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The Law Preventing Congress from Sending States the Coronavirus Bill

Alan Greenblatt

August 27, 2020 |

Governing |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) protects states from having to fund federal laws. Prior to its passage, Congress passed bills without worrying about how to fund them, leaving states, cities, and counties to pay for federal mandates. Though UMRA has not been foolproof, 185 unfunded mandates were passed in 1993 before the law was passed and only 15 laws that violate UMRA limits were enacted between 1996 and 2018. Congress is not required to fund the whole bill, which means localities can still be required to pay significant amounts for federally mandated laws.

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Carbon County, aiming to be age-friendly, aligns with national network

Juliana Sukut

August 27, 2020 |

Montana Free Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Montana

AARP is providing the framework, resources and accountability for local governments to make their cities more senior-friendly. From transportation, to health and community services, 450 communities across the country - and two in Montana - have pledged to work toward specific goals within five years. Carbon County has been working on improvements since 2018 and has reevaluated its efforts in the wake of a pandemic that has highlighted the specific vulnerabilities faced by senior citizens.

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How to Design a Street for Hands-Off Play

Elissaveta M. Brandon

August 25, 2020 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Harlem, New York

PLAY NYC, a nonprofit in New York, is reviving a historic pop-up playground concept, which started over two decades ago, in order to increase children's access to playgrounds and physical activity. The concept is simple—take over a street, build, and design an interactive playground, and follow social distancing guidelines, but every street and community comes with its own set of challenges. Most of the play streets offer "no -touch obstacle course, exercise activities, and learning experiences" across low-income neighborhoods in New York.

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Mexico Is Saving Its Coral Reef From Hurricanes With A One-Of-A-Kind Plan

Alexandra Kirkman

August 24, 2020 |

The Huffington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo

To protect the Mesoamerican Reef from the effects of climate change, key stakeholders in Mexico created the world’s first insurance policy to protect a natural asset. The policy provides an immediate infusion of cash in the event of a damaging storm, allowing hotel owners and local governments to quickly repair the reef and prevent further degradation. A volunteer corps of people called the Guardians of the Reef make those repairs. While the insurance policy doesn’t cover pollution or overfishing, this mechanism could work for reefs in other countries to restore and protect threatened ecosystems.

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How to Save the Sea: Lessons from an Italian Fishing Community

Agostino Petroni

August 24, 2020 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Italy, Torre Guaceto

Fishers, researchers, and managers came together to create Torre Guaceto, a marine reserve off the coast of Italy. The area was previously exploited, but because of this cooperative management project, biodiversity has recovered. Fishers enter the reserve once a week for their catch and usually make up $10,000 a day, which is more than other Mediterranean fishers. While some illegal fishing still happens at night, the dialogue between key stakeholders was crucial to developing the reserve’s sustainable fishing model.

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Preserving forests while emptying trash cans? The story of a Burkinese green charcoal

Morgane le Cam

August 24, 2020 |

Heidi.news |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou

To preserve the millions of trees that are cut down just to produce coal in Burkina Faso, a Burkinese engineer created "green charcoal that would not only protect forests but also help fight against the proliferation of garbage." This ecological fuel is made from carbonized collected garbage and coconut husks, which in turn has reduced the amount of garbage that has to be managed by the authorities in charge of sanitation.

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‘It's like paradise for us': the Cree Nation's fight to save the Broadback Forest

Sarah Cox

August 22, 2020 |

The Narwhal |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Quebec

Canopy works to preserve the untouched Broadback Forest, which stores twice as much carbon as the Amazon and is central to the Cree Nation. The nonprofit works with 750 corporations, including fashion brands, commercial printers, and publishers to reduce the amount of packaging they use and eliminate sourcing from biodiverse, ancient, and endangered forests. They help source waste from grain and other food harvests for packaging, paper, and fabric production and enlist companies’ support of conservation initiatives. They also partner with other groups to lobby the government to protect the Broadback forest.

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How Ashland SWCD uses art to teach stormwater management

Katie Ellington

August 21, 2020 |

Richland Source |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ashland, Ohio

As a way to raise funds and awareness for stormwater education, some cities are turning rain barrels into an art exhibit. Rain barrels catch water as it runs off rooftops, which can be used later for watering plants. It also reduces the amount of water that picks up pollutants and is carried into waterways. The Ashland Soil and Water Conservancy District in Ohio featured 10 rain barrels painted by local artists, allowing residents to vote and bid on their favorite design. Their efforts were inspired by a similar event in Indiana where they’ve auctioned 100 barrels for residents to use at home.

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Pandemic pushes expansion of 'hospital-at-home' treatment

Linda A. Johnson

August 20, 2020 |

Associated Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ipswich, Massachusetts

Although offering at-home care has been a practice for some time, the coronavirus pandemic has helped prompt more health insurance companies to allow health care workers to implement the practice at a larger scale. Treating patients in their homes doesn't just reduce the caseload for doctors in hospitals but also has been shown to have positive effects on the patient's overall health and well-being. Since the change in health insurance police, "interest in the programs has skyrocketed."

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Solar Power Is Booming. But It's Putting Desert Wilderness At Risk.

Kyla Mandel

August 20, 2020 |

The Huffington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Solar development can reduce or significantly alter local biodiversity, and this should be considered when planning sustainability projects in the desert, argues a new study. Scientists measured the impact of a solar plant built in California and found that while some grasses and native shrubs grew back, cacti and yucca didn’t fare well. They recommend building solar projects on places that have already been developed or have low environmental impact. Groups like the Nature Conservancy are using that advice to pilot a project demonstrating that old mine sites in Nevada can be used for clean energy.

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