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How two Belgian cities turned their pavements into playgrounds

Anoush Darabi

June 22, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Belgium, Antwerp

Urban planners in Belgium are creating play spaces, known as the “speelweefselplan,” to give children more room to be outside. The design process includes asking schoolchildren about their routes to and from school, and then planners map out ways to make those routes more interactive. As cities grow and traditional parks are limited, this model shows a way that cities can continue to be welcoming for children.

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Reviving the City: How an Asphalt Plant Turned Into a Public Park

Laura von Puttkamer

June 21, 2018 |

Urbanet |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Mexico City

By participating in the decision-making process, Mexico City residents successfully convinced the government to build a public park instead of an office development. The Parque Imán is 2.4 hectares, includes 163 trees, and the green space can potentially benefit up to 200,000 residents of some city boroughs. While there are some concerns about the soil quality in the park due to the adjacent asphalt plant, the park shows how participation from residents and transparency from the government allowed the public space to be built.

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How 3 Loved-To-Death Parks Are Taking Action: Permits, Poop Bags And New Paths

Ann Awad

May 24, 2018 |

Colorado Public Radio |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Colorado

As Colorado's popular parks become slammed with visitors park officials are noticing dramatic environmental impacts to the areas. To mitigate against continuous damage, three parks - Garden of the Gods, Conundrum Hot Springs and Hanging Lake - are piloting stricter Leave No Trace policies via targeted outreach and education.

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Paris is building the eco-community of the future right now. Here's how.

Susannah Shmurak

May 23, 2018 |

Ensia |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Clichy-Batignolles, Paris

Setting the bar high for environmental sustainability can encourage innovation and experimentation. Developers of Paris’ new Clichy-Batignolles eco-district are reducing the neighborhood’s carbon footprint in nearly every way imaginable. Solar panels and vegetation cover the energy-efficient buildings, the water table under the 10-hectare (25-acre) park provides geothermal heating, deliveries are directed to a central drop-off site, and much more.

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Saving Africa's wildlife

Kevin Sieff

May 18, 2018 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Malawi

Africa's wildlife have made headlines time and time again, as species find their way closer to extinction. There are some pockets of the continent, however that have provide refuge for species and allowed them to not just populate, but thrive. Recognizing this, a group known as African Parks found a way to use these growing populations to repopulate other areas of the continent by transporting animals to newly protected areas.

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Debate Clubs Catch on at Arab Universities

Eman Kamel

May 14, 2018 |

Al-Fanar Media |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Qatar, Doha

Across the Arab world countries like Bahrain, Egypt, and Jordan, are fostering university debate clubs, which in turn are helping students develop their communication and critical thinking skills. “Now, I am more receptive to new ideas, even those that go against the beliefs I’ve held for a long time. My communication and public-speaking skills also got exponentially better because of debating.”

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How Saguaro National Park Hopes To Catch Prickly Cacti Thieves

Tyler Fingert

April 30, 2018 |

NPR |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Saguaro National Park, Arizona

The National Park Service has resorted to microchipping hundreds of saguaro. Despite extensive legal protections, the iconic cacti are going missing. Rangers can only read the microchip by scanning a suspect cactus, but they hope this move will serve as an additional deterrent to would-be thieves hoping to cash in on the demand for saguaro among building owners.

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Solutions for Peace

Harriet Noble Elizabeth Davies

April 21, 2018 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Israel, Jerusalem

As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues, peace and hope breaks out in unexpected places. People are bridging religious and cultural divides at a backgammon parlor, a school, a fashion company, and during peace talk simulations.

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Real-world Minecraft mod: How the popular video game is transforming parks and other public spaces

Gregory Scruggs

April 19, 2018 |

GeekWire |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Serbia, Pristina

Popular video game Minecraft, an easy-to-use game where users construct the world around them, has been used by UN-Habitat in 40 projects across 35 cities in 25 countries to design public spaces. The accessible platform allows laypeople to quickly mockup what they would want in a public park or space, which is valuable community input for architects and urban designers.

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How to bring a high street back from the dead

Kevin Rushby

March 29, 2018 |

The Guardian |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, York

Revive local high streets by creating informal spaces for people to linger. That’s the lesson from Bishopthorpe Road in York. Once barely hanging on, Bishy Road’s fortunes changed when shopkeepers decided to band together, close off the road, and host a street party. Thousands of people showed up. The shops have continued to build spaces for people to relax and hang out, and the high street is now voted one of Britain’s best.

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