Armed With Data, Fighting More Than Crime

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/armed-with-data-fighting-more-than-crime

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

2 May 2012

Text / 800-1500 Words

CitiStat has show great success in cities like Baltimore, where it has improved city services' efficiency (removing snow, fixing potholes, etc.). Many cities use Stat programs, but Baltimore has been a particular case of success. Looking at how it implemented its CitiStat program holds lessons for other cities.

Dealing with blight complaints requires new approach, Memphis says

http://www.fayobserver.com/a9f5d553-c59b-5643-9b12-55aca76dde64.html

Greg Barnes

Fayetteville Observer

22 February 2014

Text / Under 800 Words

In Memphis, a creative blight-reduction initiative called 25 Square Blocks broke down the city into blocks. Inspectors were able to quickly identify all the violations and fix them, using the same amount of funding, but less time, as the old call-and-respond model.

Depressed? Try Therapy Without the Therapist

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/depressed-try-therapy-without-the-therapist

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

19 June 2015

Text / 1500-3000 Words

MoodGYM is an online program targeted to help those suffering from depression for whom it is a challenge to access therapy because of location or the stigma it carries. Essentially a therapy session in your pocket, the program allows users to access help at little to no cost, regardless of where they are or what time of day it is.

Five Cheap Ways Tech Is Transforming Classrooms

https://medium.com/bright/five-cheap-ways-tech-is-transforming-classrooms-3f0530f0c1b0

Alex Madison

Bright Magazine

6 May 2015

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Low budget schools across the U.S. are having students use their smartphones as learning tools inside and outside the classroom. At no extra cost they can incorporate technology into the curriculum through a myriad of applications, from homework reminder apps to free cloud document platforms like Google Docs.

Freelance Nation: “The Greatest Economic Transformation in Human History”?

http://www.wnyc.org/story/freelance-nation-greatest-economic-transformation-human-history

Manoush Zomorodi

WNYC

16 October 2013

Radio / Over 15 Minutes

The 2008 recession’s job losses spurred a development of a Do-It-Yourself economy. With the advent of Uber, Etsy, Airbnb, and others, the marketplace has become full of micro-entrepreneurs who thrive with independent web-assisted businesses.

How Did the Meadow Vole Cross the Road? Designing travel routes for wildlife

https://medium.com/re-form/how-did-the-meadow-vole-cross-the-road-21a0f0931418

Benjamin Goldfarb

re:form

9 October 2014

Text / 1500-3000 Words

As a state with robust populations of wildlife, Montana has had its share of roadkill. Its Department of Transportation developed animal shelving, a type of wildlife crossing, to enable safe passage for small animals who need to cross the road. The measure, combined with other types of crossings, has reduced animal-vehicle collisions by half.

How to Cut the Prison Population (See for Yourself)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/12/upshot/how-to-cut-the-prison-population-see-for-yourself.html

Erik Eckholm

The New York Times

11 August 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Prisons in the United States are overcrowded with many non-violent offenders and the cost to keep them in jail consumes public budgets. Criminal justice reform has attracted bipartisan interest with diverse proposals to aid adjust the incarceration rate. The Urban Institute has developed an interactive “prison population forecaster,” which helps citizens to assess the impact of different policies.

In Aleppo, cell phones are helping some desperate Syrians find clean water

http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-08-26/aleppo-cell-phones-are-helping-some-desperate-syrians-find-clean-water

Joyce Hackel

Public Radio International (PRI)

26 August 2015

Radio / 5-15 Minutes

In war zones, people have a difficult time finding clean water and safe areas to inhabit. Social media, smart phones, and technology applications are aiding in people’s survival. In Aleppo, Syria, the International Committee of the Red Cross posted a map on Facebook to show alternative sources of clean drinking water that reached approximately 140,000 people.

In India, Latrines Are Truly Lifesavers

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/13/in-india-latrines-are-truly-lifesavers

Vivekananda Nemana

Ankita Rao

The New York Times

13 November 2014

Text / 1500-3000 Words

India has had a problem in which 620 million people openly defecate outdoors, causing harm to hygiene, sanitation, food, and water resources. The president of India funded an initiative to build public toilets for the people in his country, but the people did not use them because of old traditions and behaviors. The Total Sanitation Campaign is slowly changing villagers’ minds by having local leadership persuade those who resist the toilets by holding community activities and creating special committees to maintain the sanitation.

How to Grow More Food with Less Water

http://ensia.com/features/how-to-grow-more-food-with-less-water

Matt Weiser

Ensia

3 August 2015

Text / 1500-3000 Words

The U.S. government has developed different sensors for irrigation devices that gauge water demand and help conserve use. as water shortages caused by drought have increased across the globe, and farmers are faced with economic burdens, such technology is focusin on sustainability for the future.