Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 566 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

Without an Address, You're No One

Duncan Geere

May 03, 2016 |

How We Get to Next |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Without an address emergency response, voting rights, legal aid, bank accounts and more are difficult if not impossible to get. what3words is a new startup that has given every 3-meter-squares in the world a 3-word address in the hopes of creating a new global addressing system.

Read More
Go to Original Story
A virtual reality check for texting drivers

Jennifer Brannock Cox

May 02, 2016 |

Delmarva Now |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Salisbury, Maryland

The company AT&T has created a virtual reality simulator that gives users the chance to experience the dangerous, and often deadly, consequences of texting while driving. The new technology is currently being tested by the public and is aimed especially at young drivers who are more often surrounded by distracting technology. This is just one of many initiatives AT&T is pursuing to try and curb phone use while driving – others include legislation and phone apps that silence phones while driving.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The Internet Mapmakers Helping Nepal

Robinson Meyer

May 02, 2016 |

The Atlantic |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nepal, Kathmandu

Whenever there’s a natural catastrophe, a team of “crisis mappers” activate around the world. These volunteers use crowdsourcing tools to turn satellite data into digital maps, which are then used to make decisions on the ground, enabling rescuers to deliver food, shelter, and supplies to areas that need them most.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Our drinking water systems are a disaster. What can we do?

Erica Gies

April 11, 2016 |

Ensia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The water system in the United States is beginning to be in need of replacement. In order to facilitate this infrastructure project and prevent it from becoming overwhelming, technology such as water sensors and software are being used to monitor water usage and replace the pipes that are most dire as they degrade.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Votería: How One Latino Organization Uses Culture to Engage Voters

Maria Esquinca

March 30, 2016 |

Latino Rebels |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, El Paso, Texas

Equal Voice Network looked at low voter turnout rates in El Paso and decided that just registering voters wasn’t enough. The coalition developed a creative way to increase education and engagement in local issues: a game. Votería is a play off of Lotería, a traditional Mexican pastime similar to bingo, with updated images and text explaining key current issues and political figures.

Read More
Go to Original Story
In Pursuit of Big Data, Mexico City Mapathon Gamifies Crowdsourcing

Zoe Mendelson

February 25, 2016 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Mexico City

By “gamifying” the process, urban planners can crowdsource data collection. In Mexico City, members of 14 organizations—ranging from government agencies to nonprofits and consultants—launched a city-wide game, Mapatón CDMX, in an effort to collect data and map the complex transportation system. To participate, users downloaded an app and mapped transit routes for points.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Can a Game Help Build Affordable Housing?

Alec Appelbaum

February 09, 2016 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Pleasantville, New York

To break through gridlock on fair housing, city planners, citizens, and government officials in wealthy Westchester County, New York, try a new tactic: Using a simulation game to try out different development scenarios. The result has been increased civic participation and efficiency.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Estonia: Digital Society

Fi Glover Henrietta Moore Martha Lane Fox

February 03, 2016 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Estonia

Government services are easily accessible in Estonia in part because everything is online. A digital signature carries the same weight as a physical signature, and data is shared between offices allowing forms such as tax returns to be pre-filled for citizens. The country leapfrogged the rest of the world, investing in digital literacy and infrastructure in an effort to serve its small, spread-out population.

Read More
Go to Original Story
What Will it Take to Get Plastics out of the Ocean?

Anja Krieger

February 01, 2016 |

Ensia |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Manoa, Hawaii

The amount of plastic debris in our oceans and water sources - especially nanoplastics that are increasingly prevalent in our food chain - is so enormous it's often beyond comprehension, and immensely difficult to address. As countries continue to industrialize and single-use products become more commonplace, the flow of harmful plastics into the environment seems insurmountable. But a number of clever inventions and dedicated individuals are working to help get plastics out of our water - and more importantly - encourage practices to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Innovators Changing Education, Health By Thinking Outside The Box

Jenny Chen

December 18, 2015 |

The Huffington Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Camden, Maine

This year’s Poptech Conference, a 19-year-old gathering for thinkers and world-changers, celebrated hybrid thinking across industry sectors, or “when disciplinary boundaries fall by the wayside" - four of their projects are discussed.

Read More
Go to Original Story