Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 349 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

‘The worth of water' and what conservation strategies are working

Amy Joi O'Donoghue

November 09, 2019 |

Deseret News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Salt Lake City, Utah

To address worsening droughts and limited water resources in the 2nd driest state in the country, Utah government officials are implementing different methods of water metering throughout the state as a tool for water consumption measurement. Residents can have digital access to the amount of water they are using for landscaping comparative to the amount they should be using. Since this implementation, water consumption has drastically decreased in project areas.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Wildfires and blackouts mean Californians need solar panels and microgrids

David Roberts

October 28, 2019 |

Vox |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Localized, distributed energy systems are popping up around California. As the larger electricity system becomes less reliable in the face of wildfires, more individuals are turning to microgrids and solar energy with help from organizations like Clean Coalition and Stone Edge Farm Microgrid. While still happening on a small scale, such energy systems may become more popular as its sustainability in a changing climate shows to be more resilient.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How solar ‘skin' helped an Indiana homeowner win a fight for rooftop panels

Kari Lydersen

October 15, 2019 |

Energy News Network |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Indianapolis, Indiana

After the homeowners association denied his request to install solar panels on his roof due to their aesthetic, Indianapolis-resident Joey Myles used SolarSkin to disguise the panels to look like asphalt shingles. The company Sistine Solar makes these films that coat solar panels in various images that can be used to blend in with roofs or other forms of artwork. The panels with skins only generate about 85 percent of energy as those without skins, but they can withstand extreme weather.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Do California Power Shutoffs Work? Hard to Know, Experts Say

Jonathan J. Cooper Jocelyn Gecker

October 14, 2019 |

Associated Press |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

As a proactive effort, California’s Pacific Gas & Electric Co. cut power in the hopes it would prevent wildfires that are often caused by power lines. It took a page from San Diego Gas & Electric who has been doing so for five years, along with increased spending on its weather predicting equipment. While the preventative measures are seemingly impactful, with a lacking comparative alternative, experts question its impact.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Fill, Build and Flood: Dangerous Development in Flood-Prone Areas

Laurie Mazur

October 08, 2019 |

U.S. News & World Report |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

To combat excessive flooding in low-plain areas, cities like Charlotte are passing critical legislation that regulates fill-and-build development, a type of construction that leads to more intense flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods. Charlotte bases flood control plans off future conditions rather than current or past flooding areas, and the city charges a fee for homeowners that, in turn, provides dedicated funding for stormwater management

Read More
Go to Original Story
After oil and gas: Meet Alberta workers making the switch to solar

Sharon J. Riley

October 02, 2019 |

The Narwhal |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Alberta

Alberta, Canada is a place that historically has had a close relationship with oil and gas. But as renewable energy surges into the market, these industries become more and more precarious. This article talks to a range of young men—a key demographic in these industries—about why they made the decision to leave oil and gas for solar energy and what helped them make that transition. Many said, among other things, that their motivations lay in wanting to leave a better world for their children to grow up in.

Read More
Go to Original Story
CT's small solutions to climate change: South Windsor goes solar

Jan Ellen Spiegel

September 19, 2019 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, South Windsor, Connecticut

The town of South Windsor, Connecticut, is committed to reducing energy use and costs by going all-in on solar power. By incorporating solar into five of the town's schools, South Windsor will save an estimated $100,000 annually.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The all-electric home: Tackling air pollution by cutting off natural gas

Heather May

August 27, 2019 |

The Salt Lake Tribune |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Herriman, Utah

In a collaborative effort between developers, power companies, and the government, a new apartment complex in Utah will be almost entirely powered by solar energy. The complex, developed by Wasatch Premier Communities, will work with Rocky Mountain Power to determine how to integrate such technology into the region’s electricity grid. This kind of development is gaining ground in Utah, and those in the industry hope to educate others of the benefits of going electric.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Chevron starts its unique project that buries carbon dioxide underground

Akshat Rathi

August 10, 2019 |

Quartz |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Australia, Barrow Island, Western Australia

In the wake of a massive natural gas extraction project by Chevron, the Australian government asked the oil behemoth to bury as much as 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. The technology fueling the burying initiative, called carbon capture and storage (CCS), has had success in similar projects around the world in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the oil creation process.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Buried lines helping prevent outages during Carolina hurricanes

John Sharpe

July 26, 2019 |

Carolina Public Press |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, North Carolina

Coastal cities across South and North Carolina are considering the benefits of underground power lines. With hurricane winds doing major damage to above-ground lines, buried lines often go unharmed, leaving residents with power during such storms. Those in the field note that the cost of rerouting power underground is substantial, and something that residents must cover themselves.

Read More
Go to Original Story