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Can Norway help us solve the plastic crisis, one bottle at a time?

Matthew Taylor

July 12, 2018 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Norway, Oslo

Norway runs a return and recycling program for bottles and cans that is a measurably successful. They tax companies that produce plastics—unless the companies can prove they recycle more 95% of production. Consumers are encouraged to return plastic with a small cash incentive.

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Training the Brain to Stay out of Jail

Eli Hager

June 26, 2018 |

The Marshall Project |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Charleston, South Carolina

A nonprofit in Charleston, South Carolina, uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help formerly incarcerated men shift their mindsets in order to meet the hefty challenges they face re-entering society. Turning Leaf Project actually pays students to take at least 150 hours of CBT and connects them to entry-level jobs in the city and county. So far participants have stayed out of prison, but keeping students in the program is challenging.

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Britain built an empire out of coal. Now it's giving it up. Why can't the US?

Carolyn Beeler

June 18, 2018 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, London

Despite being the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, the UK passed the Climate Change Act in 2008, a move that reduced coal-fired electricity generation by 33 percent in only five years. The UK's carbon tax helped spur the phasing out of coal, but the political and economic conditions that enabled it are by no means universal.

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'The Daddy quota': how Quebec got men to take parental leave

Mireille Silcoff

June 15, 2018 |

The Guardian |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Quebec

Influenced by Scandavian countries, the province of Quebec created its own paid paternity leave program, which offers 70-75% paid leave. The program is aimed at dad’s, who have traditionally faced stigma and judgement for accepting paternity leave. Quebec offers “five weeks of “use-it-or-lose-it” benefits, for fathers and non-biological mothers in lesbian couples.” The program has been an instant hit: “Over 80% of Quebec fathers take their paternity leave.”

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With Shootings on the Rise, Schools Turn to 'Active Shooter' Insurance

Natalie Delgadillo

June 01, 2018 |

Governing |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

With the rise in mass shootings around the United States, more municipalities and schools are buying active shooter insurance so they can handle costs that come from mass casualty incidents and not go bankrupt. Some insurance companies also offer risk assessment and their advice often contradicts some of the recent popular suggestions, such as arming teachers. Many insurers say the most effective steps are behavioral interventions with potentially violent students.

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Cash converters: could this Dutch scheme stop drivers speeding?

Elle Hunt

May 25, 2018 |

The Guardian |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Helmond, North Brabant

A city in Holland known for its lead-footed drivers is finding success in changing behavior by offering small increments of funding for each car that stays at or below the speed limit. The initial effort raised 500 euros for a local playing field well before the three-week target date. The mobile speedometer will be moved to various cities around the province for the next two years and officials say it's a way to break drivers out of their routines and encourage them to think more about everyone's role in traffic safety.

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Why Environmental Impact Bonds Are Catching On

Laurie Mazur

May 25, 2018 |

Governing |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Environmental impact bonds allow cities, sometimes even community members, to share the risk and rewards with investors that are backing innovative possible solutions to big problems. This plan allows for large-scale green infrastructure to be piloted in areas across the U.S. where it is most needed.

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Winds of change: Eco-cremation in India and green power on Samso

Gokul Chakravarthy

May 22, 2018 |

Al Jazeera |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Denmark, Samsø, Samso

Two communities on opposite sides of the globe are turning to green energy to power their communities. On the island of Samso in Denmark, government officials turned to a cooperative ownership model to build buy-in on the wind and solar energy installations. In India, many Hindus are updating traditional cremation methods, which exact a high environmental cost, by increasing airflow and heat intensity during the cremation process.

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Australia confiscated 650,000 guns. Murders and suicides plummeted.

Zack Beauchamp

May 18, 2018 |

Vox |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia

After passing the National Firearms Agreement in 1996, Australia saw a striking decline in suicide and homicide raters. The agreement – a result of a mass shooting – included a ban on certain kinds of guns, a mandatory buyback on those guns that had been deemed illegal, as well as amnesty for those who illegally possessed firearms to turn them in. In the years leading up to the agreement, the country witnessed 13 mass shootings; since then, Australia has seen only one.

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Stuck in traffic? These folks found a solution by joining a vanpool

David Gutman Michelle Baruchman

April 28, 2018 |

The Seattle Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

When public transportation is not an option and commuting alone is undesirable, vanpools are a great option for shared commuting. Seattle’s vanpool program is the largest in the country, with 1,469 vanpools, followed by Los Angeles and San Diego. Company buy-in helps, such as when Boeing and Microsoft offered subsidies to those using vanpools. The goal is to decrease costs and drive-alone rates in major cities.

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