Governing
15 November 2016
Text / Under 800 Words
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Already a model for the 'Smart City Trend', Chicago is now continuing its innovative streak by launching an "urban sensing" project, which will gather, analyze and publicize sensory data on the city’s air quality, traffic flow, and hyperlocal weather conditions. These sensors will not only provide the public with immediate and practical information about traffic, air and weather safety, but also guide city planners’ in designing energy efficient infrastructure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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