Meet the 13 teams who won awards this year.

Request History

• Restore to current request
• teams/view/237
• teams/view/37
• teams/past
• users/login

Session

• Config
  • userAgent3c1b71f40148752f58a1ff2ea6e2c2b7
  • time1369509184
  • timeout10
• _Tokena:5:{s:3:"key";s:40:"abb5c722abb5bbbc3a4eb7d1f24a50d8a922b1cf";s:7:"expires";i:1369491184;s:18:"allowedControllers";a:0:{}s:14:"allowedActions";a:0:{}s:14:"disabledFields";a:0:{}}

Request

Cake Params

• pass
  • 0home
• named(empty)
• plugin(null)
• controllerhome
• actionindex
• url
  • exthtml
  • url/
• form(empty)
• _Token
  • keyabb5c722abb5bbbc3a4eb7d1f24a50d8a922b1cf
  • expires1369491184
  • allowedControllers(empty)
  • allowedActions(empty)
  • disabledFields(empty)

$_GET

• url/

Cookie

• 0(empty)

Current Route

• 0/
• 1/^[\/]*$/
• 2(empty)
• 3
  • plugin(null)
  • controllerhome
  • actionindex
  • 0home
• 4(empty)

Sql Logs

Logs

View Variables

• comp_year2013
• team_comp_year2013
• allow_initial_proposals1
• allow_final_proposals0
• allow_voting0
• allow_cert_registration1
• allow_cert_login1
• allow_grants0
• enable_optin1
• show_explore_problems1
• show_discover_teams1
• show_join_support1
• show_create_team1
• show_offer_help1
• show_volunteer_for1
• show_browse_help1
• show_counting_votes0
• show_microsite0
• microsite_statepost
• featured_teams(empty)
• featured_problems
  • 0
    • Problem
      • id42
      • description<h3>Problem</h3> <p>Although Lakka Peninisular is very closed to the Guma Valley Dam along the peninsular of Western Rural Area in Sierra Leone, water distribution in the community and nearby towns is relatively poor.</p> <h3>Context</h3> <p>Poor water distribution is due to the circuit of pipe connections. There are many pipes connected from the main pipe carrying water to households that can afford the cost of purchasing required plumbing materials, labour cost and registration with the Guma Valley Water Company with head office in the city. Households which can not afford the cost of such connections are left with no option but to break some of the connected pipes or to use nearby hydrants to fetch water. And these class of households are in the majority as the community is relatively poor and in transition.</p> <p>The situation is also the same for electricity distribution as there are few or no poles installed by the National Electricity Authority. The few rich households in the community utilised electricity from generators or in rare cases from batteries. In addition, feeder roads are non-existence and sewage system of waste management is relatively poor. Few households in the community can afford a flush toilet. The vast majority of households in the community used pit latrines which are poorly constructed and located haphazardly.</p> <h3>Solution</h3> <p>The solution to all theses problems will begin with a coordinated planning in which the water company, electricity authority and other stakeholders are engage so that a singular piping system is connected whereby households can jus take from a close feed. Also, electricity transmission poles should be installed along the main road and within the community to allow households to connect easily.</p> <h3>How Can MIT Help?</h3> <p>MIT can contribute by providing funds, materials and technical expertise to ensure the implementation of the coordinated plan.</p>
      • created2011-04-21 10:26:32
      • modified2011-04-21 10:26:00
      • contestyear0000-00-00
      • user_id12591
      • titleSanitation, Electricity and Water Distribution in the Lakka Peninsular Community.
      • published2011-04-22
      • agree0
      • category_suggestionEnergy and Environment
      • follower_count4
      • comment_count16
    • Image
      • id557
      • filenameSOLTANI.jpg
      • diruploads/image/filename
      • mimetypeimage/pjpeg
      • filesize10072
      • created2011-04-21 10:26:32
      • modified2011-04-21 10:26:32
      • page_id0
      • entity_id0
      • element_id0
      • team_id0
      • problem_id42
      • category_id0
      • challenge_id0
  • 1
    • Problem
      • id79
      • description<p>PROBLEM STATEMENT: Design simple rainwater harvesting system for use in a favela in Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro&rsquo;s favelas present a singular opportunity to prototype resilient DIY green designs that can be adapted for use in slum communities elsewhere. Because of the lack of government regulation, and simple, self-built infrastructure, favelas are an ideal place to implement solutions like urban gardening, composting, and rainwater capture. These improvements can alleviate some of the environmental and social burdens on favela residents. Rio de Janeiro has a higher cost of living than New York, but most favela residents earn a minimum wage of R5 (approx. US0) per month. Food prices jumped 1.56% in 2012 due to inflation. Favelas ration their water supplies, and residents regularly run out of water for days or weeks at a time. Most favelas have very little green space, creating heat islands and increased concentrations of air pollutants. Waste management is insufficient, leaving tons of trash that could have been recycled or composted rotting in the streets every day. Addressing environmental problems in favelas is essential because it benefits residents directly while addressing global issues. LOOKING FOR: Green My Favela (GMF) works with favela residents, grassroots NGOs, and local government to remediate degraded land and create productive green spaces primarily in the Rocinha favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's largest urban slum. We have recently begun an ambitious food security project: a terraced garden in a very poor area with limited infrastructure. We're looking for engineers, architects, builders, gardeners, and designers to help us prototype a large-scale rainwater capture and drip irrigation system to support the garden; ideally, a simple, affordable design that can be replicated in other favelas. We also hope to apply students' expertise to green infrastructure elements like grey water systems, compost toilets, green roofing, roof gardens, and DIY solar energy. GMF can provide on-the-ground expertise on local needs and resources, connections to community leaders and residents, green spaces, spaces in need of remediation, and other logistical support. ABOUT GMF is a joint project created by Lea Rekow and Zoe Roller. Lea is an artist, filmmaker, and researcher whose work focuses on the intersection of social justice and the environment. Her past projects include a media empowerment program which explored the legacy of uranium on Navajo Nation, a study of chemical toxicity levels in Utah, and an oral histories project and documentary based on the civil war in Burma. Zo&euml; is a writer and activist who has worked in community development in Rio for the past two years. She runs a digital inclusion program in elementary schools in Complexo do Alem&atilde;o favela. If interested in learning more - reach out to Lea and Zoe at: info@greenmyfavela.org MORE INFORMATION More about GMF: http://www.greenmyfavela.org/, http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/ rio-politics/rocinha-mais-verde-ngo-at-rio20/#</p>
      • created2013-03-08 19:29:39
      • modified2013-03-08 19:29:00
      • contestyear0000-00-00
      • user_id19050
      • titleDesign simple rainwater harvesting system for use in a favela in Rio de Janeiro
      • published2013-03-08
      • agree0
      • category_suggestion
      • follower_count2
      • comment_count2
    • Image
      • id925
      • filenamegreenmyfavela.jpg
      • diruploads/image/filename
      • mimetypeimage/jpeg
      • filesize83871
      • created2013-03-08 19:29:39
      • modified2013-03-08 19:29:39
      • page_id0
      • entity_id0
      • element_id0
      • team_id0
      • problem_id79
      • category_id0
      • challenge_id0
  • 2
    • Problem
      • id69
      • description<p><strong>Problem:</strong> <br />Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh is one of the world&rsquo;s most densely populated cities. Due to lack of infrastructure, knowledge for proper method, technological assistance as well as socio-economic barriers, this city lacks an efficient garbage management system. <br /><br />Occasionally social workers and organizations working on environmental issues raised their voices about this neglected problem but with the outburst soon faded away. The air and environment already polluted by vehicles with old engines and no catalytic converters is further being polluted by the gas these wastes release. Garbage is clogging the roads and blocking the drains thus turning the road and the pipelines into more trafficked pathways. Infectious and contagious diseases are gaining pace, affecting more and more people with time. <br /><img style="float: right; margin: 5px;" src="http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/uploads/image/filename/dhaka_small.jpg" alt="Dhaka Image" width="185" height="185" /><br /><br /><strong>Context</strong>: <br />In Dhaka garbage is everywhere. Garbage is by the road, around the parks, by the rivers and lakes, inside the trash cans, outside the trash cans, around the grocery shops, beside the kindergartens and surrounding the playgrounds. It is by the main roads or on the main roads. <br /><br />Specific locations for dumping the garbage is either not present in a region or are not properly used. People have not yet grown proper awareness about keeping the city clean. Often they do not store the waste till finding a dustbin which is because of the lack of awareness. In public parks, schools or university campuses, distance between two trash cans is so large that people usually do not walk all the way to throw a banana peel or a used tissue. Lack of awareness and lack of service have together worsened the condition. <br /><img style="margin: 5px; float: right; border: 0.1px solid black;" src="http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/uploads/image/filename/dhaka_small2.jpg" alt="Waste Seen in Dhaka" width="287" height="287" /><br />According to the recent consensus ran in 2011, the population density of Dhaka is 8,111 inhabitants/ km2, the total number of households is 2,791,600 and the population is 4672900. The garbage collection system of the city is very meager. It is very common for the dwellers of Dhaka city to throw their garbage through the window regardless the location of where it will drop. The lack of garbage pits in the vicinity is to blame. The municipality is failing to remove the waste that is being formed at the households and the roadsides. Garbage is being dumped and not removed; as a result it&rsquo;s accumulating everywhere. <br /><br />Additionally, the garbage that is collected is not managed. To the most, this garbage is thrown in an enormous garbage pit at the outskirts of the city and left untreated. The dirt-bins found here and there in the city often overflow and as people are not conscious enough, they throw garbage around the bins rather than in. The garbage collectors worsen the situation because they are neither well-trained nor well-equipped to do it in an organized manner. The city lacks infrastructure to manage the waste. It is inexplicably essential to find an organized procedure to collect and process the waste and clean the city up. <br /><br />Currently a private organization called Waste Concern (<a href="http://www.wasteconcern.org/">http://www.wasteconcern.org/</a>) is working on this issue but their projects are still small-scale and not widespread.</p> <p><br /><strong>Potential Solutions: </strong></p> <ol> <li>Garbage collection mechanism has to be improved by devising the collectors with better tools. By improving the tools and methods the collectors use, the quality and social acceptance of the job can be heightened. </li> <li>An environment-friendly and cost efficient method of garbage disposal system has to be developed that is particularly effective in a city like Dhaka. Garbage incinerating machines could be designed or a different method of destroying the garbage could be invented. </li> <li>Many countries around the world recycle a large amount of waste. A similar recycling system could be implemented to treat garbage in Dhaka. </li> <li>Social awareness should be grown among people by forming an outreach program that draws attention of people and give them the necessary information. </li> </ol> <p><strong>How can MIT help:</strong></p> <ol> <li><em>Inventing a method:</em> developing an environment-friendly and cost-efficient method of garbage disposal system. </li> <li><em>Designing a device:</em> designing the equipment and tools required to implement the method invented. This includes both the equipment for collecting and processing garbage. </li> <li><em>Scheming about an effective public awareness program: </em>preparing a program to grow awareness among people about keeping city clean. </li> </ol> <p><br /><strong>How to help? </strong></p> <ol> <li>Post ideas and resources below</li> <li>Email the author</li> <li>Spread the word about this challenge to your networks: http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/problems/view/69</li> </ol> <p><br />Reference: 1. <a href="http://www.bbs.gov.bd/webtestapplication/userfiles/image/BBS/PHC2011Preliminary%20Result.pdf">http://www.bbs.gov.bd/webtestapplication/userfiles/image/BBS/PHC2011Preliminary%20Result.pdf</a></p>
      • created2012-12-12 22:47:18
      • modified2012-12-12 22:47:00
      • contestyear0000-00-00
      • user_id24335
      • titleClean Up! Developing a Waste Collection System in Dhaka, Bangladesh
      • published2013-01-08
      • agree0
      • category_suggestion
      • follower_count4
      • comment_count5
    • Image
      • id852
      • filenameDhaka_Large0.jpg
      • diruploads/image/filename
      • mimetypeimage/jpeg
      • filesize92750
      • created2012-12-12 22:47:19
      • modified2013-01-08 11:38:14
      • page_id0
      • entity_id0
      • element_id0
      • team_id0
      • problem_id69
      • category_id0
      • challenge_id0
• featured_items
  • 0
    • Problem
      • id69
      • description<p><strong>Problem:</strong> <br />Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh is one of the world&rsquo;s most densely populated cities. Due to lack of infrastructure, knowledge for proper method, technological assistance as well as socio-economic barriers, this city lacks an efficient garbage management system. <br /><br />Occasionally social workers and organizations working on environmental issues raised their voices about this neglected problem but with the outburst soon faded away. The air and environment already polluted by vehicles with old engines and no catalytic converters is further being polluted by the gas these wastes release. Garbage is clogging the roads and blocking the drains thus turning the road and the pipelines into more trafficked pathways. Infectious and contagious diseases are gaining pace, affecting more and more people with time. <br /><img style="float: right; margin: 5px;" src="http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/uploads/image/filename/dhaka_small.jpg" alt="Dhaka Image" width="185" height="185" /><br /><br /><strong>Context</strong>: <br />In Dhaka garbage is everywhere. Garbage is by the road, around the parks, by the rivers and lakes, inside the trash cans, outside the trash cans, around the grocery shops, beside the kindergartens and surrounding the playgrounds. It is by the main roads or on the main roads. <br /><br />Specific locations for dumping the garbage is either not present in a region or are not properly used. People have not yet grown proper awareness about keeping the city clean. Often they do not store the waste till finding a dustbin which is because of the lack of awareness. In public parks, schools or university campuses, distance between two trash cans is so large that people usually do not walk all the way to throw a banana peel or a used tissue. Lack of awareness and lack of service have together worsened the condition. <br /><img style="margin: 5px; float: right; border: 0.1px solid black;" src="http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/uploads/image/filename/dhaka_small2.jpg" alt="Waste Seen in Dhaka" width="287" height="287" /><br />According to the recent consensus ran in 2011, the population density of Dhaka is 8,111 inhabitants/ km2, the total number of households is 2,791,600 and the population is 4672900. The garbage collection system of the city is very meager. It is very common for the dwellers of Dhaka city to throw their garbage through the window regardless the location of where it will drop. The lack of garbage pits in the vicinity is to blame. The municipality is failing to remove the waste that is being formed at the households and the roadsides. Garbage is being dumped and not removed; as a result it&rsquo;s accumulating everywhere. <br /><br />Additionally, the garbage that is collected is not managed. To the most, this garbage is thrown in an enormous garbage pit at the outskirts of the city and left untreated. The dirt-bins found here and there in the city often overflow and as people are not conscious enough, they throw garbage around the bins rather than in. The garbage collectors worsen the situation because they are neither well-trained nor well-equipped to do it in an organized manner. The city lacks infrastructure to manage the waste. It is inexplicably essential to find an organized procedure to collect and process the waste and clean the city up. <br /><br />Currently a private organization called Waste Concern (<a href="http://www.wasteconcern.org/">http://www.wasteconcern.org/</a>) is working on this issue but their projects are still small-scale and not widespread.</p> <p><br /><strong>Potential Solutions: </strong></p> <ol> <li>Garbage collection mechanism has to be improved by devising the collectors with better tools. By improving the tools and methods the collectors use, the quality and social acceptance of the job can be heightened. </li> <li>An environment-friendly and cost efficient method of garbage disposal system has to be developed that is particularly effective in a city like Dhaka. Garbage incinerating machines could be designed or a different method of destroying the garbage could be invented. </li> <li>Many countries around the world recycle a large amount of waste. A similar recycling system could be implemented to treat garbage in Dhaka. </li> <li>Social awareness should be grown among people by forming an outreach program that draws attention of people and give them the necessary information. </li> </ol> <p><strong>How can MIT help:</strong></p> <ol> <li><em>Inventing a method:</em> developing an environment-friendly and cost-efficient method of garbage disposal system. </li> <li><em>Designing a device:</em> designing the equipment and tools required to implement the method invented. This includes both the equipment for collecting and processing garbage. </li> <li><em>Scheming about an effective public awareness program: </em>preparing a program to grow awareness among people about keeping city clean. </li> </ol> <p><br /><strong>How to help? </strong></p> <ol> <li>Post ideas and resources below</li> <li>Email the author</li> <li>Spread the word about this challenge to your networks: http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/problems/view/69</li> </ol> <p><br />Reference: 1. <a href="http://www.bbs.gov.bd/webtestapplication/userfiles/image/BBS/PHC2011Preliminary%20Result.pdf">http://www.bbs.gov.bd/webtestapplication/userfiles/image/BBS/PHC2011Preliminary%20Result.pdf</a></p>
      • created2012-12-12 22:47:18
      • modified2012-12-12 22:47:00
      • contestyear0000-00-00
      • user_id24335
      • titleClean Up! Developing a Waste Collection System in Dhaka, Bangladesh
      • published2013-01-08
      • agree0
      • category_suggestion
      • follower_count4
      • comment_count5
    • Image
      • id852
      • filenameDhaka_Large0.jpg
      • diruploads/image/filename
      • mimetypeimage/jpeg
      • filesize92750
      • created2012-12-12 22:47:19
      • modified2013-01-08 11:38:14
      • page_id0
      • entity_id0
      • element_id0
      • team_id0
      • problem_id69
      • category_id0
      • challenge_id0
  • 1
    • Problem
      • id79
      • description<p>PROBLEM STATEMENT: Design simple rainwater harvesting system for use in a favela in Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro&rsquo;s favelas present a singular opportunity to prototype resilient DIY green designs that can be adapted for use in slum communities elsewhere. Because of the lack of government regulation, and simple, self-built infrastructure, favelas are an ideal place to implement solutions like urban gardening, composting, and rainwater capture. These improvements can alleviate some of the environmental and social burdens on favela residents. Rio de Janeiro has a higher cost of living than New York, but most favela residents earn a minimum wage of R5 (approx. US0) per month. Food prices jumped 1.56% in 2012 due to inflation. Favelas ration their water supplies, and residents regularly run out of water for days or weeks at a time. Most favelas have very little green space, creating heat islands and increased concentrations of air pollutants. Waste management is insufficient, leaving tons of trash that could have been recycled or composted rotting in the streets every day. Addressing environmental problems in favelas is essential because it benefits residents directly while addressing global issues. LOOKING FOR: Green My Favela (GMF) works with favela residents, grassroots NGOs, and local government to remediate degraded land and create productive green spaces primarily in the Rocinha favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's largest urban slum. We have recently begun an ambitious food security project: a terraced garden in a very poor area with limited infrastructure. We're looking for engineers, architects, builders, gardeners, and designers to help us prototype a large-scale rainwater capture and drip irrigation system to support the garden; ideally, a simple, affordable design that can be replicated in other favelas. We also hope to apply students' expertise to green infrastructure elements like grey water systems, compost toilets, green roofing, roof gardens, and DIY solar energy. GMF can provide on-the-ground expertise on local needs and resources, connections to community leaders and residents, green spaces, spaces in need of remediation, and other logistical support. ABOUT GMF is a joint project created by Lea Rekow and Zoe Roller. Lea is an artist, filmmaker, and researcher whose work focuses on the intersection of social justice and the environment. Her past projects include a media empowerment program which explored the legacy of uranium on Navajo Nation, a study of chemical toxicity levels in Utah, and an oral histories project and documentary based on the civil war in Burma. Zo&euml; is a writer and activist who has worked in community development in Rio for the past two years. She runs a digital inclusion program in elementary schools in Complexo do Alem&atilde;o favela. If interested in learning more - reach out to Lea and Zoe at: info@greenmyfavela.org MORE INFORMATION More about GMF: http://www.greenmyfavela.org/, http://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/ rio-politics/rocinha-mais-verde-ngo-at-rio20/#</p>
      • created2013-03-08 19:29:39
      • modified2013-03-08 19:29:00
      • contestyear0000-00-00
      • user_id19050
      • titleDesign simple rainwater harvesting system for use in a favela in Rio de Janeiro
      • published2013-03-08
      • agree0
      • category_suggestion
      • follower_count2
      • comment_count2
    • Image
      • id925
      • filenamegreenmyfavela.jpg
      • diruploads/image/filename
      • mimetypeimage/jpeg
      • filesize83871
      • created2013-03-08 19:29:39
      • modified2013-03-08 19:29:39
      • page_id0
      • entity_id0
      • element_id0
      • team_id0
      • problem_id79
      • category_id0
      • challenge_id0
  • 2
    • Problem
      • id42
      • description<h3>Problem</h3> <p>Although Lakka Peninisular is very closed to the Guma Valley Dam along the peninsular of Western Rural Area in Sierra Leone, water distribution in the community and nearby towns is relatively poor.</p> <h3>Context</h3> <p>Poor water distribution is due to the circuit of pipe connections. There are many pipes connected from the main pipe carrying water to households that can afford the cost of purchasing required plumbing materials, labour cost and registration with the Guma Valley Water Company with head office in the city. Households which can not afford the cost of such connections are left with no option but to break some of the connected pipes or to use nearby hydrants to fetch water. And these class of households are in the majority as the community is relatively poor and in transition.</p> <p>The situation is also the same for electricity distribution as there are few or no poles installed by the National Electricity Authority. The few rich households in the community utilised electricity from generators or in rare cases from batteries. In addition, feeder roads are non-existence and sewage system of waste management is relatively poor. Few households in the community can afford a flush toilet. The vast majority of households in the community used pit latrines which are poorly constructed and located haphazardly.</p> <h3>Solution</h3> <p>The solution to all theses problems will begin with a coordinated planning in which the water company, electricity authority and other stakeholders are engage so that a singular piping system is connected whereby households can jus take from a close feed. Also, electricity transmission poles should be installed along the main road and within the community to allow households to connect easily.</p> <h3>How Can MIT Help?</h3> <p>MIT can contribute by providing funds, materials and technical expertise to ensure the implementation of the coordinated plan.</p>
      • created2011-04-21 10:26:32
      • modified2011-04-21 10:26:00
      • contestyear0000-00-00
      • user_id12591
      • titleSanitation, Electricity and Water Distribution in the Lakka Peninsular Community.
      • published2011-04-22
      • agree0
      • category_suggestionEnergy and Environment
      • follower_count4
      • comment_count16
    • Image
      • id557
      • filenameSOLTANI.jpg
      • diruploads/image/filename
      • mimetypeimage/pjpeg
      • filesize10072
      • created2011-04-21 10:26:32
      • modified2011-04-21 10:26:32
      • page_id0
      • entity_id0
      • element_id0
      • team_id0
      • problem_id42
      • category_id0
      • challenge_id0
• $this->data(empty)
• $this->validationErrors(empty)
• Loaded Helpers
  • 0mitgc
  • 1html
  • 2time
  • 3javascript
  • 4text
  • 5form
  • 6toolbar
  • 7htmlToolbar
  • 8number
  • 9simpleGraph
  • 10session