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The orchid whisperers: Rare blooms find an urban perch

Eva Botkin-Kowacki

February 14, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Coral Gables, Florida

The Million Orchid Project has been reintroducing native, endangered plants into urban areas. From planting in school yards, to city parks, to the sides of busy roads, the initiative aims to preserve biodiversity by changing the assumption that nature has to be something separate from human society. While the project is still in early phases, it has shown indicators for progress, like the reappearance of wildlife species thought to have been extinct.

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How to Cut U.S. Emissions Faster? Do What These Countries Are Doing.

Brad Plumer Blacki Migliozzi

February 13, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada

Across the world, countries are taking heavy swings to reduce their impact on climate change. From British Columbia’s carbon tax, to Norway’s incentivization of electric vehicles, to the European Union’s legislation that ends the use of hydrofluorocarbons, the United States could learn a lot from these initiatives. As American lags behind in this effort, citing these initiatives, or even better yet, applying them all, could have a drastic impact.

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In a world drowning in trash, these cities have slashed waste by 80 percent

Terrence McCoy

February 13, 2019 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Berkeley, California

What started as a far-out concept in Berkeley, California, the goal of becoming zero-waste has spread to cities across the world. The idea makes individuals, communities, and governments think differently about what they do with their garbage and take responsibility for their environments. In places like Shikoku, an island in Japan, they’ve implemented waste categorization, creating 34 different categories to help residents more effectively recycle and reuse their waste.

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Putting the sun in Sunshine State? Florida's about-face on solar power

Eva Botkin-Kowacki

February 11, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

“We’re in the midst of one of the largest solar expansions in the country,” says Alys Daly, a spokesperson for Florida Power and Light, the largest utility provider in the state of Florida. This statement represents a shift in which Florida has seized on decreasing costs of solar power and is working to increase its capacity tenfold. Power companies are helping residents save costs in an environmentally conscious way.

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How a team of researchers and high school students in California are working together to reduce pesticide exposure in children

Alessandra Bergamin

February 08, 2019 |

Ensia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Berkeley, California

An on-going research study out of UC Berkeley's Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health has partnered with youth from the Salinas Valley for two decades to investigate the influence of pesticides on child development. Their findings have been published more than 150 times; the PSA that they designed is regularly aired on 10 radio stations across California, Oregon and Washington; and the children in the study grew up to form the first Youth Council to lead their own research on the impact of pesticides. As a result, many farmworkers in CA are now more educated about pesticide risks.

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St. Petersburg roaster Black Crow is first zero-waste coffee shop in Florida

Meaghan Habuda

February 07, 2019 |

Creative Loafing: Tampa Bay |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, St. Petersburg, Florida

Black Crow Coffee Co. is the first certified zero-waste business in the state of Florida, meaning that 90% of their waste does not go into the landfill. They achieved this after 6 months of dedication to the mission, including composting 15,000 lbs and recycling 1,820 lbs of organic waste, reusing rags, and phasing out single-use plastic cleaning products.

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New Platform Gives Black-Led Baltimore Groups a Chance to Shine

Jared Brey

February 07, 2019 |

Next City |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

New grassroots efforts often struggle to get off the ground due to lack of funding. In Baltimore, a group called CLLCTIVLY aims to fix this problem for black-led non-profit organizations by offering a $1,000 prize every month for a year through its Black Futures Micro-Grant program. CLLCTIVLY has also launched an asset map to connect these smaller efforts to each other.

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The Green New Deal is already at work in one Portland neighborhood

Jessica Kutz

February 01, 2019 |

High Country News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

A community in Portland, Oregon piloted a sustainable housing initiative that looks a lot like a micro-scale of the touted Green New Deal. While the Cully neighborhood's local sustainability nonprofit, Verde, already trains and employees locals in the field of sustainable landscaping, the organization has bigger goals: building green affordable housing.

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The shopping mall where everything is recycled

Dougal Shaw

January 29, 2019 |

BBC |

Broadcast TV Programs |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: Sweden, Eskilstuna

In Eskilstuna, Sweden, there is a different kind of shopping mall – one that sells used and upcycled goods. In an effort to combat consumerism and bolster sustainability, the mall, called ReTuna, is nicely curated and organized, making second-hand shopping mainstream. The mall sees 700 people each day, on average, and has sold nearly $3.5 million worth of items.

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Isle of Arran is Scotland's first plastic-free community

Elle Duffy

January 26, 2019 |

The Herald Scotland |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Scotland, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire

The Isle of Arran became Scotland's first Plastic Free Community when they were accredited by the Surfers Against Sewage for their efforts to reduce plastic usage in their community. They credit their success to the help of organizations and businesses in changing packaging and consumer habits, as well as regular beach cleans and plastic-free produce. Last year alone they removed more than 800,000 straws from milk cartons and fruit juice cartons in all schools and cafes, and they plan on using the accreditation to expand their campaign to include more businesses and tourists.

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