Vermonters Lobby for Public Bank—And Win Millions for Local Investment Instead
Advocates didn’t get the public bank they wanted. But the compromise they reached in the end was still a rare and significant win over Wall Street banks.
YES! Article archive
Laid-Off Baltimore Workers Beat Disney in Court—And Ask All the Right Questions About Urban Development
By some estimates, the city of Baltimore has sunk more than $1.5 billion into its Inner Harbor. Workers and residents want their share too.
How “Granny Flats” and Suburban Downtowns Are Creating a Different (and Better) Kind of Density
Density has become a dirty word in some circles because people associate it with big, ugly buildings. Luckily, there are other ways to get people living close together.
Owning Together Is the New Sharing
Companies and startups are aspiring toward an economy, and an Internet, that is more fully ours with the use of cooperatives, "commons-based peer production," and cryptocurrencies.
How a Low-Tech Seed Bank in Greece Preserves Thousands of Heritage Crops
Members of the Greek seed bank Peliti say that keeping their wares in production—instead of in refrigerators—improves the health of the plants they’re working to save.
10 Ways Human Rights and Democracy Won in 2014 (Yeah, You Heard That Right)
Let’s be honest: It was a brutal year for human rights. But we still have victories worth celebrating.
Restorative Justice at Work: How This Indigenous Wood Carver Is Finding Peace After a Seattle Officer Killed His Brother
Rick Williams asked for calm when protesters demanded justice for his brother, who was shot and killed by a Seattle police officer. But he realizes that "the only way you can help change the system is show them you are a human being."
I Can’t Breathe Until Everyone Can Breathe
The late Maya Angelou said: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” When it comes to injustices, we’re all part of the problem—and the solution.
Walking: The Secret Ingredient for Health, Wealth, and More Exciting Neighborhoods
It's been called "America's untrendiest trend." The evidence that millions of people are finally walking again is as solid as the ground beneath our feet.
Tiny House Living: How Two Families Made It Work—Teenagers, Sleepovers, Alone Time, and All
How do you fit a full-sized family into a tiny house? The Morrisons and Kasls found that the benefits of life in 200 square feet outweigh the difficulties.
A Radical Homemaker on How to De-Stress, Have Fun, and Stay Healthy This Christmas
Tired of the spending that goes along with the holidays? The gifting frenzy? The stress? Maybe this is the year to blend a few new ideas into your holiday routine.
When Christmas Dinner Gets Uncomfortably Political, These Cues From “House of Cards” and Other Shows Can Help You Out
This year’s most popular movies and TV series can be a tool to work your way out of a particularly bad conversation.
Black Lives Matter Protest Shuts Down Mall of America on December’s Biggest Shopping Day
This weekend, thousands converged on one of the world's biggest malls, chanting "Black people cannot breathe while you have a shopping spree." Check out our play-by-play.
12 Hashtags That Changed the World in 2014
Slacktivism? Not so much. From #BlackLivesMatter to #BringBackOurGirls, this year's best hashtags around issues of social justice brought fresh voices into some of our most important conversations.
“Wild” Could Have Been a Standard Hollywood Weeper. Here’s How Reese Witherspoon Saved It
To call “Wild” a redemption film is to minimize the wide range of emotions it works with—not to mention the subtlety of Reese Witherspoon’s performance.
Kids on Chicago’s West Side Break the School-to-Prison Pipeline with Restorative Circles
For these Chicago students, restorative justice isn’t just about causing less harm to those around us. It’s also about actively creating safety, on their own terms.
Neighbors Helped This Immigrant-Owned Dry Cleaner in Boston Go Nontoxic—and Stay in Business
Organizations that aim to reduce the use of toxic chemicals have long focused on shutting down offending businesses. But this story from Boston shows another way.
We Don’t Need Santa’s Magic When We Already Have Our Own
Magic is about stepping into our power, about uniting our intentions with the natural world to create something better, something deeper.
Northern California’s Railroads Are Carrying More Crude Oil Than Ever—But These Neighbors Aren’t Having It
Residents who have joined the fight against transporting oil by train have also come to understand aspects of the wider context.
Ridley Scott’s Weak Defense of “Exodus” Casting Will Help You Understand Why Hollywood’s So White
All the main characters are played by white people. It doesn't really have to be that way.
“Forgiveness Is Liberating”: Desmond Tutu On Healing A Nation’s Racist Past
In 1997, he asked: "Who could have thought we would ever be an example, except of awfulness; who could ever have thought we would be held up as a model to the rest of the world?" Today, South Africa's healing process is a beacon of hope for the United States.
UN Climate Negotiators Drop the Ball in Lima—Now It’s Up to the Grassroots to Pick It Up
Negotiators have stopped trying to win a binding international agreement on carbon emissions. Now it’s up to the people to push our governments to action.
These 3 Colleges Stopped Investing in Fossil Fuels—One Year Later, Their Endowments Are Doing Just Fine
Colleges argue that divestment is not financially responsible—but those who’ve already done it say the risk is minimal.
Everything You Need to Know About the Radical Roots of Wonder Woman
Her enigmatic creator believed women were destined to rule the world. 10 facts about the iconic heroine.
An Insurance Policy for Climate Change? How Seed Banks Are Protecting the Future of Food
“While not every traditional variety tastes great or looks great, its genetics may be invaluable 50 or 100 years from now when the climate is different.”
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