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Can saltwater quench our growing thirst?

Brian Bienkowski

April 13, 2015 |

Ensia |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

Population growth, climate change, and droughts are factors that have depleted the world’s freshwater resources. Scientists around the world have experimented with desalination of salt water to increase the supply the drinking water and have achieved positive results. In 2015, more countries and cities in the world look to provide desalination, including California’s $1 billion effort to build a plant for San Diego.

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Drinking More Vodka: A Green Solution to Melting Icy Roads?

Lorraine Chow

December 05, 2014 |

NationSwell |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Pullman, Washington

Salt has become a costly and environmental problem in the twenty first century, with consumers overusing it in cooking and melting city roads during the winter. Salt has risen in price and has infiltrated the waterways, affecting the life in the water and contaminating drinking water. As a greener alternative to salt, Washington State University scientists have learned that the biproducts of vodka can help melt ice and snow.

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Can biomimicry tackle our toughest water problems?

Benjamin Goldfarb

November 24, 2014 |

High Country News |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Shepherd, Montana

Clean water and healthy ecosystems are becoming increasingly difficult to come by. With floating islands and other inventions, eco-entrepreneur Bruce Kania thinks that biomimicry - such as reconstructing wetlands and growing biofilms - can tackle the toughest of water problems.

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In Bangladesh, 'Floating Farms' Overcome Monsoon Rains

Amy Yee

November 21, 2014 |

Voice of America (VOA) |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Bangladesh

During rain seasons in Bangladesh, rivers flooded villages and their agriculture so that local economies and food supplies were in jeopardy. A Bangladeshi non-profit Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha introduced small floating farms designed to be run by women. Consequently, the organization has initiated 40 floating farms that serve 300 rural women and save local agriculture.

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How Did the Meadow Vole Cross the Road? Designing travel routes for wildlife

Benjamin Goldfarb

October 09, 2014 |

re:form |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Missoula, Montana

As a state with robust populations of wildlife, Montana has had its share of roadkill. Its Department of Transportation developed animal shelving, a type of wildlife crossing, to enable safe passage for small animals who need to cross the road. The measure, combined with other types of crossings, has reduced animal-vehicle collisions by half.

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The Roads Scholar

Benjamin Goldfarb

August 13, 2014 |

High Country News |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Missoula, Montana

Many wildlife are killed each year as they are hit by cars when crossing highways. Montana built crossing structures over high risk sections of highways, such as grass covered tunnels, for animals to cross safely and reduce car accidents.

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On Columbia, ‘just add water' seems to be working

Lynda V. Mapes

August 02, 2014 |

The Seattle Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Brewster, Washington

New water management technology implemented along the Columbia has significantly helped the fish population - specifically salmon - return to healthy numbers and has restored much of the community and industry that revolves around the river, including for native peoples.

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The Art of Water Recovery

David Bornstein

July 10, 2014 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Philippines, Manila, Metro Manila

While California is experiencing its worst drought in history, The World Bank estimates that water systems worldwide have real losses (leakages) of 8.6 trillion gallons per year, about half of that in developing countries. A new leak detection system aims to save 10 billion gallons of water, 7 million gallons of diesel, and 33 gigawatts of electricity over 10 years.

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Cities in motion: how slime mould can redraw our rail and road maps

David Parr

February 18, 2014 |

The Guardian |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Japan, Tokyo

The twenty-first century city is a complex organism, and simulating it to anticipate traffic and transportation congestions can be problematic for urban planning. Researchers around the world from Japan to England have used slime models to simulate traffic and transportation patterns, observing realistic growths, congestions, and re-routing opportunities. Biomimicry demonstrates an unconventional but useful process to understand the pulse of the urban environment.

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Conservation Pays Off for Bangladeshi Factories

Amy Yee

March 21, 2013 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Bangladesh

Saving money while conserving water and electricity is a win-win for the textile industry in Bangladesh. After a joint effort to improve the mechanics and upgrade the factories, the industry saw a savings of 1.2 million cubic meters of water, 16 million cubic meters of gas and 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

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