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Around the world, Indigenous seed banks are helping to preserve culture, boost nutrition and protect the environment

Andrew Wight

June 02, 2020 |

Ensia |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Guatemala

Indigenous seed banks preserve and reintroduce native agricultural varieties, which in some cases are more nutritious than other varieties. Qachuu Aloom runs a one-room seed bank that provides raw materials for its 500 active members, 80% of whom are women, to practice agroecological farming. The Cherokee Nation Seed Bank preserves more than 100 different kinds of seeds, distributing over 10,000 packets to growers in 2019. Several international organizations are working with seed banks to drive more resilient and diversified food production with native varieties as a way to address food insecurity.

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The long road to a zero-carbon country

Jocelyn Timperley

June 01, 2020 |

BBC |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica, San José

The capital city of San José in Costa Rica is taking steps to become greener and less dependent on cars. By focusing on public transportation initiatives like city bikes and bike lanes, a green esplanade, and an electric passenger train, the city is hoping to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and help the country reach net zero-carbon by 2050. While the cost of these projects can be pricey, many residents are strong advocates for making the city more sustainable.

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Thousands of Complaints Do Little to Change Police Ways

Shaila Dewan Serge Kovaleski

May 30, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Derek Chauvin's journey through the Minneapolis Police Department’s officer-disciplinary system illustrates the weaknesses of that system and the failure of efforts to fix it. Chauvin, the officer charged in the death of George Floyd, survived at least 17 misconduct complaints before he was fired for killing Floyd by kneeling on his neck. Critics charge the department never complied with recommendations by federal analysts to improve the tracking and disciplining of problem officers. That and other administrative failures are coupled with political and cultural barriers to neuter many reform ideas.

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Pakistan's solution to the locust invasion? Turn the pests into chicken feed

Rina Saeed Khan

May 28, 2020 |

Scroll.In |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Pakistan, Depalpur, Punjab

As locust swarms threaten crops in Pakistan, a pilot program offers farmers a way to get rid of the pests without using insecticides that harm the environment, while also earning money. Once farmers trap the locusts at night, the creatures are turned into high-protein chicken feed for animal feed mills. During the pilot project, farmers netted up to $125 for one night’s work and the community hauled an average of seven tonnes a night. While harvesting locusts works for some farming areas, it might not be as easy for farmers in desert areas who have to rely on chemical sprays offered by the government.

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Before George Floyd's Death, Minneapolis Police Failed to Adopt Reforms, Remove Bad Officers

Simone Weichselbaum Jamiles Lartey

May 28, 2020 |

The Marshall Project |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Minneapolis Police Department’s repeated failures to reform a broken police-discipline system underscore the lack of public trust that exploded in local and nationwide protests after an officer with a troubled record killed a handcuffed suspect. An analysis of police-reform efforts in the city, and statewide, show how vows to do better have been undermined by official reluctance to remove bad officers from duty, either through administrative or legislative failure. Among the unaddressed problems: a "coaching" system that allows officers to avoid suspension but is riddled with problems.

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Can social enterprise fix Pakistan's waste problem?

Asad Pabani

May 26, 2020 |

Pioneers Post |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Pakistan, Islamabad

Two organizations in Pakistan are working to tackle the country’s waste problem. Saaf Suthra Sheher in Islamabad set up partnerships with offices and schools to process their dry waste like plastics and glass. TrashIt, a Karachi-based group, collects organic waste from vegetable sellers and restaurants and then processes and sells it as compost. Although the two organizations can only process so much of the waste produced in cities, they argue that until an effective municipal waste collection system is implemented, they can educate individuals and businesses about how to recycle properly.

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Japan's care sector protects quality of life for the country's elderly population

Carmen Grau

May 25, 2020 |

Equal Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Japan, Matsudo

Japan's model of prioritizing societal care for their elderly has helped the country achieve the highest life expectancy and be named the healthiest population in the world. Now amid the coronavirus pandemic, the country's senior citizen-focused policies and health care system are showing success in keeping the number of cases and deaths low in aging populations.

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COVID-19 dining out: Restaurants take to the streets to create socially distanced dining rooms as nation reopens

Jessica Guynn

May 21, 2020 |

USA Today |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Warrenton, Virginia

As the U.S attempts to reopen, restaurant owners from California to Florida are expanding their restaurants into nearby outdoor space, including sidewalks and parking lots. In doing so, they are able to offer patrons a safer dining environment, as there is more room to keep tables further apart and follow social distancing precautions, and it also helps restaurants earn more revenue than if they were limited to indoor space. Some city governments are streamlining the process, including Brookhaven, Georgia, which made it free to access short-term permits for outdoor dining.

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How Detroit Gets People Around During a Pandemic

Emily Nonko

May 20, 2020 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

The city of Detroit’s government spearheaded new partnerships at the start of the coronavirus pandemic to provide transit options for people living in city shelters and residents who don’t have cars to access COVID-19 testing. These partnerships among government departments allowed for transporting those experiencing homelessness to designated emergency shelters and hospitals to prevent the spread of the virus among shelter residents. Government officials anticipated as many as 450 shelter residents would contract the virus, but so far, only 154 people have tested positive with no deaths reported.

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Chile's greenest town? What Finland can learn from La Pintana

Erika Benke

May 19, 2020 |

BBC |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Chile, La Pintana

The Chilean town of La Pintana recycles and reuses everything in a circular economy which repurposes items that otherwise go to waste. La Pintana has reduced carbon emissions by 80 percent and is committed to minimizing waste despite the high costs of the programs.

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