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Galvanized by disaster

Beth Edwards

November 11, 2019 |

Indiana Environmental Reporter |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Goshen, Indiana

After devastating floods hit the town of Goshen, the small town in Indiana used the experience as an opportunity to work towards disaster preparedness. Focusing not just on what would work best against environmental change and the subsequent severe weather created by it but also what would move the city forward, the mayor has been able to implement a series of changes including partnerships to increase awareness as well as community youth involvement.

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Haiti and the failed promise of US aid

Jacob Kushner

October 11, 2019 |

The Guardian |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Haiti

Since Haiti's catastrophic earthquake in 2010, the US has spent $2.3 billion in aid money that has failed to alleviate poverty or help the impoverished nation recover. Bill Clinton led the global response to Haiti's recovery and focused efforts on bringing international manufacturers to Haiti by building an expensive new port from which multinational corporations would bring in investments and stable jobs, but the project failed to do so. This strategy was a continuation of previous US solutions that have failed to bring economic independence to Haiti and have often had the opposite effect, leaving it worse.

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After Hurricane Dorian, The 'Wikipedia Of Maps' Came To The Rescue

Joanne Lu

October 03, 2019 |

NPR |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Humanitarian, crowdsourced street mapping has become a crucial part of disaster relief efforts. Initiatives like Missing Maps and OpenStreetMaps call on volunteer cartographers – professional or not – to fill in maps and data gaps so that emergency humanitarian efforts can help as many people as possible. Such platforms became necessary after Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas in September 2019, with over 100 people coming through to map previously unidentified roads and buildings.

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Step by Powerful Step, Citizens Lead Puerto Rico into Its Solar Future

Melanie La Rosa

September 19, 2019 |

NACLA |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Puerto Rico

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, knocking out power across the country, solar energy has stepped in to be a sustainable possibility. Such efforts have included lobbying local legislatures to incentivize communities to create their own solar project and training residents to install solar panels on their own. Many of the solar initiatives that have started have been community-led and hyper-local, meaning that what many deem a basic right – access to energy and electricity – are more accessible than ever.

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Buried lines helping prevent outages during Carolina hurricanes

John Sharpe

July 26, 2019 |

Carolina Public Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, North Carolina

Coastal cities across South and North Carolina are considering the benefits of underground power lines. With hurricane winds doing major damage to above-ground lines, buried lines often go unharmed, leaving residents with power during such storms. Those in the field note that the cost of rerouting power underground is substantial, and something that residents must cover themselves.

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How Dutch stormwater management could mitigate damage from hurricanes

Nichole Marks

July 21, 2019 |

CBS News |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Netherlands, Rotterdam

Designing room for rivers and coastlines can mitigate catastrophe. Following a massive flood in 1953, the Dutch government reallocated its resources toward disaster prevention and mitigation. Through measures like building surge barriers and reservoirs into recreational spaces, the Dutch have moved implemented defensive design methods. Additionally, by lowering some dykes, practices have moved from flood control to controlled flooding. The Dutch Water Ambassador serves a global role advising the UN and other countries about the Dutch engineering and design methods.

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How Sonoma's Vineyards Survived a Siege of Fire, Smoke and Ash

Michele Bigley

July 03, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Sonoma, California

Through collective action and informed practices, such as promoting grazing in vineyards, residents in fire-ravaged communities build a more resilient future. Across California’s wine region, locals have begun to reorient their way of life to mitigate the effects of future wildfires. The Good Fire Alliance, nonprofit group of organizations, focuses on promoting community resilience to wildfires, educating about safe burning practices, grazing, and encouraging general fire-ecology awareness.

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They were raped during Colombia's civil war. Now they want justice for their children.

Megan Janetsky

June 24, 2019 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Colombia

Following the Colombian civil war, the country enacted The Victims’ Law, which centered on providing reparations to those affected by violence and war. But since its creation, the law has only provided reparations to less than 11% of those who have applied, and for women survivors, it’s even less. Women, who are disproportionately affected by war because of the use of sexual assault, are coming together under the National Tablle for Victim’s Participation, are demanding more.

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Low-cost resilient houses could help Mozambique survive future storms

Adele Peters

March 22, 2019 |

FastCompany |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Mozambique, Beira

Climate change is causing storms to intensify across the world, resulting in mass destruction that ruins peoples homes. Mozambique has recently experienced this reality when a tropical storm resulted in a massive flood that overtook parts of the country. To help prevent future destruction, cities are focusing efforts on building more resilient homes that stand a better chance of surviving similar events.

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A new laser-toting disaster lab aims to save lives by saving data

Hallie Golden

February 26, 2019 |

FastCompany |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington

Collecting data in the moments after a natural disaster occurs is key to understanding their impact as well as increasing preparedness. When a disaster strikes, the RAPID Facility, a partnership between several universities headquartered at the University of Washington, dispatches researchers armed with drones and other high tech to collect crucial data such as aerial photos of disaster zones, and 3D images of damage. RAPID then makes the data publicly available in an effort to improve hazard forecasts.

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