Since we scrapped the gold standard in 1971, the U.S. dollar has been “the world’s primary measure of value,” says Sebastian Mallaby in The Washington Post. But as it gets weaker, other countries will start “steering clear of greenbacks.” As the world searches for a viable alternative, a privately created, inflation-proof currency—“digital gold,” say, pegged to gold and commodities—sounds increasingly less “like a fantasy.”

“You don’t have to remake your whole life” to become more earth-friendly, says Rebecca Smith in The Wall Street Journal. Little things—like heating or cooling your home less (heating and A/C use 45 percent of your electricity), buying more locally produced food, using EPA Energy Star–rated appliances and compact fluorescent light bulbs, and traveling shorter distances—add up to a smaller “carbon footprint.” That’s good for the world and, with the high cost of fuel, good for your wallet as well.