Kate Petty is an educator, writer, and environmental activist. She has worked with the New York Nature Conservancy and various United Nations initiatives, including UNICEF, the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, and the Universal Versatile Society to promote education, social justice, and solution-oriented projects for a healthier planet. She is a contributor to the Observatory.
The Rising Cost of Your Morning Brew: How Climate Change Is Brewing a Coffee Crisis
Severe weather, shifting trade policies, and a lack of support for small farmers are driving coffee prices sky high. Without urgent investment, your daily brew could become a luxury.
July 22, 2025
Start Your Own Restaurant on May 18
The underground gourmet is an old tradition. From lemonade stands to supper clubs and modern blind pigs, people love to play restaurant. Now a new tradition, started in 2011 in Helsinki, is bringing together hundreds of make-believe restaurateurs into a worldwide celebration of this alternative economy: Restaurant Day, “a worldwide food carnival when anyone can open a restaurant.”
April 3, 2013




















