“Un solo empleo debería ser suficiente”. Cómo los trabajos de bajos salarios de Charlotte hacen que la vivienda sea inaccesible

The USDA’s Meals-to-You program helped school districts deliver food boxes straight to low-income households during the summer months, a game changer for families who face transportation barriers trying to get to conventional summer meal programs held on school grounds. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program delivered roughly 40 million meals to students in 42 states, but administrative shakeups have left the program’s future in jeopardy in places like Texas.

In Stockholm, an electric ferry that uses hydrofoils—underwater wings that increase the ship’s speed by allowing it to glide above the water’s surface—causes 98 percent fewer carbon emissions than a traditional diesel ferry. Other cities, such as Lake Tahoe and Berlin, are now considering implementing the technology.

Satellite towns like Tatu City are cropping up near major cities in Africa, offering an alternative to the overcrowded metropolises locals are used to. When developed effectively, these satellite cities become hubs for economic growth. Over 100 businesses have opened in Tatu City, employing about 25,000 people.

GiveDirectly is a nonprofit that works to improve conditions in impoverished areas by distributing direct cash transfers to residents. In one of the organization’s projects in Malawi, participants received a lump sum of $550 to be used however they saw fit, and many chose to start businesses or make investments for the future.

When Spokane Public Schools banned cellphones in classrooms and at recess, it also paired the new rules with an engagement program designed to get more students involved in clubs and extracurricular activities. Since removing cell phones, expanding activity options, and hiring “engagement navigators” to help match students to activities, the number of students participating in extracurriculars increased by 19 percent and principals began reporting fewer phone confiscations.

A scholarship endowment from the U.S. Agency of International Development supports the American University of Afghanistan, which provides courses to Afghan women who are not allowed to pursue education in their home country. In all, 208 scholarships have been awarded, including funds for 120 women to relocate and attend college in person, but the future of the program is uncertain due to federal cuts to USAID’s programs.

In Yemen, incorporating the age-old practice of seasonal beehive migration, known as Tazeeb, increased the number of hives in the country by over 100,000 between 2017 and 2020.

Dãnia Davy, the one-woman team behind Land and Liberation LLC—a company that supports farmers with funder relations, PR, policy and risk mitigation, and public educational sessions—only charging institutions for services and provides them to farmers pro-bono.

In 2023, Hot Springs received a microgrid of solar panels and lithium-ion batteries, which can provide 100 percent of the town’s peak load and up to six hours of backup power. In Hurricane Helene's wake, the microgrid operated continuously for 143.5 hours during a blackout.

To use up excess renewable energy and help finance the expansion of power grids, companies such as Gridless are connecting energy producers in African countries with cryptocurrency miners that are eager to buy up unused power. By selling off energy to cryptocurrency companies, one hydropower system was able to expand its electricity service to 500 more homes.