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Cooler, Cleaner Megacities, One Rooftop Garden at a Time

Marianne Dhenin

July 08, 2021 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Egypt, Cairo

Organizations in Egypt and Bangladesh are greening their cities by turning rooftops into urban gardens that can grow food, reduce air pollution, and decrease air temperatures. Green Savers in Dhaka has installed more than 5,000 rooftop gardens in the city and Urban Greens in Cairo partners with sponsors to install hydroponic rooftop gardens for families experiencing economic hardship. It’s been a challenge to convince people that the cost to maintain these spaces is worthwhile, but through community outreach efforts, these organizations have seen an increase in interest in installing rooftop gardens.

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Could casitas help prevent displacement in the West's cities?

Jessica Kutz

July 08, 2021 |

High Country News |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Tucson, Arizona

Casitas, also known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), are being legalized and promoted by several western states. Arizona is the latest to legalize ADUs in a bid to ease the shortage of affordable housing. An ADU pilot in Denver is helping moderate-income homeowners build units in rapidly gentrifying areas. They are incentivized to rent these ADUs at affordable rates, providing a benefit to homeowners as well as future renters.

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From Vail to Jackson Hole, Down Payment Assistance Tries to Keep More Workers Housed

Will Walkey

June 30, 2021 |

Jackson Hole Community Radio (KHOL) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

A pilot program in Jackson Hole is trying to make home ownership affordable for the local workforce. The program provides help with the down payment by granting $150,000 to families that meet the requirements. The initiative puts a cap on the appreciation value of the homes bought using the grant which ensures that the property values stay affordable over time. A similar program in Vail, Colorado has produced impressive results.

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Oregon Bottle Bill at 50

Geoff Norcross

June 23, 2021 |

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Oregon

In 1971, Oregon became the first state to adopt a law that established refundable deposits on beer and soft drink containers. So, if a consumer returned their plastic bottle, they would get their deposit back and that bottle then gets recycled. The Bottle Bill turned 50 this year and has proved to be a huge success. In 2019, it had a 90 percent return, meaning nine out of ten containers were being recycled. Other states are looking towards Oregon to replicate the model.

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Chocpocalypse Now! Quarantine and the Future of Food

Nicola Twilley Cynthia Graber Geoff Manaugh

June 22, 2021 |

Gastropod |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Australia, Barrow Island, Western Australia

Off the coast of Australia, the energy company Chevron is experimenting with new quarantine management techniques to ensure that any plants and pests don’t hitchhike to new places, which can devastate the global food economy. They’ve redesigned shipping containers to make it harder for insects to tag along and they’ve created a video game to train workers on how to be better at finding these pests in their inspections. Some creatures and plants can slip through the process, but these tools have been successful and could be used in other ways.

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Reeling it in: Egypt's fishermen exchange the Nile's plastic waste for cash

Toka Omar

June 16, 2021 |

The National |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Egypt, Cairo

An environmental initiative in Cairo is enlisting fishermen on the Nile River to collect recyclable plastic bottles. The program pays double the rates paid elsewhere in the country, compensating the fishermen for the loss of income caused by the polluted river.

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States Ply COVID Unvaccinated with Cash, Beer, Scholarships

Christine Vestal

June 04, 2021 |

Stateline |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ohio

States and businesses across the country are offering incentives, from entry into million-dollar lotteries, college scholarships, and gift cards to fulfilling fantasies like driving around Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway. Ohio was one of the first states to announce a vaccine lottery in which any adult resident that got vaccinated was entered into one of five weekly drawings to win $1 million. Ohio’s Vax-a-Million drawings were paid for with CARES Act relief money appropriated by Congress. Vaccination rates increased by 28% in the first week after the lottery was announced in Ohio.

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Cities Are Boosting the Economy by Rewarding Those Who Shop Local

Sakshi Udavant

June 03, 2021 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Akron, Ohio

Akron, Ohio, is “creating a circular economy” in hopes of helping small businesses and encouraging residents to shop locally. A city-sponsored app, Akronite, is used by consumers to make purchases and earn reward points which can be redeemed for discounts and other perks. The app’s success is clear in the high return on investment, which shows $9 generated for every dollar invested by the local government. Other cities across the country are also adopting the initiative, tweaking it to their own communities.

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In Pennsylvania, agroforestry holds a key to cleaning up waterways and Chesapeake Bay

Sarah Derouin

May 27, 2021 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pennsylvania

The state of Pennsylvania set to plant 86,000 hectares of riparian buffers, the practice of planting trees and shrubs along a river or stream to filter water. Other benefits of riparian buffers include things like restoring the soil and cooling the water. In order to meet their goal, the state scientists used a bottom approach, enlisting the help of local farmers by offering them grants to plant trees and showing farmers how they can profit off of riparian buffers. While the state is behind its goal, the state is planting about 1,000 to 2,000 hectares a year.

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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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