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Energy efficiency ×
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Can new bus lines chart a course to better travel options in the West?

High Country News

Carl Segerstrom

9 January 2020

Spokane, Washington, United States

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800-1500 Words

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Private bus companies are beginning to offer an alternative method of transportation in the American West. As younger travelers seek to reduce their carbon footprint, companies like Flixbus are stepping in where rail ...

In rural Colorado, the kids of coal miners learn to install solar panels

High Country News

Nick Bowlin

HUB MEMBER

13 December 2019

Delta, Colorado, United States

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800-1500 Words

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As the number of mining jobs in Colorado has decreased, solar power holds the promise of future employment opportunities, as exemplified by an educational program at Delta High School. The class “Solar Energy Training...

The landfill where you once dumped your garbage might be a great spot for a solar farm

Bangor Daily News

Bill Trotter

10 December 2019

Maine, United States

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Under 800 Words

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Landfills can offer prime real estate for solar potential due to the lack of trees and access to direct sunlight, and Maine is taking advantage of this. Seen as a sustainable renewable energy project, this is just one...

This dark material: the black alchemy that can arrest carbon emissions

The Guardian

Jessica Murray

29 November 2019

Stockholm, Sweden

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800-1500 Words

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Biochar is a form of charcoal that is proving to be quite useful in terms of renewable energy and combatting the climate crisis. From trapping carbon and methane emissions to playing a role in heating homes and feedin...

Holland Aims to Bring Back Its Starry Nights

CityLab

Sophie Knight

18 November 2019

Amsterdam, Netherlands

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800-1500 Words

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To address the harm - both to human psychology as well as natural ecosystems - of artificial light, The Netherlands calls on its citizens to turn their lights off and feel the effects of a natural darkness. The awaren...

Plans for a solar community in West Philly are halted by legislative red tape

The Philadelphia Citizen

Brianna Baker

HUB MEMBER

23 October 2019

Gardner, Massachusetts, United States

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1500-3000 Words

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Pennsylvania law is preventing a Philadelphia neighborhood from converting an empty lot into a solar farm, but community members are working to fight against this by citing neighboring states that are seeing positive ...

Our Zoo is Greener Than Your Zoo

The Philadelphia Citizen

Brianna Baker

HUB MEMBER

15 October 2019

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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1500-3000 Words

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The Philadelphia Zoo has created an in-house, vertical garden – housed in a shipping container provided by the nonprofit, CropBox – to grow food for the animals. So far, it has shown to be a more sustainable way of fe...

How Penn State Is Cutting Greenhouse Emissions In Half — And Saving Money

NPR

Dan Charles

4 October 2019

State College, Pennsylvania, United States

Multi-Media

5-15 Minutes

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Enrolling administrators and financial planners in sustainable projects takes proving that investments pay for themselves. With the help of pressure from students and faculty, Penn State Universities administrators ha...

Storing energy in compressed air could finally become cheap enough for the big time

Quartz

Akshat Rathi

HUB MEMBER

19 September 2019

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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800-1500 Words

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To reduce carbon usage in electric grids, companies around the world have turned to new technologies that store wind energy that can be converted to electricity. One such company called Hydrostor, based in Ontario, Ca...

Virginia solar volunteers bring relief from heat, and energy costs, to horse farm

Energy News Network

Elizabeth McGowan

HUB MEMBER

16 September 2019

Yogaville, Virginia, United States

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800-1500 Words

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Horse stables in Yogaville – a spiritual center in Virginia – were overheating in the summer months but have found relief through the implementation of solar panels. My installing the panels on the roof of the stables...

Homes are a big part of Salt Lake City's air pollution problem. They also are the solution.

The Salt Lake Tribune

Heather May

HUB MEMBER

26 August 2019

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

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1500-3000 Words

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Across Salt Lake City, Utah, housing developers are building more net zero energy homes. Facing air quality issues, the state has yet to set more energy efficient codes for new homes, which means the kind of homes bei...

How One City Saved $5 Million by Routing School Buses with an Algorithm

Route Fifty

Emma Coleman

HUB MEMBER

12 August 2019

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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800-1500 Words

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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 selec...

The UK now consumes as much energy as 50 years ago—with an economy three times larger

Quartz

Akshat Rathi

HUB MEMBER

5 August 2019

United Kingdom

Multi-Media

Under 800 Words

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The UK is well on their way to reaching their goal of net-zero-greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050, already reducing their emissions to that of 50 years ago. Although there are more improvements to be made, the country'...

How Chattanooga churches are making changes to go green

Chattanooga Times Free Press

Wyatt Massey

HUB MEMBER

22 July 2019

Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

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Under 800 Words

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Churches in Chattanooga, TN are taking steps to make their spaces more environmentally -friendly and -conscious. Places like St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Grace Episcopal Church are taking on initiatives like motion...

I've seen the future and it's Norwich: the energy-saving, social housing revolution

The Guardian

Oliver Wainwright

16 July 2019

Norwich, United Kingdom

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800-1500 Words

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A neighborhood of 100 homes in Norwich offers a solution to the affordable housing crisis through no-frills public housing. The homes, part of a social housing project funded by the Norwich City Council, meet modern e...

Energy audit inspires Virginia yogis to ‘stand up for something that's important'

Energy News Network

Elizabeth McGowan

HUB MEMBER

8 July 2019

Yogaville, Virginia, United States

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800-1500 Words

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A self-imposed audit of energy resources aimed at reducing a Virginia community's carbon footprint and utility bill resulted in a move towards solar power. The community now partners with other surrounding entities to...

This DC apartment building provides low-income families with solar power and a resilience center

Greater Greater Washington

Natasha Riddle

HUB MEMBER

27 June 2019

Washington, D.C., United States

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Under 800 Words

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Solar energy allows for housing that is both affordable and resilient to climate change and other emergencies. In Washington D.C., Jubilee Housing, non-profit that creates affordable housing, partnered with New Partne...

Eskilstuna: how a Swedish town became the world capital of recycling

The Guardian

Ammar Kalia

18 June 2019

Eskilstuna, Sweden

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1500-3000 Words

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Recycling provides an economic alternative to heavy industry. In the former steel town of Eskilstuna, recovery from economic decline has meant re-platforming into a model of sustainability. From the city’s second-hand...

As Massachusetts looks to boost electric vehicle adoption, Norway offers a model

Energy News Network

Sarah Shemkus

HUB MEMBER

17 June 2019

Oslo, Norway

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800-1500 Words

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Financial incentives in Norway have contributed in a huge switch to electric vehicles. By eliminating certain taxes and tolls, drivers of electric vehicles reap financial benefits. Improved infrastructure in recent ye...

Building Resilience and Preserving History in Charleston

Shelterforce

Betsey Russell

14 June 2019

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

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Under 800 Words

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Charleston, South Carolina's Eastside neighborhood takes strides towards building efficient infrastructure by implementing a weatherization and flood protection plan. The plan, though in early stages, has included com...

Renewable technology confronts Kenya's food waste

Spore

Justus Wanzala

HUB MEMBER

4 June 2019

Kenya

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Under 800 Words

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Off-grid cold storage options reduce food waste. Farmers in eastern Kenya are benefitting from the use of solar-powered cold storage units offered by Solar Freeze, a Kenyan agri-tech company. Farmers can use an app to...

In Ohio, craft breweries emerge as leaders for clean energy

Energy News Network

Kathiann M. Kowalski

28 May 2019

Athens, Ohio, United States

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800-1500 Words

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In the crowded craft beer industry, breweries in Ohio are standing out through environmentally-friendly practices. Several breweries are depending upon solar energy and energy-efficient lighting, which are funded thro...

An (Even More) Inconvenient Truth: Why Carbon Credits For Forest Preservation May Be Worse Than Nothing

ProPublica

Lisa Song

22 May 2019

Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil

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Over 3000 Words

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This story examines the well-publicized climate-change strategy of carbon credits: the idea that a CO₂-emitting company could offset its emissions by funding anti-logging efforts, effectively "saving" the equivalent a...

Termite and ventilation system

BBC

Patrick Aryee

20 May 2019

Harare, Zimbabwe

Podcast

Over 15 Minutes

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Buildings with permeable surfaces increase energy efficiency, mimicking natural structures. In Harare, Zimbabwe, the Eastgate Centre employs methods borrowed from termite mound construction to efficiently regulate the...

One Indiana congregation's fight for energy equality

Indiana Environmental Reporter

Beth Edwards

20 May 2019

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

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1500-3000 Words

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Despite disputes between an Indianapolis church and a local utility company over net metering, the congregation continues to seek financing and resources for renewable energy-centered affordable housing projects. The ...

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Photos are licensed under Attribution Non Commercial 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license / Desaturated from original, and are credited to the following photographers:

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