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Tanzania's ambitious water project undercut by dueling economics

Tom Murphy Jacob Kushner

November 26, 2014 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Tanzania

A water program funded by the World Bank has run into some obstacles as it tries to bring clean water to rural villages in Tanzania. The use of private contractors for projects and allowing communities to decide what water system they should build has led to delays in bringing access to water for residents.

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How a $1.42 billion project failed to bring water to this Tanzanian village

Tom Murphy Jacob Kushner

November 25, 2014 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Tanzania

Years after a World Bank pilot program built a system to bring clean water to villages in Tanzania, these communities are finding it difficult to fix and operate these projects. While some villages were able to raise funds to maintain these costly water systems, not every community has been able to repair them.

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'Big Dry' Lessons: Southwest can learn from Australia's drought

Marty Schladen

November 17, 2014 |

El Paso Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Australia, Kilmore, Victoria

In Australia, the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council was formed after a severe drought to bring together federal, state and regional governments and bridge parochial concerns. It was meant to manage the basin as a whole and end overuse and salinization of farm land, leveraging new technologies to adapt to new realities.

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In India, Latrines Are Truly Lifesavers

Vivekananda Nemana Ankita Rao

November 13, 2014 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India, Odisha

In India, 620 million people openly defecate outdoors, causing harm to hygiene, sanitation, food, and water resources. The president of India funded an initiative to build public toilets for the people in his country, but the people did not use them because of traditions and behaviors. The Total Sanitation Campaign is starting to change villagers’ minds by having local leadership persuade those who resist the toilets by holding community activities and creating special committees to maintain the sanitation.

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How Did the Meadow Vole Cross the Road? Designing travel routes for wildlife

Benjamin Goldfarb

October 09, 2014 |

re:form |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Missoula, Montana

As a state with robust populations of wildlife, Montana has had its share of roadkill. Its Department of Transportation developed animal shelving, a type of wildlife crossing, to enable safe passage for small animals who need to cross the road. The measure, combined with other types of crossings, has reduced animal-vehicle collisions by half.

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Everyone Wants to Copy This Pedestrian Bridge (It's Not the High Line)

Gregory Scruggs

October 09, 2014 |

Next City |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Poughkeepsie, New York

City officials and nonprofit organizations in Poughkeepsie used extensive research and sustainable financing to revitalize an outdated railroad bridge into a bustling park & walkway. Rather than demolish the suspended tracks, a local organization used city funds to develop a financial and development strategy, which ended up costing the city five times less than the famed New York City High Line.

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Is the co-op the future of housing affordability?

Susanne Schindler

October 01, 2014 |

Places Journal |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States

There is an escalating housing affordability crisis in America, where even the middle and creative classes are having difficulty finding somewhere they can afford to live. A possible solution could be cooperative housing as explained through several examples around the world where this method has been used.

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The City That Turned Its Water Into Cash

John Tierney

September 22, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Allentown, Pennsylvania uses a creative financing strategy - leasing the city's water and sewage utilities - to pay for expensive public pension programs. To keep from raising rates for Allentown residents, the lease agreement has a strict rate cap that rises with inflation.

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How Highway Underpasses are Saving Panthers in Florida

Melissa Gaskill

August 14, 2014 |

Mental Floss |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Florida

According to the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are fewer than 180 panthers left in the state due to high rates of animal-vehicle collision. Now, the state is trying to prevent further harming the species by introducing specially designed technology, including highway underpasses and roadside animal detection systems.

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Even rural America can have good public transportation

Ben Adler

July 23, 2014 |

Grist |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Aspen, Colorado

Rural areas are known for requiring tourists to rent a car in order to move around, which can be a significant added expense. But Aspen has developed a bus system that can bring residents or tourists from Aspen to suburban areas and back, and the area is also well geared to bicycle use.

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