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Public Shaming and Even Prison for Plastic Bag Use in Rwanda

Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura

October 28, 2017 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Rwanda, Gisenyi

Plastic bag litter is a serious problem across Africa and around the world, choking waterways, killing livestock and wildlife when ingested, and causing environmental damage. Rwanda is one of the few nations in the world to completely ban single-use plastic bags, but they take enforcement of the ban to a sometimes controversial extreme, with punishments that can even include jail time. The measures do appear to be working, however, where the clean streets and countrysides of Rwanda stand in stark contrast to the heavily-littered land of neighboring countries.

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'Earn while you learn:' Co-op programs gain appeal amid rising cost of living

Brett Bundale

June 01, 2023 |

The Canadian Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Waterloo, Ontario

Co-op programs such as those at the University of Waterloo allow students to get paid for hands-on experience in their chosen field while also completing academic coursework. Last year, the university facilitated roughly 25,000 work terms across six academic faculties.

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Southern California Episcopal church plants drought-resistant native species in its gardens, becomes part of its natural environment

Logan Crews

June 28, 2023 |

Episcopal News Service |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Laguna Beach, California

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Laguna Beach, California, planted drought-resistant native plants and installed a drip irrigation system on its property to curb wasteful water use. The new landscaping also includes a pollinator garden to support important species.

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The buildings constructed from cannabis

Francesca Perry

June 18, 2023 |

BBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Cambridgeshire

Hempcrete, a combination of hemp, water, and lime, can be used as a more sustainable insulation option for buildings. The material improves energy efficiency, produces less carbon than options like fiberglass and foam, and will continue to capture carbon while used as insulation.

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How Floating Farms Are Helping Bangladesh Adapt to Climate Change

Peter Yeung

April 27, 2023 |

Bloomberg |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Bangladesh, Barisal

Farmers in Barisal, Bangladesh, are returning to the traditional practice of growing crops on rafts to adapt to frequent floods and rising sea levels. The floating gardens made from woven water hyacinth have a layer of manure on top.

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Electric Rain

Amina Nazarli

June 16, 2018 |

AzerNews |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Azerbaijan, Baku

Turning rainwater into electric power may sound farfetched, but it has become a reality thanks to 15-year-old Reyhan Jamalova in Azerbaijan. Appropriately dubbed Rainergy, this new source of renewable energy has the potential to bring power to underprivileged communities as well as be marketed internationally.

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‘Unpredictability is our biggest problem': Texas farmers experiment with ancient farming styles

Nina Lakhani

May 29, 2023 |

The Guardian |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Texas

Farmers in the Rio Grande Valley are participating in a study to find out if cover cropping is a viable method to improve yields or reduce costs in a region harried by unpredictable weather and water scarcity. In some cases, the cover crops they’ve planted between growing seasons improved soil health and prevented wind erosion.

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Beyond the Yuck Factor: Cities Turn to ‘Extreme' Water Recycling

Jim Robbins

June 06, 2023 |

Yale Environment 360 |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

San Francisco is popularizing centralized water reuse systems that collect blackwater from toilets and sinks and greywater from showers and washing machines to clean it and use it again. This is a cheaper, more sustainable option for nonpotable water used to water plants or flush toilets in a city struggling with water scarcity.

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How old coal mines can help the climate

Martha Henriques

March 30, 2023 |

BBC |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: England, Gateshead

In Gateshead, England, Lanchester Wines keeps its storage warehouse at a stable temperature year-round using geothermal heat from an abandoned coal mine nearby. The water that naturally floods the mine is geothermally heated below ground, then a heat pump system pulls that water to the surface to transfer that heat to the warehouse.

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The promise of kelp-powered flight

Martha Henriques

March 23, 2023 |

BBC |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, California

Researchers are developing sustainable aviation fuel made out of seaweed. The seaweed is pulled into the ocean by drone submarines, lowered at night to obtain more nutrients from the water, raised again during the day for optimal sunlight, and eventually harvested and turned into fuel.

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