E-Bits highlights ILSR’s Waste to Wealth Program work, from creating jobs and recycling-oriented enterprises, to recycling policies that close the loop locally, to model waste reduction initiatives. … Read More
On 10 July as many as 500 scavengers died in one of Metro Manila’s teeming landfills. Intensive rains loosened a hill of municipal solid waste that collapsed on top of shanties and burst aflame. The victims, who made their livings by sorting through trash for recyclable items, were at the lowest rung of Philippine society.… Read More
Forty years ago, two roads diverged in the chicken industry. Sick of being squeezed by processors, Canadian poultry farmers asked their local governments to construct a system that provided them with bargaining power. In the U.S., efforts to create similar systems failed. And that has made all the difference. By Brian Levy… Read More
Cultural protection laws allow many countries to encourage local creations–such as films–that might otherwise disappear in the face of Hollywood’s hunger for global markets. Even with the laws, most countries’ own films only account for a small percentage of the entertainment dollar. Still, the U.S. distributors call the laws a barrier to trade. By Simona Fuma Shapiro… Read More
What does it take to get a group of polite Midwesterners riled up enough to propose an amendment to their state constitution? Michigan legislators can tell you it’s not too difficult: just pass a series of laws that weaken local authority. By Daniel Kraker… Read More
Feature Stories:
When The Farmer Makes the Rules —The Culutre Thief — Preempt This! Michigan Cities Fight Back — Setting a Slow Table.… Read More
This Facts to Act On describes local initiatives to spur extended producer responsibility such as networking with industry in a voluntary approach, passing local resolutions, banning products that harm the environment, and developing purchasing protocols that encourage environmentally sound products. Efforts in Los Angeles, the Pacific Northwest, Minnesota, and elsewhere are covered. Includes links to actual … Read More
No one knows what effect genetically modified foods will eventually have on the environment or on human bodies, but one thing is certain: the benefits of using GM seed will accrue mainly to a handful of corporations. The top-down ownership structure of biotechnology is in stark contrast to the burgeoning organic foods movement, which embraces independent farms and supports local economies. By Brian Levy… Read More
Microradio supporters who cheered the FCC’s January decision to license up to 1,000 low-watt stations watched in disbelief as the House caved to pressure from the NAB and passed the shamefully misnamed Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act. By Simona Fuma Shapiro… Read More
