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Interlocking Bricks: A Solution To Environment Degradation

Aisha Nanyonjo

August 07, 2019 |

Things That Work Uganda |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Bidibidi

Because deforestation in Uganda is rapidly increasing, including in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, a new tactic for constructing bricks for housing that didn't require trees was developed by Mercy Corps, UK Aid, and the Office of the Prime Minister. The new bricks are made of interlocking soil bricks consisting of sand, gravel, cement, and little water. This new solution is cost-effective, can be made on site, and preserves the local trees.

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Refugees and host community gang up to fight climate change

Noah Omuya

August 02, 2019 |

Things That Work Uganda |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Bidibidi

The Bidibidi refugee settlement in Uganda, the largest such settlement in the world, is working with a number of agencies including the UNHCR and The Office of the Prime Minister to address environmental issues in their ever-growing settlement. They are strategizing about a number of initiatives to improve life and conditions where they live with topics like Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Education, Health, or Infrastructure. Current solutions include planting over 470,000 trees, local communities donating land for settlers to build their own crops, and environmental education in the local schools.

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Can planting billions of trees save the planet?

Patrick Barkham

June 19, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: England

Across the world, TreeSisters is partnering with local organizations to help reforestation efforts. The nonprofit is centered on bolstering local, community-based, and usually women-led initiatives in countries like Kenya and Madagascar. The organization cites the fact that women are most often the ones interacting with the environment, and so raising awareness and taking action in such a gendered way can leverage the most impact.

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A prayer for trees: For Kenyan tribes, saving forests is a sacred duty

Dominic Kirui

May 29, 2019 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Forole

Communities around Kenya address national deforestation by relying on individuals to make changes in the way they use timber as well as to plant trees to repopulate suffering forests. Many towns set strict guidelines about timber sourcing, requiring residents to source from specific groves outside community boundaries; others teach children from a young age that trees are sacred and not to be cut down.

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An (Even More) Inconvenient Truth: Why Carbon Credits For Forest Preservation May Be Worse Than Nothing

Lisa Song

May 22, 2019 |

ProPublica |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Brazil, Rio Branco, Acre

This story examines the well-publicized climate-change strategy of carbon credits: the idea that a CO₂-emitting company could offset its emissions by funding anti-logging efforts, effectively "saving" the equivalent amount of carbon. However, as it turns out, despite its popularity, most carbon credit programs do not actually work or, worse, may do more harm than good. This article details the shortcomings of this attempted solution to the effects of global warming.

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Cash for trees: Homegrown carbon offset program bears fruit

Ryan Lenora Brown Christopher Bendana

May 21, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Rubirizi District

Trees for Global Benefits is a carbon offset program that aims to partner with, rather than displace, locals in countries that have space to plant forests. For instance, in the Rubirizi District in Uganda, locals are getting paid to plant trees on their land. This hopes to eliminate the negative ramifications of other carbon offset programs that have displaced native people. Still, companies should be looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions beyond bringing their problems to other countries.

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A southwest Florida fishing apparel business plants a mangrove for every product sold

Alex Figares

April 24, 2019 |

Changing Florida |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, West Palm Beach, Florida

A Florida Gulf Coast University graduate and his brother started a fishing apparel company where they plant a mangrove tree for every item sold. Mangroves are a key species to combatting climate change, providing a habitat for wildlife species, and filtering water. The company has planted about 30,000 mangroves in Florida, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Honduras.

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As Climate Change Depletes Forests, One Of India's Greenest States Turns To Its People

Disha Shetty

March 23, 2019 |

IndiaSpend |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India, Mawphlang, Meghalaya

In 2007 a program in Meghalaya, India called The Khasi Hills Community REDD+ Project was created to bring together the community members in an agreement to protect the sacred groves there. This was part of the larger REDD project within India by the United Nations to mitigate some of the effects of deforestation and forest degradation. The longterm goal is to revive 27,000 hectares (about 66,718 acres) of forests and to serve as an example for other biodiverse areas in the country. The project has since received international funding to support other things as well, like stimulating the tourist economy.

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Santa Cruz Ranchers Reforest the Banks of the Nandamojo River with the Help of an Organization

Noelia Esquivel

March 21, 2019 |

La Voz de Guanacaste |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica, Paraíso, Santa Cruz

An environmental organization called Restoring Our Watershed, led by a team of ecologists from around the globe, has helped ranchers reforest riverbanks to better preserve their land over the past four years. Ranchers are also supported by the Green Center, their greenhouse, which helps with replanting. Donations, volunteers, and community support all help the local rivers remain sustainable.

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The Feat in Hojancha, the Town that Lost its Forest

Noelia Esquivel

January 21, 2019 |

La Voz de Guanacaste |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica, Hojancha, Guanacaste

In 1976, the Costa Rican city Hojancha preserved only 2% of its land as forest, and as a result their water supply (the Río Nosara river basin) dried up from the lack of vegetation. Sixteen years into the crisis, two friends conceived and ran an initiative to reforest the land by asking every family in the city to donate ¢1,000 a month until they could buy back the land in full from the ranchers who owned it. Now, the land is thriving again, though the project of regrowing the forest continues still today.

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