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Down on the Farm That Harvests Metal From Plants

Ian Morse

February 26, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Malaysia, Borneo

A group of scientists in Borneo have proven that plants can supply small levels of the minerals needed to sustain industrial products such as stainless steel. Specifically, a group of plants that thrive in metallic soil can produce nickel. While a small-scale trial has been successful, scientists are in the early stages of proving this can be scaled up - to reduce fossil fuels, support the land, and make metal a product that can be farmed sustainably.

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University of Notre Dame converts tons of dining hall leftovers into energy

Catherine M. Odell

February 25, 2020 |

National Catholic Reporter |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Notre Dame, Indiana

The University of Notre Dame installed three Grind2Energy systems, which aims to reduce the amount of food waste from the campus’ dining halls. The systems process the waste and send it to a local dairy farm where they break down the material to produce biogas that is used to generate electrical power for 1,000 homes each day in Plymouth, Indiana. While not everyone at the university has committed to the sustainability efforts, these systems can be scaled to be used on other college campuses.

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This Tiny Louisiana Police Force Is a National Leader in Taking Guns From Abusers

Ann Givens

February 24, 2020 |

The Trace |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Thibodaux, Louisiana

Despite a strong gun-rights culture in the state, Louisiana law enforcement agencies use aggressive gun-confiscation laws and procedures to disarm domestic abusers as part of a wider array of protections for victims. Thanks to the work of one abuse survivor turned cop in the small south Louisiana parish of Lafourche, new laws and local-federal collaboration have spread statewide, making convicted abusers less likely to have ready access to a gun.

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Case-By-Case, Gun-By-Gun: Denver Investigator Is Removing Firearms From Domestic Abusers

Leigh Paterson

February 23, 2020 |

KUNC |

Radio |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

The Denver, Colorado, district attorney’s office assigned an investigator to methodically search for signs that domestic abusers possessed prohibited guns, and then uses that information to take the guns away. Firearm prohibitions are required by federal law or through protective orders issued by courts. But enforcement in many places is spotty to nonexistent. By taking an active rather than passive approach to enforcement, the office has confiscated dozen of guns from people deemed a threat.

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Illegal Fishing You Can See from Space

Will Doig

February 21, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Indonesia

A space-based initiative called Global Fishing Watch is using satellite imagery and data to hold companies accountable to their promise of providing sustainable sourced seafood. While the volume of data and cost of obtaining it can be a challenge, the organization has partnered with key collaborators to help with the effort. Countries like Indonesia and Panama are working with them to stop illegal fishing.

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Montana's Grand Prairie Experiment

Jake Bullinger

February 21, 2020 |

Bitterroot |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Malta, Montana

According to the WWF, 69 percent of the Northern Great Plains remains untilled, providing great opportunity for making sure that land remains untouched. Two conservation organizations, the Nature Conservancy and the American Prairie Reserve, are butting heads as they both try to preserve the land, albeit via different means. Although they both face opposition for their methods, this article lays out exactly how both have already managed to make great strides in conserving the land and increasing biodiversity.

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Growing together: Mansfield microfarm cooperative heads into second year

Sarah Donaldson

February 20, 2020 |

Farm and Dairy |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ohio

An urban sustainable food system project at the Ohio State University enabled 10 newly established farmers to start microfarms, which produce crops year-round, at only the cost of their time and labor. The individuals formed a cooperative so they can sell to larger institutional buyers together, while the cooperative handles marketing and finding buyers. With the potential to make up to $30,000 a year, the program aims to provide economic options to city residents, including formerly incarcerated individuals. The coop needs to find extended funding, but 6 microfarms were already built with 4 more planned.

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A big-name college drops legacy admissions. Will others follow?

Stacy Teicher Khadaroo

February 19, 2020 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

Since 2014, Johns Hopkins University has not considered legacy status in admissions decisions. In the wake of the 2019 college admissions scandal, other schools are weighing the value of similar measures.

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How a Beloved Bird Is Helping Save the Chesapeake Bay

Libby Sander

February 18, 2020 |

Hakai Magazine |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chesapeake, Maryland

The Natural Lands Project works with local landowners to turn hundreds of hectares of marginal croplands into native grasslands. The grasses offer refuge for the northern bobwhite quail and grip the soil, which helps prevent erosion and keeps agricultural runoff and sediment out of the Chesapeake Bay. The quail population has grown to 450, a 39% increase from 20 years ago. The project works with landowners to convert small parcels of their land for the habitat. The landowners receive a small payment and help planting and maintaining the native vegetation. Many species have flourished in the new habitat.

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Meet Pakistan's Barefoot Entrepreneurs

Adeel Ahmed

February 13, 2020 |

Pioneers Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Pakistan, Sindh

Pakistan's poorest citizens, who previously panhandled for their basic needs, were launched onto an entrepreneurial path by the Heritage Foundation Pakistan. Eight impoverished communities have been trained in the craft of glazed tile work and terracotta art to lift the participants out of poverty. The program also created a market of interdependence, so the villages can purchase goods from one another, freeing them from relying on cities for their livelihood.

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