2017 ANNUAL REPORT My recommendations for podcasts on human-centered economic solutions incl. @ teamhumanshow @Commons_ TABLE OF CONTENTS place & @ilsr: http://shareable. net/Z4P — @maira Mai Sutton, Shareable JUST HIT PLAY ............................4 LETTER FROM THE CO-DIRECTORS ....5 It can be difficult to grasp the scope of Amazon’s dominance. MAPPING OUR WORK ...................6 Terrific new @stacyfmitchell & @ilsr maps it out. https://ilsr.org/ Community Broadband Networks .........8 amazon-stranglehold/ ..............10 — @linamkhan Community-Scaled Economy Lina Khan, Director of Legal Policy at Open Markets Institute Composting for Community ...............12 Energy Democracy ........................14 This says it all! From @ilsr - how #compost will create soil & jobs... The Public Good ...........................16 and basically save the world. Waste to Wealth ...........................18 #organics16 #ontag — @MelLuymes IN THE MEDIA .............................20 Mel Luymes, Headlands Agri-Enviro-Solutions STAFF AND BOARD ................22 INCOME AND EXPENSES ...........23 Even more relevant today than Left: Christopher Mitchell speaks to Broadband Communities Conference in Atlanta; Stacy Mitchell it was last November -R via interviewed on CNBC’s Power Lunch; Brenda Platt and Virginia Streeter attend bill signing with Maryland @ilsr https://ilsr.org/amazon- Gov. Larry Hogan; and Linda Bilsens is featured in the Washington Post, composting at the Howard University Community Composting Cooperative, where ILSR provided training and technical assistance. stranglehold/ Cover: Christopher Mitchell speaks at a Politico Live event on the “Future of Wireless.”; Brenda Platt — @RalphNader speaking to a national audience at a US Compostin g Council meeting; the Westmill Solar Co-operative Ralph Nader is one of the largest in the world (photo credit: MrRenewables, Ben Cavanna); an old public library is still relevant, needed and going strong; and composting at Real Food Farm in Baltimore, where ILSR provided training and the compost system. www.ilsr.org | 3 Just Hit Play Letter from the Co-Directors In the wake of what we described in last year’s report as “a deeply troubling and divisive presidential campaign” and the abdication by the Building Local Power federal government of its role in protecting the public welfare, building and exercising local power is more important than ever. For more than ILSR’s podcast highlighting efforts to secure a four decades ILSR has argued that communities can play a key role in determining our environmental, social, and economic future. community-scaled economy ARCHIVE AND SUBSCRIBE HERE: ILSR.ORG/BUILDING-LOCAL-POWER This year our newest podcast, Building Local Power, has really hit its stride. We hope that it can rapidly gain recognition as an important source of insight on scale and ownership in both the public and private sectors, and how communities can counter the prevailing trend iTUNES REVIEWS: of economic consolidation. Cities are stepping up to the plate. Ammon, Idaho, has laid the foundation for economic “It’s wonderful to finally listen to people sit and social innovations by building a city-wide, community-owned high-speed fiber down and have an in-depth conversation on network. In Burlington, Vt., community land trusts now account for more than 15 percent difficult topics.” of the city’s residential housing. Lancaster, Calif., is moving rapidly toward a decentralized energy system that relies on 100 percent renewables. Washtenaw County, Mich., “Non-partisan, issues-based, pro-local. Just passed a 10 cent fee on disposable shopping bags. San Francisco has imposed a tax ILSR’s Christopher Mitchell interviews former ILSR staff member, what we need these days.” Justin Dahlheimer, who is now President of the First National Bank on luxury apartments to fund free city college for residents, and altered its zoning to of Osakis. favor neighborhood-serving businesses over chains. A dozen cities are protecting the “If you want to hear about how local dignity of their workers by raising the minimum wage and requiring paid sick days. “We are going to win. We are going communities are doing things to strengthen to break up Google, Facebook, their economies and bringing more local Yet, even as communities try to defend and nurture their citizens, they are having to defend themselves against states that are stripping cities of their authority to do so and a federal and Amazon... At this moment of control to decision making, this is the podcast for you.” government intent on financially punishing cities that refuse to do its bidding. These are despair, when people see these dark days, but the vigorous response by communities across the country is inspiring and awesome concentrations of power, “This show analyzes economics and politics heartening, and offers beacons of light and hope. ILSR continues to work with an ever- the most important step we have from an authentic grass roots perspective.” widening network of local and state governments, businesses, community organizations, taken it, and that is to recognize and activists who are utilizing our experience, resources, and insights to make positive impacts across the nation. the problem.” “An extremely knowledgeable host and the — Barry Lynn, Executive Director at guests are interesting...filling a need that had There is still much we need to do. We look forward to meeting these challenges by building Open Markets Institute (BLP Episode 30) gone unfulfilled for far too long.” local power to create a just, safe, and cleaner world for the future. Sincerely, THIS YEAR’S GUESTS: Greg LeRoy • Andrew Gillum • Gary Reback • Sophia Hosain • Guy Schaffer Stacy Mitchell & Brenda Platt Katrina Scotto di Carlo • Justin Dahlheimer • Debbie Dooley • Niaz Dorry Co-Directors Gina Schaefer • Barry Lynn • Joe Maxwell • John Ikerd • AnMarie Rodgers www.ilsr.org | 5 COMMUNITY SCALED ECONOMY: COMPOSTING FOR COMMUNITY: Mapping Our Work 1 | HAMILTON, MONT. — After hearing ILSR’s 1 | D.C. & MARYLAND — We passed two Stacy Mitchell speak, community members started statewide compost bills in Maryland, established ILSR provided technical assistance to policymakers and grassroots a campaign to persuade the county to purchase five community compost sites, provided training, less from Amazon and more locally. and sponsored several food recovery summits. groups in hundreds of communities around the country. Shown below and listed here are just a sample of those collaborations. 2 | PORTLAND, MAINE — ILSR’s Affordable 2 | U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — In the wake of Space report helped spark an event that brought Hurricane Maria, we helped write an RFP for business owners, public officials, and citizens composting and mulching of wood and yard COMMUNITY BROADBAND NETWORKS: KEY together to talk about how to keep the city’s local debris (instead of burning this material) and 1 | MARIETTA, OHIO — ILSR’s Christopher Mitchell businesses strong. identified service providers. keynoted a locally organized conference about COMMUNITY BROADBAND NETWORKS broadband in the Appalachians as part of a larger 3 | NASHVILLE, TENN. — At the invitation of 3 | LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — We convened the effort to surface policies to upgrade that region’s a growing independent business alliance, we 4th National Cultivating Community Composting COMMUNITY SCALED ECONOMY Internet access. presented community leaders with policy ideas Forum with 60+ community composters from 17 for fostering a more equitable and locally rooted states. The event has catalyzed a national network COMPOSTING FOR COMMUNITY 2 | AMMON, IDAHO — This city officially economy. and movement. ENERGY DEMOCRACY launched its municipal fiber network after years of preparation and work, including multiple requests 4 | MEADVILLE, PA. — Inspired by a series of 4 | WASHINGTON — ILSR’s Brenda Platt keynoted WASTE TO WEALTH for our advice and assistance. presentations we gave, a group of citizens has the Washington Organics Recycling Council launched an investment cooperative to fund conference and provided assistance in replicating 3 | NEWPORT, TENN. — We spoke to the equitable development. a statewide bioplastics labeling law. City Council and the Utility Board after anti- government groups tried to derail their efforts to ENERGY DEMOCRACY: build a municipal fiber network. 1 | MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLA. — We helped advocates launch a campaign to leverage utility 4 franchise fee discussions to influence their 2 utility and play a stronger role in shaping their energy future. 1 2 2 | MINNESOTA — We are leading a coalition to reform the state’s implementation of a law to 2 support deployment of local renewable energy to 3 4 2 stoke rural economic development. 1 3 | PHILADELPHIA, PA. — We are advising local 1 1 advocates in their campaign to ensure 30% of the city’s energy is sourced from locally generated solar, with a long-range goal of influencing the city’s forthcoming Energy Master Plan. 3 WASTE TO WEALTH: 3 1 | BALTIMORE, MD. — Why Should Baltimore 3 Recycle More? presented to the City a clear multiphasedplan to double its recycling rate, save millions of dollars, and create over 500 jobs in two years. 2 | PHILADELPHIA, PA. — ILSR’s Linda Knapp chairs the Food Policy Council’s Zero Waste Subcommittee, which recommended the City adopt a Zero Waste Policy. This year the City released its Zero Waste & Litter Control 1 Action Plan. 2 6 | Annual Report 2016 www.ilsr.org | 7 6 | Annual Report 2016 Christopher Mitchell speaks at a Politico Live event