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A Vision For Floating Buildings, Minus the Libertarian Politics

Lindsey J. Smith

October 16, 2019 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

A floating prototype in the San Francisco bay - envisioned by researchers at California College of Art - is testing the sustainability and possibilities of the creation of floating buildings. The structure, which has successfully integrated with barnacles and other marine life, is one in a number of visions of floating communities that respond to the rapidly appearing effects of climate change on coastal communities.

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Real food challenge: Auburn University, unlike peers, requires 20% local source of dining food

Melissa Brown

October 16, 2019 |

The Montgomery Advertiser |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Auburn, Alabama

Several colleges in the U.S. use a third-party corporation to manage their dining services, but Auburn University's contract is unique in that it specifies 20 percent of all food must be locally sourced. This partnership was originally born out of a student group that wanted the land-grant university to embrace its agriculture roots by including the community farming industry.

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Facing unbearable heat, Qatar has begun to air-condition the outdoors

Steven Mufson

October 16, 2019 |

The Washington Post |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Qatar, Doha

In Qatar, where temperatures have reached unbearably high degrees, an engineering professor at Qatar University has designed a way to provide air conditioning to the outdoors. Although the method is arguably not a solution for climate change and could actually have negative impacts, it is successfully allowing people in the country to be able to leave the their homes, which in turn benefits the economy of the country.

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Planting Native Prairie Could Be a Secret Weapon for Farmers

Nathan Beacom

October 15, 2019 |

Civil Eats |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ames, Iowa

Farmers in Iowa have been experimenting with native prairie crops – using native plant species as buffers on farmlands – in an effort to bring more pollination, soil health, water quality preservation, and carbon sequestration to their land. The Iowa State University STRIPS program has been supporting farmers in this effort by connecting them with funding and the information they need to undertake such crops.

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How solar ‘skin' helped an Indiana homeowner win a fight for rooftop panels

Kari Lydersen

October 15, 2019 |

Energy News Network |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Indianapolis, Indiana

After the homeowners association denied his request to install solar panels on his roof due to their aesthetic, Indianapolis-resident Joey Myles used SolarSkin to disguise the panels to look like asphalt shingles. The company Sistine Solar makes these films that coat solar panels in various images that can be used to blend in with roofs or other forms of artwork. The panels with skins only generate about 85 percent of energy as those without skins, but they can withstand extreme weather.

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Our Zoo is Greener Than Your Zoo

Brianna Baker

October 15, 2019 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia Zoo has created an in-house, vertical garden – housed in a shipping container provided by the nonprofit, CropBox – to grow food for the animals. So far, it has shown to be a more sustainable way of feeding the animals, producing 275 lbs of greens per month and using 70-90% less water than traditional farming. The garden is just one of the zoo’s newest sustainability initiatives, which include increasing energy efficiency, using solar-powered vehicles, and creating more trails and spaces for the animals.

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Drinking water safety: Lessons Ohio and Dayton can learn from other states

Will Garbe

October 13, 2019 |

Dayton Daily News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Minnesota

Ohio’s drinking water has tested positive for PFAS chemicals, so state officials are looking at what has worked in other states to fund the process of restoring a clean drinking water supply. In Michigan, this looks like a multi-agency approach that supports bipartisan buy-in, while Minnesota saw success by holding the state’s largest manufacturer accountable for the contamination and clean-up.

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'A model of sustainable commerce': carbon footprint, grid concerns push SoCal weed industry to be more green

Melissa Daniels

October 10, 2019 |

Desert Sun |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Desert Hot Springs, California

California-based cannabis company, Canndescent, has taken many steps toward low-carbon sustainability in its operations. The company uses commercial-scale solar energy, reverse-mounted ceiling fans, and microburst irrigation systems as a way of demonstrating “a model of sustainable commerce.” As legalizing cannabis grows in popularity, other states and cities are looking toward sustainable practices to off-set the high-energy needed for such growth.

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This Charcoal-Coated Seed Could Bring Kenya's Forests Back to Life

Randi Eicher

October 10, 2019 |

The Slowdown |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

To combat the rapidly decreasing forest density in Kenya, an organization created "seedballs," or seeds from trees coated in charcoal and other nutrients that help the seeds survive long enough to germinate. The organization created a competition for schoolchildren to scatter the seeds using slingshots and encourages other creative ways to spread the seeds across the country.

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Food is biggest stumbling block on zero-waste nature tour

JoAnna Haugen

October 10, 2019 |

Mongabay |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Natural Habitat Adventures, a tour company, has run the first no-waste, week-long trip through Yellowstone. With ecotourism producing millions of pounds of waste per year, the group wanted to demonstrate that doing so was possible as a way of holding other tour companies to a higher standard. Natural Habitat was able to reach the zero-waste success through composting, sharing meals at restaurants, heavy planning and preparation, and consulting with sustainability and waste experts.

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