Institute for Local Self-Reliance

History

1980s

In the 1980s, ILSR worked with community organizations to halt a plan for six waste incineration plants in Los Angeles. With ILSR's assistance, the Los Angeles groups then formed a coalition throughout Southern California that campaigned to have 15 additional mass burn plants cancelled between 1985 and 1988 in favor of recycling technologies.

2000s

In October 2007, Booklist named ILSR Senior Researcher Stacy Mitchell's book Big-Box Swindle as one of the top ten business books of the year. Reminiscent of ILSR's early work on the economic impact of fast-food chains, this book details the largely negative economic and environmental impacts of big box stores and how ILSR is helping dozens of communities around the county buck this trend.

In April 2008, ILSR's Healthy Building Network (HBN) program was spun off as an independent nonprofit organization. HBN is a network of green building professionals, environmental and health activists, socially responsible investment advocates and others who promote healthier building materials as a means of improving public health and preserving the global environment.

2010–present

In August 2019, ILSR's Brenda Platt and Neil Seldman were profiled in Biocycle Magazine about their history of work on zero waste and community-scaled composting.

In February 2020, ILSR Co-director Stacy Mitchell appeared in PBS Frontline's documentary, Amazon: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos.

In April 2020, ILSR Co-director Stacy Mitchell was profiled in the New York Times by David Streitfeld. The article primarily focuses on her work and efforts to oppose Amazon's growing monopoly power.

In 2021, Politico called the organization "one of the most prominent critics of the tech industry in Washington."

References

References

1. (31 January 2012). "Staff and Board of Directors".
2. (2012-01-20). "About ILSR".
3. Walljasper, Jay. [http://www.utne.com/2001-11-01/DavidMorris.aspx David Morris: A strong-willed optimist who promotes a vision of local self-reliance.] ''[[Utne Reader]].'' November–December 2001.
4. Baldwin, J., ed. ''The Whole Earth Catalog''. New York: Harmony Books, 1990. 45.
5. "Forty Under 40: Stacy Mitchell". Portland Press Herald.
6. Grist staff. (22 February 2005). "Bill Walsh, founder of the Healthy Building Network, answers questions". Grist.
7. (13 August 2019). "BioCycle Trailblazers: Brenda Platt and Neil Seldman, Institute for Local Self-Reliance". Biocycle Magazine.
8. "Amazon: The Rise and Reign of Jeff Bezos". PBS Frontline.
9. (18 April 2020). "As Amazon Rises, So Does the Opposition". New York Times.
10. "The House Democrat Taking On Silicon Valley".