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  • Women on storm-hit Philippine island lead Indigenous effort to restore mangroves

    October 07, 2021 |

    Mongabay |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Philippines

    When Typhoon Haiyan hit the island of Busuanga in the western Phillipines it brought imminent destruction. It prompted residents, especially the women of the island, to rehabilitate the mangrove forests. Apart from storing high amounts of carbon, mangroves acts as buffers against storms and protect the coast. The indigenous women of the island monitor the growth of the mangroves.

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  • PA cities have a sewer-system problem. Green infrastructure can help — but comes with its own risks

    August 05, 2021 |

    StateImpact Pennsylvania |

    Radio |

    5-15 Minutes

    Response Location: United States, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

    In many cities, rainwater is drained through "grey infrastructure" things like pipes, streets, etc. In some cities, this system is combined with the sewage system. Rainwater drains into the sewage system, is then cleaned, then emptied into the river. However, with strong storms some sewage systems overflow. A problem that will worsen with climate change. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, rain gardens are one solution to overflowing sewage systems. Cities like Harrisburg are turning to green infrastructure, things like rain gardens, roofs with gardens, and parks, to ease the burden on gray infrastructure.

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  • Giving Mother Nature a Hand

    August 03, 2021 |

    Transitions Online |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Czech Republic

    Cervene Pecky and Dolany, two small towns in Prague, were able to fix their flooding problems through a process known as land consolidation. Prior to the land consolidation, the towns would get flooded by rainwater. Through land consolidation, property owners are able to redraw property lines. Thanks to the consolidation, the field that emptied into Dolany is now covered in grass, trees, and ditches.

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  • This Is the First Ecosystem With Its Own Insurance Policy

    July 20, 2021 |

    Reasons to be Cheerful |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Mexico

    In Mexico, the Mesoamerican Reef, a 100-mile long coral reef system, the second largest in the word, is insured. The insurance policy is the result of a collaboration between the local government, hotel owners, an international NGO, and an insurance company who saw the value of protecting the reef. After Hurricane Delta, the insurance first kicked in, the insurance paid out $850,000. The money was used to uproot 2,152 coral colonies and close to 14,000 coral fragments. The model could be an example of future moves to insure the environment.

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  • The force that could redraw the peninsula of India

    June 15, 2021 |

    BBC |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: India

    In the South Indian coast, erosion is leading to disappearing beaches. A study found that this erosion was in part due to man-made structures like a harbor that was built in the late 80s, groynes, and seawalls. These structures were interfering with the natural movement of sand. To fix it, they needed a structure that could block waves but also allow sand movement, the solution? An artificial reef. It was installed and some beaches are already seeing the results.

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  • Indian Cities Prepare for Floods with Predictive Technology

    June 15, 2021 |

    Eos |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: British Indian Ocean Territory

    In coastal cities in India, floods have led to hundreds of deaths and millions of people being displaced. To address the issue, scientists had to address a variety of factors: hydrology of the upstream region; river, tidal, and storm surge modeling; and a high-resolution digital elevation map of the city. A group of scientists from 13 research institutes and government organizations looked at all those factors and came up with a real-time flood forecasting system. It generated 800 flood scenarios. When it rains the model predicts the most vulnerable sites.

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  • How Vancouver is protecting itself from future flooding — with plants

    May 27, 2021 |

    Pique Newsmagazine |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia

    Large cities like Vacounver and Seattle are increasingly leaning towards "green infrastracture," a method of managing stormwater through natural systems like green roofs and rain gardens that absorb rainwater. Cities have traditionally relied on traditional sewage systems, but in the face of climate change, and more intense storms, its proving to be inadequate. Green infrascture lowers flood levels, filters out pollutants in the water, and regulates city temperature. In Seattle, an early adopter of green infrastructure, rain gardens absorbed 1.5 trillion liters of rainwate.

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  • The long shot that saved Belize's coral

    May 05, 2021 |

    BBC |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Belize, Placencia

    After a hurricane hit the coast of Belize in 2001, it essentially destroyed the coral reefs in Laughing Bird Caye National Park. Lisa Carne wanted to start transplanting coral to regrow the reefs, but it took five years to secure funding to start her project. Restoring coral reefs is a lot of effort, so she founded a nonprofit called Fragments of Hope that hired local residents to help. Because of her efforts, over 85,000 corals have been planted and 89 percent of them survived after 14 years, The techniques used are being applied in other countries like Colombia, Jamaica, and St. Barts.

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  • Mississippi Failed its Residents During a Crisis, So They Helped Themselves

    April 06, 2021 |

    Yes! Magazine |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

    Grassroots organizers filled the gap left by local and state governments in the wake of back-to-back winter storms in Mississippi. Community organizers like the People’s Advocacy Institute stepped in to provide basic necessities, wellness checks, food boxes, and water. The organizers are also pressuring elected officials to “prioritize the well-being of the community” by updating infrastructure in order to prevent another disaster.

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  • How Jersey City Middle Schoolers Stopped a Flood

    March 12, 2021 |

    Next City |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: United States, Jersey City, New Jersey

    In a science class in a local New Jersey school, students came up with a green solution to a storm water management and flooding problem in their parking lot when it rained. With help from the Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program out of Rutgers University and funding from city agencies, they were able to build planters and install concrete to absorb the runoff. The project galvanized the community, encouraging the school to expand their STEM curriculum.

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