No Fossil Fuel? No Problem—7 Ways We’re Already Living More Locally
From affordable transit to local food for school lunches, many people across America are already on their way to living a life without oil.
Environment
In a Surprise Win for Democracy Over Corporate Power, GMO Labeling Has Arrived
Those predicting an easy Senate defeat for mandatory labeling saw corporations fold one by one in the face of a strong food movement.
Is Human Composting the Future of Death?
Skip the formaldehyde. How your body could become beautiful soil.
Meet the Jeans-Wearing, Nature-Loving Nuns Who Helped Stop a Kentucky Pipeline
As fewer women enter the convent, what will become of Kentucky’s tradition of socially and environmentally engaged religious women?
When I Dream of the Planet in Recovery
For decades, poet-philosopher and radical environmentalist Derrick Jensen has warned us about the problems of civilization. Yet he’s a tireless activist with hope for the planet’s future.
The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers Is Starting an Economic Revolution
Ocean farming isn’t just about food, it’s about transforming a workforce and restoring the sea.
Pay Attention! How Being Less Distracted Will Make You Happy
Researchers say we’re distracted 47 percent of our lives. Increasing our focus could help us—and the people around us—feel happier.
Why Fixing Climate Change Is Women’s Work
Natural resource scarcity and unpredictable weather affect women first, yet they’re often the last to be heard on how to combat it. That’s slowly changing.
How Montanans Stopped the Largest New Coal Mine in North America
The defeat of what seemed unstoppable—Arch Coal’s Otter Creek mine—marks an encouraging shift in the fight against Big Coal.
I Was a Fourth-Generation Coal Miner. Here’s Why I Quit
“I quit the mines, not entirely sure what I was going to do. I just knew that I could do something different.”
Forget Nutraloaf—Prisoners Are Growing Their Own Food
From New York to California, prison gardening programs serve as cost-effective food sources and provide inmates with better nutrition.
5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier
Happy people are healthier, make more money, and live longer. Thankfully researchers say it’s something we can cultivate with practice. Here’s how.
Without Fossil Fuels, a New Population Puzzle
So how many people can the planet really support?
You Don’t Need a Science Degree to End World Hunger
Scientists aren’t the only ones who can solve problems like malnutrition—in fact, people who face hunger might be better at solving it.
20 Years in the Making, Great Bear Agreement Protects World’s Largest Temperate Rainforest
The landmark deal between 27 First Nations, environmentalists, forest industry, and government preserves 85 percent of old-growth in one of the world’s great forests.
Jobs After Oil: The Path to a Cleaner, More Equal Future
A successful energy transition to renewables could not only rescue the planet but create a more just economy.
Real Life Hacks to Cut Your Carbon Footprint (Plus: A Personal Emissions Calculator)
After estimating how his daily actions contributed to global warming, this climate scientist found a better way to live. How does your carbon footprint stack up? Measure your impact with our emissions calculator.
We Know Nature Makes Us Happier. Now Science Says It Makes Us Kinder Too
New studies show being in nature may increase your willingness to be generous, trusting, and helpful toward others.
The West Coast Is the World’s 5th Largest Economy. Can It Unite to Stop Big Oil?
From First Nations activism to innovative city initiatives, the West Coast is leading the fight against global warming even as many countries lag behind.
How A Small Town Won an Unlikely Victory Against Big Oil
A port commission vote against a proposed $1.2 billion oil refinery in a Washington town proves that the people still have a voice.
Infographic: The Surprising Ways You Consume Oil Every Day
Less than half the oil we consume is used for gasoline. Petroleum also goes into a bunch of everyday products. Some useful, and many we could live without.
100% Renewable Energy: What We Can Do in 10 Years
It will take at least three decades to completely leave behind fossil fuels. But we can do it. And the first step is to start with the easy stuff.
Without Scalia, a New Chance for Climate Justice
Justice Scalia was a thorn in the side of the environmental movement. Now that his seat is up for grabs, the Supreme Court could be in position to make serious gains for the climate.
How to Make Friends in the City: Grow Vegetables Together
We asked this East Londoner how a pop-up garden brought his neighborhood together and made friends out of strangers.
The Hidden, Very Good Reason for the $10 Oil Tax
Doomed as it may be, an oil tax is a step toward redefining energy as a public good—for which everyone pays the cost of overuse and abuse.
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