Utne Reader

Global corporations like Frito Lay and Barnes and Noble are attempting to co-opt the word 'local' into their branding.

This piece from Utne Reader looks at Ecuador's recent extension of inalienable rights to nature and why other countries should follow this lead.

Peter Katz and Jay Walljasper pick ten notable suburbs that are breaking the mold and creating new, vibrant communities.

Amid the citywide blight of Detroit is the City Airport neighborhood -- rife with crime and virtually deserted by residents. But now former residents have begun to write and blog about the neighborhood, its better times and its possible futures.

New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles are usually regarded as hotbeds for homosexuals. But five unlikely cities -- in places such as Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska -- show that more gay-friendly cities are coming out of the woodwork.

This article from Utne Reader looks at a green housing complex that aimed at an atypical market: low-income residents.

Public libraries are increasingly being called upon to provide disaster services and support for those chronically in need, such as the homeless and seniors, yet their budgets continue to be cut.

A growing number of exclusive gated communities in remote areas, dubbed "The New Ruralism", is raising eyebrows among planners, environmentalists, and local residents.

What if next year's Democratic nominee made a big issue out of keeping American communities vital?

The Utne Reader offers their list of the ten most 'enlightened' suburbs across the U.S.

Free parking encourages driving and parking lots make pedestrian and bike travel difficult. Alan Durning offers suggestions to help the nation save oil and reduce car use.

In Quebec, bikes are not just a sport but a transport.

In Portland, a car-sharing service is following a European trend and giving individuals and families another choice to owning a car.

Commuters and urban dwellers coast-to-coast are climbing aboard new light rail train systems.

William Clay Ford Jr. has spent his first year as Ford chairman outlining his plans for a cleaner, greener Ford Motor Company.

Dot-com money is draining out the quirkiness and creativity of San Francisco.

Peter Katz, author of "The New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community" lists ten great U.S. cities that have been overlooked.

Every city has a soul. Here's how to discover the unique spirit of your city.

Utne Reader publishes its list of the most enlightened town for every American state.

This isn't your typical "best places" tabulation of cities. Utne Reader creates it's own definition of community.