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 2383 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

The Key to Nebraska's Water Conservation Success

Mark Funkhouser

March 01, 2019 |

Governing |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Lincoln, Nebraska

As the Ogallala Aquifer’s water level has declined in many states across the High Plains region of the U.S., Nebraska has almost fully maintained its water level by relying on National Resource Districts (NRDs). NRDs “develop integrated management plans for surface water and groundwater,” and its sustainable practices offer a model of how sustainable water management can thrive with local governance.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Cautiously Optimistic

Allison Shirk Collins

March 01, 2019 |

Chattanooga Times Free Press |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Small and large cities around the United States have their own ways of deterring gun violence, from heavier police presences, to community engagement efforts, to public health approaches. An ongoing and similar challenge for these cities is pinpointing where the most effective change is coming from. In cities like Chattanooga, Savannah, and Philadelphia, each one has seen some impact from their work, but without ongoing evaluations, proving and thus sustaining the successful programming is challenging.

Read More
Go to Original Story
'Nobody was born bad'

Allison Shirk Collins

March 01, 2019 |

Chattanooga Times Free Press |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga’s Violence Reduction Initiatives used a focused deterrence strategy to reduce crime. The initiative has led to a decrease in gang-involved homicides and shootings, working with individuals on probation to provide them with the social services they need to stop them from re-entering a life of crime. A core part of this method is to show communities that they’re not forgotten and that they’re cared for, and yet securing funding and consistent support for such programming has been challenging.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Preparing Main Street for the So-Called ‘Retail Apocalypse'

Larisa Ortiz

March 01, 2019 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Corning, New York

A planning expert dives into responses from cities around the country to the infrastructural red tape faced by many brick-and-mortar retail businesses in the wake of an ecommerce boom. In Corning, NY, city officials created mid-block crosswalks to make navigating retail spaces downtown safer; in Memphis, local government passed a law that allows for light manufacturing in downtown areas to make owning "mom-and-pop" shops more affordable & convenient.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Cities without sewers

Chelsea Wald

February 28, 2019 |

Rethink |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Haiti, Cap-Haïtien

A nonprofit in Haiti called SOIL with a business arm called EkoLakay is bringing back the old-fashioned idea of a container-based sanitation system. Customers rent toilets with containers in them, use them, and return them to EkoLakay to then be converted into highly nutritious compost. Piloted in 2011, the program has been successful serving more than 1,000 households (growing by 40 every month) with a staff of 58 mostly local workers. They attribute their success to using "applied resilience thinking", having many actors at different levels, and constantly adapting to new solutions and knowledge.

Read More
Go to Original Story
You can now ski on top of a $670 million power plant in Copenhagen

Akshat Rathi

February 27, 2019 |

Quartz |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Denmark, Copenhagen

Amager Bakke is a powerplant in Copenhagen that is designed to get residents of the city engaged in a conversation about where waste goes, all while burning up to 400,000 tons of waste a year, powering 60,000 homes, and heating 160,000 homes. In 2013 the local plant was redesigned to burn the city's waste and encourage interaction by building a ski slope atop the plant, a hiking trail, and an elevator that introduces education about waste management. Amager Bakke is still new and experimental, so its long-term success is still unclear, and it is not completely emission-free yet.

Read More
Go to Original Story
$773 Million Later, de Blasio Ends Signature Initiative to Improve Failing Schools

Eliza Shapiro

February 26, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio launched and then ended a program to rejuvenate struggling schools in the city. Despite deeming the program as unsuccessful overall, the city learned several lessons from the schools thad did succeed within the framework, such as the necessity for strong principals and "an emphasis on using student achievement data to identify problems."

Read More
Go to Original Story
How Tech Helped San Francisco Clear 9,300 Marijuana Convictions

Rachel Kaufman

February 26, 2019 |

Next City |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Using an algorithm designed by Code for America, the city of San Francisco has been able to identify and start the process of expunging almost 10,000 marijuana-related convictions. While the initiative has faced some opposition, the city’s District Attorney asserts that convicted individuals should be given dignity and respect by not have to carry the weight of crime for something that’s no longer illegal.

Read More
Go to Original Story
With no upfront costs, this innovative financing tool makes energy efficiency affordable to all

Nate Berg

February 26, 2019 |

Ensia |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Aulander, North Carolina

North Carolina’s Roanoke Electric Cooperative is helping members bring down energy costs. Because the energy costs in this area is due to a lack of energy efficiency, the cooperative offers tariffed on-billing to help homes offset expenses like insulation and new heat pumps. The tariffed on-billing uses federal loans to pay for said expenses, and then the customer pays the tariff charge in their bill – which ends up being lower because of the energy efficient upgrades.

Read More
Go to Original Story
What Colorado can learn from “red flag” gun laws in other states as lawmakers debate passing their own version

Anna Staver

February 25, 2019 |

The Denver Post |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

Around the country, a dozen states have passed “red flag” gun laws. These laws allow officials to temporarily take away legally owned guns from individuals who are deemed either at-risk of suicide, or a danger to others. Colorado is the most recent state to introduce a similar law to legislation, and if passed would allow law enforcement to initially seize guns for 14 days while a judge hears the case.

Read More
Go to Original Story