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Some court systems are texting people to get them to show up. Could it work here?

Matt Rocheleau

February 18, 2018 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

When a defendant misses a court date, it can lead to more severe charges for the defendant, more work for justice professionals, and difficulties for people involved in the case such as witnesses. In order to decrease the amount of missed dates, New York City has began texting people providing a reminder about the time and location. While the large percentage of people who own cell phones make this a cheap and—as early results has shown—effective tool, the spread of the idea is hampered by a lack of cell phone numbers on file.

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Introducing the cool way to keep fruits fresh

Leopold Obi

February 17, 2018 |

Nation Africa |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Massi

To prolong the shelf life of mangos, a cash crop in Kenya, members of the Masii Horticultural Farmers Cooperative in Machakos County have found a way to build innovative coolers that will work without a need for electricity. Although not without problems, like the ability for the farmer's to actually transport their fruit to the coolers, this innovation has allowed the deterioration process to stall for more than 15 days.

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Offshore wind projects breathe life into struggling UK ports

Chris Bentley

February 14, 2018 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom, Grimsby

In the port of Grimsby in the United Kingdom, the community was struggling to thrive with very few jobs and not much of an industry. Offshore wind power has recently changed that future, however, by not only lowering the cost of energy resources, but bring jobs to the region.

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Uganda Attempts to Shut Down Controversial Silicon Valley-Funded Schools

Jacob Kushner

February 14, 2018 |

Columbia Global Reports |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Uganda

Well-known Silicon Valley companies started the Bridge International Academies in 2007, an experimental school model, across some East African countries in an attempt to increase the quality of education, while promising a cost of $6-7 monthly per student. Bridge has now opened over 520 schools, serves over 100,000 students, and consistently showed rising graduation rates and testing performance, but its system of tablet-centered education and standardized curriculum has received criticism from its own teachers and government officials, who are weary of releasing control of their country's education system.

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One Fish, Two Fish, Strange Fish, New Fish

Richard Martin

February 13, 2018 |

bioGraphic |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Maynard, Massachusetts

Genetically engineered foods have found their place in the world's diet through a variety of means. AquaBounty Technologies has taken this practice and found a successful way to apply it to the engineering of salmon, introducing a means to potentially cut back on overfishing while also supplying a nutritious alternative to more affluent counties and simultaneously help aid the people of the developing world that have little access to meat. Despite facing years of pushback from North America, the company has successfully been selling the salmon in Canadian grocery stores and hopes to expand the sales soon.

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Medicine Cabinet: Safely disposing of opioids

Michelle Nicks

February 13, 2018 |

WFMJ-TV |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Warren, Ohio

Proper disposal of leftover prescription medication can help prevent substance abuse. To help residents properly dispose of their medications, Trumbull County in Ohio is undertaking a campaign to distribute medication deactivation kits to senior citizens. The initiative is funded by a grant from multiple community partners. The solution uses a carbon charcoal mix that neutralizes pharmaceutical compounds, making them safe for disposal.

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Here's one idea to make ‘Storrowing' a thing of the past

Matt Rocheleau

February 08, 2018 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

A persistent problem in Massachusetts of trucks going through tunnels or underpasses that are too low for safe clearance has prompted officials to look to Sydney, Australia for a possible solution. Officials in that city worked with a private company to develop a system where if a truck is too tall, it triggers a warning so officials can activate a sheet of water at the tunnel entrance upon which is projected the holographic image of a giant red Stop sign. It's proven successful in stopping drivers before they enter the tunnel.

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This simple solution to smartphone addiction is now used in over 600 U.S. schools

Tara Bahrampour

February 05, 2018 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Smartphones can inhibit natural human engagement, invade privacy, or distract us from any number of things we need to pay attention to. So Yondr and companies like it provide ways to lock up people's phones, denying them an outlet for those urges to stay glued to the little screen. One school of many that mandates putting phones in Yondr pouches during school hours cites higher grades and lower disciplinary problems. At concerts, people pay more attention and are less preoccupied by the impulse to video everything they could simply be watching.

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Tech Support for an Ailing Planet

Virginia Gewin

January 30, 2018 |

bioGraphic |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States

The advancement of technology has created the capability to consider solutions never before possible. Conservation X Labs, a startup based in Washington, D.C., has committed their focused on marrying the worlds of conservation and technology, to combat mounting concerns of international poaching and deforestation. While the scaling of the technology is stagnated largely due to the expense of technology, progress has been made and devices are actively being piloted.

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Thousands of poor young people are using Minecraft to redesign their cities

Odette Chalaby

January 29, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Mumbai

Too often, poor community members are not included in public discourse over how public spaces should look-- rather, the urban planning is more top-down. To change that, the UN’s Block by Block project is using the computer game Minecraft to include locals in shaping the physical spaces in their own communities by teaching them digital design skills. The UN program has engaged over 17,000 people, and 20 crowdsourced designs have already been built in cities around the world.

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