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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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Africa Embraces an $8 Billion Solar Market for Going Off-Grid

Sophia Akram

February 04, 2019 |

OZY |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

Many African "off-grid" countries, where as many as 80 percent of populations lack reliable access to electricity, are turning to a low-cost, environmentally friendly model: solar-powered, pay-as-you-go LEDs. Cheaper and more eco-friendly than alternatives like kerosene or diesel fuel, the LEDs like the one M-KOPA make boast 600,000 customers across East Africa. The technology has the sharp reduction in solar panel and battery cost to thank for increased access.

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Smart Grid Experiment Saves Participants the Equivalent of One Electric Bill Per Year

Lynne Peskoe-Yang

February 04, 2019 |

IEEE Spectrum |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Turkey, Istanbul

Gamifying energy-efficient behavior can help consumers adjust their habits. Project GresBAS (Grid Responsive Society through Building Automation Systems) incentivizes consumers by allowing them to compete against their own personal records, as well as their neighbors. The Project has piloted studies in Turkey and Portugal, signaling the broader possibilities of gamifying user interactions with smart grid technologies.

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Electric airplanes developed by a Colorado startup take aim at global pilot shortage

Tamara Chuang

January 31, 2019 |

The Colorado Sun |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Centennial, Colorado

The aviation world is changing and companies like Bye Aerospace are leading the way toward a new industry with the development of an all-electric airplane. At the same time, the number of pilots in the United States is dwindling due to the expensive cost of pilot training, which comes from the high fuel costs associated with the needed 1,500 hours of trained flying. This is where companies like Bye Aerospace can help invigorate the field, making training cheaper and the field more forward-looking.

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You Flushed the Toilet. They Made Some Bricks.

JoAnna Klein

January 31, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: Australia, Melbourne, Australian Capital Territory

A civil engineer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in Australia is converting biosolids, or disinfected leftovers from the water treatment process, into bricks for building. He claims they look, smell, and work the same as conventional fired clay bricks, but with an added benefit of saving land and energy and reducing carbon emissions.

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Reclaiming Appalachia

Mimi Pickering

January 18, 2019 |

Making Connections News |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Whitesburg, Kentucky

Innovative mine reclamation projects across five states in the Appalachian region allow local organizations, schools, and businesses to clean up and utilize abandoned mine land. From a school that's transforming abandoned mine land into a field of solar panels to a housing development project that uses abandoned mine federal grant money to build affordable and energy efficient housing, the Appalachian region is using a comprehensive approach to renew blighted mines.

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Reshaping Africa's rural food systems and cutting food losses

Peyton Fleming

January 15, 2019 |

Ensia |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi Area

Food loss in sub-Saharan Africa is a common occurrence, due to the unreliability of brokers that sell the farmers produce, but groups throughout the region are fighting against this. From cooling systems that allow produce to last longer to connecting local farmers to work together to negotiate sales, post-harvest food projects are becoming an increasingly common solution.

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Solar Farms Shine a Ray of Hope on Bees and Butterflies

Jodi Helmer

January 14, 2019 |

Scientific American |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Oregon

As farmland is converted to space for solar panels, researchers are planting native wildflowers amongst the technology to support populations of bees and other insects facing endangerment. While it's not the only solution needed to reverse the decline of pollinating species, as seen in the past decade, planting them in solar sites are a useful start.

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These startups are trying to reduce the massive carbon footprint of concrete

Adele Peters

January 14, 2019 |

FastCompany |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

A handful of sustainability-oriented startups are working with concrete companies around the world to reduce their carbon footprint. The concrete & cement industry is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions; however, with technologies that capture CO2 within solid concrete, some companies have been able to decrease their emissions, while improving efficiency in the process.

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Dutch eco initiative halves energy bills in first UK homes

Adam Vaughan

January 07, 2019 |

The Guardian |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, Nottingham, England

By piloting a Dutch initiative to make homes more energy efficient with new windows and solar panels in the United Kingdom, tenants are seeing their monthly energy bills decrease by almost half. More than 150 social housing homes in Nottingham are testing the “Energiesprong” approach, which has already seen success in the Netherlands.

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