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When public restrooms fail, rent them out as churches?

Anthony Langat

February 14, 2019 |

Devex |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Kibera, Nairobi

On World Toilet Day in 2014, the Kenyan government promised to build 180 public toilets in an ambitious move to combat the issue of public sanitation. The program went well once the keys were handed off to the National Youth Service of Kenya as a means of income, but issues quickly arose that could not be resolved because of a lack of further funds. The youth has since transformed their toilets into a rental space for local churches, such as Christ Miracle Church for All Nations in Laini Saba.

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Putting the sun in Sunshine State? Florida's about-face on solar power

Eva Botkin-Kowacki

February 11, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

“We’re in the midst of one of the largest solar expansions in the country,” says Alys Daly, a spokesperson for Florida Power and Light, the largest utility provider in the state of Florida. This statement represents a shift in which Florida has seized on decreasing costs of solar power and is working to increase its capacity tenfold. Power companies are helping residents save costs in an environmentally conscious way.

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FGCU's geothermal air conditioner reduces impact on the environment

Jaryd Brady

February 06, 2019 |

Changing Florida |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University utilizes a cooling plant that serves as the primary air-conditioning unit for multiple buildings on campus. This plant uses geothermal energy, which compared with traditional air conditioning units, has less of an impact on the environment and saves the university money on its power bill. FGCU currently has 146 total thermal storage tanks producing over 23,000 tons of cooling capacity for its academic buildings.

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Smart Grid Experiment Saves Participants the Equivalent of One Electric Bill Per Year

Lynne Peskoe-Yang

February 04, 2019 |

IEEE Spectrum |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Turkey, Istanbul

Gamifying energy-efficient behavior can help consumers adjust their habits. Project GresBAS (Grid Responsive Society through Building Automation Systems) incentivizes consumers by allowing them to compete against their own personal records, as well as their neighbors. The Project has piloted studies in Turkey and Portugal, signaling the broader possibilities of gamifying user interactions with smart grid technologies.

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Africa Embraces an $8 Billion Solar Market for Going Off-Grid

Sophia Akram

February 04, 2019 |

OZY |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

Many African "off-grid" countries, where as many as 80 percent of populations lack reliable access to electricity, are turning to a low-cost, environmentally friendly model: solar-powered, pay-as-you-go LEDs. Cheaper and more eco-friendly than alternatives like kerosene or diesel fuel, the LEDs like the one M-KOPA make boast 600,000 customers across East Africa. The technology has the sharp reduction in solar panel and battery cost to thank for increased access.

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Western Water Managers Bet On Cloud Seeding, Despite Gaps In Science

Luke Runyon

January 29, 2019 |

KUNC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Wolcott, Colorado

In the American Southwest, state water managers have been investing for decades in weather modification programs, otherwise known as "cloud seeding." Colorado River Basin states recently agreed to expand that effort, hoping to build crucial snowpack. But some scientists are skeptical that cloud seeding can produce reliable supplies, citing huge data gaps.

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How Poop-Eating Worms Could Help Save Thousands Of Lives Each Year

Oliver Balch

January 16, 2019 |

The Huffington Post |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

The Bill Gates Foundation is currently funding a number of organizations that seek to solve the rate of open defecation by creating low-cost toilets that utilize the feces within them. One organization, called Sanergy, operates in 11 neighborhoods across Nairobi and uses a systems-based approach that takes into account financing and maintenance of the toilet as well as selling the waste as fertilizer. Another, called Tiger Toilets in India, uses a septic tank toilet that places worms within the drainage layer who then consume the feces and produce fertilizer to be used or sold.

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Dutch eco initiative halves energy bills in first UK homes

Adam Vaughan

January 07, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Nottingham, England

By piloting a Dutch initiative to make homes more energy efficient with new windows and solar panels in the United Kingdom, tenants are seeing their monthly energy bills decrease by almost half. More than 150 social housing homes in Nottingham are testing the “Energiesprong” approach, which has already seen success in the Netherlands.

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The key to easing land-use disputes? Listening, says Virginia solar developer

Elizabeth McGowan

December 05, 2018 |

Energy News Network |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Nokesville, Virginia

In Virginia's Prince William County, one solar developer shows that the key to community support for renewables may be dialogue. Virginia Solar, a Richmond-based energy company, has won approval for a 20-megawatt solar project near Nokesville. How? By listening to citizen concerns about conservation, property values, and construction.

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Solar Mini-Grids Give Nigeria a Power Boost

Amy Yee

December 02, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Gbamu Gbamu, Ogun State

Over half of Nigeria's population lacks reliable access to electricity, but solar energy is slowly changing this. Mini-grids are gaining popularity in these rural areas thanks to the technology's capability to provide affordable electricity while also reducing harmful emissions.

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