Minnpost, May 2, 2014 WASHINGTON — Like all plans should, this one started on the back of a napkin. In the early 2000s, Scott County wanted to broaden the availability of high-speed broadband Internet for its government buildings. County officials decided to build their own fiber optic broadband network and connect to the Internet for cheap. … Read More
The City Wire, April 30, 2014 Partnering for a greener world was the theme of Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Expo event held Tuesday (April 29) in Rogers. The retail giant assembled a cast of global suppliers, environmental advocates, supply chain experts, farmers and ranchers for the three-day event. Kathleen McLaughlin, president of the Walmart Foundation and administrator over … Read More
PV-Tech, April 29, 2014 A recent ruling by the governor of Oklahoma, which had initially been welcomed by pro-solar advocacy groups for apparently supporting solar, has come under fire from some quarters following closer scrutiny. Critics have claimed that an executive order issued by Mary Fallin ostensibly supporting solar could be undermined by an earlier bill … Read More
The New York Times, April 27, 2014 CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — LAST week’s proposal by the Federal Communications Commission to allow Internet service providers to charge different rates to different online content companies — effectively ending the government’s commitment to net neutrality — set off a flurry of protest. The uproar is appropriate: In bowing before an … Read More
GreenTech Media, April 21, 2014 California is well on its way to reaching its goal of 1 million solar roofs. Earlier this month, Pacific Gas & Electric announced it has over 100,000 customers generating solar power — the most of any utility in America, accounting for a quarter of all rooftop solar systems in the country. … Read More
PV Tech, April 21, 2014 Value of solar tariffs (VOST) of the type recently adopted in the US state of Minnesota create “serious instability for the solar industry”, according to US advocacy group The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC). The group has spoken out on the VOST, which could replace net metering. The policy is designed … Read More
U.S. News and World Report, April 18, 2014 In my column last week, I wrote of Wal-Mart and Target’s launch of organic foods and sustainable household products. This drew a mixed response from readers. For example, Stacy Mitchell of the highly-regarded Institute for Local Self Reliance, tweeted to challenge Wal-Mart’s organics program, saying any company that … Read More
Government Technology, March 4, 2014 From the thermostats on our walls to the sensors under the asphalt of our streets, digital technology – the so-called Internet of things – is pervading and infecting every aspect of our lives. As this technology comes to cities, whether lazy suburban ones or frenetic urban centers, it is increasingly wearing … Read More
International Business Times, February 26, 2014 Boehner hasn’t threatened suicide lately, but he stands against raising the minimum wage. Doing so, he says, is bad for small business. Indeed, said Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma, at a Washington meeting of the National Governors Association, over the weekend: “I’m not for increasing the minimum wage because I’m … Read More
