Next City
1 September 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
An income-based payment structure has alleviated water debt in Philadelphia. Decreasing federal aid to municipal water utilities in conjunction with rising costs associated with climate change has increased the cost of water, making it unaffordable for many. Philadelphia created an income-based program, which caps water bills at three percent of income. The Tiered Assistance Program, or TAP, also provides debt elimination for those who make their minimum payments. Advocates have successfully pushed for similar reforms in Baltimore.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/opinion/bill-gates-cant-build-a-toilet.html
Jason Kass
The New York Times
18 November 2013
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Ecological toilets that use natural composting to break down waste are simple to construct, waterless and are easy to fix. But as philanthropists are finding, getting these to those that need it most is harder than anticipated.
https://www.hcn.org/issues/46.20/can-biomimicry-tackle-our-toughest-water-problems
Benjamin Goldfarb
High Country News
24 November 2014
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Clean water and healthy ecosystems are becoming increasingly difficult to come by. With floating islands and other inventions, eco-entrepreneur Bruce Kania thinks that biomimicry - such as reconstructing wetlands and growing biofilms - can tackle the toughest of water problems.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/03/02/cities-saving-states-lagos-nigeria
Seth Kaplan
Foreign Policy
2 March 2015
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Although Nigeria "is arguably the worst-run of the world’s major countries," it's biggest city is providing a model for how to turn poor governance around. Lagos, a historically fragile city like the rest of Nigeria, has devolved more power to civilian rule, which has shown positive results for the health of the city.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/drugs-risk-and-the-myth-of-the-evil-addict
Maia Szalavitz
The New York Times
27 September 2011
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While critics argue that Naloxone isn't safe for over-the-counter use, some cities have found success distributing Naloxone to community members to help save lives of addicts who overdose. Naloxone can be administered to help those overdosing survive and jump-start the withdrawal process.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/for-v-a-hospitals-and-patients-a-major-health-victory
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
30 January 2015
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Although patients go to hospitals to receive medical care, many Americans will acquire infections that did not already have them. The United States as a whole has made modest progress at reducing the rates of hospital-acquired infections. Spearheading the efforts, the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers have devised anti-MRSA strategies to keep patients safe.
http://www.adn.com/article/20150907/new-sanitation-system-tested-arctic-village-kivalina
Scott Jensen
Anchorage Daily News
7 September 2015
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Lack of access to sanitary bathrooms in the village of Kivalina, Alaska led to the implementation of a novel, home-based water sanitation system, currently being tested for effectiveness. The hope is that it proves to be a solution for areas all over the state with lack of access to clean water systems.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/keeping-the-water-flowing-in-rural-villages
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
8 December 2011
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In Tanzania, mapping of water points showed that nationally, less than half the existing rural water points were working—of water points that were less than two years old, a quarter had already stopped functioning. British charity WaterAid sets up workshops in poor countries like Tanzania and India to train mechanics in order to have a local fix for these problems. The mechanic position offers employment opportunities for women, fixes pumps for an average of 100 rupees (roughly $2.00), and repaired more than 1,100 pumps in the first 14 months.
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/2015/02/13/a-military-manual-for-nonviolent-war
Tina Rosenberg
The New York Times
13 February 2015
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The Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies provides a "blueprint" for peaceful and democratic revolution, busting myths about the process of nonviolent revolt and helping dissidents in countries around the world to accomplish political goals, such as fighting corruption or protecting the environment.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-simple-fix-for-drunken-driving-1439564251
Keith Humphreys
Wall Street Journal
14 August 2015
Text / 800-1500 Words
South Dakota’s “24/7 Sobriety” initiative breathalyzers tens of thousands of people every day in an effort to curb drunk driving. Rather than legislation that takes penalizes offenders by taking away their license, the state addresses the behavioral issue instead. In counties that use the “24/7 Sobriety,” they’ve seen a 12% decrease in repeat drunken-driving arrests.
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