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How small businesses in Salt Lake City are helping to clear the air

Heather May

August 28, 2019 |

The Salt Lake Tribune |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Logan, Utah

VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are a type of pollutant that can be found even in homes and small businesses, but across Utah, small businesses are finding creative ways to reduce their emissions. A mix of mandatory rules at the state level as well as supplementary grants to pay for the cost to switch to more environmentally-friendly machinery and materials has fueled this shift. Businesses including coffee shops, lawn care companies, and furniture stores are stepping up.

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The all-electric home: Tackling air pollution by cutting off natural gas

Heather May

August 27, 2019 |

The Salt Lake Tribune |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Herriman, Utah

In a collaborative effort between developers, power companies, and the government, a new apartment complex in Utah will be almost entirely powered by solar energy. The complex, developed by Wasatch Premier Communities, will work with Rocky Mountain Power to determine how to integrate such technology into the region’s electricity grid. This kind of development is gaining ground in Utah, and those in the industry hope to educate others of the benefits of going electric.

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Homes are a big part of Salt Lake City's air pollution problem. They also are the solution.

Heather May

August 26, 2019 |

The Salt Lake Tribune |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Salt Lake City, Utah

Across Salt Lake City, Utah, housing developers are building more net zero energy homes. Facing air quality issues, the state has yet to set more energy efficient codes for new homes, which means the kind of homes being built by developers like Redfish, Garbett Homes, and Ivory Homes, are being constructed on a much smaller scale. Such homes, while costing 2-5% more to build, have shown to decrease energy costs by 50-60%.

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South Mountain HS cross-country team pushing for electric school buses

Kristine Harrington

August 16, 2019 |

KPHO-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Phoenix, Arizona

Because of a collaborative effort between a high school cross country team and Chispa, an environmental advocacy group, Arizona’s Phoenix Union High School District has bought its first electric school bus. While nearly three times more expensive than a regular school bus, the school district considered the long-term sustainability, not just in terms of fuel and maintenance costs, but in regards to larger, environmental efforts as well.

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A tiny garden in Boulder is showing signs of stress from smog. The scientist behind it is thrilled.

Amanda K. Clark

August 12, 2019 |

The Colorado Sun |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Boulder, Colorado

A garden at Boulder, Colorado’s Museum of Natural History is being used to track the effects of smog and educate visitors as well. Called an “ozone garden,” this plot – and other like it around the world – shows researchers and visitors how plants are damaged by ground-level ozone levels. Beyond education, the researchers behind the ozone garden are using it to show how crops and food availability will diminish as climate change continues.

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These high school runners train in 'nasty air,' so they're working to clean it up

Priscilla Totiyapungprasert

July 29, 2019 |

AZ Central (The Arizona Republic) |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Phoenix, Arizona

Grassroots organization can generate change in carbon emissions practices at the community level. In Phoenix, the Chispa nonprofit organization that promotes environmental and social justice, is working to get schools to apply to Arizona’s Lower-Emissions Bus program, funded by money paid to the state in the aftermath of Volkswagen’s emissions scandal. By mobilizing volunteers to canvass neighborhoods and attend school board meetings, the group has succeeded in getting at least one school district to purchase an electric bus and implement a pilot program.

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Renewing London

Oliver Gordon

July 04, 2019 |

Struggles from Below Magazine |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: England, London

In London, two community-driven initiatives are working side by side to engage residents in sustainable practices. Energy Garden, a community energy cooperative, has created green spaces in rail stations offers residents community gardens, nature education, and solar power. Repower, the other initiative, works with residents to communally invest in renewable energy for low-income neighborhoods while also providing those neighborhoods with energy jobs and mentoring services.

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A tiny tweak in California law is creating a strange thing: carbon-negative oil

Akshat Rathi

July 01, 2019 |

Quartz |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Switzerland

A collaboration between an oil company, a Harvard professor and California lawmakers has resulted in the creation of a large-scale energy plant. While there are still goals yet to be me, this plant is capable of capturing carbon dioxide from the air while simultaneously recovering oil.

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Is it time for a radical new approach to fighting global warming?

Daniel Hurst

June 25, 2019 |

Global Ground Media |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Indonesia

Geoengineering, a term used to cover a broad range of large-scale, drastic measures to combat climate change, has the science and policy communities divided. These measures are currently being explored across the world, and while they could work as a response to climate change, many cite them as temporary band-aids that will only delay the effects of global warming. Many cite the need to understand the complexity of the issue and, rather than bandaging the issue, take a comprehensive, structural approach.

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Oregon is poised to set a cap on greenhouse gas emissions. That's a huge deal.

David Roberts

June 05, 2019 |

Vox |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Salem, Oregon

A bill in Oregon has the potential to transform the way greenhouse gases are treated in the Pacific Northwest and potentially across the country. The Clean Energy Jobs Bill is an extremely detailed attempt to build a cap and trade system that also makes thoughtful exceptions along a carefully-planned timeline, with the support of environmental justice advocates as well as construction and trade workers. Though still in the early stages, this bill could transform the scale at which states approach greenhouse gas reduction.

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