Blogs | Small Planet Institute

Mamdani's Win Proves That Hope Is Power

Perhaps the most important takeaway from Mr. Mamdani’s campaign is this: Hope grounded in possibility is the fuel for democracy. Originally Published in Common Dreams , Nov 8th, 2025. (Photo Credit Bingjiefu Hu/Creative Common) Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory on Tuesday is a bright light in this otherwise terrifying political time, and the messages propelling his political ascendance offer many lessons. One particularly is music to our ears—indeed, it’s a song we’ve long be

Nov 83 min read

The Meat of the Matter

New data about global food consumption confirms what we know: our meat based diets are our downfall. Originally Published in Common Dreams , Oct 15th, 2025. Earlier this month, the Eat-Lancet commission released new data about global food consumption. Its findings are sobering but not at all surprising. The report highlights the extreme destruction driven by our meat-based diets, emphasizing not only the threats to our health but the many environmental harms. We learn that

Oct 152 min read

Let Our Youth Vote!

Making it easier for young people to vote is a great way to increase participation, making our democracy live up to its ideals. Originally Published in Common Dreams , Aug 26th, 2025. (Photo Credit Garry Knight/Creative Commons) With democracy under attack in the US, a worldwide movement to lower the voting age is growing. This July, the United Kingdom announced it would lower the voting age from 18 to 16 in general elections. When the bill passes, the UK will join Brazil,

Aug 263 min read

We Don’t Face Crisis of Scarcity or a Population, But a Crisis of Capitalism

We must explicitly name the culprits that are creating an environment rife with both climate catastrophe and conditions hostile to children and families—corporate power and concentrated wealth. Originally Published in Common Dreams , July 25th, 2025. (Photo Credit Rose Shpernik/Creative Commons) Mounting concern over declining birth rates , the devastation of the climate crisis , and a rising conservative pronatalist movement have led to a renewed focus on population. People

Jul 254 min read