Comments johnilsr has made
- Thanks for this post, Craig. For those that want a clearer, concise description of FITs, my colleague John Farrell has prepared, Why we need a feed-in tariff (in 10 slides) and the April 2009 report, Feed-in Tariffs in America: Driving the Economy with Renewable Energy Policy that WorksOn Feed-in rates: a hard sell posted 1 month, 4 weeks ago 3 Responses
Nice article Stacy!
On Neighborhood stores: An overlooked strategy for fighting global warming posted 3 months, 1 week ago 7 ResponsesEnergy Self Reliant States
To some of the comments here that argue that there isn't enough renewable energy in each state to satisfy in-state needs, I'd ask you to take a look at a little report we did recently...
Energy Self-Reliant States: Homegrown Renewable Power
How much energy could be generated by states tapping into internal renewable resources? This November 2008 report presents preliminary data that suggests that at least half of the fifty states could meet all their internal energy needs from renewable energy generated inside their borders, and the vast majority could meet a significant percentage.
Full Report - Executive Summary
John Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On Against the so-called 'need' for new long-distance, high-voltage transmission lines posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 11 ResponsesMN Carbon tax shift background
FYI, we did a lot of work on a proposed $1.5 billion tax shift in Minnesota back in the mid 1990s. Visit the archive of materials
Also our work on Carbon Cap and Dividends
cheers.
jb
John Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On The only obstacle to more state carbon taxes is politics posted 1 year, 7 months ago 1 ResponseGHG and Ethanol
Hi folks-
First, thanks to those folks offering kind words about the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) and our work over the last 33 years. To be clear, our longtime work on related to biofuels have primarily been focused on issues related to scale and local ownership. To that end, we have periodically responded to or prepared our own research that hopefully helps to direct public policy to support that focus.The studies in Science and our response focused narrowly on the GHG issue related to land use for biofuels. Our purpose was pointing out the limitations and fuzzy assumptions of these Science studies. Assuming you've read our paper...you'll quickly see that it does not offer a comprehensive look at our positions on transportation, global warming and biofuels policy. For that you have to work a little harder and go beyond a simple press release. I'd urge folks to look around more completely at ILSR's work via our New Rules Project web site (much of our ethanol work can be found at this link)
To extrapolate from this single policy brief that we are ignoring myriad issues is to ignore the breadth of our positions, which is much more comprehensive and nuanced. It includes shifting some of our transportation investments from driving to other modes, enabling energy consumers to become energy producers, building more traditional neighborhoods and business districts that reduce the distances people need to travel, plug-in vehicles, and more.
We do see biofuels as a key part of the solution to the transportation, climate and energy problems, at least in the short-term, and we've strongly advocated for biofuels policies that minimize pollution and maximize community benefit. That means smaller scale and local ownership along with better farming practices and advanced and cleaner production techniques. I'll also note that coming soon from ILSR is a report titled, Driving our Way to Energy Independence.
Thanks.
John Bailey
ILSR
John Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On ILSR, spinning like a top posted 1 year, 9 months ago 7 ResponsesFood certainly builds community
The relationship between food and community is clear to me. The variety of area farmers that we buy from directly - from maple syrup and eggs to produce - are friends that we might not otherwise have had. Food was the purpose at first but seems it is now just an excuse to get together.
The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement is another example of collectively - as a community - supporting a local farm and reaping the benefits and sharing the risks with others. It's a shared experience and that's what community is all about, no? Seems like food is more related to a sense community and community building than most issues.
John Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On Strengthening community is an important benefit of eating locally posted 2 years, 2 months ago 8 ResponsesGood to see (hear) your still up to good!
Hi Mike-
This is terrific!?! Quite a useful illustration on the trials and confusion involved in GHG emission tracking and reporting in this day and age. Very Grist-like in a reality show kind of way. Glad to hear you've got yourself settled in in DC.cheers.
jbOn One of two individuals in DOE's voluntary emissions program reports back posted 3 years, 1 month ago 1 ResponseSome rules out there, always looking for more
Hi all-
We have some rules on our New Rules Project site in our Agriculture sector that deal with this issue and related issues:
Rules on Expanding Local Markets
In particular to the Farmer's Market issue we have the Dallas Farmer's Market rules as an example. For example, they define farmers vs. dealers and charge farmers half price for the stalls. Here is the link. Dallas Farmer's Market Rules
Requiring origin of food labeling is also a way to ensure that the local food producers stand out from the crowd. More on that here.
Please drop a note here if you know of any cities that have (more) interesting rules in place for farmer's markets and/or local food promotion.
Take care.
jb
On Some farmers' markets aren't as local as you think posted 3 years, 2 months ago 3 Responsessent it to you yesterday
David-
I scanned it and sent it to you by e-mail yesterday.
jbJohn Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On What to expect. posted 3 years, 2 months ago 7 ResponsesStrange Response from White House
David-
FYI, another indicator that something is going to happen on energy is the fact that after 6 years of writing to the White House on their ridiculous energy policy choices (with not one single response that I can recall) lo and behold 10 days ago I get a letter from the White House. The letter is all about Bush and energy policy and how great he is and will be in the future on promoting "cleaner, less expensive, and more reliable energy sources" and energy security issues (aka building more clean coal and nuclear power plants).
It's signed by a Darren K. Kipp, special assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence. He suggest that I visit whitehouse.gov/infocus/energy/ for more information.
I wonder how many others out there got this form letter?
John Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On What to expect. posted 3 years, 2 months ago 7 ResponsesCorrection to my post above
My above post should have said "waste wood" not corn stover. On A new reliance on coal could sap green cred from the ethanol industry posted 3 years, 6 months ago 17 Responses
One Plant Is Using Corn Stover for Thermal Needs
Back in March, I wrote about the Central Minnesota Ethanol Coop's new biomass energy system at their plant near Little Falls. See Ethanol Cooperative Installing Biomass Energy System For On-Site Energy NeedsOn A new reliance on coal could sap green cred from the ethanol industry posted 3 years, 6 months ago 17 Responses
Response to Wal-Mart Greening
When Wal-Mart announced it's "green" store in McKinney Texas, we responded with the following rebuttal:
Response to Wal-Mart's New "Green" Store in McKinney, Texas - Institute for Local Self-Reliance
You can find much more on the impacts of big-box developments at our Hometown Advantage web site
John Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On Makower thinks the retail giant might just be turning over a new leaf posted 4 years, 1 month ago 10 ResponsesMore examples of University Support of Local Food
Hi all-
We have a section of our New Rules Project web site devoted to examples of University Support of Local and Sustainable Foods.http://www.newrules.org/agri/collegefood.html
The above link is part of our overall section of rules on Supporting Local Agriculture Markets
Enjoy.On Umbra on getting local foods into college cafeterias posted 4 years, 1 month ago 4 Responses
Good to see this story, here's a resource
Thanks for posting this article, Robert. I maintain a web site full of interesting public policies related to distributed generation - we call it Democratic Energy and folks can find our resources at http://www.newrules.org/de/
John Bailey http://www.newrules.org/
On Small-scale microgrids are more efficient, cheaper, and work just as well posted 4 years, 1 month ago 2 Responses