Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 236 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

People Are Helping Animals Cross Highways — That's Great for Humans, Too

Monica Humphries

June 10, 2019 |

NationSwell |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Gainesville, Florida

Across the United States, cities are designing ways for wildlife to cross major roadways. Whether they’re overpasses crossing highways or tunnels under freeways, these helpful pathways are strategically placed to help save the most wildlife. Seeing huge successes, including a casualty rate decline of close to 94% – conservationists are calling for more legislation to help protect and maintain such efforts.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Why you want oysters and a salt marsh between you and a hurricane

Anne N. Connor

June 03, 2019 |

Vox |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Beaufort, North Carolina

Instead of building hard seawalls to protect communities from hurricanes, some are turning to “living shorelines.” These are made out of crushed rock or oyster shells that are placed offshore in front of a wetland. There are more than 120 of these types of habitats — including in Beaufort, North Carolina — and they have shown that they can absorb 50 percent of wave energy, which can reduce the risk of loss of human life and property from flooding. This might not work for all coastal communities, but living shorelines are cheaper than the traditional seawalls.

Read More
Go to Original Story
‘People aren't disabled, their city is': inside Europe's most accessible city

Emily Yates

May 28, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Breda, North Brabant

The Dutch city of Breda is making great strides in making their city accessible for all with more than 800 shops and bars physically accessible and more than 26 city resident and tourist-focused websites now accessible to those with sensory and learning impairments. Breda attributes these successes and many more to a commitment to improving accessibility and creating partnerships that work together to achieve this mission of inclusivity and social confidence.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Oakland's 'Pothole Vigilantes' Take Street Repairs Into Their Own Hands

Sonja Hutson

May 20, 2019 |

KQED |

Radio |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

In Oakland, CA, two men deemed the Pothole Vigilantes have paired up to fix every pothole in the city. Made possible by crowdfunding the venture, the two have now developed public meetups to teach others how to fix potholes themselves. This has caught the attention of city officials, who, partly because of this effort, have passed a $100 million plan to repave Oakland streets.

Read More
Go to Original Story
New Orleans Uses Tech to Consolidate 911 and 311 Systems

Zack Quaintance

May 17, 2019 |

Government Technology |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana

Low-code applications assist in modernizing governmental software systems. A development platform that allows people who have little coding experience to easily digitize processes has allowed New Orleans and the Orleans Parish Communication District to streamline their 911 and 311 services, allowing citizens to track information and engage with government agencies more transparently.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Tiny Branson has plenty of water. But like other small rural delivery systems in Colorado, it must find a way to meet new state standards.

Kevin Simpson

May 06, 2019 |

The Colorado Sun |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Branson, Colorado

Innovation is the key to resilience. In Branson, Colorado, the community of only 55 residents and with volunteer town council has taken on the massive task of bringing its water system up to compliance with the Colorado Department of Health. Because the state and federal government did not have the specific resources to assist Branson, the community turned to a locally developed, innovative water filtration system and an unorthodox funding campaign to pay for it.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The traffic solution most cities haven't tried

Diana Budds

May 03, 2019 |

Vox |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Cities across the world have implemented “congestion pricing” – meaning that cars in high-traffic areas will have to pay a fee to drive within those limits. New York City is one of the most recent cities to potentially implement this approach in its attempt to reduce congestion and encourage walking, biking, and public transportation.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The Town That Extended ‘Smart Growth' to Its Water

Jason Plautz

April 30, 2019 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Westminster, Colorado

Haunted by a 1962 drought in the town of Westminster, Colorado, the city's planners now incorporate water data in their planning processes to ensure that they never face the same sourcing issues again. By breaking down the silos between its water management and planning departments, the town has figured out how to manage its finite water resources, even in the face of a ballooning population. Now, other towns are following suit.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Inside the Battle to Close Rikers

Maurice Chammah

March 22, 2019 |

The Marshall Project |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

New York City plans to close the eight jail complex located on Rikers Island and replace it with a series of four smaller, community-integrated facilities in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. While the administration has faced community pushback, the city has gleaned insights about the process, including jail reform and design and how to receive feedback from the community. The goal is for this plan could lead to further decarceration, financial savings for the city, and facilities that incorporate job-training, substance abuse treatment, and counseling into its services.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Rebuilding Cities, With Culture at the Core

Tanvi Misra

March 12, 2019 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Medellín

City planners and governments often overlook culture when trying to rebuild cities blighted by war, disasters, or other types of urban distress. But not Medellín, Colombia. After the drug trade made Medellín a violent place, the local government turned to the concept of "citizen culture" to restore the city. By building libraries and parks, enabling art, and creating transportation access in the comunas in the hills above the city, the government invested in people-centric policies that also made economic sense.

Read More
Go to Original Story