Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Will Cities Ever Outsmart Rats?

    It is currently estimated that there are 2 million rats in New York City. With numbers that high, cities including Washington, D.C. and Chicago along with New York City have teams employed solely to control the rat population. Efforts have previously been futile, however, as little is known about this species. Recognizing this problem, some cities have begun working with researchers and computer scientists to use big data to not just control the current rat populations, but also predict where the rodents will infest next and attempt to thwart their next move.

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  • How Louisville Crowdsourced a Treatment For Asthma Attacks

    The Kentucky metro area has some of the worst air quality in the country, leading to concerning rates of asthma and respiratory disease well above the national averages. But a group called AIR Louisville has implemented a creative, crowdsourced solution that utilizes GPS-enabled inhalers to help patients identify and address asthma patterns based on numerous factors such as avoiding heavily-polluted parts of town, and identifying the best treatments based on lifestyle needs.

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  • Why more students should go to college in high school

    Studies have shown the myriad benefits of dual enrollment programs. Culpeper, Virginia leaders are trying to adapt the 60-year-old model to serve more low income and minority high schoolers. By expanding it to include career and technical education credits and involve businesses in curriculum development, the district is hoping to level the playing field. Adam Love noted, “Any time you have a program that’s really good – if you’re providing it only to those students who can afford it or who are already excelling, you’re only going to worsen the gap among students rather than use that tool to reduce it."

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  • We Went to a 'Form-a-Palooza,' a Hackathon for Better Paperwork

    The forms required to receive social services can be long and difficult to navigate, despite their essential nature for many people in need. In D.C., a new team meant to coordinate innovation across agencies gathered wonks and interested residents to figure out how to make those forms clearer and easier to use.

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  • India's Barefoot Lawyers

    Legal expertise is often expensive and inaccessible to communities around the world experiencing environmental rights violations and other issues. Similar to the rise of community health workers who are expanding access to basic healthcare, nonprofit Namati is training lay people to help communities understand laws and regulations, gather evidence of violations, and push for remedies.

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  • Fiji's Climate Champion Speaks Up for Women in the Wake of Cyclones

    After a huge cyclone devastated a remote Fijian village, Eta Tuvuki worked to open communication channels between women and public officials. Her efforts are not only making women's voices heard, but they allow for the dispersal of critical information during disasters.

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  • This N.H. town couldn't ‘bear' it any longer — so it passed an ordinance

    A number of towns across northern New England struggled with furry invaders ripping into trash bins and dumpsters, which not only scattered litter and left a big mess, but increased the risk of dangerous encounters between humans and bears. When educational initiatives and voluntary compliance proved ineffective, Lincoln passed an ordinance requiring residents and businesses to secure their garbage - or face a fine. The bylaws have proven to be the most effective method for deterring the hungry forest critters.

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  • ‘Upcycling' Ocean Plastic Trash Comes into Fashion

    When global oil prices drop, so do incentives to recycle plastic materials, and even more plastic debris and trash ends up collecting in our oceans and ecosystem. An alternative solution in the form of "up-cycling" is helping to combat plastic pollution, as nonprofits and do-gooders who gather beach and ocean trash partner up with companies and retailers to produce desirable products crafted from materials collected out of the oceans.

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  • Rise of the Government Chatbot

    City governments have been implementing “chatbots” to provide a way for residents to both communicate with city government as well as receive information about and assistance with services through text or Facebook. Chatbots provide a means for residents to interact with services all day as well as reduces city staff’s workload.

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  • Why Salt Is This Power Plant's Most Valuable Asset

    One of the greatest challenges to integrating renewable energy sources into the power grid has been the issue of storage - where and how to keep power generated during off-hours (such as overnight) when demand is low. While batteries are on the rise as one solution, an Alabama power plant has discovered a natural way of storing energy until it is needed: pumping air into salt caverns.

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