What are the most effective strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing, and eventually, reversing climate change? The stories below illustrate how people around the world are implementing climate change solutions aligned with Project Drawdown, a research organization that ranks current solutions to climate change by impact. This month we are highlighting innovations related to buildings. The structures that we create to live, work, and spend time in are meant to last for a long time, but they also emit a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions. From burning fossil fuels when constructing the buildings to energy costs when operating them, this sector accounts for about 38 percent of the total global energy-related carbon emissions, according to a recent Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction report. However, people are coming up with innovative ways to reuse parts of older structures, build them out of more sustainable materials, and construct them to be more energy efficient.
https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1506266/killing-gas-guzzlers-what-can-lithuania-learn-from-denmark
Rūta Nikitinaitė
Lithuanian Radio and Television (LRT)
29 September 2021
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Transportation accounts for some of the most emissions in the EU, one-third, out of those 72 percent are from road transportation. In Denmark, the government places high tax-rates on vehicles and tax reductions on electric cars. The tax cuts are leading some to switch over to electric cars, and the method might be replicated in other EU countries like Lithaunia.
https://grist.org/housing/paris-shows-how-to-make-public-housing-greener-and-more-habitable-at-the-same-time
Colin Kinniburgh
Grist
29 September 2021
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Old and neglected housing contribute to climate change because they run on fossil fuels. In New York, outdated heating systems waste two-thirds of energy. The New York City Housing Authority is not only trying to create better, safer, livable affordable housing, but also cleaner and more sustainable housing. While the city is just beginning to explore how to do that, other cities like Paris who've already begun the work of updating old buildings that are used for affordable housing can offer a model for American cities.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210928-costa-ricas-answer-to-range-anxiety
Reena Shah
BBC
28 September 2021
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Even though Costa Rica is leading the fight against climate change, the country lags behind in one area: electric vehicles. In one town, Monteverde, activists, and business owners got together to create a charging network, they called it Ruta Eléctrica. The goal is to stave off recharge anxiety, or the fear that an electric car won't make it to its destination without re-charging. To address the issue organizers got businesses to offer free-charging stations, have clear signage and maintain plug points.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-27/using-recycled-concrete-for-sustainable-construction
Corinne Gretler
Bloomberg CityLab
26 September 2021
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Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, is paving the way for sustainable building. Concrete is a major contributor of climate change due to the process it requires to make it. Zurich is making steps to reduce its use. Back in 2002, a school building was made, 80 percent of its concrete was recycled. Three years later city officials passed a requirement that required all publicly-owned buildings to be made with recycled concrete and in 2013 ordered the use of CO2 reduced cement. According to a study the effort has saved 17,000 cubic meters of virgin materials.
https://beltmag.com/black-led-business-energy-future-climate-transition-michigan
Nina Misuraca Ignaczak
Belt Magazine
30 July 2021
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After the 2008 economic recession hit, Carla Walker-Miller shifted her energy services business model to not only supply electrical equipment but also implement energy efficiency programs for communities of color in Detroit. She has been able to service 75 households, which has resulted in energy bill savings up to $600 a year for families. The company also has a robust recruitment and training program for young people and those experiencing economic hardship.
https://klcjournal.com/civic-engagement-academies
Stan Finger
The Kansas Leadership Center Journal (KLC Journal)
27 July 2021
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Civic engagement academies throughout Kansas provide participants with behind-the-scenes views of how their local government operates. Participants meet with emergency responders, learn how city officials put together a budget and hear from those who maintain municipal utilities. Understanding the inner workings of city operations helps citizens become more engaged in bettering those operations and find ways to be involved outside of running for office. Participation often brings to light city resources they didn’t know existed, which they are quick to share with their fellow residents on social media.
https://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/multimedia/fighting-plastic-waste-a-double-edged-sword
Justice Nwafor
SciDev.Net
26 July 2021
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Teams of recyclers in Nigeria gather plastic bottles from the streets and landfills and brings them to recycling plants where they can exchange the waste for money. HISL Recyclers collects this waste — which usually contains polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, a dangerous chemical — as a way to remove the waste from the environment. However, more work needs to be done to get more people to participate in the program and to scale the operations. So far, they’ve been able to recycle up to 20 tonnes of plastic waste a month.
https://www.nola.com/gambit/news/the_latest/article_f60b9d06-e4ec-11eb-a936-0b6db8159fd2.html
Sarah Ravits
Gambit
19 July 2021
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Home by Hand is a nonprofit that’s working to mitigate the effects of climate change on home ownership. Storm damage, high utility bills due to extreme weather, and the loss of housing stock due to Hurricane Katrina have all added to climate-change related “cost burdens” that keep economically disadvantaged people from purchasing homes. The nonprofit is building homes that are environmentally friendly to push down utility costs as well as the costs of potential repairs in the event of inevitable storms and hurricanes.
https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2021/07/08/cities-rooftop-gardens
Marianne Dhenin
Yes! Magazine
8 July 2021
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Organizations in Egypt and Bangladesh are greening their cities by turning rooftops into urban gardens that can grow food, reduce air pollution, and decrease air temperatures. Green Savers in Dhaka has installed more than 5,000 rooftop gardens in the city and Urban Greens in Cairo partners with sponsors to install hydroponic rooftop gardens for families experiencing economic hardship. It’s been a challenge to convince people that the cost to maintain these spaces is worthwhile, but through community outreach efforts, these organizations have seen an increase in interest in installing rooftop gardens.
https://livinghere.ca/can-we-keep-lumber-out-of-the-landfill
Anna Lamb-Yorski
Living Here
8 July 2021
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Pollution caused by demolition is expected to be 2.2 billion tons by 2021. However, up to 75 percent of materials in a demolition can be recycled. An alternative method to demolition is deconstruction or unbuilding. The method always for lumber and other materials that are recyclable to be salvaged. Cities like Vancouver that have passed ordinances encouraging recycling saw results. One company, "Unbuilders," that specializes in deconstruction shows that using methods like tax receipts and appraisals can lead to both profit and better results for the environment.
https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/state-employees-work-from-home-when-threat-of-bad-air-quality-looms
Sydney Glenn
KSTU-TV
22 June 2021
Broadcast TV News / Under 3 Minutes
Although work-from-home was mostly a reaction in response to the pandemic, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the strategy has developed the potential to improve air quality. Most state employees are now required to telework certain days in order to help curb bad air quality days, and are given at least a 48-hour notice. During the pandemic, having close to 9,000 state employees stay home reduced pollution by 40 tons over the course of April 2020 to May 2021.
https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/cleaning-up-cambodias-kitchens-could-curb-deforestation-climate-change
Marissa Carruthers
Mongabay
22 June 2021
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In Cambodia 2.5 million people use stoves fueled by forest biomass; charcoal and wood. The emissions caused by using biomass are extremely harmful not only to people but also to the environment. The emissions caused by biomass globally are equal to those of the aviation industry. To counter the problem, several organizations and companies are providing alternatives for Cambodian families like electric stoves. One company, Khmer Green Charcoal, created stoves that run on “clean” charcoal made from coconut shells. More than 6,500 households across the country have made the transition.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/why-tiny-forests-are-popping-up-in-big-cities
Elizabeth Hewitt
National Geographic
22 June 2021
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In Europe, India, and other countries like the Netherlands tiny forests are being deployed to fight the effects of climate change. The small forests, some about the size of a parking lot or a basketball court, can help cities mitigate rising temperatures and sequester carbon. In the Netherlands, 144 tiny forests have been planted. A study that analyzed 11 tiny forests showed these forests hosted more than 600 animal species and close to 300 plant species.
https://livinghere.ca/how-kitimat-b-c-is-catching-its-breath
Anna Lamb-Yorski
Living Here
16 June 2021
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A new aluminum plant in British Columbia would have ended up putting more sulphur dioxide into the air, but the Kitimat Terrace Clean Air Coalition (KTCAC) helped bring this to light and encourage them to install air monitoring stations. They wrote letters to the government and took the company to court. As a result of their efforts, three air monitoring stations were installed to measure the particulate matter and alert residents if levels increased. “Industry and government are listening to people who are concerned in Kitimat,” says Steve Stannus, a founder of KTCAC.
https://www.npr.org/2021/05/29/1000343150/startup-helps-those-affected-by-gangs-and-gun-violence-find-a-way-out
Katia Riddle
NPR
29 May 2021
Radio / 3-5 Minutes
The boom in green-energy spending and government grants fuels the work of Leaders Before Legends, a Portland startup that lines up well-paying jobs installing solar panels and the like. The jobs go to people formerly incarcerated on charges related to gun violence. Leaders was founded by a man whose own gun-charge incarceration exposed him to the way that business people think. He turned that exposure into a mission to help others learn how to make money legally and safely. In the past year, the program has found work for 10 people. It is working to expand its city funding to scale up.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/05/28/colorado-ski-methane-electric-power
Annie Gowen
The Washington Post
28 May 2021
Multi-Media / 1500-3000 Words
A ski company and oil and gas executive were able to work out a deal to turn the Elk Creek Mine into a power plant that puts out 24 million kilowatt hours a year and prevents hundreds of billions of methane each year from escaping into the atmosphere. The plant hasn’t made a profit yet for its investors and regulatory red tape could make it difficult to implement in other places, but officials say the plant has been successful and could be a way to combat climate change.
https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/bc-news/how-vancouver-is-protecting-itself-from-future-flooding-with-plants-3811853
Stefan Labbé
Pique Newsmagazine
27 May 2021
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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.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210510-how-to-recycle-any-plastic
Katherine Latham
BBC
11 May 2021
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There are several chemical recycling methods being tested throughout the world, including one of the latest ones in the United Kingdom. Mura Technology is building the world’s first commercial-scale plant that can recycle all kinds of plastic and turn them into oil. Their method aims to process 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year once the plant opens in 2022. While some criticize that the chemical recycling process is very energy intensive and is not always profitable, the new Mura plant already has partnerships lined up with some plastic manufacturers.
https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/solving-plastic/2021/05/10/piles-of-plastic-waste-what-to-do
Breanna Draxler
Tonderayi Mukeredzi
Madalitso Wills Kateta
Natasha Chassagne
Yes! Magazine
10 May 2021
Text / Over 3000 Words
From collecting plastic to transforming it into infrastructure, communities all over the world are implementing solutions to tackle the growing amount of plastic waste. In Malawi, women are separating garbage from plastic and creating new products like fire briquettes, doormats, and organic compost that they can sell to others. A town in Tasmania turned their plastic waste into a road made of recycled asphalt that is expected to last 15 percent longer than regular asphalt. And Zimbabwe is employing youth to recycle plastic into eco-friendly construction materials.
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/paradise-rebuilds-it-s-also-preparing-for-next-fire
Colleen Hagerty
Sierra Club
4 May 2021
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After the 2018 Camp Fire that tore through the town of Paradise, California, local residents are starting to rebuild. As of April, the town issued nearly 1,500 building permits. They’re also implementing a plan to remove trees that pose a safety concern for residents, which has been an extensive coordination effort between federal, state, and local government officials. Housing prices in the area have increased significantly making it difficult for some people to rebuild, but some organizations are working to help those that want to return to the area.
https://nigeriahealthwatch.com/how-rechargeable-tricycles-are-saving-pregnant-mothers-and-newborns-in-rural-zimbabwe
Farai Shawn Matiashe
Nigeria Health Watch
3 May 2021
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Mobility for Africa provides electric tricycles, called Hambas, to take pregnant women to and from health appointments. Mobility is critical to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and the three-wheel tricycles are easy to drive on rural roads. They run on a lithium battery that can be charged in about six hours using renewable energy and a single charge gets about three trips. The transportation allows women who live far from clinics and cannot afford transportation be able to access medical care. About 50 Hambas currently take women to and from doctor appointments during pregnancy until after delivery.
https://www.thelandcle.org/stories/housing-nonprofit-provides-essential-home-repairs-to-cuyahoga-county-residents
Collin Cunningham
The Land
26 April 2021
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A housing nonprofit connects contractors with homeowners in need of urgent repairs. Tax-funded grant dollars are used for crucial projects that affect a resident’s health and safety so that people are not displaced. The initiative prevents homeowners on a fixed income from losing their homes due to unexpected expenses.
https://www.wpr.org/we-need-act-now-small-wisconsin-city-boosting-its-use-renewable-energy-fight-climate-change
Danielle Kaeding
Wisconsin Public Radio
22 April 2021
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The city of River Falls in Wisconsin built the state’s first city-owned solar garden, taking steps to reduce their use of fossil fuels and encourage community members to go green. Now, all city buildings are 100 percent run on renewable energy and residents can sign up for a program allowing them to buy renewable energy. Getting people to take action can be difficult, but city officials say they found the right message to get its residents on board.
https://news.trust.org/item/20210422025353-vdm9a
Kim Harrisberg
Thomson Reuters Foundation
22 April 2021
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Watergate Estate is working on two issues in South Africa: affordable housing and renewable energy. The housing development is installing solar panels for its residents that are being bought by people all over the world using cash or bitcoin as a way to offset their own carbon costs. Not everyone agrees that gated communities like this are helping to fight social inequalities, crime, and unemployment, but about 470 people bought solar cells for the apartment complex and some residents say they feel safer in their community.
https://www.tvo.org/article/can-ontario-boost-ev-battery-recycling-before-its-too-late
Nathaniel Basen
TVO
22 April 2021
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After lithium-ion batteries from iPhones, laptops, or electric cars are used up, the Ontario-based company LiCycle recycles parts of them to be reused in new batteries or in other products. While the recycling process isn’t completely environmentally friendly, the company is able to recover 95 percent of the raw materials and says their operations produces no carbon emissions, wastewater, or solid waste.
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