US shopping malls, once a mainstay of American life, are in decline. Forty malls have closed since 2020, while more than 230 department stores have closed in the same time period, according to Green Street, a real estate analytics firm.But where there is change, there is also opportunity.After Burlington High School in Vermont had to close its doors because dangerous chemicals were found, the school hopped into a site vacated by Macy’s department store five years earlier.The children now ride the escalator to class. Elsewhere, malls have been converted into offices, casinos or large healthcare facilities. We explore the surprising second life being offered to these temples of consumerism.Presenter: Myra Anubi
Reporter: William Kremer
Series producer: Tom Colls
Sound Mix: Anne Gardiner
Editor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Pupils at a school in a department store.
NachrichtenGesundheit, Wellness & Beauty
People Fixing The World Folgen
Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place.A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them.Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.
Folgen von People Fixing The World
504 Folgen
-
Folge vom 11.06.2024What to do with an empty mall?
-
Folge vom 04.06.2024Fashion without barriersWhat we wear helps us express ourselves and communicate to others in the most immediate way. But the tools we frequently use to do that, such as clothing and haircare are not available to everyone equally.One in six of us has a disability of some sort - according to the World Health Organisation - but most clothing and beauty brands don’t take account of that. From making shops accessible to catering for differences in design and size, few companies address these particular needs.This week on People Fixing The World we’re talking to people trying to change that. Hair and Care is a London-based hairstyling workshop which helps people with visual impairments take better care of their hair.Plus, we bring together two entrepreneurs who’ve brought adaptive clothing to Africa and Asia allowing people with disabilities to fully express themselves in the way they dress. We also meet the UK-based adaptive clothing company that could affect the way we all dress – by working with technology companies to develop a scanner that will help in tailoring for all body shapes.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporters: Emma Tracey, Claire Bowes Producer: Claire Bowes Series Producer: Jon Bithrey Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Wearapy model photoshoot)
-
Folge vom 28.05.2024Solving Mexico City's water crisisMexico's capital often floods during the rainy season, but paradoxically, it's also running out of water. A large and growing population, along with crumbling infrastructure and the effects of climate change - are increasingly putting a strain on the city. We meet the army of scientists, activists and urban planners trying to solve this problem - and rethink Mexico City’s relationship with water - including the scientist using plants to clean sewage water and the architect who has designed a park that absorbs excess rainwater.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Craig Langran Series Producer: Jon Bithrey Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Alejandro Alva in Cuautepac wetland area, Mexico City, BBC)
-
Folge vom 21.05.2024Living with climate changePoorer countries are likely to bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change, with rising temperatures and more unsettled weather leading to greater stresses on natural resources and often inadequate infrastructure. But whilst there’s a lot of focus on global attempts to limit temperature rises by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, there are many smaller scale projects aimed at both tackling and living with climate change.On this edition of People Fixing The World, reporter Jane Chambers travels to the small Central American nation of El Salvador. She meets communities working to preserve highly endangered mangrove forests, crucial in protecting coastlines against flooding and valuable carbon sinks. She also visits a “shade coffee” plantation – where coffee is grown beneath a canopy of plants and trees – to hear how the method can help preserve rainforest and protect against soil erosion and water loss. And she visits a project on the Pacific coast that has made huge strides in protecting the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Jane Chambers Series Producer: Jon Bithrey Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound mix: Annie Gardiner(Image: Aldo Sanchez and Boanergues Sanchez holding a hawksbill sea turtle, photo by Magali Portillo)