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How this donation app helped get food directly to hungry people during the pandemic

Talib Visram

June 02, 2021 |

FastCompany |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“DoorDash for the food insecure” is how the founder of Food Rescue Hero describes the service that is connecting surplus food supply to those who can put it to good use. The service takes on a growing crisis of food insecurity while also diverting food from landfills. The initial pilot was created in Pittsburgh, where a team of experts created an app to redirect surplus food from restaurants and events to nonprofits that can get the food where it is most needed. A network of volunteers is notified when deliveries in their area are ready for pickup without much inconvenience to their daily routines.

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A ski company built a power plant fueled by methane. It's a success, but can it be replicated?

Annie Gowen

May 28, 2021 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Somerset, Colorado

A ski company and oil and gas executive were able to work out a deal to turn the Elk Creek Mine into a power plant that puts out 24 million kilowatt hours a year and prevents hundreds of billions of methane each year from escaping into the atmosphere. The plant hasn’t made a profit yet for its investors and regulatory red tape could make it difficult to implement in other places, but officials say the plant has been successful and could be a way to combat climate change.

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How Vancouver is protecting itself from future flooding — with plants

Stefan Labbé

May 27, 2021 |

Pique Newsmagazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia

Large cities like Vacounver and Seattle are increasingly leaning towards "green infrastracture," a method of managing stormwater through natural systems like green roofs and rain gardens that absorb rainwater. Cities have traditionally relied on traditional sewage systems, but in the face of climate change, and more intense storms, its proving to be inadequate. Green infrascture lowers flood levels, filters out pollutants in the water, and regulates city temperature. In Seattle, an early adopter of green infrastructure, rain gardens absorbed 1.5 trillion liters of rainwate.

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This South L.A. startup will turn your front lawn into a farm

Adele Peters

May 25, 2021 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

A startup in California called Crop Swap LA is converting unused front yards into community gardens that can grow crops like kale, rainbow chard, and tomatoes as a way to feed neighbors. Community members can pay for subscriptions for up to $43 a month to receive a bundle of greens and vegetables from the microfarms and homeowners get a share of the profits. Each garden needs to have the proper maintenance, which can make it difficult to scale, but these gardens can help provide access to food to those who don’t have a grocery store in their area.

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Food waste is heating up the planet. Is dumpster-diving by app a solution?

Katie Yoder

May 25, 2021 |

Grist |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

The app Too Good to Go helps restaurants and other shops prevent food waste by selling their extra food to people for a cheaper price. So far, more than 700,000 people in the United States have downloaded the app and the company estimates that, on average, each meal sold halts 2.2 pounds of food from ending up in the garbage, which ends up reducing carbon emissions. There are challenges to widespread implementation, but the app has launched in New York City, Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle.

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To feed community members, Crossroads partners with churches, public housing facilities and neighborhood centers

Michelle Aslam

May 18, 2021 |

Dallas Free Press |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

Lack of transportation can make centralized food pantries inaccessible to those who need the help. So Crossroads Community Services in North Texas partners with more than 100 community groups, including churches, public housing developments, and community centers, to make monthly deliveries to local sites. Those local partners are trusted points of contact to enroll people in the program and get them their food packages. Though it's not as effective as access to quality, affordable grocery stores, this community distribution partner model has decreased food insecurity and improved health in the community.

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How to Start (and Run) a Bank That Puts People and Planet Over Profits

Oscar Perry Abello

May 17, 2021 |

Next City |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

San Francisco-based New Resource Bank was launched with environmental sustainability lending as its niche. But it pursued easier profits for a time, risking its survival and mission until a new CEO turned its fortunes around with a laser focus on the original mission, bolstered by learning its borrowers' businesses intimately. The bank doubled in size and merged with a larger bank, making itself a model for mission-driven lending in such businesses as solar, wind energy, and organic foods – and by attracting institutional depositors and investors as interested in social change as they are in profits.

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The Gila River Indian Community innovates for a drought-ridden future

Sharon Udasin

May 13, 2021 |

High Country News |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Arizona

Through settlements, the Gila River Indian community was able to regain rights to its river and tributaries. Aside, from that the community created partnerships with other water projects. The community also decided to keep a network of managed aquifer sites and to rehabilitate existing wells. One other effect of the settlement was the revival of a small segment of the Gila river. The strategic moves the community made could provide a model for other indigenous communities who lack access to their own water supply.

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The world's first 'infinite' plastic

Katherine Latham

May 11, 2021 |

BBC |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

There are several chemical recycling methods being tested throughout the world, including one of the latest ones in the United Kingdom. Mura Technology is building the world’s first commercial-scale plant that can recycle all kinds of plastic and turn them into oil. Their method aims to process 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year once the plant opens in 2022. While some criticize that the chemical recycling process is very energy intensive and is not always profitable, the new Mura plant already has partnerships lined up with some plastic manufacturers.

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What to Do With Piles of Plastic Waste?

Breanna Draxler Tonderayi Mukeredzi Madalitso Wills Kateta Natasha Chassagne

May 10, 2021 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Malawi, Lilongwe

From collecting plastic to transforming it into infrastructure, communities all over the world are implementing solutions to tackle the growing amount of plastic waste. In Malawi, women are separating garbage from plastic and creating new products like fire briquettes, doormats, and organic compost that they can sell to others. A town in Tasmania turned their plastic waste into a road made of recycled asphalt that is expected to last 15 percent longer than regular asphalt. And Zimbabwe is employing youth to recycle plastic into eco-friendly construction materials.

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