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

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 1246 results  for your search.  View and Refine Your Search Terms

  • The best trees to reduce air pollution

    New technology is helping urban planners and developers better identify which trees could help cities reduce air pollution. In Ontario, the city of Oakville adopted a new software that resulted in planners halting the planting of one type of tree after learning it had little benefit on the air quality, while another digital tool designed in London is helping citizens determine which plants help remove particulate matter.

    Read More

  • Coronavirus pushed Seattle to treat homelessness differently. Will those changes last?

    Prompted by the threat of COVID-19, Seattle and King County have rapidly taken steps to protect people experiencing homelessness with responses that activists have long sought. By moving hundreds of people out of crowded shelters into hotels, installing hygiene stations, and suspending the removal of encampments, officials scrambled to prevent the spread of the virus in ways that advocates hope will remain the policy after the crisis has passed. But the crisis has also gutted government budgets, and so permanent solutions may still be elusive.

    Read More

  • As Maine gradually reopens, disease investigations will be more important than ever

    Contact tracing of the novel coronavirus is helping Maine slowly and safely reopen after lockdown by tracking the spread of the virus and mitigating risk of those who may have been exposed. In order to effectively contact trace during a pandemic, at least 30 staff per 100,000 people are needed, of which most states – Maine included – don’t have.

    Read More

  • Poop may tell us when the coronavirus lockdown will end

    Researchers and public health experts across the world are turning to "wastewater-based-epidemiology" as a practice that could help trace and track the spread of COVID-19. This methodology has already proved successful in helping mitigate diseases such as polio in Israel and track the usage of illicit drugs in Australia. Most recently, in both France and the Netherlands, early sewage samples have revealed useful data about the coronavirus outbreak.

    Read More

  • ‘It's miraculous' — no known coronavirus cases in Acadiana's homeless shelters

    Having learned from failures during the 1980s AIDS epidemic, an outreach center in Louisiana was uniquely prepared to take preventative measures as the coronavirus outbreak spread, and so far, the efforts have worked. Not one case has been reported as of yet at Acadiana CARES, and many are crediting that to the rapid intervention strategies that included strict adherence to social distancing and isolating anyone who had underlying conditions or was considered vulnerable.

    Read More

  • Seattle's Leaders Let Scientists Take the Lead. New York's Did Not

    In responding to the coronavirus outbreak, Washington State stands in direct contrast to New York in how local governments responded. While New York relied on direction from politicians, Washington State looked to public health experts to lead briefings and directions – a response that is now emerging as a successful model for building trust with state residents, and inspiring action rather than skepticism.

    Read More

  • How do you build a city for a pandemic? Audio icon

    Major populated cities such as New York and London were once regarded as "death traps," but a series of deadly outbreaks led to structural changes that worked to improve the public health outcomes for those living there. From sewer systems to therapeutic gardens, the health of those living in cities has improved in a variety of ways, however, that has not stopped densely populated areas from turning into hotspots for coronavirus. To address this, local governments are experimenting with even more structural changes such as turning city streets into walking and biking paths.

    Read More

  • Utah And New Mexico Lead The Region In COVID-19 Testing. Here's How They've Done It Audio icon

    Deploying a state-wide COVID-19 testing strategy requires coordinating both public and private-industry stakeholders. In Utah and New Mexico, the appointment of “testing czars,” or public health leaders in charge of coordinating testing, has led to targeted, successful strategies to ramp up testing. These “testing czars” work to coordinate with commercial and public labs to find supplies and address bottlenecks. Suppliers work to connect via conference call to discuss logistics, allowing for successful scaling in both rural and urban testing strategies.

    Read More

  • Meet the Women Who Detonate Land Mines in Colombia's Former War Zones

    In Colombia, the organization Humanity & Inclusion has hired women in local areas like Caquetá to help demine formerly war-torn lands. In areas with violent histories, trust is crucial, thus the hiring of local residents who can gain community trust and access more information about where landmines might be. But with the risk of instability, the future of this work has yet to be determined.

    Read More

  • Saving and protecting peatlands in Indonesia

    The degradation of peatlands is a public health and climate change issue. Organizations in Indonesia are working to understand these wetlands better by mapping the location of them throughout the country and around the world. By creating a comprehensive picture of peatlands, which contribute up to 10 percent of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, key partners can understand how to prevent carbon emitting from the wetlands into the atmosphere.

    Read More