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How a Guatemalan Town Tackled Its Plastic Problem

Lola Mendez

January 03, 2019 |

Atlas Obscura |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Guatemala, San Pedro La Laguna

San Pedro La Laguna, a town in Guatemala, has banned single use plastics including plastic bags and straws after realizing that plastic pollution was ruining the ecosystem of Lake Atitlan and that a new waste facility would be unable to handle the amount of garbage created in the village. To ensure that people follow the new regulation, there are heavy fees - but the town also bought traditionally made biodegradable replacements; the change is being framed as a way to return to traditional, indigenous ways for the communities.

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Millet anyone? Facing soil crisis, US farmers look beyond corn and soybeans

Story Hinckley Laurent Belsie

December 28, 2018 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Iowa

After decades of planting almost solely corn and soybeans, across the Midwest and Plains, farmers are trying new methods to restore nutrients and replenish their soils. Methods like no-till farming, growing diverse cover crops during the winter, and using soil-sensitive crop rotations are growing in popularity. While the new practices face some resistance, cultural awareness is growing and being encouraged by new legislation.

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With no oil cleanup in sight, Amazon tribes harvest rain for clean water

Dan Collyns

December 27, 2018 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Ecuador, Lago Agrio, Sucumbíos

Following decades of oil companies contaminating the water, indigenous groups in Ecuador’s Sucumbíos province have built systems for rainwater collection and filtration. These systems have provided people with clean water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing--a potentially powerful tool for other contaminated rural areas.

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This Ohio Paint Production Experiment Creates Art — and Potentially Jobs — From Polluted Mine Sites

Sara Schonhardt

November 19, 2018 |

100 Days in Appalachia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Corning, Ohio

In Ohio, artists and scientists are teaming up, turning hazardous mine run-off into paint pigment. High demand for such pigment, public funding, and enthusiasm for clean waterways could go a long way to mitigate water pollution.

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Toxic secrets: Pollution, evasion and fear in Wausau's River Street neighborhood

Shereen Siewert

October 30, 2018 |

Wausau Pilot and Review |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Wausau, Wisconsin

A local citizens group called Citizens for a Clean Wausau in Wisconsin is calling for greater transparency from government officials on environmental records related to project zoning and properties. While the group has had some legal successes, project development projects have continued to move forward despite public health and environmental concerns from digging up contaminated soils.

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Spawning an Intervention

Michelle Nijhuis

September 26, 2018 |

bioGraphic |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Curaçao, Willemstad

Because of drastic reef declines globally, coral reef restoration efforts have gained support in recent years. To understand how to do it, a hardy band of conservationists in the Caribbean are looking at how corals reproduce. But as these scientists acknowledge, raising corals is challenging and complex. And such restoration is no silver bullet for continual habitat loss, pollution, and ocean acidification.

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Locals Unite to Stop Hog Farms From Polluting Their Community

Wyatt Massey

September 24, 2018 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Iowa

When large-scale hog farms began moving into rural Iowa, many local families were forced to start making decisions about their ways of life, especially concerning their own farms and health. To fight back, the community gathered together to create a covenant. Although small in scale, other communities in the state have reached out in hopes of following their so-far successful approach.

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The Anacostia River Is Mussel-ing Its Way To Clean Waters

Rachel Kurzius

August 27, 2018 |

DCist |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

After not failing the State of the River report card for the first time in ten years, supporters of the Anacostia River and The Anacostia Watershed Society devised a plan to continue efforts to restore the river to usability. Releasing seven baskets filled with thousands of mussels, the mussels act as natural filtering agents that simultaneously improve the health of the ecosystem.

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A new 'floating park' made out of recycled plastic waste has popped up in the Netherlands

Jeremy Berke

July 28, 2018 |

Business Insider |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Rotterdam

Rotterdam’s new Floating Park showcases how recycling can be put to use. Litter traps collect plastic from the river to prevent it from going into the ocean. Then, the plastic is recycled into hexagonal pods that are used as building materials for the floating park - creating spaces to sit, walk, and grow plants. Supported by the Recycled Island Foundation, this floating park is ideally going to be the first of many.

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As synthetic microfibers infiltrate food, water and air, how can we prevent future release?

Mary Catherine O'Connor

July 16, 2018 |

Ensia |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Plastic is no longer just infiltrating the ecosystem and polluting rivers and oceans, but is now known to be finding its way into food and air via clothes. While the danger of these microfibers is yet to be determined, the need to reduce the presence of the pollution is crucial to help the environment. Various studies are finding that new materials such as biodegradable fabrics may be a solution.

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