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Where Water is Scarce, Communities Turn to Reusing Wastewater

Jacques Leslie

May 01, 2018 |

Yale Environment 360 |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Water conservation has been a hot topic for the last decade. As nations continue to search for ways to ensure a safe water supply for future generations, some places are looking to history for answers. Taking a page out of the 1970s water shortage era for Orange County in California, these places are finding ways to recycle sewage water into drinkable water.

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The Unlikely Upside of Cape Town's Drought

Eve Fairbanks

April 19, 2018 |

The Huffington Post |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: South Africa, Cape Town

When faced with the dire likelihood that the city would run entirely out of water, Cape Town communities responded by looking at the challenge with resiliency, rather than complacency or inconvenience. Though not without limitations, those that were able to implement a perspective shift created a social shift that allowed for greater communal efforts and resulted in successful water conservation, including a 40% city-wide decrease in water use.

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Why Massachusetts is the best state for landfill solar arrays

Elizabeth McGowan

March 28, 2018 |

Energy News Network |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Lexington, Massachusetts

Repurposing contaminated sites for clean energy production may not sound like a common tactic to take, but Massachusetts has found a way to be highly successful at it. In fact, out of over 250 renewable energy installations across the United States, Massachusetts accounts for 40 percent of them. The state attributes this success to a combination of an enhanced ease of the bureaucratic process and opportunities for revenue stimulation for towns.

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Safe, happy and free: does Finland have all the answers?

Jon Henley

February 12, 2018 |

The Guardian |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Finland

In the past 150 years, Finland has gone from famine-ridden to renowned as one of the world’s strongest democracies with leading global rankings in health, education, and innovation. Culture is key to this transformation. Finns are both self-reliant and highly cooperative with a long history of putting independence, freedom, and opportunity for all people front and center in policymaking.

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Here's one idea to make ‘Storrowing' a thing of the past

Matt Rocheleau

February 08, 2018 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

A persistent problem in Massachusetts of trucks going through tunnels or underpasses that are too low for safe clearance has prompted officials to look to Sydney, Australia for a possible solution. Officials in that city worked with a private company to develop a system where if a truck is too tall, it triggers a warning so officials can activate a sheet of water at the tunnel entrance upon which is projected the holographic image of a giant red Stop sign. It's proven successful in stopping drivers before they enter the tunnel.

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How Medellín went from murder capital to hipster holiday destination

Stanley Stewart

January 04, 2018 |

The Telegraph |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Medellín

Medellín is a hub of growth and innovation, re-born after years of devastating violence. Building a metro system was an early step in the city’s transformation. “It was the first positive thing that had happened in this city for decades,” says Julian, a local guide. “With this metro, we suddenly realized things could be different, that progress and change were possible.”

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Gwadar's Growing Water War

Mariyam Suleman

January 04, 2018 |

Pak Voices |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Pakistan, Gwadar District, Balochistan

When Gwadar’s dams ran dry in May 2017, the government began trucking in water. But the solution is costly, the water isn’t clean, and the trucking companies protested in November, claiming they weren’t paid on time. Desalination is an alternative, but it’s expensive too and fatal design flaws have crippled prior attempts at desalination in the province.

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Can putting the least-experienced teachers in the highest-risk schools ever result in success?

Peggy Barmore

December 25, 2017 |

The Hechinger Report |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, McDowell County, West Virginia

High rates of teacher turnover plaguing McDowell County were the reason behind a new initiative, Reconnecting McDowell, to reverse the trend. The district began creating a number of incentives to attract teachers, such as student loan support, higher salaries, and providing mentors for younger teachers. Two other efforts—to improve roads and build an apartment complex for younger residents—were stalled due to funding cuts. This article was written on the sixth anniversary of Reconnecting McDowell, and while there have been many challenges, change is slowly coming and people are still optimistic.

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In Harvey's wake, Dutch have much to teach Houston

Tony Freemantle

December 22, 2017 |

Houston Chronicle |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Netherlands

Moving away from brute force and impermeable dams, projects that focus on spatial planning and long-term investment in dynamic infrastructure projects prove more resilient to flooding and natural disasters. In the Netherlands, the Room for the River project is one part of the country’s comprehensive approach toward protecting its citizens from the threat of floods. Instead of relying on private flood insurance, citizens in the Netherland’s pay higher taxes, which help to fund water management projects.

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Newark DIG: Doing Infrastructure Green

Scott Morris

December 19, 2017 |

CivicStory |

Video |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Newark, New Jersey

Due in part to an outdated infrastructure, Newark's storm sewers get overwhelmed with litter, oil and other materials that end up impacting the cleanliness of the community's drinking water. To combat this issue, a group of passionate community members formed Doing Infrastructure Green (DIG) to help bring education to residents about sustainable solutions around the water supply.

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