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It’s a “Story Problem”: What’s Behind Our Messed-Up Economy
The peoples of earlier times prospered from the guidance of simple stories that offered answers to their deepest questions. We need those now more than ever.
Stay Weird or Fit In? It’s Your Kid’s Decision
Wearing a sunhat and a cape because you want to is innocence. Doing so when you know others don’t like it is bravery.
A Road Trip to Save El Salvador’s Water
A delegation of activists from 12 different countries on the fight to stop gold mining in Central America.
Making Hurricane Preparedness Fun...and Delicious
The Jamaica Plain New Economy transition town has found that pie parties are a good way to get more people interested in disaster preparedness.
Why Rain and Cold Can’t Stop Our Family Farm
Selling food in the freezing rain is not my favorite thing. But seeing my customers come out in the bad weather reminded me of why of do this work.
How Afternoon French Lessons Turned Friends into Family
I was afraid of being judged by a neighbor who began giving free French lessons to my kids. But the worries melted away as our friendship grew deeper.
Why Sticky Cabinets Have a Place on My Dream Farm
When we visualize the lives we desire, we often leave out the difficulties and frustrations. But they’re inevitable, and in the end they make the rewards of life more satisfying.
The Farm Bill’s “Government Handouts”: Who Really Benefits?
There’s nothing like talk of “government handouts” to get people upset. But when it comes to farm bill, the real culprits might not be who you think they are.
A Tax System for the 99 Percent
Feeling like taxes are more unfair than ever? Three ways corporations, banks, and individuals exploit an unjust system—and three ways the people are pushing back.
What If Your Kids Want to Get Political?
Using young children as political props is problematic, to say the least. But when they do form their own opinion, it’s important to let them express it.
What Our Kids Can Teach Us About Trying Over
Children’s future happiness is not tied to how well they behave or whether they will be able to hold a job. It is tied to their ability to create with their minds and their hands.
Behind the Kitchen Door: A Must-Read for Anyone Who Eats at Restaurants
Review: More than half of the nation’s worst-paid jobs are related to food. Saru Jayaraman’s new book dives into the explosive movement for better rights for those who plant, process, and cook the food we eat.
Instead of Trying to Feed the World, Let’s Help It Feed Itself
We know about the ecological problems that follow when farmers are asked to “feed the world.” What would happen if they just tried to feed their neighbors instead?
Radical Investing: 4 Ways to Live on a Tight Budget
"We have a lovely home, we eat well, we have lots of fun, we’re warm, and we don’t worry about how we’ll keep the lights on." Shannon Hayes on how she has managed to live a fulfilled and happy life without going broke.
4 Lessons for Growing a Family Farm across Generations
Breaking our families into nuclear units has an ecological and emotional cost. Could the multigenerational farm remind us where to turn for a viable future?
Food or Ethanol? Why Farmers Shouldn’t Give in to Monocrops
It’s a good time to be in farming if you like to grow corn. It’s a tough time if you see yourself as a steward of the land. Shannon Hayes on why growers pressured by corn-heavy markets should hold out for crops that nourish the Earth.
Married with Children? It’s Not the End of Individuality
Sometimes Shannon Hayes finds herself missing the days before she was a mother. But the circle of familial give-and-take love makes the trade-off worth it.
9 Stories That Will Change Your World in 2013
2012 was a year of superstorms, mass shootings, debt strikes, and the most spendy election ever. Here’s how last year’s most important stories will shape 2013.
The Gift of Remembering Those We’ve Lost
All of us lose loved ones over the course of our lives, and the pain of those losses is especially sharp during the holiday season. Passing on their memories to younger generations is a gift that truly lasts.
4 Ways to Leap the “Fiscal Cliff” to a Better U.S.A.
Sarah van Gelder looks beyond the hype about the deficit and finds four ways to balance the books while protecting our health and financial security.
