CivicStory - CivicStory Blog

CivicStory Blog

Latest news and thinking on civics, community, and sustainability

From Backyard to Symposium: How One New Jersey Grower Put Her Soil to the Test

From Backyard to Symposium: How One New Jersey Grower Put Her Soil to the Test

Inspired by Rutgers Professor Dr. James White's work on plant-microbe partnerships, Monroe grower Rajani Karuturi transformed her backyard into a living laboratory. Her findings, presented at the 2026 Rutgers Climate Change Symposium, point to the soil beneath our feet as a key to climate-resilient agriculture.

CivicStoryJune 19, 2026Comment

Rewilding the Urban Balcony

Rewilding the Urban Balcony

CivicStoryMay 22, 2026Comment

Registered to vote, what happens now?

Registered to vote, what happens now?

CivicStoryMay 22, 2026Comment

Hundreds of Students Plant Rutgers’ First Miyawaki Forest on Abandoned Roadway

CivicStoryApril 23, 2026Comment

Civics101: How Did America End Up With Two Major Political Parties?

Civics101: How Did America End Up With Two Major Political Parties?

Parisa BurtonMarch 24, 2026Comment

Unpacking with CivicStory: Living Shorelines

Unpacking with CivicStory: Living Shorelines

Parisa BurtonJanuary 27, 2026Comment

Unpacking with CivicStory: Green Infrastructure

Unpacking with CivicStory: Green Infrastructure

environment, New Jersey, Water StoriesParisa BurtonJanuary 12, 2026stormwater management, green infrastructure, environment, water cycleComment

Unpacking with CivicStory: Regenerative Farming

Unpacking with CivicStory: Regenerative Farming

climate change, environmentParisa BurtonDecember 16, 2025regenerative farming, agricultureComment

From Thrift Shops to Vintage Boutiques, Montclair’s Small Businesses Thrive on Collaboration and a Culture of Giving Back

From Thrift Shops to Vintage Boutiques, Montclair’s Small Businesses Thrive on Collaboration and a Culture of Giving Back

New Jersey, cities and civic growthParisa BurtonDecember 2, 2025Comment

New Jersey Pushes for Greater Accountability Amid Federal Shutdown

New Jersey Pushes for Greater Accountability Amid Federal Shutdown

cities and civic growth, politics, New JerseyRaeanne RaccagnoOctober 30, 2025Comment

The Carbon Sponge: How Soil Can Reverse Climate Change

The Carbon Sponge: How Soil Can Reverse Climate Change

climate changeAlanya FriedmanAugust 13, 2025regenerative farming, soil management, global warmingComment

Small Forests, Big Impact: The Miyawaki Method grips New Jersey

Small Forests, Big Impact: The Miyawaki Method grips New Jersey

environment, New JerseyAlanya FriedmanJuly 31, 2025forest, climate revolution, communityComment

Behind the Story: Ecology-Civics Fellow Carolyn Jones

Behind the Story: Ecology-Civics Fellow Carolyn Jones

Susan HaigApril 9, 2025Comment

The Need for NJ Natives

The Need for NJ Natives

Margaret McManusApril 8, 2025Comment

VIDEO: Civics, News & Nonprofits, CivicStory Forum (highlights)

VIDEO: Civics, News & Nonprofits, CivicStory Forum (highlights)

Susan HaigJanuary 28, 2025Comment

Alexander Hamilton’s Letter to the People of New York

Alexander Hamilton’s Letter to the People of New York

CivicStoryNovember 14, 2024Comment

How well did we manage the selection process?

How well did we manage the selection process?

CivicStoryNovember 7, 2024Comment

Will Gen Z Improve Our “Civics Quotient?"

Will Gen Z Improve Our “Civics Quotient?"

CivicStoryOctober 10, 2024Comment

A Summary of New Jersey Nonprofit Voter Education Guide

CivicStoryOctober 3, 2024Comment

An Ecology-Civics Survey for Constitution Week: Civic Education and Participation

An Ecology-Civics Survey for Constitution Week: Civic Education and Participation

Aaryan JainSeptember 19, 2024Comment