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Air pollution: New attempts to tackle Cairo's black cloud

Mariam Rizk

March 07, 2017 |

BBC |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Egypt, Cairo

For many years, the city of Cairo has been dealing with dense smog, known as the "black cloud," that covers the city. This air pollution was initially set off by farmers burning surplus crops, but now is the cause of 42% of the nation's air pollution, according to the Egyptian Environment Ministry. Now, the government is taking action to fight against the smog with new programs and fees, aided by the inventions created by members of the Cairo community.

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Building Better Cities

Russell Beard, Juliana Schatz

March 05, 2017 |

Al Jazeera |

Broadcast TV News |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Colombia, Cali, Valle del Cauca

By 2050 the percentage of the world's population living in cities will increase to two-thirds with significant environmental strains. In Colombia, a company called Conceptos Plasticos collects recyclable plastic material, melts it down and moulds it into bricks used to build houses for the local community. Singapore too, is on the cutting edge of environmentally sustainable urban solutions including vertical farms and living buildings.

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Mumbai church turns tonnes of waste flowers to eco-friendly cooking fuel

Akash Sakaria

February 20, 2017 |

Hindustan Times |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: India, Mumbai

After seeing prayer flowers wasted week after week, one church in Mumbai, India, implemented a new biologically-sustainable solution. The church now creates its own biogas, reducing waste and creatively producing energy alternatives.

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Shampoo bottle made from ocean plastics hailed as ‘technological breakthrough'

Olivia Boyd

January 25, 2017 |

The Guardian |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: France

P&G, the manufacturer of popular shampoo Head & Shoulders, is teaming up with a recycling business and waste management company to turn discarded plastic found on the beaches of France into special edition shampoo bottles. Although the impact is small in terms of bottles produced, the amount of recycled content is a "technological breakthrough" compared to what other companies have achieved.

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Stockholm's Ingenious Plan to Recycle Old Christmas Trees

Feargus O'Sullivan

December 20, 2016 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Sweden, Stockholm

In Stockholm, old Christmas trees are being converted into biochar. When integrated into the city's highly-efficient power grid, the project has been wildly successful--not only in improving soil, but also in retaining groundwater, greening the city, and lowering carbon emissions. For this reason, officials as far away as California have been eying the plan with interest.

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In Nepal, 'appalling' river runs cleaner in wake of unusual partnership

Atul Bhattarai

December 18, 2016 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nepal, Kathmandu

For years, campaigns to clean Nepal's polluted Bagmati River resulted in failure. Now with police and government backing, the organization Safai Abhiyaan is in its third year, attracting hundreds of volunteers who are willing to brave the polluted waters to collect trash. The program's unique approach to organizing community volunteers has been a success, but the problem will not subside until greater perceptions about litter and water pollution are tackled.

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Experimental City: How Rotterdam Became A World Leader In Sustainable Urban Design

Adele Peters

December 05, 2016 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Rotterdam

Rotterdam, a port city once at the center of trade and commerce, is now threatened by climate change. The city has responded to this threat by totally transforming itself into a hub for sustainable design. It embraces crazy, environmentally friendly solutions. From a floating dairy farm to a home enclosed in a greenhouse to basketball courts that soak up rainwater, Rotterdam has established itself as a leader in sustainable urban design. By 2025, the city plans to be completely climate-proof.

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World's first city to power its water needs with sewage energy

Kata Karáth

December 01, 2016 |

New Scientist |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Denmark, Aarhus

With climate change an ever-increasing threat, one city in Denmark is helping to inspire hope through the successful implementation of a self-sustaining treatment plant that provides fresh water to the local community using only energy produced from the waste and sewage it filters. Other cities are now looking to replicate the model.

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How Mysuru became India's ‘cleanest city'

Patralekha Chatterjee

November 17, 2016 |

Citiscope |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India, Mysuru

Mysuru has become a gleaming example for solutions to India's vaster struggles with solid-waste management, toilet construction, sanitation strategy, public outreach, and other measures. The city uses a decentralized model that leverages a mix of municipal resources, NGO leadership, civil society, and cooperation from proud residents and businesses.

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The fate of rural food and farms

Brian Calvert

November 15, 2016 |

High Country News |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Santa Fe, New Mexico

A number of problems continue to challenge rural agriculture in the western United States. These include connecting people who grow the food with the people that need to eat the food, food waste worsening greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing numbers of new farmers that take up the practice of agriculture. Different initiatives, such as those presented by Reunity Resources and the National Young Farmers Coalition, encourage collaboration to make sustainable food sources for the poor and for the future of farming.

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