COP21: Why Science Will Make All the Difference
Unlike at previous climate talks, countries are coming to the table with science-backed contributions that challenge the business-as-usual approach.
YES! Article archive
In Photos: Minnesotans Face Gunfire and Cold in 11-Day Occupation of Police Precinct
In Minneapolis, demonstrators are demanding police release video of a fatal shooting of an African-American man. Earlier this week, five were shot by alleged white supremacists.
Can We End America’s Massive Food Waste Problem?
Almost half of America's food is thrown out every year. Despite the popularity of things like local markets and farm-to-fork initiatives, the U.S. food system remains a heavily industrialized, wasteful business.
REI Will #OptOutside on Black Friday. Can It Change Retail (and the Economy)?
All 143 REI stores will be closed on Black Friday. But what more can the co-op do to live up to its values and transform the conversation in the United States?
Portland Blocked Fossil Fuels, What Now?
Turning the city's resolution into policies that protect health and safety is one fight that lies ahead. Another is forging a wall of resistance from San Diego to Vancouver, B.C.
These Kids Can’t Vote, But They Can Sue
In Washington state, eight kids took the government to court to safeguard their future through stronger regulations on carbon emissions. Here's what they gained.
Special Report: The First Nations Blockade That Could Shut Down the Tar Sands
Journey with us to the Unis'to'ten camp, where one First Nations clan stands in the path of three pipelines.
My Mom Fled War Too: Finding Compassion for Syrian Refugees
Like refugees everywhere, my mom gave her children the gift of a better life—and an understanding of what it means to risk everything for it.
Paris Attacks and Climate Change Push Us to Fix a World of Broken Systems
The rise of ISIS, the “war on terror,” the attack on Paris—these are symptoms of a civilization in its twilight. But the displays of global solidarity show that the seeds of a new paradigm are being planted.
The Butterflies Are Alright: Why Monarchs Are Thriving (and Other News to Chew On)
Portland's vote to stop new fossil fuel infrastructure, new legislation to protect butterflies, and why what we call ISIS matters.
10 Reasons to Leave Your Company to Your Workers When You Retire
It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity: Selling to employees can yield a better price, preserve a legacy, keep jobs and profits local—and maybe even eradicate inequality.
The USDA Is Putting $34.3 Million Into Local Food Projects. Will It Be Enough?
Those in the food justice movement question whether the agency’s recent efforts are a superficial attempt to appear supportive of local food and minority farmers.
The Economics of Compassion: Can This City Wipe Out Debt by 2019?
A "Jubilee" initiative in Cincinnati aims to wipe out the debts of the city's poorest people. Theologian Walter Brueggemann explains the idea's biblical foundations.
As Boomers Retire, Millions of Small Businesses Will Change Hands. Can We Keep Them Local?
A “silver tsunami” of retiring business owners is coming, and with it, one of the biggest changeovers of privately held companies in U.S. history. Here’s how we can help owners pass on their legacies—to their workers.
Can Cities End the School-to-Prison Pipeline? Relentless Organizers Are Tallying Wins
“We have always said that this is a battle of imagination over incarceration.”
3 Ways the TPP Will Hurt the Climate—If We Let It Pass
The next big trade deal is poised for a congressional vote in 2016. Here's what that means for the planet.
After Decades in a Food Desert, These Neighbors Are Building a $2 Million Co-op—And They Own It
For nearly 20 years, the residents of this mostly African American Greensboro community had nowhere to shop for food. They tried to attract a big-box grocery store; when that didn’t work, they started their own.
Energy Democracy: Inside Californians’ Game-Changing Plan for Community-Owned Power
Large utility companies control about 75 percent of the electricity market in California. A hybrid between a public agency and private utility, the new Community Choice program is a model for communities that want greener, cheaper energy.
New Economy Week Starts Here
This week, we bring you five pressing challenges blocking our way to a better economy—and a dose of solutions.
Here’s What We’ll Do After the Paris Climate Summit Drops the Ball
No global agreement is coming to save the day. Our powers lie elsewhere, in our communities especially, and this is where we must take the battle.
Acts of Collective Imagination: Notes From the Chief Policy Wonk at America’s Department of Arts and Culture
What if we gave everyone a universal basic income, and studied the adverse impacts of development before razing neighborhoods? The policy agenda of a national network you didn’t know existed.
7 Paths to Development That Bring Neighborhoods Wealth, Not Gentrification
The plan to build better, more connected, flourishing communities is here—and it won’t require putting a Starbucks on every block.
Borrow, Save, Share: 3 Ways Seeds Can Democratize Our Food System
Just six companies control 63 percent of the commercial seed market. But seed libraries offer us an opportunity to reclaim the seed commons and create our own community food systems.
Baltimore After the Uprising: 3 Trends Building a Fairer, Safer, Stronger Economy
Because structural problems need structural solutions.
After Ferguson Uprising, Should St. Louis Spend $1 Billion on a New Football Stadium?
Just a year and a half after the St. Louis area became internationally known for racism, the city is considering building a billion-dollar stadium. If justice was our priority, says organizer Julia Ho, those tax dollars would be spent very differently.
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