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China gets tough on US recyclables. How one Maine town is fighting back.

Christa Case Bryant

January 03, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Sanford, Maine

When China, the country that processes much of the United State's recyclables, became much more stringent about how much contaminated recycling it would accept, municipalities had to figure out how to avoid the fines that could come with recycling done wrong. In Sanford, Maine, they manages to cut their contamination rate from 15-20% to 0-3% by investing in more serious inspections and helping residents learn what is recyclable and what isn't.

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How a Guatemalan Town Tackled Its Plastic Problem

Lola Mendez

January 03, 2019 |

Atlas Obscura |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Guatemala, San Pedro La Laguna

San Pedro La Laguna, a town in Guatemala, has banned single use plastics including plastic bags and straws after realizing that plastic pollution was ruining the ecosystem of Lake Atitlan and that a new waste facility would be unable to handle the amount of garbage created in the village. To ensure that people follow the new regulation, there are heavy fees - but the town also bought traditionally made biodegradable replacements; the change is being framed as a way to return to traditional, indigenous ways for the communities.

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Standing Rock's Surprising Legacy: A Push for Public Banks

Deonna Anderson

January 02, 2019 |

Yes! Magazine |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

In a post-Standing Rock economic era, cities like Seattle and Philadelphia look to the Bank of North Dakota as an example of a successful public banking structure. While public banking is a large undertaking for many cities, governments around the country search for options to divest from Wall Street.

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Singapore made innovation go viral in its public service

Jennifer Guay

January 02, 2019 |

Apolitical |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Singapore, Singapore

Through its Transformation Office and Innovation Lab, Singapore encourages a culture of innovation and smart design when it comes to making policy among its 145,000 strong civil service. Borrowing aspects of its framework from diverse fields like design thinking and psychology, as well as the tech industry, Singapore's government holds training sessions and policy-focused hackathons. The result is innovative pilot programs like facial recognition ID and free skills training for public servants.

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Frozen Assets

Katia Savchuk

January 01, 2019 |

Mother Jones |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Juneau, Alaska

In Alaska, the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) program, which is meant to provide $1600 to every resident who has lived in Alaska for at least a year, has been proven to reduce poverty and increase quality of life; the program has even been credited for Alaska's status as the state with the second highest income equality in the country. The Fund is meant to disperse wealth from the state's natural resources - but despite it's overall success, decreasing profits from the oil and gas industries has put the Fund in peril as lawmakers cut payments instead of implementing income taxes to generate revenue.

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What Happened After Two Decades of Affordable Child Care in Quebec

Molly McCluskey

December 31, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Quebec City

In Quebec, a subsidized affordable child care program has proven itself over two decades, contributing to a spike in the employment of mothers with young children. Research also shows that program is financially sustainable, but there is a disparity in quality between child care centers - an issue that is also prevalent in other places that have adopted the model.

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How Bangladesh Made Abortion Safer

Patrick Adams

December 28, 2018 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Bangladesh

In the aftermath of the Bangladesh war for independence of 1971, the newly formed country was reeling from the result of system sexual violence perpetuated by the Pakistani military forces as well as locals; in response, the government effectively set in motion the necessary public infrastructure for safe abortion services in the country. Now, Bangladesh is applying those same lessons to serve Rohingya refugees.

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How a Tech Geek Is Using Machine Learning to Hold Human Rights Abusers Accountable

Katia Savchuk

December 28, 2018 |

Pacific Standard |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Patrick Ball, cofounder of the nonprofit Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG), has helped use quantitative data to put numbers behind things that were before unprovable — i.e. the difference between genocide and random violence. Ball and HRDAG have analyzed existing data to come up with the "invisible" data, overlaying several sets of statistics with machine learning to come up with stats like the fact that you were eight times more likely to be killed by the army in the Ixil region in the early 1980s if you were indigenous. Ball also advises nine truth commissions, four UN commissions, and more.

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Norway's EV Incentives Have Worked. Now What?

Tracey Lindeman

December 27, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Norway, Oslo

Norway's incentives for buyers of electric vehicles have been incredibly successful: half of all cars sold in the country are now either hybrid or completely electric. However, there is concern that success won't last as those incentives are pulled back and Norway tries to move towards a car-free society.

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For Those Experiencing Homelessness, ‘The Bin' Honors Their Belongings

Rikha Sharma Rani

December 21, 2018 |

Next City |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

In Los Angeles, The Bin gives homeless people a chance to store their valuables. “If I didn’t have this bin, I’d have to get rid of most of my stuff. These bins are really great to have.” Across the nation, other cities are unfolding efforts to help the homeless population.

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