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What a beautiful tiny house in rural Japan can teach us about the health of cities

Anne Quito

March 20, 2019 |

Quartz |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Japan, Yoshino

A rural Japanese town partnered with AirBnb to create a community home that showcases the community's unique lumber products while bringing tourism into the town. Community members trade off caring for the house, which is made of locally-sourced wood and serves as a focal point for renewal and economic stimulation in the region.

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Pittsburgh's ‘living building' focuses on eco-friendly construction

Karen Hao

March 20, 2019 |

Quartz |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Creating sustainable buildings requires rethinking many of the norms in construction and city planning. The Center for Sustainable Landscapes, part of the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received the first Living Building Challenge (LBC) certification. To achieve this, CSL advocated for changes to Pittsburgh’s laws on the use of public water utilities. CSL also had to seek out construction materials that avoided the use of harmful chemicals-a task easier said than done.

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This new neighborhood in Amsterdam is made of floating houses

Adele Peters

March 04, 2019 |

FastCompany |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Amsterdam

A community in North Amsterdam tackles the issue of rising water levels head on by building homes that can float. The houses are built to include solar energy grids using blockchain so neighbors can share electricity, and the structures rise and fall with the ebbs and flows of flooding.

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You can now ski on top of a $670 million power plant in Copenhagen

Akshat Rathi

February 27, 2019 |

Quartz |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Denmark, Copenhagen

Amager Bakke is a powerplant in Copenhagen that is designed to get residents of the city engaged in a conversation about where waste goes, all while burning up to 400,000 tons of waste a year, powering 60,000 homes, and heating 160,000 homes. In 2013 the local plant was redesigned to burn the city's waste and encourage interaction by building a ski slope atop the plant, a hiking trail, and an elevator that introduces education about waste management. Amager Bakke is still new and experimental, so its long-term success is still unclear, and it is not completely emission-free yet.

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How Removing Asphalt Is Softening Our Cities

Lynn Freehill-Maye

February 18, 2019 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

Cities around the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom are removing asphalt to make space for nature. From creating rain gardens that reduce flooding to planting flowers along the edges of alleyways, residents and public officials reimagine their communities with less asphalt and more grass.

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FGCU's geothermal air conditioner reduces impact on the environment

Jaryd Brady

February 06, 2019 |

Changing Florida |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University utilizes a cooling plant that serves as the primary air-conditioning unit for multiple buildings on campus. This plant uses geothermal energy, which compared with traditional air conditioning units, has less of an impact on the environment and saves the university money on its power bill. FGCU currently has 146 total thermal storage tanks producing over 23,000 tons of cooling capacity for its academic buildings.

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Rooftop gardens: the coolest roofs around

Emily Loewinger

February 06, 2019 |

Changing Florida |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Naples, Florida

An ecologist is installing a rooftop garden on a home in Florida and early results suggest that the green roofs have helped moderate indoor temperatures. While the initial cost of these gardens can be high, these green rooftops can be beneficial for the environment and can even provide a longer lifespan for the roof.

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One Black Woman's Vision to Save Her Struggling Atlanta Neighborhood Through Greenspace

Brentin Mock

February 01, 2019 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Atlanta, Georgia

A new community center and greenspace are reviving a West Atlanta neighborhood by providing a safe space for children to play. Developers have also received suggestions from community members to expand the greenspace with new additions such as bird habitats, basketball courts, soccer fields, park lights, fountains, and a fully equipped playground.

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The Green New Deal is already at work in one Portland neighborhood

Jessica Kutz

February 01, 2019 |

High Country News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Portland, Oregon

A community in Portland, Oregon piloted a sustainable housing initiative that looks a lot like a micro-scale of the touted Green New Deal. While the Cully neighborhood's local sustainability nonprofit, Verde, already trains and employees locals in the field of sustainable landscaping, the organization has bigger goals: building green affordable housing.

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After Hurricane Sandy, Hoboken rebuilt itself for climate change

Jesse Nichols

January 17, 2019 |

Grist |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Hoboken, New Jersey

After Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the city, Hoboken, New Jersey decided to rebuild the city with climate change and increased flood risks in mind, rather than returning to "normal." With the help of federal funding - and their relatively well-off tax base - Hoboken is joining other East Coast cities in building climate resilient cities.

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