One way of keeping money in the community is to create an alternative system of currency In 1932, while the world struggled through the Great Depression, a small Austrian town tried an economic experiment. To stimulate the local economy, leadership in Wörgl created its own local currency, or scrip, known in German as freigeld (literally, […]
With Main Street still not recovered from the recession that swept the country in early 2009, ostentation has taken a backseat to more earthy values—at least in some circles. Whereas “old American luxury” was epitomized by McMansions, yachts and gas-guzzling SUVs, an Audi rep explains, the “new luxury” will be a more “progressive luxury,” with smaller homes and cars (an Audi in this scenario, of course), “a sense of Zen” and “new-age values.” There will be no shortage of people wealthy enough to afford luxury cars, Audi believes, but consumers will be spending their cash on brands that don’t scream, “Look at me.” Perhaps more importantly…
Handmade and eco friendly holiday greetings
There are a few places around the world where people live unusually long and healthy lives, called Blue Zones. For the past five years, Dan Buettner has been taking teams of scientists and writers to these places, and documenting their secrets to longevity.
What does it take to run a genuinely eco friendly business?
As a bright, blue-sky summer afternoon gives way to the softer hues of early evening, there’s not a single available parking spot along the perimeter of Ashland, Oregon’s downtown jewel, Lithia Park. It’s not always this crowded in Ashland, despite tourists flocking in droves to the world-renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s three theatres…
U-pick orchards in the Tehachapi Valley share their luscious bounty.
by Lisa Johns
My grandmother loved autumn. Part of her joy in watching the vestiges of summer fade into the crispness of fall came from our long Sunday drives through the countryside. She never tired of looking out the window or marveling at the vivid colors of the changing landscape. A native of central Wisconsin, she loved the outdoors—the blue skies of October, our long walks…
Eric Garcetti supports eco-conscious living as both a planet-saving measure and a social justice issue.
By Amy Lyons
When Los Angeles city council president Eric Garcetti quietly married his longtime girlfriend earlier this year, the blogosphere was abuzz with brokenhearted laments. Not only is the hip and handsome L.A. native politically correct on all the issues, he plays piano and has a great sense of humor. Garcetti may kid around with his constituents (in both English and Spanish), but when it comes to the environment, he’s all business…
“In reality there is a single integral community of the Earth… In this community every being has its own role to fulfill, its own dignity, its inner spontaneity. Every being has its own voice.”
Imagine half a million adults skipping town and leaving their kids behind. That’s what’s happening in bee world. Honeybees are all getting out of Dodge, and we have no clue why.