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Do plastic bag taxes or bans curb waste? 400 cities and states tried it out.

Matthew Zeitlin

August 27, 2019 |

Vox |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Across the world, countries are reckoning with its astounding single-use plastic bag waste by instituting legislation that taxes or all-out bans them. Research has shown that taxing the bags has been a more effective strategy with less unintended consequences, as banning often leads to a sharp increase in thicker plastics or paper bags. In places that have instituted the tax, they’ve seen a 40 percent decrease in usage, and arguably more importantly, a cultural shift away from single-use plastics.

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This Lake Belongs to Everyone

Daniel J McGraw

August 24, 2019 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Euclid, Ohio

For years, much of the coastline along the Great Lakes has been privately owned. In an effort to stabilize cliff erosion off the coast of Lake Erie, the city of Euclid, Ohio, worked with property owners to acquire those waterfronts. Despite some initial skepticism, the city convinced the owners that turning over their waterfront property would save them money on erosion control and allow public access to the coast. This collaborative approach is being watched by other coastal cities as a potential model for shoreline management.

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West Marin tenants benefit from second-unit program

Richard Halstead

August 24, 2019 |

Marin Independent Journal |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Marin, California

A program run by the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin uses government vouchers to encourage landlords to create additional affordable housing units with extra rooms in their home. The program, which primarily focuses on "junior accessory dwelling units" that offer small but low-price units to individuals, has created 22 affordable units over the last three years.

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Rural Western States Work Together to Tackle Physician Shortages

Casey Leins

August 21, 2019 |

U.S. News & World Report |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Laramie, Wyoming

Building networks of physicians in rural areas helps reduce shortages of healthcare specialists. A partnership between Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana, known collectively as WWAMI, brings doctors to the Northwestern states by offering tuition waivers to doctors who train and remain in rural communities. The program is based out of the University of Washington’s Medical School and connects students with clinics across the partnering states.

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New Texas nonprofit offers novel approach for preserving coastal lands, combating global warming

Perla Trevizo

August 14, 2019 |

Houston Chronicle |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Sargent, Texas

To protect the natural lands of the Texas coast and battle climate change, a new nonprofit is working to create a carbon dioxide storage program in partnership with private landowners. The innovative models give landowners money in exchange for not developing or selling their land for the next decade, paid for by businesses or individuals who donate the equivalent of their "carbon footprint." Texas Coastal Exchange creates a carbon dioxide storage program with the goal of protecting the coast's natural lands and fighting climate change.

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Gun owners in New Zealand voluntarily surrender more than 10,000 firearms

Julia Hollingsworth

August 12, 2019 |

CNN |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: New Zealand, Wellington

Since July 2019, New Zealand has held gun buybacks across the country and collected over 10,000 firearms. After a mass shooting at Christchurch mosque, the government rushed through legislation to ban semi-automatic and automatic firearms, offering owners of such weapons cash and a no-questions-asked policy. Such legislation has been implemented in other countries as well, including Australia, who in 1996 collected over 600,000 weapons.

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New Zealand gun buyback: 10,000 firearms returned after Christchurch attack

Eleanor Ainge Roy

August 11, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: New Zealand

A month after a mass shooting at New Zealand’s Christchurch mosque, New Zealand’s government has bought back over 10,000 firearms. The country passed legislation banning automatic and semi-automatic weapons a month after the event, setting aside $150 million New Zealand dollars for the buyback, and offering a no-questions-asked policy for those that do turn them in.

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'You bring your gun, we ask no questions': The history of gun buybacks in Kansas City and Missouri

Cat Reid

August 05, 2019 |

KSHB-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Kansas City, Missouri

As Kansas City tries to decrease violent crime in the area, it looks to a decades-old initiative that may have worked in the past: gun buybacks. Such a response was first tried in 1994, and saw a decline in homicides the following year. While the new mayor looks to try this in the city, they face state legislation prohibiting gun buybacks and pushback from critics who say such responses don’t actually work.

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Doctors in Debt: These Physicians Gladly Struck a Deal With California

Emily S. Rueb Karen Zraick

July 25, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

California is offering up to $300,000 of debt relief to doctors who accept Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, in an attempt to incentivize physicians to move to the state and serve low-income communities. The program is funded through revenue from the state's tax on tobacco products and has helped 247 physicians and 4o dentists so far.

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Rural Michigan needs doctors. Paying their debts may be an answer

Robin Erb

July 22, 2019 |

Bridge Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Grant, Michigan

A state-funded loan repayment program makes Michigan stand out in a competitive market for doctors and health care professionals. To help reduce the shortfall of healthcare professionals in underserved, rural communities, the Michigan Loan Reimbursement and Employment Solution (MiLES) currently offers student loan repayment in exchange for a multi-year commitment from doctors. The success of the program has generated efforts to expand loan repayment caps and the length of employment commitments for healthcare professionals.

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