Solar electricity systems that are portable and able to be securely packed are reducing thefts in off-grid communities in Africa. While theft of solar panels is a common problem, innovative “grid-in-a-box” solar designs that come in secure shipping containers prevent theft and allow the system to be packed away overnight or in case of a […]
“Floatovoltaics” Provide Clean Energy and Keep Water in Reservoirs
Solar panels that float on water, known as “floatovoltaics,” are being installed in England, Japan, Brazil, the American Southwest, and in many other countries. In major desert reservoirs such as Lake Mead, hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water are lost each year to evaporation – but floatovoltaics can reduce water evaporation in dry climates […]
Baltimore Free Farm Turns Trash into Free, Healthy Food
Baltimore Free Farm is an egalitarian agricultural collective with a variety of initiatives aimed toward providing healthy food access in Baltimore. They reform empty lots and turn them into community food gardens, rescue edible produce and other food that is about to be thrown out of grocery stores and distribute it for free, and host […]
Planting Forests on Derelict Industrial Sites Revives the Land & Its People
In Britain, a plan to reforest land scarred by derelict mine pits, quarries, coal workings, and other industrial wreckage has been successful for both the local environment and for human communities. More than 8.5 million native trees have been planted amidst 500 abandoned industrial sites in the past 25 years, and hundreds of miles of […]
Tokyo’s living curtains reduce temperatures and save energy
Tokyo residents and businesses have begun planting climbing plants to shade their buildings. The plants provide valuable shade and cooling from water evaporation, helping to lower temperatures and electricity consumption. In addition to energy savings, some plants have been selected to provide food, such as the goya vegetables from Kyocera’s green curtains that provide food […]
SunFarmer Brings Solar Power to Schools, Farms, & Hospitals
SunFarmer is a nonprofit that provides solar energy to off-grid communities in developing countries. They launch locally-run solar companies tailored to each region, and help clients through the financial, quality assurance, and maintenance aspects of acquiring solar power. Sunfarmer has brought solar power to dozens of off-grid health facilities, farms, schools, and community centers, particularly […]
College transforms football field to provide crops and jobs
Nine years ago, Paul Quinn College in Dallas transformed its football field into an organic farm. This historically black college was struggling with financial issues, extremely low graduation rates, and a losing, expensive football program. The We over Me farm allows students to pay tuition and gain valuable work experience. It produces 20,000 lbs of […]
Preserving Trees & Livelihoods in the Chocó Rainforest
A group of farmers in the Chocó Rainforest in Ecuador is preserving trees from being felled for lumber and banana and palm oil production. Their association, Socio Escondido, is instead growing cacao, which is easy to grow and transport and collects a price premium for being grown organically. It can be grown alongside native trees […]
Solar Sister Empowers Women and Delivers Clean Energy in Africa
Solar Sister works to both empower women and bring solar energy to remote parts of Africa by recruiting, training, and supporting women in establishing their own clean energy businesses. The Solar Sister entrepreneurs sell and deliver solar lighting and clean cookstoves to their communities, which increases their income and business skills and gives them greater […]
Rainwater harvesting supplies water and income in Kenya
With guidance from the Africa Sand Dam Foundation, villages in Kenya’s Makueni County are creating rain catchment systems to take action against drought. People in the Kikumbulyu village built rock catchment systems for rainwater, which divert water into large concrete tanks. The catchment systems required community collaboration during the planning and building process, and they […]