HAPPINESS

The good life doesn't have to cost the planet.

Five Reasons Why It’s a Good Time to Be a Dad

by Jeremy Adam Smith

posted Jun 14, 2013

Gone are the days of the emotionally distant breadwinner. Today’s dads are more and more involved in their kids’ lives.

How Afternoon French Lessons Turned Friends into Family

by Shannon Hayes

posted Jun 12, 2013

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.

What’s Love Got to Do with the Apocalypse? We Asked This Group of Young Leaders

by Sarah van Gelder

posted Jun 10, 2013

On life, leadership, and the future in an age of catastrophic change.

3 Global Cities That Are Doing Bike Shares Right (And One’s in Texas!)

by Kristin Hugo

posted Jun 04, 2013

From China to San Antonio, cities are using rental bike programs to create healthier commutes. Here are a few insights from some of the world’s best programs.

Pussy Riot’s “Punk Prayer” Reminds Us to Cherish Freedom of Spirit—Not Just Speech

by Christa Hillstrom

posted May 31, 2013

What we still have to learn from the world’s favorite riot grrrls.

Meet the Refreshing Evangelical Who’s Leading a Revival—of “the Common Good”

by Sarah van Gelder

posted May 30, 2013

Pastor Jim Wallis has been arrested for protesting the Keystone XL pipeline, builds bridges between polarized politicians, and pushes Christians to worry less about gay marriage and more about justice. And even better—there’s a whole new generation following his lead.

Why Sticky Cabinets Have a Place on My Dream Farm

by Shannon Hayes

posted May 29, 2013

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.

Melodeego: The Hippest Bike-Powered Band in Town

by Chuck Collins

posted May 28, 2013

Melodeego has been making music for the environment for years. Their songs include protests of the Keystone XL pipeline and other topics inspired by the anti-climate change movement.

Get Apocalyptic: Why Radical is the New Normal

by Robert Jensen

posted May 24, 2013

Feeling anxious about life in a broken economy on a strained planet? Turn despair into action.

For a Future that Won’t Destroy Life on Earth, Look to the Global Indigenous Uprising

by Kristin Moe

posted May 23, 2013

Idle No More is the latest incarnation of an age-old movement for life that doesn't depend on infinite extraction and growth. Now, armed with Twitter and Facebook, once-isolated groups from Canada to South America are exchanging resources and support like never before.

How a Radical Group of American Nuns Shook Up the Vatican to Better the World

by Valerie Schloredt

posted May 21, 2013

“Band of Sisters” shows why a humble group of women fell under Vatican investigation for seeing the causes—not just the symptoms—of injustice.

Georgia Professors Teach Undocumented Students—for Free

by Chris Francis

posted May 20, 2013

Georgia is one of three states that exclude undocumented students from full access to higher education. "Freedom University" operates on the principle that “you can stop me from going to a UGA classroom, but you can’t stop a UGA professor from teaching me.”

“Modified Social Benches”: An Experiment in Outdoor Socializing

by Cat Johnson

posted May 13, 2013

An installation of creatively shaped benches in Belgium pushes the edge of urban sit-ability.

Mothers Day Cards that Actually Depict Our Moms

by Corey Hill

posted May 10, 2013

The reality of motherhood in America has little in common with the comfortable images portrayed in cards and on TV. A set of Mothers Day e-cards you can send for free shows moms that better reflect our diverse society.

Why Sharing News About Solutions Is a Revolutionary Act

by Frances Moore Lappé

posted May 10, 2013

Scary stories of kidnappings and explosions lead our news feeds, but it's the good news that helps break down the myth of our own powerlessness.