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

Latin America's New Superstar

Gregory Scruggs

March 31, 2014 |

Next City |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Medellín

While the city of Medellín, Colombia was once known as a gritty, crime-ridden area, inclusive urban planning and partnerships with international corporations have turned the city in to an innovative model for policy makers around the world. The public-private partnerships that fuel the city's growth give some critics pause, but the city itself has created more democratic processes and reduced crime rates since implementing this strategy.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Why Sweden has so few road deaths

The Economist

February 26, 2014 |

The Economist |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Sweden

Sweden's "Vision Zero" program has used a comprehensive approach to infrastructure and regulation to drastically reduce traffic-related deaths, making Swedish roads the safest in the world.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Dealing with blight complaints requires new approach, Memphis says

Greg Barnes

February 22, 2014 |

Fayetteville Observer |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Memphis, Tennessee

In Memphis, a creative blight-reduction initiative called 25 Square Blocks broke down the city into blocks. Inspectors were able to quickly identify all the violations and fix them, using the same amount of funding, but less time, as the old call-and-respond model.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Crime and blight still remain

Greg Barnes

February 22, 2014 |

Fayetteville Observer |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Atlanta, Georgia

Civic leaders in the U.S. struggle to effectively help their distressed neighborhoods. East Lake, Atlanta, created a replicable model that mixes residents of differing socio-economic status, and focuses on education and health in the area.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Cities in motion: how slime mould can redraw our rail and road maps

David Parr

February 18, 2014 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Japan, Tokyo

The twenty-first century city is a complex organism, and simulating it to anticipate traffic and transportation congestions can be problematic for urban planning. Researchers around the world from Japan to England have used slime models to simulate traffic and transportation patterns, observing realistic growths, congestions, and re-routing opportunities. Biomimicry demonstrates an unconventional but useful process to understand the pulse of the urban environment.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The Robots That Saved Pittsburgh

Glenn Thrush

February 04, 2014 |

Politico |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pittsburgh

Post-industrial cities can re-platform their economies by fostering institutions that drive innovation and attract both financial and human capital. By promoting long-term collaboration between universities, cultural institutions, and entrepreneurs, Pittsburgh has undergone a three-decade-long urban reinvention. With Carnegie Mellon University as an anchor, the city’s robotics research sector has attracted investment from government projects and venture capital, creating a ripple effect of growth and urban development.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Smaller-Town Startups: 'Stopping the Brain Drain' in South Carolina

James Fallows

January 25, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Greenville, South Carolina

The "Next" Project in Greenville, South Carolina brings local government and companies together to create a business incubator to encourage new startups to launch -- and stay -- in the area. One such business, called the Iron Yard, acts as a sort of code academy, offering a 3-month bootcamp and guaranteeing that graduates of their program will find a job in the industry. So far, they've followed through on that guarantee.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Using Giant Mirrors to Light up Dark Valleys

Alan Taylor

October 22, 2013 |

The Atlantic |

Photojournalism |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Norway, Rjukan

Small towns located deep in the valleys of steep mountains, like Rjukan, Norway, and Viganella, Italy, can be cut off from sunlight for almost half a year but computer-controlled mirrors are helping to change that. The tailor-made, computer-driven motors on giant mirrors track sunlight throughout the day.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How to Design a City for Women

Clare Foran

September 06, 2013 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia, Vienna

Gender mainstreaming is the practice of creating “laws, rules and regulations that benefit men and women equally. The goal is to provide equal access to city resources.” Since the 90s the city of Vienna has adopted this into their urban planning, building things like apartment complexes for women, parks, and public transit that takes into consideration a women’s routine. In total, more than 60 projects to date have been built around this concept. “Once you’ve analyzed the patterns of use of public space, you start to define the needs and interests of the people using it," she explains. "Then planning can be

Read More
Go to Original Story
As Detroit Flounders, Its Art Scene Flourishes

Courtney Balestier

August 06, 2013 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

In 2013, Detroit filed for bankruptcy because of a poor economy. While the city’s industrial businesses have floundered, the art scene has thrived, bringing in new sources of income through art galleries and investments in contemporary art. This new art scene is one factor to measure Detroit’s recovery and prospects of growth for the future.

Read More
Go to Original Story