Title
& Description
News Outlet
& Journalist
Date
& Location
MEDIA TYPE
& LENGTH
28 January 2021
United States
Multi-Media
800-1500 Words
The growing account known as “EcoTok” on the social media app TikTok is working to expose more people to data about the climate crisis and tackle scientific misinformation. With more than 80,000 followers and 1.2 mill...
22 October 2020
Los Angeles, California, United States
Text
1500-3000 Words
Two women who lost their brothers to heroin overdoses launched the podcast "Last Day" to address death – by drugs and, in season two, by suicide – with a mix of humor, unsettling candor, and conventional-wisdom-bustin...
20 October 2020
Melbourne, Australia
Text
Under 800 Words
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 a...
1 October 2020
United States
Text
1500-3000 Words
Because studies indicate that humor has positive health benefits, some doctors and psychotherapists are now using humor tactics in their practice and prescribing prescriptions for their patients to find ways to laugh ...
25 September 2020
Auroville, India
Text
800-1500 Words
Clinic clowns aren't just bringing joy to elderly dementia patients, they are also fostering a sense of wellbeing and positivity while helping them recall memories from their past through the use of art, music, and im...
1 September 2020
United States
Text
Over 3000 Words
Theater of War Productions performs Greek tragedies, using the themes to encourage dialogue and healing from modern community traumas. Beginning with military audiences, participants were asked to discuss the themes i...
21 August 2020
Ashland, Ohio, United States
Text
800-1500 Words
As a way to raise funds and awareness for stormwater education, some cities are turning rain barrels into an art exhibit. Rain barrels catch water as it runs off rooftops, which can be used later for watering plants. ...
4 July 2020
Seattle, Washington, United States
Text
800-1500 Words
When many schools across the U.S. suspended in-person school and switched to virtual learning, a teacher was able to successfully keep his students motivated and hopeful despite the drastic decrease in physical intera...
Staten Island Advance
Jessica Jones-Gorman
16 June 2020
Staten Island, New York, United States
Text
800-1500 Words
Although the pandemic has set a serious tone, teachers in Staten Island are helping their students cope with at-home learning through laughter and unconventional methods. Two teachers recorded videos of themselves whi...
Reuters
Budi Purwanto
13 April 2020
Sukoharjo, Java, Indonesia
Multi-Media
Under 3 Minutes
Kepuh village in Indonesia is relying on superstition to scare residents into quarantining in defense against the coronavirus. Volunteers are wrapped up in sheets and powdered with white makeup, strolling the streets ...
Anchorage Daily News
Beth Bragg
12 April 2020
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Text
800-1500 Words
The Anchorage fire department is offering drive-by salutes for kids in the city who have birthdays during the social distancing mandate. Seven vehicles are paraded through the neighborhoods with lights and sirens (2 f...
10 April 2020
United States
Multi-Media
Under 800 Words
Some officials are using humor to urge citizens to follow Covid-19 directives like staying at home and social distancing. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot used memes shared under #whereslightfoot as inspiration for a publ...
Texas Monthly
Lyndsay Knecht
7 April 2020
Dallas, Texas, United States
Text
800-1500 Words
When the coronavirus pandemic forced a local bookstore in Texas to shut its doors for safety concerns, the owner launched a hotline for readers to call into for book recommendations. Although the instant success has s...
5 April 2020
United States
Multi-Media
Under 800 Words
The COVID-19 pandemic has routinely been disregarding norms and forcing us to redefine systems of living. One such response is the democratization of music via artists performing on Instagram Live for literally anyone...
23 March 2020
Los Angeles, California, United States
Text
1500-3000 Words
Hosting business meetings over Zoom is nothing new during the coronavirus pandemic, but performing artists are also using the platform and adapting their work to the videoconferencing software. After initial performan...
7 January 2020
Duisburg, Germany
Text
800-1500 Words
Connecting with art enriches the lives of patients struggling with dementia and Alzheimers. Across Germany, several programs are using art to stimulate the minds of an aging population. At the Lehmbruck Museum in Duis...
30 August 2019
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Text
Under 800 Words
Often citizens have to go to great lengths to get their problems noticed by city governments. One New Orleans resident concerned with a pothole in his neighborhood did just that when he converted a large pothole in "H...
29 July 2019
Muncie, Indiana, United States
Text
Under 800 Words
In Muncie, Indiana, parking violators can bring cat food to the local shelter in exchange for a parking ticket violation. Though the offer only ran for four days, the local shelter was overwhelmed with donations from ...
1 July 2019
Badalona, Spain
Text
800-1500 Words
Pokemon Go may have faded from mainstream popularity after it peaked in 2016, but the game is finding new life in Spain, where older generations are using the game to be more socially engaged in their communities. Soc...
Citizen Matters
Sakshi Rao
30 May 2019
Bengaluru, India
Text
800-1500 Words
In Bengaluru, India, Anthill Creations has created dozens of playgrounds, or "play scapes" as they call them, using recycled tire scraps that are safe and fun. Serving over 10,000 children, Anthill's play scapes allow...
20 May 2019
New York, New York, United States
Text
Under 800 Words
It turns out goats may be the answer to addressing invasive species. In Manhattan’s Riverside Park, a herd of goats were hired to to eat weeds, ivy, and nonnative species in an attempt to restore the balance of the ec...
16 May 2019
Los Angeles, California, United States
Text
800-1500 Words
Rates of loneliness are increasing across the United States, as people rely on technology rather than human interaction for their day-to-day lives. To directly combat this, a man in Los Angeles created the People Walk...
30 April 2019
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Text
800-1500 Words
“Yes, and,” encourages resilience. The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program offers injured service members and their caretakers the option of attending improv workshops as part of rehabilitation. Improv helps build socia...
7 April 2019
Switzerland
Text
800-1500 Words
A group called Operation Libero in Switzerland has successfully rallied against rising right-wing populist groups by using different approaches like small-scale crowdfunding, eye-catching tongue-in-cheek campaigns, an...
31 March 2019
Wisconsin, United States
Text
1500-3000 Words
A group called NextGen Wisconsin is using bounce houses, armies of field organizers, convenient voter registration tables, door knocking, and digital advertising to turn out historically high numbers of youth voters a...
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