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'Uber For Poop' Aims To Break Up Senegal's Toilet Cartel

Robert Smith

July 27, 2018 |

NPR |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: Senegal, Dakar

In Senegal, emptying your septic taste is expensive business; the two options, hiring someone to shovel it onto the street or paying a high price to the "cartel of 'toilet suckers,'" are not sustainable for residents or public health. To force members of the raw sewage cartel to compete with each other and lower prices, a new call center "auctions" the service by text to individual sellers instead of forcing people to contend with a banded group, and "prices for toilet suckers have come down an average of 7 percent" since the program began.

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Wastewater treatment is a problem in the rural South. Who is working to fix it?

Melissa Brown

July 26, 2018 |

The Montgomery Advertiser |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Haynesville, Alabama

In the South's rural Black Belt, wastewater management is an issue, but local activists, government officials, and civil engineers are working together to create a new type of sanitation system that works for the geography. The approach also includes public information campaigns to educate people about proper maintenance and stop rumors that can prevent that maintenance.

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In the Black Belt, a template for fixing failing sewage infrastructure

Melissa Brown

July 25, 2018 |

Southerly |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Alabama

Improving sanitation and hygiene in rural communities requires coordinating experts and policy makers to find solutions that fit. In addition to coordinating research projects on alternative forms of sewage and wastewater management, the Equal Justice Initiative, the Alabama health department, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working to educate residents about sanitation and public health.

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Conserve Energy on Summer's Hottest Days With a Text

Eben Bein

July 13, 2018 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Providence, Rhode Island

Shave The Peak is an online tool that helps people cut their emissions use by informing them of peak energy times during the hottest days in the summer. The tool started as a mass email and a text sent out to 100 environmentally concerned citizens before expanding. “For now, we have to educate and involve citizen advocates using short-term projects so we can eventually create long-term change.”

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LA Is Doing Water Better Than Your City. Yes, That LA

Matt Simon

June 12, 2018 |

Wired |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

With climate change on the horizon, Los Angeles is rushing to pull water from surprising sources. The goal: aqueous independence.

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In Search of Solution to Detroit's Water Shutoffs, Could Philly Hold the Answer?

Jake Neher

June 08, 2018 |

WDET |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Detroit has a water affordability problem, with 100,000 water shutoffs for non-payment recorded since 2014. When faced with a similar problem, Philadelphia implemented an income tier-based water affordability program. Despite challenges, some think this is a solution to be tested in Detroit.

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How do we detoxify California's poison tap water? More democracy

Jacques Leslie

June 08, 2018 |

Los Angeles Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Goshen, California

The majority of public water boards in California's San Joaquin Valley have been comprised of the same elected officials year after year. The lack of community representation on the boards as lead to many disadvantages for struggling towns where water pollution has become the norm. As evidenced in West Goshen however, diversifying the boards with local community members can lead to better water management solutions through state-funded grant opportunities.

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Environmental impact bonds can help cities invest in green infrastructure

Laurie Mazur

May 25, 2018 |

Ensia |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Environmental impact bonds (EIBs) are a relatively new form of financing that combine private investment with government funding in a “pay for success” model. They are different than municipal bonds in that they are intended as a more experimental approach: for instance, Washington, D.C. started using EIBs to test green infrastructure and evaluate the results. Though all current EIBs are too early-stage to show formal evaluations, they are helping promote sustainability initiatives in D.C., Baltimore, and Atlanta.

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A revolution in hydropower makes waves in rural Colorado

Carl Segerstrom

May 11, 2018 |

High Country News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Montrose, Colorado

Thanks in part to the advancement of technology and federal reforms that now streamline a previously lengthy process, rural Colorado is proving to be a prime candidate for small hydropower projects.

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This African city is turning a mountain of trash into energy

Alex Gray

May 09, 2018 |

World Economic Forum |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

A growing population has led to a growing mountain of trash for Africa. One city is taking control of the issue by turning that trash into energy which not only reduces the amount of physical rubbish by 80 percent, but also powers 30 percent of the city's household energy needs.

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