This story was originally published by Reasons to be Cheerful
Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Let us know what you think at [email protected].
Green medal
Paris is getting a lot of press for trying to host a more sustainable Olympics. (Whether they’re succeeding, as Contributing Editor Peter Yeung pointed out last week, depends on who you ask.) Turns out London pioneered similar efforts in 2012 with an athlete’s village that became private housing and an aquatics center and velodrome that were transformed into public amenities.
Will says:
For those of us who love both the Olympics and the planet, it’s good to see a notoriously wasteful event at least attempting to be part of the sustainability solution.
Keep it civil 
From Oregon to New York, unarmed civilian response teams are replacing police in certain dispatches to 911 calls. How’s that working out? Editorial Director Becca Worby takes a look at a report from The Marshall Project, which delves into the evidence and finds that, in at least two cities, only one percent of such responses ended up requiring supplemental police backup.
Becca says:
This is a really interesting look at the successes and challenges of calling on unarmed civilian first response teams. And there’s a podcast about it too, which I look forward to listening to.
What else we’re reading
Inside the Arts Institution Turning Schoolchildren from the Bronx into Photojournalists (subscription required)
Wind and Solar Energy Overtake Fossil Fuels to To Provide 30% of EU Electricity
Elsewhere in our channels…
Kea Krause’s RTBC story on the revival of Maine’s Penobscot River has been named a finalist in the annual Institute for Nonprofit News awards! Congratulations Kea!
The post What We’re Reading: How London Pioneered a Greener Olympics appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.
