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With no upfront costs, this innovative financing tool makes energy efficiency affordable to all

Nate Berg

February 26, 2019 |

Ensia |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Aulander, North Carolina

North Carolina’s Roanoke Electric Cooperative is helping members bring down energy costs. Because the energy costs in this area is due to a lack of energy efficiency, the cooperative offers tariffed on-billing to help homes offset expenses like insulation and new heat pumps. The tariffed on-billing uses federal loans to pay for said expenses, and then the customer pays the tariff charge in their bill – which ends up being lower because of the energy efficient upgrades.

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Reclaiming Appalachia

Mimi Pickering

January 18, 2019 |

Making Connections News |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Whitesburg, Kentucky

Innovative mine reclamation projects across five states in the Appalachian region allow local organizations, schools, and businesses to clean up and utilize abandoned mine land. From a school that's transforming abandoned mine land into a field of solar panels to a housing development project that uses abandoned mine federal grant money to build affordable and energy efficient housing, the Appalachian region is using a comprehensive approach to renew blighted mines.

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Where the Rainforest Meets the Road

Kate Schimel

January 08, 2019 |

bioGraphic |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Papua New Guinea

In northeastern Papua New Guinea, community leaders and the government set aside 360,000 hectares of the Managalas Plateau as a protected conservation area in 2017. The project has strong local support. But facing destructive resource extraction and land use, conservation's longevity hangs on whether the community can create markets for sustainable agriculture, as well as workable infrastructure.

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With no oil cleanup in sight, Amazon tribes harvest rain for clean water

Dan Collyns

December 27, 2018 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Ecuador, Lago Agrio, Sucumbíos

Following decades of oil companies contaminating the water, indigenous groups in Ecuador’s Sucumbíos province have built systems for rainwater collection and filtration. These systems have provided people with clean water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing--a potentially powerful tool for other contaminated rural areas.

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In Australia, drought dried up farm jobs — so government became the employer

Anoush Darabi

December 24, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Australia, Victoria

As climate change has led to more frequent droughts and volatile weather in Australia, climate-dependent jobs like farming are increasingly imperiled. In response, the Australian state government of Victoria launched its Drought Employment Program, which puts underemployed farm workers back to work on environmental or cultural projects of high priority for the community. These projects, like land regeneration, also help farm workers develop new skills.

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From Cocaine To Cacao: One Man's Mission To Save Colombia's Farmers Through Chocolate

Verónica Zaragovia

December 19, 2018 |

NPR |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Quibdó, Chocó Department

One man's chocolate company in Bogotá is aiming to change the lives of farmers in the Chocó department of Colombia. Concerned about the rise in the country's coca production (used to make cocaine), the company helps farmers transition from the coca to cacao production by teaching them the necessary skills to succeed.

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‘Light for everyone': Indigenous youth mount a solar-powered resistance

Ethan Bien

December 10, 2018 |

Mongabay |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Cuetzalán, Puebla

Tosepan Titataniske, an indigenous cooperative in Mexico's Sierra Norte mountains, emphasizes local control at the heart of solar programs. Over the last four decades, the organization has incorporated 410 community-level cooperatives that serve some 60,000 members, training people to install solar and establishing agricultural cooperatives. With organization, indigenous communities have been able to fight inequitable development projects and make significant gains.

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For One Rural Community, Fighting Addiction Started With Recruiting The Right Doctor

Bram Sable-Smith

December 09, 2018 |

NPR |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Madison

Rural communities need more than medication to deal with the opioid crisis; in one rural region of northern Wisconsin, a specialist doctor is able to prescribe Suboxone, but the programs he advocates for take a more comprehensive approach to addiction services. The initiative includes group sessions and one-on-one support to help rural residents get the care they need.

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For Ugandan villagers, tradition and tourism help keep the peace with gorillas

Deusdedit Ruhangariyo

December 05, 2018 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

In Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where 54 percent of the world's mountain gorillas reside, NGOs and locals are combining efforts to stem human-gorilla conflict. By funneling tourism dollars into community development projects, conflict resolution, and disease control, conservation goals and development goals are starting to align.

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Teacher leaders improve learning, attract teachers to underserved districts

Tara Garcia Mathewson

November 29, 2018 |

The Hechinger Report |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Edgecombe, North Carolina

A school district in North Carolina is at the cutting edge of a new teaching model - to multiply the impact of the most effective teachers and draw them to underserved districts, schools are paying these teachers more to coach their colleagues in addition to continuing to teach their own classrooms. So far, 50,000 students across the country are learning under the "teacher-leader" model.

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