The empty desk policy: Why remote work is the sustainability win we’re ignoring

The daily commute is more than an inconvenience; it is a major source of pollution and wasted time. As return-to-office demands grow, remote work may be one of the most overlooked tools for reducing emissions while improving quality of life and accessibility.

Human Nature Odyssey, Episode 21. Earth Abides (Part 1): Life After Civilization

You ever go on a little trip, to just get away from it all — only to come home and find all of civilization collapsed while you were gone and you might be the last person left on earth? Well then you could totally relate to George R. Stewart’s 1949 science-fiction novel, “Earth Abides.”

Scale Raises the Ceiling, but Fiscal Foundations Determine Whether Autocracy or Democracy Prevails

Understanding this deeper history widens our conception of political possibility. It reminds us that democracy has emerged through multiple pathways and has sustained under diverse historical conditions—and that its durability has depended not just on shared norms or formal institutions, but on the fiscal systems that underwrite them.

How to build community resilience in the face of abrupt economic decline

Benicia, California, is set to lose its largest single employer and source of tax revenue, a sprawling oil refinery. A Guardian article about this issue catalyzed this essay that describes what a thoughtful process might look like, if a community – any community – chose to pursue sustainability instead of economic growth.