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Billions spent, miles to go: The story of California's failure to build high-speed rail

Benton Graham

September 08, 2025 |

Grist |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

California's troubled high-speed rail project—hampered by inexperienced management, inadequate upfront funding, and poor route selection—demonstrates why successful infrastructure mega-projects require experienced agencies, full financing commitments, and streamlined implementation strategies.

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How drones and AI are changing the way we fight wildfires

Emily Senkosky

September 02, 2025 |

Grist |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

The U.S. Forest Service's drone program has rapidly scaled from 734 flights in 2019 to over 17,000 in 2024, enabling safer and more efficient wildfire management by replacing dangerous pilot reconnaissance missions with unmanned thermal imaging that can detect hotspots and guide ground crews more precisely.

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University Brains To Solve City Problems

Malcolm Burnley

August 26, 2025 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

To improve traffic flow, the city of Pittsburgh partnered with researchers from Carnegie Mellon University who helped develop an AI-powered traffic signal system that helped significantly reduce emissions and idling time at stop lights. The collaboration grew into a long-term initiative called Metro21 Smart Cities Institute that brings academics and public officials together to work on municipal issues.

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"C'est mieux que la clim" : à Lyon, un réseau de froid urbain rafraîchit des magasins sans rejeter d'air chaud

Robin Prudent

August 11, 2025 |

Franceinfo |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Lyon

À Lyon, le réseau de froid, situé sous le quartier de la Part-Dieu, est considéré comme plus efficace que la climatisation traditionnelle, refroidissant les commerces et les entreprises du quartier avec environ la moitié de l’énergie. Le système utilise l’eau souterraine pour refroidir les machines qui pompent l’eau glacée à travers un réseau de tuyaux sous la zone.

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Singapore's regreening is a model for cities everywhere

Mike Digirolamo

July 22, 2025 |

Mongabay |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Singapore

Government initiatives, certification programs, ecological consultants, and international environmental associations are all part of Singapore's concerted effort to coexist with its wildlife and reduce impacts of climate change like air pollution and stress.

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Safe haven or breeding ground for corruption: how Ukraine is building underground schools

Vladsylav Lesyk

July 21, 2025 |

Рубрика (Rubryka) |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Ukraine

To safely get students back into in-person learning environments amid ongoing Russian attacks, the Ukrainian government has prioritized building underground schools, some of which are in repurposed metro stations while others are dedicated shelters attached to existing schools. So far, the country has completed 20 underground schools, with 221 more under construction, but concerns have also been raised about potential corruption among contractors.

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New App Alerts Users to Rising Rivers and Streams

Ken Picard

July 02, 2025 |

Seven Days |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Vermont

RiverAware, an app that uses real-time data from a national network of gauges, has helped citizens, first responders, floodplain managers, scientists, and recreational users such as paddlers and anglers access river-flow data, informing or alerting communities as to when it's time to evacuate or seek higher ground. The data is aggregated from more than 13,000 stream-gauging stations around the country maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Land Management and the National Weather Service.

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Trash sucks: A Norwegian city uses vacuum tubes to whisk waste away

Nicolás Rivero

June 11, 2025 |

The Washington Post |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Norway, Bergen

Bergen, Norway’s pneumatic waste system uses high-powered vacuum tubes to suck trash and recycling from central receptacles to nearby waste stations, reducing the need for garbage trucks and helping to keep the streets cleaner. According to city officials, the system, which is still in the process of being built out, has helped to reduce air pollution, cut diesel emissions, and save the city money on waste collection.

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Los recicladores son héroes invisibles en la Economía Circular

Gabriela Castillo

May 19, 2025 |

Periodismo Público |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Ecuador

La Ley Orgánica de Economía Circular Inclusiva, en conjunto con diversas iniciativas públicas y privadas, ha formalizado, reconocido y mejorado las condiciones laborales de los recicladores de base en Ecuador, lo que ha permitido avances como el aumento de ingresos para algunos recicladores y una mayor recuperación de materiales.

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How a California County Eliminated PFAS From the Water Supply

Carl Smith

May 15, 2025 |

Governing |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Yorba Linda, California

The Orange County Water District’s treatment plant uses ion exchange, a process that draws PFAS “forever chemicals” from the supply using positively charged resin beads. The plant distributes water with no detectable PFAS to roughly 80,000 customers.

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