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The Floating Gardens of Bangladesh

Amy Yee

November 18, 2014 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Bangladesh

Each year the brown waters of the Gumani river swell during the summer monsoon, creeping over the surrounding fields to flood Charbhangura, a village of 2,500 people in the Pabna district of northwest Bangladesh - when the fields flood, the farmers have no work. Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha trains locals to create floating farms and provide work, money, and food in all seasons.

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The Company That Turns Plastic Bottles Into Fabric—and Jobs

John Tierney

November 07, 2014 |

The Atlantic |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Haiti, Port-au-Prince

Thread is a social enterprise out of Pittsburgh taking a two-for-one approach to the issues of both poverty and pollution in Haiti. They help take plastic waste out of the environment by turning it into durable fabrics that are sold to clothing and accessory companies looking to source responsible materials, and they create sustainable jobs for Haitians who collect and process the plastic waste.

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Scott Paper's Tube-Free Toilet Paper Cuts Down On Waste

Lorraine Chow

September 02, 2014 |

NationSwell |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States

Every year, more than 17 billion toilet paper cardboard tubes are thrown into the trash. To cut down on waste and make the tissue more eco-friendly, Scott Naturals line of toilet paper is eliminating the inner tube altogether.

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Man-Made Wetlands Turn Toilet Water Into Tap Water

Lorraine Chow

August 27, 2014 |

NationSwell |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Fairfield, Texas

Facing repeated droughts, Texas is pioneering a method to turn wastewater into drinking water. Although the process is not quick, the results have lead to an additional 65,000 gallons of drinking water and benefited the local environment, providing wildlife with a new habitat.

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This Sandwich Shop's Ridiculously Small Amount of Waste Will Shock You

Lorraine Chow

March 04, 2014 |

NationSwell |

Video |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

"Sandwich Me In is a sustainable-practicing restaurant. By that, I mean we have no trash at all," explains owner Justin Vrany who successfully transitioned his Chicago restaurant into a zero-waste establishment.

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Hot, Crowded and Smart

Sarah Goodyear

July 22, 2013 |

Next City |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Antonio, Texas

For the past three years, water levels in the San Antonio Edwards Aquifer have decreased to uncomfortable levels and drought periods may continue as the population booms. The San Antonio Water System organization has set up rules to limit water use and has recycled water for conservation frugal innovation.

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Out of India's Trash Heaps, More Than a Shred of Dignity

Sarika Bansal

June 12, 2013 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Pune, Maharashtra

Throughout India, wastepickers – people who scour landfills for garbage they can sell to recyclers – live at the bottom of society. But the city of Pune did something radical: with the help of a collective, they did away with expensive garbage trucks, and now all household garbage is collected by wastepickers with pushcarts. Pune saves millions of dollars each year and recycles more – and the wastepickers have decent wages and social standing. The concept is now spreading globally.

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A Retailer For Free Stuff, Created By Walmart, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Zipcar Vets

Ariel Schwartz

December 04, 2012 |

FastCompany |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

Yerdle is a website that allows companies to resell their used and returned items in a way that is helpful for customers and the environment. The three co-founders have experience at ZipCar, Walmart, and the Sierra Club, and they decided to put their business experience to use in finding a creative solution to minimize waste. Yerdle, which is expanding across the United States, helps consumers find affordable products in their region while also minimizing the waste that accompanies new products.

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The Recycling Reflex

David Bornstein

July 25, 2012 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Nationally, only about a third of municipal solid waste is recycled. An initiative to use simpler, standardized signs and labels is helping communities reap greater benefits from recycling.

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Social Entrepreneur Peru: Albina Ruiz and the Ciudad Saludable

Matthias Kopp

September 02, 2008 |

Deutsche Welle (DW) |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Peru, Pucallpa

Albina Ruiz, founder of the social enterprise Ciudad Saludable, works with people living in areas dominated by the trash dump to create a more formal system of waste removal for their health and the wider city's cleanliness. Workers who collect and recycle the waste are now employed by the city, own a micro-business, and no longer work under a social stigma. At the same time their efforts to clean up the city are working well, and the model is spreading to other Peruvian cities.

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