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The Anarchic Playgrounds Where Putting Kids At Risk Is The Point

Peter Yeung

September 04, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Germany, Berlin

Adventure playgrounds such as Berlin’s Kolle 37 put kids in charge of play, giving them the space, tools, and freedom to solve conflicts, learn new skills, and even build their own play structures as adults monitor for hazards from a distance. Research shows that this type of “risky play” can help children mature and learn to navigate complex psychosocial situations.

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The World's Smartest City Is a Tiny German Village

Michaela Haas

August 11, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Germany, Etteln

The residents of Etteln, Germany responded to rural decline and digital exclusion by organizing grassroots collective action—including volunteer-led fiber-optic installation and community-driven digital innovations—which reversed population loss, doubled school enrollment, earned global recognition as the world's smartest city, and created a replicable model now used by 500+ cities worldwide.

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Pink City Rickshaw Puts Women in the Driver's Seat

Geetanjali Krishna

July 28, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Jaipur

ACCESS Development Services trains women to drive electric auto rickshaws, providing them with marketable skills that help them earn a living independently. The all-women Pink City Rickshaw Company employs the women to provide tours throughout the city and has since trained over 200 women.

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Building Empathy Through the Sounds of 'a World in Motion'

Geetanjali Krishna

July 18, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Crossing Borders Music is a group of classically-trained Western musicians who perform music from Haitian, Palestinian, Rohingya, Native American and other marginalized communities via free concerts held in libraries, cultural centers and university spaces. The goal is to not only showcase diverse cultures and musical traditions, but to build a deeper understanding of immigrants and other communities that are often overlooked. The group reaches about 10,000 people in-person and online each year, and hosted 27 free concerts in 2024.

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The Aromatic Roots Indians Turn to for Cooling Relief

Sushmita Pathak

July 14, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Bharuch

Khus (vetiver grass) curtains are a traditional, climate-friendly cooling method in India that is seeing a revival as extreme temperatures rise. Locals hang woven curtains made from dried vetiver roots in doorways or windows and spray them with water throughout the day. As hot air passes through them, evaporative cooling reduces indoor temperatures. This low-cost, low-energy solution has been implemented in homes and public areas like bus stops to combat the heat.

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Meet the 'Bicycle Mayors' Making Cities Around the World More Bike-Friendly

Kaja Šeruga

June 27, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

The Bicycle Mayor Network selects local cycling activists to act as key liaisons in their communities, giving them support and resources to advocate for cycling-friendly policies, organize educational opportunities and events, and provide a link between residents and government decision-makers. There are more than 150 bicycle mayors in 34 countries who have had a hand in everything from improving cycling infrastructure to offering free community classes.

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How Norway Is Proving That Homelessness Is a Solvable Problem

Peter Yeung

June 26, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Norway

Norway’s approach to tackling homelessness hinges on collaboration, with the national government providing data, strategy, and support that allows municipalities and local nonprofits to implement the best initiatives for their populations. Since 1996, the country’s rate of homelessness has dropped by nearly half.

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How Shared Electric Cargo Bikes Are Changing Cities

Aina de Lapparent Alvarez

June 05, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

Shared electric cargo bike programs like CargoB and Re:Ciclos offer affordable, sustainable transportation alternatives that can significantly reduce urban car dependency; however, their long-term success hinges on overcoming infrastructure, cultural, and economic barriers.

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The Shops Where Trash Becomes Crafters' Treasure

Elizabeth Hewitt

May 27, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Nashville, Tennessee

Creative reuse centers like Smart Art and Craft Supplies tackle waste reduction by redistributing donated art materials, simultaneously providing meaningful employment and inclusion opportunities for adults with disabilities.

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"We Are the People of the River"

Morgan Sjogren

May 23, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe, United States, Arizona

By strategically restoring native riparian plants, removing invasive species, and implementing efficient water management practices, the Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe has successfully revitalized ecosystem health and cultural traditions along the Colorado River.

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