Connecticut passes $15 minimum wage
The Fight for $15 notched another major victory with lawmakers in Connecticut approving a plan to implement a $15 wage floor across the state by 2023.
United States
This archive gathers more than 1,500 solutions-journalism stories tied to the United States — covering policy wins, community efforts, scientific advances, and social progress reported from across the country. Each article highlights what is working, who is driving change, and what results have followed.
Scientists claim to have created an environmentally friendly alternative to Styrofoam
Scientists at Washington State University say they have developed an experimental foam made primarily from nanocrystals of cellulose – the most abundant plant material on earth.
North Dakota becomes 25th U.S. state to decriminalize marijuana
The law makes it so first-time possession of up to half an ounce of marijuana is no longer a criminal misdemeanor that carries the potential for jail time, but instead is an infraction that only carries a fine.
Denver voters approve decriminalizing “magic mushrooms”
Denver voters approved a measure to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms. Psilocybin has been touted for treating a variety of psychological issues, including depression.
Scientists invent 100% recyclable plastic
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a recyclable plastic that can be disassembled into its constituent parts and reassembled without loss of performance or quality.
Los Angeles launches its own Green New Deal to go carbon-neutral by 2050
The plan requires all new city-owned buildings and major renovations to be all-electric, effective immediately. The plan also hopes to phase out styrofoam and to plant 90,000 trees by 2021, and to end plastic straws and single-use containers by 2028.
Ohio congressional map is illegal gerrymander, federal court rules
The ruling, by a three-judge panel from the Federal District Court in Cincinnati, ordered new maps to be drawn by June 14 to be used for the 2020 election, when Democrats will fight to preserve their House majority.
Minnesota governor signs bill to make marital rape illegal
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Thursday signed a law that repeals the state’s marital rape exception, which protected rapists against prosecution if they lived and had an ongoing sexual relationship with the victim.
America’s renewable energy set to surpass coal for the first month ever in April 2019
America’s clean energy revolution is on the verge of a tipping point. The renewable energy sector is projected to generate more electricity than coal during the month of April.
Maine becomes the first state to ban Styrofoam
The law, which will go into effect January 1, 2021, prohibits restaurants, caterers, coffee shops and grocery stores from using the to-go foam containers because they cannot be recycled in Maine.