In 2022, international investment firm BlackRock acquired Vanguard Renewables, to help Vanguard drastically expand its number of large-scale anaerobic digestion facilities across the U.S. and BlackRock’s own energy portfolio. Brenda Platt, director of ILSR’s Composting for Community Initiative shares her concern that like in many industries, this trend towards concentrated dominance over the inputs and outputs of this new technology control will ultimately harm communities and starve them of the resources necessary to build thriving, sustainable local economies. Dior St. Hillaire co-director of the NYC composting service BK ROT, adds to the discussion with her vision for New York City that centers local economies, community engagement, and educational spaces fostered by community composting.

For additional resources see: https://ilsr.org/building-local-power/