How 3 Simple Words Are Changing an Indian Town

New York's Hard Hat Cats turns feral cats into working animals, deploying teams in outdoor spaces and indoor workplaces with rat infestations. Breweries, a prison, and other buildings have seen their rat populations plummet once cats are welcomed and cared for. The feral cats come from colonies of rehabilitated animals who have been trapped and neutered. The colonies prove less annoying to people once they are fed. Despite a lack of help from city officials, the working cats have earned their keep by addressing a problem that New Yorkers often complain about.

In a Dallas neighborhood, environmental organizations are teaming up to plant a tree canopy that will address multiple environmental and public health concerns, while also cooling down the city's urban heat island effect. The solution is focused on helping those who are most vulnerable: seniors, minority residents, and students.

In Rwanda, "Umuganda" is compulsory community service once a month—citizens 18-65 must all clean up their local community. The rule is enforced by police officers who may stop citizens and force them to work on the spot. Though it's compulsory, one of the side effects is community pride.

Oakland Unified School District's transition to 74 electric school buses has eliminated diesel exhaust exposure and noise pollution for 1,300 students—particularly benefiting those with special needs like autism—while reducing behavioral incidents and saving an estimated $440,000 annually in fuel and maintenance costs.

Superblocks are areas in congested cities where traffic has been rerouted to prioritize people. Outfitted with green spaces and communal areas to connect, superblocks help reduce air and noise pollution. Residents living in the area report a higher quality of life and increased social interaction with their neighbors. The idea of superblocks has traveled around the world to cities like Vienna, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Los Angeles.

Health In Harmony uses a one health approach to improve both human health and the health of the environment in Madagascar at the same time. Their programs provide locals with jobs to keep them from turning to illegal logging for income, improve their access to health care, and help farmers increase their yields.

A biogas facility in Dunga, Kenya, takes in the invasive water hyacinth plant and other organic waste, shreds the material, breaks it down with bacteria in an anaerobic digester, and uses the gas produced to provide cooking fuel to locals. The biogas is a cheaper, cleaner alternative to other fuels like wood and charcoal.

Platte Farm Open Space used to be a garbage dumping ground in Denver, but it’s now an urban green space thanks to the efforts from community members, organizations, and the government. This community-led project was able to secure funding to replace the contaminated land with fresh soil that now attracts animals and includes walking paths and a playground for children. This project offers lessons on how to build a green space in a diverse neighborhood and the health benefits that come from such an initiative.

Fly ash bricks help reduce construction waste by utilizing the powdery by-product of burning coal. They are a green replacement for red clay bricks, which contribute to 5-15% of India’s emissions. They also utilize waste from coal-based thermal plants, which often gets disposed of by being dumped in water bodies and on roadsides. In comparison to red clay bricks, fly ash bricks are less expensive and the production process doesn’t emit smoke or use the more fertile top soil. Their use has been mandated by some regions and about 150 small fly ash enterprises have emerged.

LINI for Reef to Aquarium, works with local villagers to implement sustainable fishing practices and restore reef habitats damaged by neurotoxins used to catch fish for the saltwater aquarium fish trade. LINI, with the community’s help, installed cement domes to provide refuges for ornamental fish in 2008. These alternative spots for collecting fish effectively removed pressure from natural reefs and by 2011, live coral cover had increased by 35% and continues to do well today. Villagers also started a land-based breeding program to take pressure off of the coral reefs.