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A fascinating new scheme to create walkable public spaces in Barcelona

David Roberts

April 22, 2017 |

Vox |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Spain, Barcelona

Barcelona is combating its rampant CO2 emissions from cars, by creating super-blocks. Super-blocks are an area within the city dedicated to pedestrians where cars can only travel at a very low speed. This model has decreased CO2 emissions and reduced noise levels while increasing economic activity and revitalizing the urban space. This model could be applied in the U.S. to make cities more pedestrian friendly.

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How to Turn Neighborhoods Into Hubs of Resilience

Taj James Rosa González

April 14, 2017 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Community development programs in cities around the country show how using connectedness and equity as focal points in sparking community change can be successful and sustainable in the long-term. From a Brooklyn grassroots environmental justice organization sustainably rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy to a coalition of nonprofits in Richmond fueling public participation in renewable energy awareness, these entities rely on relationships, equity and bonding over shared communities to foster solutions.

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These cities have great, but sometimes strange, ideas on transit. Which ones can Toronto steal?

Oliver Moore

March 31, 2017 |

The Globe and Mail |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Toronto, Ontario

Toronto wants to improve its transit system, perhaps there are solutions that can be applied from other cities. Changing the way parking is priced, improving bus shelters, implementing more highway tolls, and having automated subways are all possible options.

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Renewables roadshow: how the 'nonna effect' got Darebin's pensioners signing up to solar

Michael Slezak

March 22, 2017 |

The Guardian |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia, Darebin, Victoria

Although solar installations have been on the rise, it's often those that could most benefit from this renewable energy source that can't access it. The Darebin City Council in Australia recognized this challenge faced by very low-income households, and began what is now known as the Solar Saver program. Although it initially began as a way to help these families cut electricity costs, it is now focused on making solar more accessible by providing no cost installations and a 10-year payment plan that ultimately helps the families cut costs.

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In Beijing, Two Wheels Are Only a Smartphone Away

Didi Kirsten Tatlow

March 19, 2017 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: China, Beijing

As Beijing grapples with pollution caused in large part by the increase in cars on the roads, a tech-based solution has appeared in the form of forward-thinking bicycles. The Chinese bike-sharing system, spearheaded by several startups, allows commuters to find a bike using GPS, pay for it using an app, and drop it off upon arriving to their destination, wherever that may be. A mix of private investment and government support has allowed this market to thrive.

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The 'sun king' who built a solar city in China

Alvaro A. Ricciardelli

March 08, 2017 |

BBC |

Broadcast TV News |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: China, Dehzou, Shandong

Shandong Province in China is burdened with heavy air pollution due to being a hub of coal mining. To create a cleaner energy system, one man created a "city" entirely powered by solar energy, complete with a "solar museum" and "solar hotel". The buildings are designed to adopt solar panels into its structure, making the "city" not only beneficial to the environmental, but a one-of-a-kind architectural masterpiece.

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Cable Cars Are Changing the World

Duncan Geere

March 07, 2017 |

How We Get to Next |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia, Medellín

In what was once a violent neighborhood ruled by drug cartels and fear, prosperity and community are now blossoming in Medellin, thanks to an effective new form of public transportation: cable cars. The gondola system has allowed those neighborhoods on the steep slopes surrounding the city center - those which were not accessible by traditional rail systems and which suffered severe vehicle traffic congestion - to link to the rest of the city, improving job opportunities, access to basic and emergency services, and more.

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How China is Cleaning its Air

Mukul Devichand

March 05, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: China, Beijing, Jingjinji

Air pollution is a huge problem for China, but surprisingly, the Air Quality Index in several cities is improving because of a variety of experimental projects that are being rolled out and a number of clever pollution solutions from around the country.

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Building Better Cities

Russell Beard Juliana Schatz

March 05, 2017 |

Al Jazeera |

Broadcast TV News |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Colombia, Cali, Valle del Cauca

By 2050 the percentage of the world's population living in cities will increase to two-thirds with significant environmental strains. In Colombia, a company called Conceptos Plasticos collects recyclable plastic material, melts it down and moulds it into bricks used to build houses for the local community. Singapore too, is on the cutting edge of environmentally sustainable urban solutions including vertical farms and living buildings.

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Big in Bolivia: Zebras in the Streets

Isabel Henderson

March 01, 2017 |

The Atlantic |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Bolivia, La Paz

In La Paz, local government is using people dressed in zebra costumes to direct traffic and change the behavior of people who break the rules. La Paz borrowed the idea from Antanas Mockus, the former mayor of Bogota, who discovered that people are more afraid of being ridiculed than being punished. Through humor, the method has improved driving and people's moods on the streets, hospitals, and schools.

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