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Will Cities Ever Outsmart Rats?

Linda Poon

August 09, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

It is currently estimated that there are 2 million rats in New York City. With numbers that high, cities including Washington, D.C. and Chicago along with New York City have teams employed solely to control the rat population. Efforts have previously been futile, however, as little is known about this species. Recognizing this problem, some cities have begun working with researchers and computer scientists to use big data to not just control the current rat populations, but also predict where the rodents will infest next and attempt to thwart their next move.

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How Louisville Crowdsourced a Treatment For Asthma Attacks

Laura Bliss

August 09, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Louisville, Kentucky

The Kentucky metro area has some of the worst air quality in the country, leading to concerning rates of asthma and respiratory disease well above the national averages. But a group called AIR Louisville has implemented a creative, crowdsourced solution that utilizes GPS-enabled inhalers to help patients identify and address asthma patterns based on numerous factors such as avoiding heavily-polluted parts of town, and identifying the best treatments based on lifestyle needs.

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Free Lunch at the Library

Catherine Saint Louis

July 30, 2017 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cincinnati, Ohio

From New York to Ohio to California, librarians have teamed up with the USDA summer food service program, along with other non-profits, to feed kids dependent on free/reduced-price lunches during the school year. Using census data to locate communities of greatest need and data to measure participation trends, the collaborative has witnessed a surge in effectiveness and impact across the states. Families, librarians, and public officials alike express satisfaction and enthusiasm for the initiative and its future.

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Keeping an Eye on What the Arctic Throws Down Iceberg Alley

Gloria Dickie

July 21, 2017 |

News Deeply |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador

Although many know the name of the Titanic, not many are necessarily aware of what happened in the aftermath of the devastating crash. To mitigate against another ship hitting an iceberg, the International Ice Patrol under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea was created. This group monitors icebergs that obstruct the traffic in the trans-Atlantic shipping lanes via flyovers by airplanes conducting ice reconnaissance flights. Due to climate change, however, there has been a recent push for enhanced satellite coverage.

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A Cheap Fix for Climate Change? Pay People Not to Chop Down Trees

Brad Plumer

July 20, 2017 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Hoima, Kibaale, Western Region

In a randomized experiment in western Uganda, scientists demonstrated the effectiveness of paying rural farmers not to chop down trees since deforestation contributes to CO2 emissions worldwide. They studied for two years the declines in forest cover between a control group (no payment) and the participant group (paid). Building on a United Nations project in which wealthy nations pay poorer ones in an attempt to equalize the costs of responding to climate change, the outcome of the project proves the existence of a low-cost environmental policy solution to stemming rising global temperatures.

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Sustainability Report: High-Tech Coral Reef Monitoring

Margo Pierce

July 13, 2017 |

Paste Magazine |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Monterey Bay, California

Increasing coral reef resiliency has become a top priority for many marine scientists, leading to the creation of new tools that take advantage of new technology. Benthic Ecosystem and Acidification Measurements System (BEAMS) is one such creation that acts as an autonomous reef monitoring system, allowing researchers to collect data continuously and at a previously unparalleled rate.

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Pop-Up Bike Network Leads to Permanent Change

Josh Cohen

July 10, 2017 |

Next City |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Macon, Georgia

A bike share system as well as a pop-up experiment that added eight miles of temporary bike lanes in Macon, Georgia more than doubled the number of people riding bikes on the streets every day. It also showed county officials bike lanes were viable and desirable and now there are modest plans underway for three miles of permanent bike lanes and advocates are pushing for the county to adopt a complete streets policy for the city.

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A Fairhill church is redemption central for ex-offenders

Kristen E. Holmes

July 07, 2017 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A church in Philadelphia is adept at ministering to those coming out of incarceration and drug use because its two pastors come from that very same world. They hold members accountable, which could mean a required stint in rehab before folks can use the various services of the church like housing, food and help with employment. As a result the recidivism rate of members is about five percent, far lower that the state-wide rate.

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Reimagining failure: ‘Last-chance' schools are the future of American high schools

Natalie Gross

July 05, 2017 |

The Hechinger Report |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

An alternative approach to education has long existed, but in the last decade, collaborations between non-profit student-support organizations and public schools have fostered a model called "Last-Chance Schools" with remarkable success. The program targets root causes for dropping out, including economic disadvantages, mental health challenges, violence, and unstable home lives. As several Boston charter schools demonstrate, use of social-emotional learning, conflict-mediation instead of zero-tolerance discipline, and flexible curricula has helped boost graduation and college acceptance rates while lowering suspensions.

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Black moms die in childbirth 3 times as often as white moms. Except in North Carolina.

Julia Belluz

July 03, 2017 |

Vox |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Black American mothers are about 3.5 times more likely to die from complications related to childbirth than white American mothers. A program called Pregnancy Medical Home in North Carolina has contributed to successfully eliminating this disparity by targeting low-income mothers and focusing on risk factors that contribute to poor maternal outcomes. The program is funded by Medicaid and mothers who are identified as being high risk are paired with a care manager who helps them to achieve the health plans set forth by their doctors.

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