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Can “democracy dollars” keep real dollars out of politics?

Julia Hotz

April 28, 2021 |

MIT Technology Review |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Democracy Vouchers, a tax-payer-funded program that sends four $25 certificates to residents to donate to local candidates, made Seattle the national leader by increasing the percent of the electorate donating to local campaigns to nearly 8%. They also allow more non-establishment candidates, who lack connections to wealthy donors, to run for office. Four of the nine 2019 city council candidates used vouchers to help fund their campaigns and the vouchers are being expanded to the city’s mayoral races. A national pilot program was also approved to try vouchers for congressional candidates in three states.

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In Dallas' food deserts, community gardens ease — but don't end — food insecurity

Nazarene Harris

April 27, 2021 |

Dallas Morning News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Austin, Texas

A resolution in Austin, Texas, allows community gardens to use public land. It also created the City of Austin Community Garden Program to help people find partnerships and apply to create a garden. The government support allowed more community gardens to open and help fight food insecurity across the city.

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Virginia law cleared a path for condo owners to install charging stations

Elizabeth McGowan

April 27, 2021 |

Energy News Network |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Virginia

In Virginia, as more and more people turn towards electric cars like Tesla, homeowner associations will have to accommodate resident's request for electric charging stations. Because of that very reason, one legislator created Senate Bill 630, which prohibits homeowner and condominium associations from prohibiting installation in a resident's parking space. This story goes into detail about how one man used SB 630 to get three charging stations installed in his condominium.

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Mongolia Tackles Cleaner Water

Odonchimeg Batsukh

April 27, 2021 |

Global Press Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mongolia, Erdenebulgan, Arkhangai Province

A new wastewater treatment plant in Mongolia is cleaning up its water so it doesn’t cause environmental problems or poison livestock and herders. This is one of the first treatment plants built under the country’s national project to modernize its facilities. Tests of the byproduct have confirmed that the water is 93 percent clean and the smell is virtually gone. Building and operating these plants is expensive, but new ones have opened, and the government plans to finish the project by 2022.

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College Accounts at Birth: State Efforts Raise New Hopes

Patricia Cohen

April 27, 2021 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oklahoma

SEED for Oklahoma Kids is a statewide effort to help newer generations climb the educational ladder and build assets. Parents are offered $1,000 in their newborn's name and set aside in a college savings account, destined to be used for pursuing college or trade school education. The concept of the program is not unique to Oklahoma. Other states like Nebraska, Illinois, Maine, Pennsylvania, and more have implemented similar programs. "Automatic enrollment in a saving program, with the ability to opt out, turns out to have a much higher participation rate than relying on individuals to take the initiative."

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City officials expand free internet access to Philadelphia prekindergarten students

Johann Calhoun

April 26, 2021 |

Chalkbeat Philadelphia |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Families with students in prekindergarten in Philadelphia now are eligible for PHLConnectED, a program that provides students with free internet access during remote learning. The program has already reached out to over 12,000 families.

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'We Need To Act Now': This Small Wisconsin City Is Boosting Its Use Of Renewable Energy To Fight Climate Change

Danielle Kaeding

April 22, 2021 |

Wisconsin Public Radio |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, River Falls, Wisconsin

The city of River Falls in Wisconsin built the state’s first city-owned solar garden, taking steps to reduce their use of fossil fuels and encourage community members to go green. Now, all city buildings are 100 percent run on renewable energy and residents can sign up for a program allowing them to buy renewable energy. Getting people to take action can be difficult, but city officials say they found the right message to get its residents on board.

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Crypto power: Can solar boost cheap, green homes in S.Africa?

Kim Harrisberg

April 22, 2021 |

Thomson Reuters Foundation |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Africa, Cape Town

Watergate Estate is working on two issues in South Africa: affordable housing and renewable energy. The housing development is installing solar panels for its residents that are being bought by people all over the world using cash or bitcoin as a way to offset their own carbon costs. Not everyone agrees that gated communities like this are helping to fight social inequalities, crime, and unemployment, but about 470 people bought solar cells for the apartment complex and some residents say they feel safer in their community.

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Why does the International Criminal Court not have more support?

The Economist

April 21, 2021 |

The Economist |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

The International Criminal Court fulfilled a nearly century-old dream for a global tribunal to hear war crimes cases. In its nearly 20 years of existence, it has heard 30 cases and convicted nine people. While 123 nations recognize the court's jurisdiction, including all of Western Europe and South America, many large nations resist the court's power as an infringement on their sovereignty, including the U.S., Israel, Russia, China, India, and Indonesia. The Biden administration's stance is somewhat less hostile than the Trump administration's, but only marginally so.

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Energiesprong wants every home to be net-zero

Willem Marx

April 20, 2021 |

Hothouse Solutions |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Hem

Inspired by the Dutch concept of “Energiesprong,” or “energy jump,” a developer in France retrofitted a group of townhouses for social housing to be more environmentally friendly. They installed polyurethane facades to avoid heat loss and solar panels on the roof. Upgrading the units to be more green cost more than a conventional retrofit, but over time, energy bills were cut in half. These green retrofits are being implemented in towns around the world and could be a model for developers that want to reduce their carbon footprints.

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