Harnessing body heat provides energy-saving heating to commercial and residential buildings. The Stockholm Central station in Sweden and the Mall of America in Minnesota both capture body warmth to provide some of the buildings' heat. Each has over 100,000 daily visitors during non-coronavirus times, generating substantial heat that can be captured by energy-efficient construction. Body heat is also utilized in residential spaces, where thermal insulation helps keep the warmth inside. Using body heat requires energy-efficient building materials and generally cannot provide all of a building's heating needs.

Urban planning using gamification is a viable way of engaging diverse parts of the population and placing people and communities at the center of the process. “Block by Block” is a collaboration between UN Habitat and the game company Mojang that holds participatory workshops, where people design public spaces using the game Minecraft. Over 25,000 people from diverse backgrounds and age groups have participated. Professional advisers are present and they adjust the designs for implementation. The method has been used by the City of Stockholm and to create the first skatepark in Kosovo.

The London Marathon debuted a new, environmentally conscious way of keeping runners hydrated: edible seaweed pouches filled with sports drink. The pouches, or “Ooho,” created by Skipping Rocks Labs, can be eaten along with the liquid inside of them, or users can bite the corner and drink the contents, discarding the seaweed wrapping. This was the first mass use of such pouches, with the hope that they can be used to cut down on plastic at large scale events in the future.

A well-designed algorithm can help increase the efficiency of complex, and troublesome, transportation systems. In 2017, Boston Public Schools hosted a competition to redesign its complicated bussing system. The selected proposal, an algorithm created by PhD students, increased efficiency by 20% overall, helping BPD cut tons of carbon emissions and ease budget constraints. The savings will allow BPD to reinvest in its schools.

By having its drivers eliminate most left turns on their routes UPS has saved millions of gallons of fuel and reduced the output of tons of carbon dioxide. The company put the policy in place in 2004 after its vehicle routing software in all its trucks determined left turns wasted time and money stopping them also reduces accidents. These gains could increase exponentially if every driver eliminated left turns but that is probably unlikely.

To combat the spread of conspiracy theories, researchers at Cambridge’s Social Decision Making Lab have created an interactive game that puts users in the shoes of "manipulators" to teach them how to "question social media posts that have the hallmarks of engineered virality." Although experts say playing the game just one time will likely not result in sustainable change, a similar game that focused on understanding how fake news was created found that users' beliefs in fake news decreased by an average of 21%.

In the wake of more than 100 forest fires in Maule, Chile, hundreds of burned acres of forest are being replanted by three Border Collies named Das, Olivia, and Summer and an organization called Pewos. The dogs bound through miles of terrain with special backpacks that release native seeds to regrow the area. So far the dogs have worked in 15 forests in the region and plants are starting to come back.

Lima has the worst air quality of any city in Latin America due to its mostly windless climate, growing economic developments and ongoing construction. A local engineering school, however, has set out to transform billboards throughout the region to act as air purifiers and water generators.

In the United States, most playgrounds are equipped with the same types of monkey bars, slides and swings, but a few are replacing these typical options with "dismembered store mannequins, wooden packing crates, tires, mattresses" among other things. Following the success of similar "adventure" or "junk" playgrounds in other countries, the research thus far is showing positive results such as fewer injuries and longer physical playtime.

City Cuts is a special barbershop in Kutztown, PA that, in addition to being a barbershop, is simultaneously running an internationally-acclaimed literacy program for kids. Barber Jon Escueta gives young clients $3 to read a book aloud to him during their haircut for a program he calls Books for Kids, which boosts confidence in public speaking and literacy. When a video of a client reading to a City Cuts barber went viral, Books for Kids starting receiving hundreds of donations of money and books from around the world, and the kids themselves love and respect the program as well.

In Japan, an organization called New Start employs women that help men who are withdrawn from society. These men, called hikikomori, are often experiencing mental health issues, and cannot leave their homes. That’s where New Start’s rent-a-sister program comes in. These women spend months, sometimes years, with these men, building trust, giving advice, and adjust to society. The organization also provide halfway houses for these men, with 80% successfully re-entering society as independent individuals.

A card game called Imaginable Guidelines offers a medium of shared vocabulary and collaboration that allows community members to easily talk about city planning. Played in cities around Turkey, Imaginable Guidelines acts as a bridge between city officials and community members, both of whom want to see a more functional and accessible use of space.

Florida officials have turned to an unlikely source to help identify children with mental health stressors: bus drivers. After the Parkland shooting, the state established classes for bus drivers to learn about child psychology and behavioral science as a way to analyze why children may act out on the ride to or from school.

Those wacky waving inflatable tube men normally seen outside car dealerships may also have a dual purpose: stopping wild dingoes from killing livestock. Inspired by a similar attempt in Oregon, scientists tested the approach in Australia, where nine of the 12 dingoes ran away in fear after seeing the tube man compared with a control group. While some conservationists aren’t convinced that the tube men are a practical solution, it could be combined with other methods to protect livestock in the Outback.

A unique issue in Japan is that of the “Hikikomori” – men who have totally withdrawn from society, often as a response to bullying, depression, or trauma. The NGO, New Start, offers a “rental sister” program, which provide the Hikikomori with an older female mentor to interact with and guide them toward more independent lives. Along the way, the hope is that they’ll build trusting relationships and practice social engagement.

In an attempt to lessen their role in contributing to waste, Istanbul has installed “reverse vending machines” at metro stations that incentivize recycling. For every plastic bottle or aluminum can inserted into the machine, public transportation users earn cash to redeem for trips.

Some South African ranchers who raise rhinos legally are advocating for a block-chain currency "Rhino Coin." They argue that secure stockpiles of rhino horn could generate much needed funding for wild populations. But the plan is fiercely opposed by many conservation groups, and its success depends on whether or not a global ban on trading horn ends.

A fun app called “Bella Mossa” has incentivized people to ditch their cars in Bologna. The anti-pollution effort gives users credits for biking, walking, and using public transport. Users can then swap their credits for rewards from local shopkeepers, such as free beer and ice cream.

For those struggling with smartphone addiction, detox and counseling can prove beneficial. In South Korea, the government’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, alongside partners like the National Center for Youth Internet Addiction and the Youth Counseling and Welfare Center provide teens and elementary school students with detox programs to address the issue of internet and smartphone addiction. The students can attend summer camps where they switch off their phones, participate in activities, and attend counseling.

In Ireland, schools across the country have installed "Buddy Benches," a space where children can go to let others know they want to play. The benches, which are built by volunteers from the Men's Shed, are part of a wider movement to practice inclusion and mental health awareness in schools.

A multigenerational housing program in Sweden aims to combat social isolation of seniors and increase understanding between native Swedes and the young refugee population. About half of the 72 residents are over 70 and the rest are aged 18-25 from culturally diverse backgrounds. To live there, residents must agree to socialize for at least 2 hours a week. The coronavirus revealed a need to ensure all residents take precautions to protect the higher-risk seniors but is also revealed the strength of the relationships formed, where the younger residents helped run errands and care for their senior neighbors.

The average cost of childcare in the U.S. has doubled since 1997, leaving many unable or struggling to access care; but in France, lawmakers have found a way to enact affordable, universal childcare. The childcare facilities are government-run and equipped with highly trained and educated employees, including an on-call pediatrician and child psychologist. Since the system has been in place, female labor force participation and the country's birth rate have increased and both are now higher than that of the U.S.

The nonprofit Arctic Ice Project is testing an unusual approach to combat climate change: by scattering a thin layer of reflective glass powder over parts of the Arctic. By putting this material on top of the ice, they’re studying if the powder can protect the ice during the summer months and rebuild it over time. In one pond in Minnesota, just a few layers of the material made young ice 20 percent more reflective and delayed the melting of the ice. Other scientists question the impact the material can have on the Arctic ecosystem, but the approach could be a way to counteract the effects of global warming.