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How Detroit Taught Itself to Demolish Vacant Houses Safely

Cassie Owens

June 12, 2015 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

To develop new demolition standards, the Detroit Building Authority brought together a best practices working group that met biweekly. Under the new system, a pre-demolition review takes place to, among other things, plan out what will be recycled or salvaged. When an excavator claws through a building, a water truck or fire hose has to be dousing the structure to inhibit the reach of particulate matter—limiting the environmental and health impacts.

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Peru's Ancient Stone Canals

Juliana Schatz

May 25, 2015 |

Al Jazeera |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Peru, Huamantanga, Lima Metropolitan Area

Climate change has led to shorter, more violent rainy seasons in the highlands around Lima, Peru, meaning that - even though there is theoretically enough water during the rainy season to sustain the local population, it flows downhill too quickly, leaving residents short of clean water during the dry season. Now, an organization called Condesan is helping the community to restore ancient stone canals from the seventh century that will help to store water from rainfall through the dry season and supply residents with a steady water source.

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In South Korea, An Innovative Push to Cut Back on Food Waste

Karim Chrobog

May 20, 2015 |

Yale Environment 360 |

Multi-Media |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: South Korea, Seoul

According to the United Nations, approximately 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every year, which is costly to the environment and the economy. In Seoul, technological waste bins calculate the weight of the garbage against a set limit, and if the disposal is too heavy there is a fee. To reduce landfill deposits, Seoul has also composted food waste by turning it into animal feed, fertilizer, and electricity generation.

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The Power of a Calm Sea

Russell Beard

May 18, 2015 |

Al Jazeera |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom, Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland

As the global demand for energy continually increases, the strain on natural resources and the detrimental effects of fossil fuels become more problematic. But new developments in renewable energy technologies may provide new solutions. Minesto, a company based out of Northern Ireland, has a new device - structured something like an underwater kite - that allows for the constant harvesting of tidal power, regardless of current weather or wave conditions.

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Dutch Aquatecture: Engineering a Future on the Water

Russell Beard

May 11, 2015 |

Al Jazeera |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Netherlands

As climate change causes global sea levels to rise, nations around the world are increasingly concerned about threats to infrastructure and livelihoods. But the Dutch have been keeping the sea at bay for centuries using a variety of methods and technologies. Their designs and plans - such as floating buildings - may provide solutions for other countries looking to evolve and adapt to changing ocean levels.

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Catching Waves and Turning Them Into Electricity

Amy Yee

April 22, 2015 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia, Perth, Western Australia

Researches off the coast of western Australia are harnessing power from the ocean's waves in a new pilot project involving buoys. In their current state, the buoys are able to generate a small percentage of electricity for a nearby military base as well as aid in powering a desalination plant.

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Can saltwater quench our growing thirst?

Brian Bienkowski

April 13, 2015 |

Ensia |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

Population growth, climate change, and droughts are factors that have depleted the world’s freshwater resources. Scientists around the world have experimented with desalination of salt water to increase the supply the drinking water and have achieved positive results. In 2015, more countries and cities in the world look to provide desalination, including California’s $1 billion effort to build a plant for San Diego.

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Looks swell

The Economist

March 12, 2015 |

The Economist |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia, Perth

Carnegie Wave Energy created a system to generate electricity from the ocean’s waves to power Australia’s largest naval base. The system, known as CETO 5, has buoys bobbing up and down below the ocean’s surface that drives a pump attached to the seafloor and pushes water through a pipe to the power station. Each buoy can create 240 kilowatts, and all together the system produces about 5 percent of the base’s electricity. The system will need to be upgraded if they plan to put buoys further at sea where the swells are greater.

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Running on renewable energy, Burlington, Vermont powers green movement forward

William Brangham

January 31, 2015 |

PBS NewsHour |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Burlington, Vermont

Urban areas contain the highest in concentration of burning fossil fuels, which negatively contributes to climate change. Spearheading the green energy movement, Burlington, VT claims that its city uses 100% renewable energy for electricity. Burlington’s efforts pilot a model for larger U.S. cities to follow.

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Drinking More Vodka: A Green Solution to Melting Icy Roads?

Lorraine Chow

December 05, 2014 |

NationSwell |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Pullman, Washington

Salt has become a costly and environmental problem in the twenty first century, with consumers overusing it in cooking and melting city roads during the winter. Salt has risen in price and has infiltrated the waterways, affecting the life in the water and contaminating drinking water. As a greener alternative to salt, Washington State University scientists have learned that the biproducts of vodka can help melt ice and snow.

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