The Forest Man of Majuli Island
It has been said that the single most powerful thing one can do to combat climate change and promote peace is to plant a tree. Jadev Payeng has been doing just that since the 1970's on the once-barren sandbar on the banks of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. Over 40 years later, the forest he's planted is now larger than New York City's Central Park and is home to several thousand varieties o... posted on Aug 17 2014, 4,795 reads

A New Model of School Reform
So often we attack difficult issues from the 'outside in.' Take, for example, our failing school systems - not even Mark Zuckerburg's generous $100 million donation could help to fix the underlying issues. And yet, one unassuming schoolhouse in Oakland, California is making unprecedented strides in educational reform. Their secret? They are transforming themselves from the inside out, through soc... posted on Aug 16 2014, 23,971 reads

Catching Song With Bobby McFerrin
"I want everyone to experience at the end of my concert...this sense of rejoicing. I don't want them to be blown away by what I do, I want them to have this sense of real, real joy from the depths of their being. Because I think when you take them to that place then you open up a place where grace can come in." These are the words of musician Bobby McFerrin during his interview with Krista Tippett... posted on Aug 15 2014, 14,697 reads

Eating Outside the Box
We love the convenience of a prepackaged meal. But, at what cost? Did you know that in the U.S. alone, packaging materials constitute 32 percent of the municipal solid waste stream? Sadly, school lunches contribute significantly to this problem -- generating between 45 and 90 pounds of Ziploc bags, foil pouches, and other packaging waste each year. That's roughly equivalent to the weight of an ave... posted on Aug 14 2014, 15,867 reads

10 Creative Rituals To Learn From
Sustained creativity doesn't just happen -- it's the result of hard work, and daily habits which help us tap into inspiration and cultivate success. But, what are those habits and, more importantly, how might they help? In this article, 99U interviews some of the most successful, creative minds to determine their wonderfully unique routines. ... posted on Aug 13 2014, 38,683 reads

I Talk To Strangers
One of the first rules parents often teach their children is "Don't talk to strangers." But Robbie Stokes was determined to flip that old life lesson on its head. So, after quitting his job working in the United States House of Representatives, Stokes, now 26, set out on an ambitious backpacking journey around the world in which his aim was to talk to as many strangers -- people of all ages, races... posted on Aug 12 2014, 4,659 reads

An Icebox, A Live Heart And The Man Who Drove & Drove
In some ways, it was surprising that any good could ever come of a cadaver, a heart failure and a vehicle with a live heart in its trunk tearing through a crowded city. That it did on June 16, 2014 in Chennai, and that more than 50 people coordinated the whole thing with surreal precision to save a life, could tempt one to use words like 'miracle' or 'aberration'. But in truth, it was already the ... posted on Aug 11 2014, 16,249 reads

Today I Will Do Nothing
"Today I will do nothing..." A rare declaration that just might be an antidote for the frenzy and stress of a fast-paced world and never-ending To-Do lists. Read on for a whimsical and wonder-filled comic from artist Grant Snider detailing the marvelous possibilities that unfold when we dedicate ourselves to the openness of doing "nothing". ... posted on Aug 10 2014, 89,116 reads

7 Ways To Inspire Healing After Disaster
"From 9/11 to Malaysia Airlines 370 to the Chilean earthquake...the news of a community rocked by tragedy continually reminds us of our collective vulnerability. Who are we as individuals after these calamities? Who are we as a community when the boundaries of civility, safety, and certainty shatter?...We are all individual in our response to trauma, and we are all unique in our recovery process. ... posted on Aug 09 2014, 15,557 reads

The Power of Patience
Images flash at us from every direction--from our social media accounts to advertisements on the road, and we have little time to take in anything. So, it is rather radical that Harvard art history professor Jennifer Roberts asks her students to sit--not for half an hour, but for three hours with a work of art before writing anything about it. While some may think that this sounds excessive at fir... posted on Aug 08 2014, 10,104 reads