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Will Norway Ever Beat the Winter Blues?

Linda Geddes

March 14, 2017 |

The Atlantic |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Norway, Rjukan

In Scandinavian countries, where daylight is very limited during the winter months, residents are more prone to seasonal affective disorder. To combat this, a town square In Norway has mounted mirrors that create a high sun affect for two hours a day. Schools are also waking the students up during the wintertime with artificial lights in the classroom that mimic the light intensity cycle of a summer day.

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Solar air heating in factories reduces carbon emissions

Jency Samuel

March 10, 2017 |

India Climate Dialogue |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Theni

Businesses across India are using a practice called solar air heating to produce electricity and energy more efficiently. The process – which uses black, rooftop surfaces to capture heat under a glass panel that’s then carried through forced air and pipelines – has shown to save time and money in its effectiveness and ability to reduce traditional energy consumption.

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Cable Cars Are Changing the World

Duncan Geere

March 07, 2017 |

How We Get to Next |

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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 To Make Hydropower More Environmentally Friendly

Matt Weiser

December 20, 2016 |

Ensia |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Dover, Delaware

Dams make for complex and often controversial infrastructure. While hydropower generated from large dam projects is currently providing the bulk of the planet's renewable energy, dams can also cause major environmental and social damage by interrupting animal migrations, displacing indigenous communities, and collecting toxins. A number of solutions are being implemented, however, to address the various issues caused by dams, to help make them a more eco-friendly and viable source of clean energy.

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Experimental City: How Rotterdam Became A World Leader In Sustainable Urban Design

Adele Peters

December 05, 2016 |

FastCompany |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Rotterdam

Rotterdam, a port city once at the center of trade and commerce, is now threatened by climate change. The city has responded to this threat by totally transforming itself into a hub for sustainable design. It embraces crazy, environmentally friendly solutions. From a floating dairy farm to a home enclosed in a greenhouse to basketball courts that soak up rainwater, Rotterdam has established itself as a leader in sustainable urban design. By 2025, the city plans to be completely climate-proof.

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Offshore Wind Energy is Booming in Europe

Christian Schwägerl

October 20, 2016 |

Yale Environment 360 |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Denmark, Fredericia, Region of Southern Denmark

Denmark occupies a seat in the vanguard of efforts to fulfill carbon emission reduction goals of the Paris Agreement, with DONG Energy -- co-owned by the Danish government, Goldman Sachs and shareholders -- building massive arrays of offshore wind turbines. While expansion across the EU remains a challenge because of a still-underdeveloped grid capacity, DONG's efforts show how Denmark's use of free-market demand and public-private collaboration provides an affordable, environmentally- sustainable option.

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Denmark May Hold the Key to Integrating Large Amounts of Intermittent Renewables

Silvio Marcacci

July 27, 2016 |

Green Tech Media |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Denmark, Copenhagen

Denmark has consistently maintained a commitment to energy independence since the 1970s when their first policies were put in place. Through collaborations among government actors, grid operators, and utilities, it has built one of the most reliable sustainable energy grids, most notably with 40% of its electricity powered by wind.

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How Congress made micro-hydro easier for mountain towns

Allen Best

July 25, 2016 |

Mountain Town News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Grand Lake, Colorado

Micro-hydro projects in the United States have become much more accessible and more financially viable since Congress passed a law in 2013 making it easier for small hydroelectric projects to get federal approval. Specifically, water treatment plants that can retrofit their systems to generate electricity are an excellent energy opportunity. The plant in Grand Lake now produces more electricity than it consumes.

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How a new source of water is helping reduce conflict in the Middle East

Rowan Jacobson

July 19, 2016 |

Ensia |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Israel, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israel experienced extreme drought a few years ago and its water supply was very low. National campaigns to install desalination plants have helped Israel turnaround its inadequate water supply into a surplus. The water scientists who have helped make this surplus see an opportunity for water diplomacy and the de-politicization of water in the Middle East so that more of it can be shared with other geographies.

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Controversial Railway Splits Kenya's Parks, Threatens Wildlife

Jacob Kushner

April 18, 2016 |

National Geographic |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Tsavo

As a new railway is built in Kenya, conservationists are using satellite collars to study elephant movement and how they interact with the transport system. There are some overpasses at various points throughout the track for the elephants to cross through, but little is known about how they are passing under the railway. While building overpasses can be costly, conservationists hope the data can convince the government to ensure that any future infrastructure will include this design to allow the animals to migrate.

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