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

What Will it Take to Get Plastics out of the Ocean?

Anja Krieger

February 01, 2016 |

Ensia |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Manoa, Hawaii

The amount of plastic debris in our oceans and water sources - especially nanoplastics that are increasingly prevalent in our food chain - is so enormous it's often beyond comprehension, and immensely difficult to address. As countries continue to industrialize and single-use products become more commonplace, the flow of harmful plastics into the environment seems insurmountable. But a number of clever inventions and dedicated individuals are working to help get plastics out of our water - and more importantly - encourage practices to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The Blight-Fighting Solution for Saving 40,000 Detroiters From Eviction

Bill Bradley

November 09, 2015 |

Next City |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

Loveland Technologies is finding creative uses for data that will help protect people’s properties and disseminate better information about local tax and foreclosure policies. Funded by angel investors as well as nonprofit organizations, Loveland Technologies has already succeeded with clever campaigns to educate the public. It also initiated Motor City Mapping to create an information-sharing space for residents, service providers, and local governments.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Mumbai slum dwellers say 'I have to help' stop violence against women

Marco Werman Rhitu Chatterjee

September 15, 2015 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: India, Mumbai, Maharashtra

In the Mumbai slum of Dharavi, an NGO called Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action (SNEHA) is working to make life safer by teaching men the importance of not being violent towards women. Through an app called Eyewatch, community members are able to document acts of domestic violence, which helps SNEHA team members locate victims and their abusers.

Read More
Go to Original Story
In Aleppo, cell phones are helping some desperate Syrians find clean water

Joyce Hackel

August 26, 2015 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Syria, Aleppo, Aleppo Governorate

In war zones, people have a difficult time finding clean water and safe areas to inhabit. Social media, smart phones, and technology applications are aiding in people’s survival. In Aleppo, Syria, the International Committee of the Red Cross posted a map on Facebook to show alternative sources of clean drinking water that reached approximately 140,000 people.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Could adorable tiny tech backpacks save the honeybees?

Jessica Mendoza

August 25, 2015 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia

Concerned with colony collapse syndrome in honey bees worldwide, scientists, farmers and tech companies teamed up in Australia to create a micro-sensor that collects data on the bee's environment.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Teaching citizens how to shoot better video when they witness brutality

Hari Sreenivasan Judy Woodruff

April 10, 2015 |

PBS NewsHour |

Multi-Media |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Nigeria, Lagos

With human injustices affecting people on the streets around the world, camera phones have become important tools to document crimes. However, the video may not adequately capture the crime to be persuasive in court. The global organization WITNESS has formed as Video As Evidence Program to instruct citizens how to best document crimes with their cameras so that the evidence will stand in court.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How cities are searching for solutions among massive mounds of data

John Lorinc

February 20, 2015 |

The Globe and Mail |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

New York City suffered from fires that erupted in overcrowded, run-down apartments. Then the city sleuthed through residential records and found that landlords who foreclosed let their properties fall apart and ignored safety-code violations. Greater Toronto wants to expand upon New York City’s method by using transportation surveys, census data and computer data to build transit lines.

Read More
Go to Original Story
In Tanzania, Coke improves medical distributions

Jacob Kushner

September 29, 2014 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Tanzania

Project Last Mile is a partnership between Coca-Cola and Tanzania’s Medical Stores Department that is helping to deliver medications to the most remote parts of the country. Due to this partnership, the Medical Stores Department has been able to leverage Coca-Cola's "geocoded software to identify the most efficient delivery schedules and routes," and significantly increase the availability of medicine throughout Tanzania.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How Online Mapmakers Are Helping the Red Cross Save Lives in the Philippines

Robinson Meyer

November 13, 2013 |

The Atlantic |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Philippines, Port-au-Prince

After typhoon Haiyan, the devastation to the Philippines was hard to locate and track. The Red Cross staffed volunteers to sort through crowd-sourced data to create maps. The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap software application has helped the Red Cross better organize search and rescue operations.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Into the Wildfire

Paul Tullis

September 19, 2013 |

The New York Times Magazine |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Between climate change and an ever increasing population, wildfires are becoming more and more of an annual challenge to mitigate, with firefighters and policy makers walking a thin edge between the need for natural burns to maintain the healthy, safe growth of forests and the risks of letting fires get too close to developed property and human life. New advances in science and technology are helping scientists and land managers better understand not only how fires burn and spread, but how to contain them while educating the public about their importance.

Read More
Go to Original Story