Story of the Brick
When a piece of art consisting of a porcelain brick arrived on the desk of key government officials during what is now known as the "California Water Wars" nobody knew it would change the course of environmental history. Years later, one of those officials, then head of California's Resource Agency, recounted how a gift of artwork moved his heart, and rippled out to move the hearts of the people o... posted on Jun 11 2010, 3,698 reads

The 12-year-old Headmistress
As an infant, Bharti Kumari was abandoned at a railway station in Bihar, one of India's poorest states. Now, at 12 years-old, she is the head teacher at a school in Kusmbhara, her adopted village. Under the shade of a mango tree every morning and evening, she teaches Hindi, English, and math to 50 village children who would otherwise receive no education. In between, she attends a state school in ... posted on Jun 09 2010, 10,135 reads

Running for Orphans
Ever seen a nun run 50 miles in her full habit? This Spring, Sister Mary Beth Lloyd, 61, teamed up with ultra-runner Lisa Smith Batchen to run 50 miles in 50 states. The Cause? To help children orphaned by AIDS. "Every 14 seconds a new child-headed household is formed," Lloyd explains. Since 1995, the sister has directed a worldwide mission that educations and offers skills training to women, at-r... posted on Jun 06 2010, 2,518 reads

Adventurer leaves NY Career to Walk Across the US
I don't suppose you've watched 'Forest Gump,' Ron Struzynski chuckles as he watches 30-year-old Matt Green set up a tent for the evening. Green, previously an New York City civil engineer, finds himself in Wisconsin tonight, after embarking on a 6-month walk across the U.S. in late March. In these uncertain times, most of us cling to the things that make us feel secure. Those who have jobs give th... posted on Jun 01 2010, 4,724 reads

A Piece of Cowboy Wisdom
"I had come to Elko for their annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering. A first-timer, I was neither a cowboy nor a student of cowboy poetry, but I'd been enjoying the performances and the friendly atmosphere among the ranchers, cowboys and the friends of cowboy culture. It was the second day of the festival and I'd taken a break to visit Capriola's, a place famous for its western gear. Just outside the sto... posted on May 29 2010, 3,008 reads

A Trash-Free Year
"Any time I throw something away, I think of you." It sounds like an insult, but to Amy and Adam Korst, it's a typical compliment. Since July 2009, the young couple have been on a quest to answer the question: "Is it possible for a couple to live an entire year without placing trash in a landfill, in a country that produces more waste each year than any other country in the world?" According to th... posted on May 26 2010, 3,668 reads

What Adults Can Learn from Kids
"I loved to write from the age of four, and when I was six my mom bought me my own laptop...I wrote over 300 short stories on that little laptop, and I wanted to get published. Instead of just scoffing at this heresy that a kid wanted to get published, or saying 'wait until you're older,' my parents were really supportive." Since publishing her first book at the age of 7, Adora Svitak, now 12, has... posted on May 24 2010, 3,975 reads

Climbing Mount Everest
Standing at 26,028 feet (8,847 meters) above sea level, 13-year-old Jordan Romero became the youngest person to summit Mount Everest on Saturday. Before starting out, the determined young boy from Big Bear, California said he wanted to climb Everest to inspire more young people to get outdoors. "Obese children are the future of America, the way things are going," he said on April 9 in Kathmandu. "... posted on May 23 2010, 2,106 reads

Street-Corner Revolution...with Paint?
"That's public space. Nobody can us it." That was one Portland city official's response when Mark Lakeman and his neighbors first began building unauthorized gathering places in their neighborhood in 1996. To Lakeman, an urban designer, this seemed like a a fundamental misunderstanding of public space. Together with his neighbors, he formed the City Repair Project, a volunteer-run nonprofit that s... posted on May 18 2010, 4,954 reads

Dalai Lama on Buddhism in the West
When his brother died in Indiana in 2008, the Dalai Lama didn't make it to his funeral. When you believe in reincarnation, and that this life is just a doorway to the next, there's no great importance to funerals, his followers explained. Yet, two years later, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate finds himself standing at his brother's Indiana culture center, sharing insights on inner peace and happines... posted on May 17 2010, 4,103 reads