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Researchers use waste glass to clean up polluted sea

Yui Sawada

March 09, 2022 |

J-Stories |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Japan, Nagasaki

The beach in Omura Bay in Japan isn’t a normal beach covered in sand: It’s covered in glass. This glass beach, developed by the Nagasaki Prefectural Environmental Health Research Center, is meant to recycle waste from the ocean and promote the growth of shellfish to maintain the water’s health. After five years, the center has seen about 525 clams per square meter, an increase over previous years.

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When the Ice Stops Singing

Sasha Gallick

November 14, 2021 |

Pioneers Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Finland, Saarijärvi

Snowchange is a co-operative formed by a network of villages across Finland. The co-op formed after fishermen found all the fish in the river dead due to pollution. They decided to take action. They began "rewilding," a process of restoring ecosystems to the point that they can take care of themselves. They did this by buying peat production sites and rewilding them to wetlands. A decade ago there was merely three to four bird species in the first rewilding site the co-op bought, now there's close to 200.

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A River's Right to Flow

Sara Van Note

October 22, 2021 |

bioGraphic |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Mexico

In order to preserve and protect rivers a new movement that grants rivers personhood rights is growing. In places like New Zealand and Oregon, where some of these measures have passed rivers have the right to flow without having to be used as a resource for consumption. In New Mexico, the state engineer approved a water lease submitted by the National Audobon Society. The lease allows about 13 million gallons of water to flow annually solely for its own sake, similiar to personhood rights. The creative approach is one way conservationists are fighting for water preservation.

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Can Eggshells Save One of Mexico's Most Polluted Rivers?

Aline Suárez del Real

August 14, 2021 |

Global Press Journal |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mexico, Lerma, Mexico

The Lerma river in Mexico is one of the most polluted rivers in the country. Water from the river leaves behind yellow stains and causes headaches and dizziness. To help bring clean, drinking water to the community a scientist and a resident in Lerma co-found the H2O Lerma With Charm collective. One of the things the group does is create filters from eggshells they install in the local wells. Eggshels, which are high in calcium, combined with magnesium can reduce heavy metals in water by 80 percent. The collective has close to 70 members and have installed filters in seven local wells.

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In Assam, ATMs purify arsenic-laced water

Aatreyee Dhar

July 19, 2021 |

The Third Pole |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: India, Barigaon, Assam

A water management committee manages Barigaon’s water ATM, which uses a nanotechnology-based ion exchange resin to remove iron and arsenic from groundwater. Residents, who swipe a pre-paid card to collect water in their own containers, pay 40 cents per 20 liters or a flat monthly fee of less than $3. Water is free for families who can’t afford the fee and delivery is arranged for those who are unable to transport water. Around 250 villagers use the ATM each day and its success inspired five additional ATMs, with plans to install 172 statewide. Fees cover maintenance and the landowner’s electricity costs.

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Reeling it in: Egypt's fishermen exchange the Nile's plastic waste for cash

Toka Omar

June 16, 2021 |

The National |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Egypt, Cairo

An environmental initiative in Cairo is enlisting fishermen on the Nile River to collect recyclable plastic bottles. The program pays double the rates paid elsewhere in the country, compensating the fishermen for the loss of income caused by the polluted river.

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In Pennsylvania, agroforestry holds a key to cleaning up waterways and Chesapeake Bay

Sarah Derouin

May 27, 2021 |

Mongabay |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Pennsylvania

The state of Pennsylvania set to plant 86,000 hectares of riparian buffers, the practice of planting trees and shrubs along a river or stream to filter water. Other benefits of riparian buffers include things like restoring the soil and cooling the water. In order to meet their goal, the state scientists used a bottom approach, enlisting the help of local farmers by offering them grants to plant trees and showing farmers how they can profit off of riparian buffers. While the state is behind its goal, the state is planting about 1,000 to 2,000 hectares a year.

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Turtle conservation hits the SPOT in North Cyprus

James Fair

March 24, 2021 |

Mongabay |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Cyprus

Thanks to efforts by the Society for the Protection of Turtles and a band of international volunteers, green and loggerhead turtle numbers in North Cyprus are rebounding. Last year, there were more than 2,400 nests counted, a 10-fold increase since their first survey in 1988. There are still challenges in saving these species due to plastic waste, but more locals are recognizing the importance of turtle conservation.

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How Jersey City Middle Schoolers Stopped a Flood

Phil Roberts

March 12, 2021 |

Next City |

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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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Road Salt Is Imperiling Aquatic Ecosystems. It Doesn't Have To.

Anne N. Connor

March 11, 2021 |

Undark |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Lake George, New York

An experiment in upstate New York showed how town officials could maintain clean and safe roads during the winter season and protect the environment. By using a salt brine before winter storms, they were able to plow the roads more efficiently and, at the same time, reduce the amount of salt going into waterways that could impact freshwater ecosystems. The effort, launched by the nonprofit FUND for Lake George, required “a culture shift within the towns’ maintenance departments,” but the communities were able to cut their salt usage in half over two years.

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