with Stacy Mitchell to discuss why the conventional wisdom about economic growth often leads communities down a dark path of decay. … Read More

The Rising Anti-Monopoly Movement (Episode 36)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 12:00:31 -0500

This roundtable discussion between ILSR's Stacy Mitchell, John Farrell, and Christopher Mitchell delves into the growing movement against monopoly power in the political economy.… Read More

Building a Zero Waste World, One Community at a Time (Episode 35)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 12:00:12 -0500

Zero waste activist Paul Connett joins ILSR's Neil Seldman and Nick Stumo-Langer to detail how to move communities across the world to a zero waste reality as well as how this activism fits within the grassroots landscape.
Along with Paul's insights on zero waste policies -- from corporate redesign to community fun in participating in sustainability policies -- he regales listeners with a version of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, zero waste edition.… Read More

Internet Connectivity in Indigenous Communities (Episode 34)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:00:17 -0500

Matt Rantanen, Director of Technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, and Hannah Trostle, an ILSR research associate talk with Christopher Mitchell about the challenges to better Internet connectivity on tribal lands across America.… Read More

Supporting Family Farming in the Age of Monopoly with Joe Maxwell (Episode 33)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 12:00:06 -0500

Joe Maxwell of the Organization for Competitive Markets details how our economy is tilted against family farms and rural communities, and how he’s working to build a political movement to change that.… Read More

This Ag Economist Preached Bigger is Better. Now He Says the Evidence Favors Small Farms. (Episode 32)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 12:00:50 -0400

John Ikerd, an agricultural economist, sits down with Stacy Mitchell to discuss the consolidation of our food system and why he supports family farms as opposed to corporate mega-farms.… Read More

San Francisco Breaks the Chain Stores, Strengthens Neighborhood Economies (Episode 31)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:00:43 -0400

San Francisco has one-third as many chain stores as the national average. That's thanks in large part to a city ordinance that restricts "formula" businesses. We talk with AnMarie Rodgers, senior policy advisor to the city’s planning department, about how the city implemented the policy, how it works, and what advice she has for other cities that want to do it too.… Read More

Beating the Monopolies: Barry Lynn Explains How We Will Win (Episode 30)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 12:00:04 -0400

In this episode of the Building Local Power podcast, ILSR co-director Stacy Mitchell sits down with Barry Lynn, head of the Open Markets Institute, to talk about how we fight concentrated corporate power and its impact on our liberty and democracy.… Read More

Electric Vehicles Use Local Power to Cut Pollution and Driving Costs (Episode 29)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 12:00:51 -0400

Electric vehicles are enabling energy democracy.

That's the takeaway from the latest Building Local Power podcast episode, a discussion between guest host and Communications Manager Nick Stumo-Langer, Energy Democracy initiative director John Farrell, and Energy Democracy initiative researcher Karlee Weinmann. The conversation features a number of topics, including: the trajectory electric vehicles hold in renewable energy technology, generally; the ways that cities in the wake of recent hurricanes can rebuild to better weather the storms thanks to energy resiliency; and how residents of cities, large and small, can pressure their communities to enact better policies.… Read More

What Neighborhood Retail Gets Right (Episode 27)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 12:00:52 -0400

Gina Schaefer, the founder and owner of several local hardware stores in Washington, D.C., joins us to talk about starting and growing a neighborhood business and how her stores are faring in the age of Amazon.… Read More

Connecting Rural America: Internet Access for All (Episode 26)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 12:00:40 -0400

This week, our Building Local Power podcast contains a conversation between guest host Nick Stumo-Langer and ILSR researchers Hannah Trostle and Christopher Mitchell to discuss the importance of connectivity in rural America and the barriers high quality local investment. The group discusses a number of topics, including how electric cooperatives are changing the dynamic on who … Read More

Fishing for Local Power (Episode 25)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 12:00:08 -0400

This week's episode of Building Local Power is a great conversation with a close ally and friend of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Niaz Dorry, coordinating director of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, sits down with hosts Christopher Mitchell and Stacy Mitchell to talk about the growing privatization of the fishing industry, how she organizes her fishing community, and the damage that large-scale fishing does to the environment and her local economy. … Read More

Local Solar Power: Red Plus Blue Makes a Green Tea Party (Episode 24)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 12:00:45 -0400

In this week's episode of Building Local Power we interview Debbie Dooley, President of Conservatives for Energy Freedom and co-founder of the Green Tea Coalition in the southern United States. Dooley's organizations promote "consumer choice in the energy field" to "provide competition" and stop monopolies from limiting their customer's options in renewable energy. The Green Tea Coalition features a collaboration between members of the Tea Party Movement and progressives in the Green Party and the Democratic Party in Georgia and other southern states.… Read More

How Big Businesses Get Big Subsidies (Episode 23)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 12:00:27 -0400

In this episode of our podcast, Building Local Power, ILSR's Stacy Mitchell interviews Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First about the tax incentive packages that governments give to big corporations, and how local governments can do economic development better.… Read More

The Monopolist’s Playbook: Strategies To Retain Overwhelming Economic Power (Episode 21)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 12:00:50 -0400

This week in Building Local Power, we’re discussing how concentrated economic power responds to communities that are supporting their own local economies. Guest host Nick Stumo-Langer discusses how these corporations fight against local communities with a number of ILSR’s experts. He speaks with Stacy Mitchell, John Farrell, Christopher Mitchell, and Lisa Gonzalez in order to get a … Read More

Tech Startup Allows Communities to Support Local Businesses (Episode 20)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 18 May 2017 11:00:29 -0400

This week in Building Local Power, we’re discussing independent businesses and the communities that support them. Host Christopher Mitchell and ILSR co-director and Community-Scaled Economies initiative director Stacy Mitchell interview Katrina Scotto di Carlo from Portland, Oregon. di Carlo is the co-founder of Supportland (now called Placemaker), which work to bolster independent businesses by offering new marketing and technological solutions. … Read More

Creating Community Wealth Through Compost (Episode 19)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 04 May 2017 12:00:28 -0400

In Building Local Power this week, we're delving into the potential community-based composting holds to empower historically marginalized communities in cities across the United States. … Read More

Policies That Make Markets Work, Hello Antitrust! (Episode 18)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 12:00:41 -0400

This week in Building Local Power, we are focusing on what makes and breaks markets – market power, monopoly, and antitrust. As we discuss with noted antitrust Silicon Valley lawyer Gary Reback, markets require intelligent intervention to prevent power from becoming too consolidated. Let’s be blunt – if you are happy with the Internet access choices … Read More

Mayors Take on Preemption to Defend Local Solutions (Episode 17)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 12:00:14 -0400

Welcome to episode seventeen of the Building Local Power podcast. In this episode, Andrew Gillum, Mayor of Tallahassee, Florida and founder of the advocacy group, Campaign to Defend Local Solutions joins Christopher Mitchell, the director of ILSR’s Community Broadband Network’s initiative and Nick Stumo-Langer, ILSR’s Communications Manager for the latest episode of the Building Local Power podcast. The trio go … Read More

Small Banks, Big Benefits (Episode 16)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 12:00:46 -0400

In this episode of the Building Local Power podcast, our guest is Justin Dahlheimer, president of a community bank in west-central Minnesota. Justin and our hosts discuss the benefits of community banking, and how banks lend differently when they have a vested stake in their community.… Read More

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

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 12:00:03 -0400

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)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 12:30:04 -0400

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 Power and Perils of Cooperatives (Episode 12)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 12:00:38 -0500

In this episode, Christopher Mitchell, the director of ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews Hannah Trostle and Karlee Weinmann, Research Associates for the Community Broadband Networks and Energy Democracy initiatives, respectively. The three discuss the cooperative model of ownership and how this model can enable investment in gigabit Internet connections for their member-owners, but also how they are subject to a low participation rates in their elections.… Read More

Bolstering Waste Recovery Through Model Legislation (Episode 11)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 12:00:50 -0500

In this episode, Christopher Mitchell, the director of ILSR's Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews Brenda Platt, ILSR co-director and director of our Waste to Wealth initiative. The two discuss the history of ILSR's Zero Waste work and how the conversation around composting and waste has changed in her 30 years at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.… Read More

Preemption, Local Authority, & Municipal Broadband (Episode 10)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:00:32 -0500

In this episode, John Farrell, the director of ILSR's Energy Democracy initiative, interviews Christopher Mitchell (our usual podcast host) and Lisa Gonzalez of our Community Broadband Networks initiative. The three discuss the power of municipal broadband networks, how the power held in cities is integral to these projects, and the barriers put in place by cable monopolies to prevent these networks.… Read More

The Perils of Privatization (Episode 9)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 12:00:12 -0500

In this episode, Chris Mitchell, the director of our Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews David Morris, a co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and the director of the Public Good initiative. The two discuss the climate surrounding privatization in our economy and how the incoming Trump administration will bolster these efforts nationwide.

Morris delves deep into the history of public infrastructure including explanations of how our language around the subject has changed over the years, privatization in other countries, and hope for the future.… Read More

The Year in Building Local Power (Episode 8)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 12:00:02 -0500

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

Composting Cultivates Economic Development (Episode 7)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 12:00:30 -0500

In this episode, Chris Mitchell, the director of our Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews Linda Bilsens, Project Manager of ILSR's Neighborhood Soil Rebuilders Program. … Read More

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

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 12:00:18 -0500

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

Energy Democracy: Customer Control over Renewable Energy (Episode 3)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 12:00:58 -0400

In this episode, Chris Mitchell, the director of our Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews John Farrell, the director of our Energy Democracy initiative about the concept of energy democracy and about his latest report, Is Bigger Best in Renewable Energy? John specifically outlines some of the key concepts that make up the principles of energy democracy and how locally-owned renewable energy continues to shape our electric grid in new and exciting ways.… Read More

The True Value of Recycling and the Waste Stream (Episode 2)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 06:00:53 -0400

In this episode, Chris Mitchell, the director of our Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews Neil Seldman, ILSR co-founder and senior staff member of the Waste to Wealth initiative about the hidden value in our waste stream and, specifically, some recent comments made by the CEO of Waste Management, Inc. disparaging the value of recycling.… Read More

The Dark Store Tax Dodge of Big-Box Retailers (Episode 1)

Nick Stumo-Langer — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 12:00:15 -0400

In the first episode of our new podcast series, "Building Local Power," Chris Mitchell, the director of our Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews Olivia LaVecchia, a research associate with our Community-Scaled Economy initiative, about her work on the "dark store" strategy that big-box retailers have been using to slash their property tax assessments.… Read More