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‘The worth of water' and what conservation strategies are working

Amy Joi O'Donoghue

November 09, 2019 |

Deseret News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Salt Lake City, Utah

To address worsening droughts and limited water resources in the 2nd driest state in the country, Utah government officials are implementing different methods of water metering throughout the state as a tool for water consumption measurement. Residents can have digital access to the amount of water they are using for landscaping comparative to the amount they should be using. Since this implementation, water consumption has drastically decreased in project areas.

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Greening the Desert With Wastewater

Klaus Sieg

October 29, 2019 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Egypt, Ismalia

The Serapium Forest is one of 36 forests in Egypt that are growing because of treated wastewater, part of a country-wide initiative that started 25 years ago as a way to productively use treated sewage water, create forest in the desert, and help minimize desertification. Additionally, the program creates high-quality wood that can be sold, as well as absorbing greenhouse gases.

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'A model of sustainable commerce': carbon footprint, grid concerns push SoCal weed industry to be more green

Melissa Daniels

October 10, 2019 |

Desert Sun |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Desert Hot Springs, California

California-based cannabis company, Canndescent, has taken many steps toward low-carbon sustainability in its operations. The company uses commercial-scale solar energy, reverse-mounted ceiling fans, and microburst irrigation systems as a way of demonstrating “a model of sustainable commerce.” As legalizing cannabis grows in popularity, other states and cities are looking toward sustainable practices to off-set the high-energy needed for such growth.

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How a small Colorado town fought the Japanese beetle and won

Tamara Chuang

July 29, 2019 |

The Colorado Sun |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Palisade, Colorado

Eradicating invasive species requires enrolling a community effort. Although quarantines and chemical treatments have not proven effective in preventing the spread of Popilia japonica, or the Japanese beetle, to farms on the US’s Front Range, the Colorado community of Palisade succeeded in eradicating the species through collective action. By combining pest control methods with a community program of reducing water use, Palisade farmers were able to push the beetles out of their farmland over the course of several years in the early 2000s.

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Bonneville, the Northwest's biggest clean-power supplier, faces promise and perils in changing energy markets

Hal Bernton

July 21, 2019 |

The Seattle Times |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Grand Coulee, Washington

The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington state has a longstanding history of providing generating power and hydropower, but hasn't always been the most reliable operation and faces financial uncertainty. Still, it has a produced "public power at cost for Northwest utilities" and contributed to a boost in the numbers of salmon available for harvest.

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As floods increase, cities like Detroit are looking to green stormwater infrastructure

Erica Gies

April 16, 2019 |

Ensia |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

In Detroit, a city with plenty of open space, there is ample opportunity for green stormwater infrastructure to help the city better manage water. The dual goal of decreasing water pollution and better managing flood conditions has already started with the 16 GSI projects in use. A new approach to water drainage fees based on amount of land has incentivized business owners to implement their own stormwater-reducing measures. The city plans to spend $50 million more on these efforts in the next ten years.

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Decades of wise use pay off for a Kabale wetland

Fredrick Mugira

April 15, 2019 |

InfoNILE |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Rubaya, Kabale

In 1980, the Ugandan government signed an agreement with local communities in the Mugandu–Buramba wetland that gave them the right to own, manage, and conserve their own property. Today, the wetlands are thriving —reducing degradation and improving biodiversity— and creating a livelihood for the 276 people that live there. The government says that since they are using the land responsibly, their agreement will continue.

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The Key to Nebraska's Water Conservation Success

Mark Funkhouser

March 01, 2019 |

Governing |

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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.

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Climate Change Is Bad For Peru's Pastures ... But There's A 1,200-Year-Old Fix

Elda Cantú

January 02, 2019 |

NPR |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Peru

Not all solutions have to be new in order to work, some just have to be modernized for today's needs. This was the lesson learned when villagers in Peru decided to restore centuries-old hydraulic systems to revitalize their depleting wetlands.

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'We can fix all this': Could this be the solution to Australia's drought crisis?

Winsome Denyer

October 29, 2018 |

ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia, New South Wales

Natural Sequence Farming is the process of restoring a landscape's original hydration processes by "reading the landscape and tapping into the land's natural system of self-rehydration," – and it's helping Mulloon Creek Natural Farms in New South Wales revive dry farmland. Although some, including the government, haven't entirely accepted the practice, the pilot project has shown a "63% increase in production on the hydrated land."

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