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Getting off fossil fuels is hard, but this city is doing it — building by building

Jeff Brady

March 04, 2024 |

NPR |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Ithaca, New York

The town of Ithaca is working with its local gas utility and area homeowners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by removing gas pipes from homes and businesses by switching them over to electricity, primarily from renewable sources. While the transition is a long process, the town expects to achieve about a 30% reduction in emissions in the next year.

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Wildfires are killing California's ancient giants. Can seedlings save the species?

Lauren Sommer Ryan Kellman

February 26, 2024 |

NPR |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, California

The United States National Park Service is planting giant sequoia tree seedlings in groves that were decimated by extreme wildfires in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The effort aims to preserve the endangered species as the organization doesn’t believe the trees in these areas will regenerate on their own.

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Mt. Everest is plagued by garbage. These Nepali women are transforming it into crafts

Tanka Dhakal

February 25, 2024 |

NPR |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Tharu community, Nepal, Kathmandu

A coalition of local businesses in Kathmandu, Nepal, is sorting non-recyclable waste collected from mountaineering activities in the Himalayan mountains. Once it is sorted, skilled Indigenous craftswomen make it into new products, like placemats and jewelry boxes, to earn a living.

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How a Northwest tribe is escaping a rising ocean

John Ryan

February 19, 2024 |

NPR |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: Quinault Indian Nation, United States, Taholah, Washington

The Quinault Indian Nation is building new housing for its community about a mile from its current village on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The goal is to relocate the whole village to a place further above sea level to avoid flooding and sea-level rise.

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Ranked choice is 'the hot reform' in democracy. Here's what you should know about it

Miles Parks

December 13, 2023 |

NPR |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Alaska

Advocates of ranked choice voting, which allows residents to rank candidates from their favorite to least favorite, say the system encourages politicians to appeal to a wider range of viewpoints, as evidenced by a recent congressional race in Alaska in which Mary Peltola, a moderate Democrat, was elected over more extreme candidates. The system is currently used by two states for statewide races and in nearly four dozen cities for local elections.

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How to harvest water from clouds of fog

Kat Lonsdorf Claire Harbage

October 06, 2023 |

NPR |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Kenya

As the drought in Kenya drags on, people are collecting water from the air by using plastic to funnel fog off of trees into buckets at night or a machine that pulls water from hot, moisture-filled air like a dehumidifier would.

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Los Angeles is using AI to predict who might become homeless and help before they do

Jennifer Ludden

October 04, 2023 |

NPR |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

The Homelessness Prevention Unit of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services launched a pilot program that uses artificial intelligence to make predictions about who is most likely to experience homelessness by tracking data like arrests, sign-ups for public benefits like food aid and emergency room visits so the county can step in to offer help before that happens. In over two years, the program has helped 560 people secure housing and avoid homelessness and a large majority of them have managed to maintain that housing.

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Making cities 'spongy' could help fight flooding — by steering the water underground

John Ruwitch

October 03, 2023 |

NPR |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: China, Jinhua

The concept of “sponge cities” is taking off as a way to prevent flooding. This style of urban design focuses on creating environments that absorb more water with plants and open ground as opposed to pipes and concrete.

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Don't call it 'vegan' and other tips from hospitals to get people to eat less meat

Martha Bebinger

August 11, 2023 |

NPR |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

Leaders at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital are working to encourage patients and employees to eat more plant-based meals by changing their dining offerings, doing away with “vegan” and “vegetarian” labels and even holding contests to encourage people to try more meatless dishes. Not only is shifting toward a more plant-based diet good for one's health, but it’s also a solid measure to take against climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

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The black market endangered this frog. Can the free market save it?

Sarah Gonzalez Stan Alcorn Charlotte de Beauvoir Willa Rubin Jess Jiang

June 30, 2023 |

NPR |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Colombia

Ivan Lozano Ortega went from running a wildlife rescue center to breeding and selling critically endangered poison dart frogs, legally. He’s trying to stop poachers from taking the few frogs remaining in the wild in Colombia by making the species readily available to collectors.

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