The Solutions Story Tracker® is a curated database of rigorous reporting on responses to social problems. We collect and tag every story, providing you with the ability to find coverage of effective or promising ideas and approaches— by issue, location, journalist, and success factor (strategic insights that emerge as patterns).
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/feb/25/against-the-grain-why-millet-is-enjoying-an-indian-revival-nagaland?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Anne Pinto-Rodrigues
The Guardian
25 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
By reviving millet farming, farming communities are adapting to climate change. In India, the Millet Farmers Group, organized by a women’s rights nonprofit, the North East Network (NEN), helps farmers cultivate millet, an ancient grain that is less water-intensive than white rice. NEN Nagaland helps farmers from around the Nagaland district share knowledge about growing millet and obtain the necessary machinery to dehusk the grain.
https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/cities-drought-risks-cape-town-water-literacy-meeting-of-the-minds/572787?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Chris Teale
Smart Cities Dive
24 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Facing a drought in 2017, Cape Town, South Africa pursued a number of city planning and public engagement efforts to reverse course. From publishing water use dashboards to creating a more flexible water planning strategy, the city rebounded. Could this multi-pronged model work in other places facing a changing climate?
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/23/us/opioids-tennessee-narcan-training.html?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Dan Levin
The New York Times
23 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
In Carter County, Tennessee, where an opioid crisis is underway, elementary-aged children and teenagers are being taught how to administer the overdose reversal nasal spray, Narcan. Although this strategy has faced opposition from some local residents, at least 100 students have administered the life-saving treatment.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/imagine-a-voice-coming-from-your-heart-teachers-use-meditation-to-inspire-and-calm/2020/02/22/e08d5c8e-4dbd-11ea-9b5c-eac5b16dafaa_story.html?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Hannah Natanson
Washington Post
22 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Across the United States, mindfulness programs are gaining traction in elementary school classrooms as a strategy for students dealing with stress. As the approach spreads, some religious groups are raising concerns.
https://hechingerreport.org/a-weekly-meetup-aims-to-keep-black-male-teachers-in-the-classroom?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Bracey Harris
The Hechinger Report
21 February 2020
Text / Under 800 Words
Male teachers of color are often called on to do extra disciplinary work and mentor students of color in other classes in addition to their own. A weekly virtual meetup for Mississpi's male teachers of color provides a forum for instructors to discuss their unique experiences and share strategies.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/education/learning/teachers-classroom-cultural-differences.html?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Kerry Hannon
The New York Times
20 February 2020
800-1500 Words
Some educators and organizations are challenging traditional elementary and high school curricula by incorporating new, more diverse perspectives and texts into lesson plans. Teachers are talking about race and racism and working to empower students from all cultures and backgrounds.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/education/learning/news-literacy-2016-election.html?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Alina Tugend
The New York Times
20 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Some schools are formally adding media literacy education to their curricula. Lessons train students to spot fake news and navigate the non-stop media cycle.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cities-trees-trfn/money-trees-us-cities-find-new-ways-of-valuing-urban-forests-idUSKBN20E1A1?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Carey L. Biron
Thomson Reuters Foundation
20 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and corporate heads have recently undertaken efforts to increase urban forestry. Urban trees decrease energy use, protect storm drain infrastructure, decrease noise, and help boost wellbeing. City Forest Credits in Seattle assesses urban tree projects for carbon credits that companies can purchase, while Baltimore has recycled trees into park furniture, and Sacramento continues to uphold its reputation as the “City of Trees.”
https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/world-we-want/2020/02/19/high-school-health-workers?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Claire Jarvis
Yes! Magazine
19 February 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In Georgia, where residents of underserved, largely minority neighborhoods lack adequate access to health care services, a program is training local high school students to serve as community health workers equipped to identify chronic illnesses and connect patients with appropriate resources.
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article239683693.html?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Manuela Tobias
The Fresno Bee
19 February 2020
Text / 1500-3000 Words
A school attendance campaign in a rural California district relies on buy-in from a variety of community partners. For instance, administrators supported the construction of a new health clinic next to the school, concentrating multiple key resources on one block and making it easier for parents to access health care for their children.
https://www.nbcboston.com/investigations/massachusetts-farms-food-waste-renewable-energy/2078887?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Ally Donnelly
Jim Haddadin
WBTS-TV
19 February 2020
Broadcast TV News / 3-5 Minutes
Food waste diverted from the landfill to anaerobic digesters can be used to create electricity. In Massachusetts, farmers and businesses participate in a waste-to-energy project in partnership with Vanguard Renewables. Discarded food waste is mixed with cow manure and fed into a digester. The gasses created are then used to power electric generators.
https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2020-02-16/street-medicine-usc-homeless?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker
Soumya Karlamangla
Los Angeles Times
16 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Doctors from USC have formed a small street team that travels to homeless communities to treat medical concerns and help provide assistance. Part of a growing trend around the United States, these teams are playing a vital role for the homeless by eliminating barriers such as the need to "schedule an appointment, find transportation to the clinic, pick up prescriptions, or pay for their treatment"
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Our issue area taxonomy was adapted from the PCS Taxonomy with definitions by the Foundation Center, which is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 4.0 International License.
Photos are licensed under Attribution Non Commercial 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license / Desaturated from original, and are credited to the following photographers:
Fondriest Environmental, David De Wit / Community Eye Health, Linda Steil / Herald Post, John Amis / UGA College of Ag & Environmental Sciences – OCCS, Andy B, Peter Garnhum, Thomas Hawk, 7ty9, Isriya Paireepairit, David Berger, UnLtd The Foundation For Social Entrepreneurs, Michael Dunne, Burak Kebapci, and Forrest Berkshire / U.S. Army Cadet Command public affairs
Photos are licensed under Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license, and are credited to the following photographers:
Ra'ed Qutena, 段 文慶, Fabio Campo, City Clock Magazine, Justin Norman, scarlatti2004, Gary Simmons, Kathryn McCallum, and Nearsoft Inc
Photos are licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication Creative Commons license / Desaturated from original, and are credited to the following photographers:
Burak Kebapci and SCY.
Photos are licensed under Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) and are credited to the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Conference attendee listening to speaker, Jenifer Daniels / Colorstock getcolorstock.com.
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Photo Credit: Sonia Narang
