Sarah van Gelder is co-founder of YES! Magazine and author of The Revolution Where You Live: Stories from a 12,000 Mile Journey Through a New America [LINK: https://
How Northwest Communities Are Stopping Big Oil Projects
Steinke’s advice for others who want to make a difference: “Show up, speak up, and make your case repeatedly. Without advocates, nothing happens. Elected officials don’t want to rock the boat, but if you rock it, they will be receptive.” And, if Steinke’s experience is any indication, the deeper sense of community and commitment that results could be oxygen for local revolution.
December 8, 2017
Who Has the Skills to Build Community? We All Do
So I began wondering: What if the people I met in one city—say, Detroit—could share what they know with people in other communities around the country? What if people had access to the skills that would allow them to step up with confidence together with others where they live? We have a lot of work ahead of us—especially with the retrograde politics in Washington, D.C. Could work in our communities deepen relationships while building our power and nourishing our spirits?
August 15, 2017
Our Best Shot at Meeting Paris Goals? Make Energy Public
Mayors across the country have vowed to deliver on the goals of the Paris climate accord in defiance of President Trump’s decision to back out. But how can they, realistically, when the national government is questioning climate science and promoting coal, fracking, and pipelines? Simply put: Make energy public.
July 11, 2017
As Climate Change Threatens Food Supplies, Seed Saving is an Ancient Act of Resilience
On a recent Saturday afternoon, a group of volunteers in the northern Montana city of Great Falls met in the local library to package seeds for their newly formed seed exchange, and to share their passion for gardening and food security.
June 9, 2017
In Berlin, a Model for Creative and Affordable Housing
Berlin’s creative culture is under tremendous pressure as real estate speculators from around the globe buy up apartment buildings. But a culture of resistance and grassroots revitalization is putting a brake on gentrification, helping to protect the residents’ right to their city.
April 13, 2017
Small-Scale Farming Could Restore America’s Rural Towns
There is nothing inevitable about the demise of rural America. Nothing inevitable, that is, if we turn away from the extractive model of corporate agriculture and the trade deals and subsidies that support it and instead reestablish the small- and medium-scale farming and ranching that can support sustainable prosperity.
March 20, 2017