Building a New Textile Economy
The worldwide textile industry’s enormous impact on human health, climate, and the environment is often overlooked in discussions of sustainability. Rebecca Burgess, a weaver and natural dyer, started her search
YES! Article archive
Economy
The Phantom Promise: How Appalachia Was Sold on Prisons as an Economic Lifeline
As the coal industry declines, rural communities are seeking new economic stability—but prisons may not be the answer.
Resisting GMOs and Preserving Indigenous Culture in Rural Mexico
Thanks to a union of land cooperatives, people in Puebla have food sovereignty and education in Nahuatl instead of mega-projects and a Walmart.
The Sustainable Future Town of Your Imagination
A walk into the future, in a British city where housing is sustainable, energy is locally owned, food is abundant, and the work week is just three days long.
Converting Businesses to Cooperatives Just Got Easier
A coming wave of Baby Boomer retirements threatens the survival of many small businesses. This initiative is making employee-ownership a more viable option.
California Just Legalized Public Banks. Will the Rest of the Nation Follow Suit?
The new law promises to take taxpayer money back from Wall Street and reinvest it in communities.
“No Winners on a Dead Earth”: Why We Need a Climate Leader in 2020
The climate crisis is our common cause, and we’ll need to elect a president that is willing to take it on.
How to Get Out of the Debt Trap When Banks Won’t Help
In many rural areas, a lack of banking options has led to an increase in predatory lending. In eastern Kentucky, a new nonprofit is fighting back.
What Low-Wage Work Does to Us
A huge share of U.S. employment is in low-wage jobs where workers are pushed to their limits to maximize profits for massive corporations.
You Can’t Put Capitalism Over Sustainability—and Other Lessons From China
Humanity’s existential crisis can be resolved only when we the people stand united behind a vision of the world we truly want.
Will Banning Single-Family Zoning Make for More Affordable Homes?
Minneapolis effectively eliminated single-family zoning in order to undo decades of segregation and create more affordable housing options. Other states are watching closely.
How This Black Entrepreneur Went From Homelessness to Housing Others
With help from a business incubator, Tyrone Poole created a platform to help people on low incomes find housing.
8 Essential Steps to Radically Transform Our Economy
An economic system that serves everyone and the planet is necessary for our survival. Here are some guiding principles to get us there.
Taxing the Rich Starts With Knowing Who They Are
Not all the rich are created equal, and it will take different policy approaches to redistribute some of their wealth.
How an “Arts and Culture Economy” Rebuilt a Former Coal Town
“More and more artists started moving in, and we ended with the crazy, amazing mix of people in town.”
The Public Banking Revolution Is Upon Us
More than 25 bills are now active, and dozens of groups are promoting the idea.
Robert Reich: Socialism for the Rich, Capitalism for the Rest
While the wealthy and powerful are coddled with public largesse, the rest of us are thrown into the jaws of an unforgiving economic system.
Real Wealth Resides Under Our Feet
Soil, not money, is the source of wealth, and our economic system needs to reflect that.
A New Food Court Offers a Leg Up for Local Eateries
A Bay Area market and cafe aims to build wealth for local food entrepreneurs and local community.
Where Homeownership Starts at $1 per Square Foot
A tiny house program in Detroit helps people avoid homelessness, and get a head start on building equity.
Why Student Players Deserve a Cut of the Billions They Bring In for College Athletics
College basketball players are on average worth $212,080 to their program—much more than the cost of their scholarships.
Can Rent Control Protect Communities?
Oregon passed a statewide cap on annual rent increases, and now other states are paying close attention.
New Life for an Old Mill Town in Rural North Carolina
A grassroots co-op turns small individual investments into bigger returns.
We Can Do Better Than Capitalism
Entrepreneurs in all walks of life are showing that it’s possible to create companies with business models driven by social purpose.
Bill McKibben: Climate Change Is Scary—Not the Green New Deal
It’s very clear that conservatives have one plan for dealing with the popularity of the Green New Deal: scaring the hell out of people.
Help Fund Powerful Stories to Light the Way Forward
Donate to YES! today.