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The Eco-Friendlier Future of the Disposable Spork

Michaela Haas

February 11, 2022 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Germany, Schwedt

A clean-tech startup in Germany is producing sustainable food packaging out of agricultural waste as an alternative solution to single-use plastic. Bio-Lutions claims its products are compostable and uses less water than other products, but the material used won’t work for some food items like hot beverages. The company already has investors such as Delivery Hero that will use its products when the factory is producing compostable packaging.

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California offers graduation honor to encourage active civic engagement

John Fensterwald

February 08, 2022 |

EdSource |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

The State Seal of Civic Engagement, which is affixed to high school diplomas, recognizes student civic participation. The program is intended to increase civic participation among youth and strengthen civics curriculum by making the learning more active instead of passive. Criteria for what qualifies for the seal varies and is meant to be inclusive and accessible. It ranges from high-level demonstrated knowledge in civics courses to participation in actual civic engagement projects. Several districts have partnered with a nonprofit that supplies “action civics” curriculum and teacher training.

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Asher Craig: 'We are walking our talk' in Bristol's experiment in democracy

Betty Woolerton

January 19, 2022 |

Bristol 24/7 |

Multi-Media |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom, Bristol

A year after Bristol convened a randomly selected 60-person citizens’ assembly, which brought together a representative and diverse group of residents to tackle complex issues facing the city, they have delivered a set of recommendations. The panel produced 17 recommendations, with a total of 82 associated actions on three topics: climate, transport and health. Fourteen recommendations have been fully agreed to and eight have been dismissed. Participants also report positive effects of being able to work together across diverse ideologies and experiences, as well as from the civic participation more broadly.

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How expanded child tax credit aided these moms, changed economy

Nick Roll

January 19, 2022 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

As part of a COVID-19 pandemic relief bill, the federal government expanded the child tax credit and distributed the money in monthly cash payments rather than a lump sum when filing taxes. The expansion, which expired in 2022, also increased the per-child amount up to $3,600 annually. The concept of cash-payments trusts families to decide where the money is most needed. Data shows that many families were able to catch up on bills and take away the urgency of financial struggles, opening up space to tend to other physical and emotional needs involved in raising children.

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How India's Farmers Launched a Movement Against Modi's Farm Bills—and Won

Amandeep Sandhu

January 19, 2022 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India

Protests among farmers in India led to the repeal of farm laws – passed in the midst of COVID-19 shutdowns – that privileged corporate interests over the livelihood of farmers. In some states, farm union members blocked railroads, prevented the collection of toll taxes on roads, and blocked gas stations, shopping malls, and warehouses owned by corporations that benefited from the laws. Throughout the protests anywhere from 50,000 to 700,000 farmers camped out blocking strategic infrastructure. The sustained protests, and the widespread support among people, led the government to withdraw the laws.

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More voters, less party affiliation 2 years into automatic voter registration

Sean Golonka

January 16, 2022 |

The Nevada Independent |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Nevada

Nevada’s automatic voter registration (AVR) system has added over 320,000 new voters since its launch in 2020, expanding access to many. Unless they opt out, the AVR system automatically registers eligible voters, or updates their voter information, whenever they complete a transaction with the DMV. Since they are registered as nonpartisan by default, it has diversified the state’s voter pool. Officials still perform checks and balance to keep voter rolls clean, including the Electronic Registration Information Center that compares voter registration data between states to identify out-of-date records.

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Burlington, Vt., ‘defunded' its police force. Here's what followed.

Emily R. Siegel Hannah Rappleye Stephanie Gosk

December 19, 2021 |

NBC News |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Burlington, Vermont

In Burlington, a city of progressive politics with a police department long seen as forward-looking, city leaders' decision in June 2020 to respond to social-justice protests by cutting the police force by 30% has backfired in a number of ways. By moving quickly without an analysis of optimal staffing or how to shift duties to other agencies, the "defund police" measure prompted more police resignations than expected. Residents complain about conditions on downtown streets that make them feel unsafe. The city has since restored some of the police positions while moving more deliberately toward alternatives.

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Mapping Lead Contamination in the Granite State

Paul Cuno-Booth Kathie Ragsdale John M. Bassett

December 13, 2021 |

Granite State News Collaborative |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Hampshire

Through education, public policy and grant programs, New Hampshire is working on decreasing the number of children with elevated blood lead levels. In 2016, the state wanted to improve lead-testing rates and over the year, they conducted 25 training sessions reaching more than 300 medical professionals, which led to 2,100 more children being tested than the previous year. Interest in lead-abatement grant programs by landlords and homeowners has also increased.

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Trolley Times

Nyima Pratten

November 30, 2021 |

Vice |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: India, Delhi

To help protestors communicate more effectively across large demonstration sites in Delhi, activists created Trolley Times, a digital and print newspaper dedicated to chronicling the farmers protest movement. The paper's circulation grew from around 1,000 copies to roughly 7,000, and it has attracted tens of thousands of followers across online platforms, helping to amplify the movement's message outside of Delhi and India.

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Medicare Model Helps States Control Costs – Within Limits

Eric Seaborg

November 22, 2021 |

The American Leader |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Montana

A cost-negotiation approach similar to the one used by the federal Medicare program has saved states like Montana and New Jersey millions of dollars negotiating their state employee health insurance plans. In Montana, the state fired its major insurance carrier and set the rates it would pay health providers for care and procedures, rather than vice versa. In New Jersey, a much bigger state, the program was modified by requiring hospitals and providers to reveal its prices and then grouping hospitals by zip code and asking the state's big insurance carrier for bids geographically on that basis.

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