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The Voter Lottery

Kathleen Hawkins

February 26, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Voter turnout is a problem around the world, especially in local elections and among minority groups. But a small group of academics and activists in the US are experimenting with a new way to encourage people to turn up to vote: a lottery. Every voter is entered and one lucky winner gets a big cash prize, eliminating the risk of bribery and bought votes.

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Illegal logging in Malawi: can clean cooking stoves save its forests?

Nathalie Bertrams Ingrid Gercama

February 23, 2017 |

The Guardian |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Malawi, Mount Mulanje, Lilongwe

In much of Malawi, the electrical grid is highly unreliable and the cost of fuels like petroleum prohibitive, forcing most families to rely on the black market for illegally-sourced charcoal and leading to heavy deforestation. But some NGOs are tackling the issue with a grassroots approach: rather than relying on the army to punish illegal logging, they are helping women provide cleaner, more efficient cookstoves to their communities - reducing the amount of fuel burned as well as toxic smoke from open fires.

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The Most Important Modern Farmer Might Be The Urban Cowboy

Heather Corcoran

February 10, 2017 |

GOOD Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Although urban cities have a variety of options for food, not all food is affordable or healthy. New York City has developed urban agriculture projects, from rooftop gardens to “warehouse hydroponic systems.” The South Bronx’s BLK ProjeK’s Libertad Urban Farm serves the local, low-income community and empowers its women leaders with self-sufficient sustainable food.

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To create meaningful change, apparel brands need to pursue sustainability at the industry level

Mary Hable

February 06, 2017 |

Ensia |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

In the past, apparel companies were not given financial rewards for acting sustainably, and therefore, on the whole, saw no reason to encourage customers to do so. But now, by investing in industry-level research and developments to clue consumers into their sustainable behaviors, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition is working to change this. The Coalition provides clothing store customers with the sustainability equivalent of a nutrition label, hoping to both encourage sustainable consumption from consumers, and incentivizing environmentally-friendly practices for producers.

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Lend Me Your Eyes

Nick Holland

February 05, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom, Edinburgh, Scotland

New apps like Tap Tap See and Be My Eyes are helping blind people solve everyday problems by combining smartphone video technology with an army of volunteers. The app allows a blind individual to take a photo or video of an item that the person needs to "see"; it then either automatically interprets the photo and announces it aloud to the user, or, if the app itself cannot identify the object, sends it to a real person somewhere in the world who can.

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USPS Could Tackle Food Insecurity

Jen Kinney

January 27, 2017 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

While the USPS has seen a drastic decline in revenues and capacity in recent years due to growing competition from the private sector and social changes, First Class Meal is reimagining the role that this institution has to play: improving national access to healthy food. Using the existing USPS app to connect organizations and food banks that struggle to distribute donations, postal drivers out on their normal routes would pick up donations, deliver to food banks or pantries, and store food in post offices with excess capacity.

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Entrepreneurship Provides New Hope for Former Prisoners

Riva Richmond

January 19, 2017 |

The Story Exchange |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

People exiting incarceration often struggle to land jobs. But a growing number of organizations are promoting entrepreneurship as an alternative path to economic stability for former inmates and it's not a big stretch considering that many of these folks know how to hustle, think creatively and are resilient. Last year the U.S. Small Business Administration launched a pilot program with several funders to foster business ownership among former inmates but some programs have been around for years and have impressive track records.

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Kenya's booming digital sharing economy?

Harriet Constable

January 05, 2017 |

African Business Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

Though the big players in the sharing economy like Uber and Airbnb are eyeing growing middle class markets like that of Kenya, the concept of shared access to goods and services is nothing new for Kenyan communities. Whereas in the West, the shared economy structure arose largely from a desire for flexibility, in Kenya, much of it arose from need. Now platforms like Lynk and Little Cabs are helping connect Kenyan customers to a broad range of service providers.

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Cloud Catchers In Peru

Sahar Zand

January 01, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Peru, Villa Lordes, Lima Metropolitan Area

Abel Cruz "catches" clouds on his fog net farm to help provide free water for his community in a slum on the outskirts of Lima, where access to water is very limited and costly. While this solution may never compete with large scale and traditional technologies, many argue there is enormous potential for this simple concept in certain, rural areas of the world.

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Costa Rica modernized without wrecking the environment. Here's how.

Nathanael Johnson

December 15, 2016 |

Grist |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica, San Jose

Unlike other countries suffering with an impoverished population, Costa Rica has not destroyed the environment while modernizing its economy. Costa Rica has created a coffee alliance, a collective effort between the government and local farmers to grow and cultivate sustainable coffee agriculture through public policy and land distribution. The coffee alliance has given economic empowerment to the people, while being environmentally green.

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