Lobster Gangs and Debunking “The Tragedy of the Commons”
Research by Elinor Ostrom and her colleagues show how people cooperate to manage, and sustain, common resources.
Economy
Rethinking Money as a Force for Equity
Money has become concentrated in very few hands. Now some experts are considering that money itself may be part of the problem.
A Former Olympic Fencer Brings Her Sport Back to Her Community
The Olympics puts the spotlight on many sports that ordinarily don’t get attention. For some youth athletes, those niche sports become a vehicle for upward mobility.
Less Work, More Living
Movements such as the four-day workweek, right to disconnect, and fair workweek aim to save our sanity and the planet.
Energy, Housing, Food, Water: What’s a Fair Share?
What equitable resource distribution looks like.
Meditations on Enough
5 meditations on what “enough” means, from food to rest to diversity.
Building Community by Buying Nothing
“It’s like a radical new economy, except of course it’s an old economy that has been around forever.”
Helping the Rich Let Go
A new generation of wealth advisers helps wealthy people give away their money instead of hoard it.
Lack of Housing Is Not the Problem
One parcel at a time, Bay Area activists are pushing for land trust housing to decommodify land and take properties out of an unjust market.
3 Essential Reads About the Expiring Eviction Moratorium
During the pandemic shutdown, only government protection kept many people in their homes. That shield is gone now.
In This West Virginia City, Health Is a Communal Effort
The people of Williamson, West Virginia, are rethinking how health care is provided in the community, starting with re-opening their closed hospital.
Delivery Co-ops Provide an Answer to High Fees and Low Wages
The Grubhub model is here to stay. But community-based delivery services could be lifelines for small restaurants battling huge commission fees.
The Power of Local Money for a Thriving Local Economy
Alternative currencies can be a vehicle for local power and justice.
Rethinking the Farming Economy
A Vermont nonprofit is connecting independent farms with buyers and distributors, reducing food surplus and working to eliminate food insecurity.
America’s Recovery Depends on an Infrastructure of Care
It’s time to catch up with the global community in enacting a permanent national paid leave policy and other caregiving supports.
Cities Reward Citizens for Shopping Local
Akron, Ohio's “shop local“ app has created half a million dollars of economic activity since it launched last summer. Now, Boston wants to capture some of that magic.
My Suffering Is Not for Sale
We must redistribute wealth and not look at it as a favor, but a call to action
Rebuilding Black Wall Street
A mob tried to destroy a prosperous Black community, but Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood would not be kept down.
The Pandemic Is Forcing Women to Leave the Workplace. What Will It Take to Undo the Damage?
It’s going to require government investment in both women employees and entrepreneurs.
Formerly Incarcerated People in West Virginia Find Community Support
A network of government agencies and community service organizations have created a program to help formerly incarcerated people navigate life outside prison.
Don’t Let Consumerism Co-opt the Zero-Waste Concept
The movement began as anti-consumerist. Yet now there are marketing ploys, feelings of inadequacy, and misplaced responsibility.
Biden Bets Big on the Care Economy
The president’s American Families Plan takes its cue from feminist economists who have long advocated for a renewed focus on the social safety net.
Urban Walkability Gains a Foothold in the U.S.
The 15-Minute City, an urban concept in which all basic needs can be satisfied with a 15-minute walk or bike ride, is catching on in the U.S. as an indirect reaction to the pandemic.
What Purpose Does a Border Serve?
Border walls aren’t necessary, and neither are the borders themselves in a world built on justice and equality, says author Todd Miller.
Addressing Child Poverty Beyond the Pandemic
The economic impact of the pandemic has created an opportunity for the federal government to reconsider its traditional responses to poverty and unemployment.
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