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LED street lighting kindles interest in Michigan

Kat Friedrich

July 10, 2014 |

Midwest Energy News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

As the traditional sodium vapor lamps used for decades in street lights begin to burn out and need replacement, many municipalities, like Detroit, are turning to LED lighting - thanks to rebates and conscientious consumer demand. Though they sometimes have higher up-front costs, LEDs have multiple benefits including long-term cost savings (as they require less maintenance), increased energy efficiency, better lighting that can help decrease crime, and less light pollution and glare.

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Why Sweden has so few road deaths

The Economist

February 26, 2014 |

The Economist |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Sweden

Sweden's "Vision Zero" program has used a comprehensive approach to infrastructure and regulation to drastically reduce traffic-related deaths, making Swedish roads the safest in the world.

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Dealing with blight complaints requires new approach, Memphis says

Greg Barnes

February 22, 2014 |

Fayetteville Observer |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Memphis, Tennessee

In Memphis, a creative blight-reduction initiative called 25 Square Blocks broke down the city into blocks. Inspectors were able to quickly identify all the violations and fix them, using the same amount of funding, but less time, as the old call-and-respond model.

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Police chief, mayor tour city's rundown neighborhoods

Greg Barnes

February 22, 2014 |

Fayetteville Observer |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Fayetteville, North Carolina

In Fayetteville, the Mayor and Police Chief have taken a personalized approach in seeking a solution for blighted, low-income neighborhoods and are working to increase the number of city staff on-hand to help address issues like decrepit buildings, as well as decrease the disparity in resources allocated to maintaining these neighborhoods. But many challenges remain, and the line between the government's role versus the private homeowner's responsibility remains difficult to define.

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India Increases Effort to Harness Biomass Energy

Amy Yee

October 08, 2013 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Punjab

With 60 percent of India's population relying on agriculture for living, the country faces a dire challenge of what to do with accumulated agricultural waste. Instead of burning it, as they traditionally would do, they are harnessing biomass energy that directly supplies the country's electrical grid.

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Out of India's Trash Heaps, More Than a Shred of Dignity

Sarika Bansal

June 12, 2013 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Pune, Maharashtra

Throughout India, wastepickers – people who scour landfills for garbage they can sell to recyclers – live at the bottom of society. But the city of Pune did something radical: with the help of a collective, they did away with expensive garbage trucks, and now all household garbage is collected by wastepickers with pushcarts. Pune saves millions of dollars each year and recycles more – and the wastepickers have decent wages and social standing. The concept is now spreading globally.

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Conservation Pays Off for Bangladeshi Factories

Amy Yee

March 21, 2013 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Bangladesh

Saving money while conserving water and electricity is a win-win for the textile industry in Bangladesh. After a joint effort to improve the mechanics and upgrade the factories, the industry saw a savings of 1.2 million cubic meters of water, 16 million cubic meters of gas and 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

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Turning Rural Indians Into Water Entrepreneurs

Whitney Pastorek

November 01, 2012 |

FastCompany |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India

In rural communities throughout India, having access to clean water does not always come easy. Sarvajal, originally a non-profit experiment, believes that water insecurity is a solvable issue, however. By helping those living in the rural communities take ownership through entrepreneurship, common sense, and the patience to reinvent old systems with more efficient technology, the group has achieved the ability to distribute small reverse-osmosis filtration plants and Water ATMs throughout the northwestern Indian states.

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Fighting Crime With Architecture in Medellín, Colombia

Michael Kimmelman

May 18, 2012 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Medellín

Medellin, Colombia has looked to architecture to help combat its high homicide rate and other problems. Over the past few decades there have been massive public architecture development, transit improvements, creation of public spaces that have all contributed to renewing this city.

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Armed With Data, Fighting More Than Crime

Tina Rosenberg

May 02, 2012 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

CitiStat has show great success in cities like Baltimore, where it has improved city services' efficiency (removing snow, fixing potholes, etc.). Many cities use Stat programs, but Baltimore has been a particular case of success. Looking at how it implemented its CitiStat program holds lessons for other cities.

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