The nonprofit Hug It Forward is helping Guatemalan neighborhoods build schools at less than $10,000 by making them out of plastic bottles, writes Zak Stone for GOOD.
The technology developed by Pura Vida, a Guatemalan nonprofit, stuffs plastic bottles with trash, "tucked between supportive chicken wire, and coated in layers of concrete to form walls between the framing. The bottles make up the insulation, while more structurally sound materials like wood posts are used for the framing," Stone reports.
FULL STORY: Guatemalan Schools Built from Bottles, Not Bricks

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

Portland Council Tentatively Approves Sidewalk Repair Plan
The proposal would address sidewalk needs in Portland’s District 1 and District 4.

Expanding Access to Design Education at Honolulu Community College
Honolulu Community College’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction Technologies program highlights the role of community colleges in preparing nontraditional students for careers in architectural and construction technologies.

Integrating Human Rights Into Energy and Extractive Sector Transitions
Why just transition efforts must move beyond economic considerations by embedding human rights principles into business practices to ensure equitable, transparent, and accountable outcomes for affected communities and workers.
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