All People Making a Difference
SOIL turns human waste into compost in HaitiRural residents of Haiti most easily see the benefits of composting human waste, says Sasha Kramer, the co-founder of SOIL.
Cities turn to innovative 'green infrastructure'From Seattle to Sweden, city and regional governments are using roof gardens, specially designed wetlands, and other forms of 'green infrastructure' to rein in pollution 鈥� and to save money.
Africa's entrepreneurs on the riseAfrica is booming with young entrepreneurs, but they don't always operate like their counterparts in the US.
An urban gardening project greens Johannesburg rooftopsIn South Africa, the Tlhago Primary Agricultural Cooperative teaches urban youths gardening skills, educates them about climate change, and empowers them to take practical actions.
Buy a share of a fresh, sustainable fish catchA Massachusetts-based nonprofit is based on same concept as community-supported agriculture, except in this case members purchase a share of a fishing season, rather than a harvest of vegetables.
Arts center helps youths in Bogota shun guns, drugsAn arts center, run by a Colombian non-governmental organization, works with former child soldiers 鈥� leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitaries 鈥� to help them return to civilian life.
Difference MakerVolleyball for all on a famous Rio beachRoberto Bosch's volleyball school was getting nowhere. Then he invited kids from the slums to join for free.- Difference MakerScott Neeson left Hollywood to save children rooting in Cambodia's garbage dumpsHe sold his mansion, Porsche, and yacht and set off for Cambodia to provide food, shelter, and education to destitute children.
Tasintha sets Zambia's sex workers on a better pathThe nonprofit group Tasintha helps prostitutes reform their lives using a positive, nonjudgmental approach.
Could the blackout be fuel for India's energy entrepreneurs?New technologies created by India's energy entrepreneurs could provide affordable clean energy through community-scale micro-grids, solar home systems, and solar lanterns that displace the need for subsidized kerosene and provide a hundred times the lumens for a fraction of the cost.
As cities grow, technology could help quench the world's thirstApplying known technologies and changing old practices could make a big difference in ensuring an adequate water supply for both agriculture and cities, one expert says.
How cities can get drivers bikingHow can planners attract the 60 percent of Americans who say they would bike more if they felt more secure? The answer could be cheap and simple.
A modern, wired university grows in NigeriaThe American University of Nigeria provides a modern education right in the backyard of Boko Haram, Nigeria's homegrown terrorist group. One clue: The campus claims 55 percent of all the Internet traffic in Nigeria.
Bamboo farming takes pressure off Kenya's forestsEvicted from Kenya's protected forests, displaced people are finding a new way to make a living 鈥� without cutting trees 鈥� by turning to bamboo farming.- Difference MakerOne-time skinhead Arno Michaels helps youths respond with compassionHis Kindness Not Weakness outreach program challenges diverse audiences to show the kind of 'warrior' strength needed to practice nonviolence.
12 innovations that could combat droughtClimate change is making it increasingly important to protect US agriculture and address its vulnerability to natural disasters, such as drought.
'Own your own boda' (motorcycle taxi) empowers UgandansA startup helps motorcycle taxi drivers in Kampala, Uganda, buy their bikes, which in turn helps them buy homes, start businesses, and send their kids to school.
'Popovers for Pigs' helps green up famous Acadia National Park restaurant'Popovers for Pigs' is just one of the many environmental initiatives undertaken by Jordan Pond House, the only restaurant to operate inside Acadia National Park on the scenic seacoast of Maine.
Difference MakerChepe Ubaque survived Colombia's mean streets. Now he helps others do the same.Hip-hop, graffiti, break dancing, and journalism programs give teens in Colombia a safe way to express themselves 鈥� and avoid violence.
Charities plan to distribute $2 million in aid for Colorado shooting victimsMore than 2,500 individuals have donated to help victims and their families in the aftermath of a shooting spree in a Colorado theater. At GivingFirst.org donors can choose from a list of 10 organizations to contribute to.
