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 2468 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

The chewing gum you don't mind stuck to your shoe

Dougal Shaw

March 06, 2018 |

BBC |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Winchester, Greater London

Did you know that the main ingredient in most chewing gum is a synthetic rubber, which resembles a close relationship to plastic? "It's called polyisobutylene," explains Anna Bullus, a British designer, "the same stuff you find in the inner tube of bicycle wheels." After realizing this, Anna decided to embark on a mission to recycle used chewing gum as a means of cleaning up the streets. What resulted was a way to create everyday products that include at least 20% gum, while simultaneously saving institutions money on what otherwise would have gone toward cleanup efforts.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Crowded cities search for nature-based solutions for residents' well-being

Sophie Davies

March 05, 2018 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Italy, Milan

A new investment project, worth almost 11.4 million euro, is creating public green spaces in concrete jungles across Europe. The projects include green roofs, parks, street trees, and more, all worked on in collaboration with local governments and organizations -- but concerns exist about their overall impact and the possibility of what some have termed "green gentrification."

Read More
Go to Original Story
Champions of the Vote

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

March 02, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In Fairhill, a neighborhood in North Philadelphia, voter turnout was a mere 12% in one recent election. Fairhill Neighbors, a coalition of neighborhood groups, is seeking to combat lower turnout rates with a personal engagement program. “Voting Champions” are community members who will work to register voters, drive them to polls, and generate excitement about voting, with the hopes of transforming civic participation in their area.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How Curators Are Taking Over Vacant Spaces and Changing Cities

Amanda Arnold

March 01, 2018 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

All around the world there is a trend for pop-ups to take over empty spaces and give the spaces meaning for a short period of time. For instance, in a time when capitalism dominates society, the Museum of Capitalism filled an Oakland warehouse for two months to spark conversation on the topic. These pop-ups act as an educational resource, a creative asset to neighborhoods, and a more accessible way for artists to engage with social issues and a large audience.

Read More
Go to Original Story
A Cure for Disconnection

Jennifer Latson

March 01, 2018 |

Psychology Today |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The antidote to loneliness is meaningful contact, which means time and space where you are your authentic self with other people. Roughly 40 percent of Americans report regularly feeling lonely, so many individuals and groups are working to create communities that deliberately foster close social bonds, such as cohousing developments.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Want to prosper? Act like a region, proponents say

Tom Condon

February 28, 2018 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Indianapolis, Indiana

As America’s economy becomes increasingly concentrated in metropolitan areas, smaller cities and towns are coming together to act like cohesive regions, thereby generating economic benefits that can be shared. Northeast Ohio has raised over $100 million in funding for research projects for the region, Denver created a caucus of mayors to address regional development challenges, and Indianapolis used similar tactics to attract people locally. All three projects are models for what other regions can accomplish.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Why good policies go wrong: Seattle's botched bikeshare model

Jennifer Guay

February 27, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Traffic for both everyday commuters and tourists in big cities has increasingly become more of a hassle across nations. Various cities like Portland, Oregon have found success with bikeshare models. Seattle, however, found failure with this approach first. By learning from what didn't work, the city has been able to pilot new bikeshare models that so far are showing more potential than limitations.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Sharing the Road: How Can We End Bike Fatalities on Chicago's Streets?

Marisa Sobotka Jackie Murray

February 27, 2018 |

Logan Squarist |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Chicago officials strive to make the city safer for bicyclists by looking for inspiration in other cities, adopting the "Vision Zero" initiative that aims for zero traffic-related deaths, and investing in education platforms. While the city has made progress in creating bicycle-only lanes on the road, local officials still move forward in implementing a more comprehensive plan for traffic safety.

Read More
Go to Original Story
3 Far-Flung Cities Offer Clues to Unsnarling Manhattan's Streets

Christina Anderson Winnie Hu Weiyi Lim Anna Schaverien

February 26, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Sweden, Stockholm

Cities like New York that are trying to decrease traffic congestion are looking to Stockholm, London, and Singapore. These three cities have all implemented forms of congestion pricing, in which they charge drivers a fee to enter a core congestion area during peak commuting hours. Despite challenges in implementation, the congestion taxes have decreased traffic and increased driving speed in each of these cities.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The 'Most Hopeful' New Housing in Turkey

Jennifer Hattam

February 23, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Turkey, Düzce

After an earthquake devastated the town of Düzce, Turkey, residents banded together to create a housing cooperative and later Düzce Hope Studio, a group of pro-bono architects and engineers working to help rebuild the town. What makes the building team unique is that the design process included and valued residents’ voices. Yaşar Adanah, an urban researcher, states, “What’s happening in Düzce is a rare example of a holistic approach to housing that can be a model for other neighborhoods.”

Read More
Go to Original Story