IJR News — today's news from every sideIJRSkyrocketing Diesel Costs Hammer America’s Construction IndustryParis Apodaca · 5 min · 35m
Sudan's war-damaged grid failure drives families to costly solar power — Sep 6, 2026With Sudan’s war-damaged electricity grid, capacity has plunged from about 4,400 to roughly 1,100 megawatts and billions in damages, leaving millions facing outages that disrupt education, health, and daily life. In response, households increasingly turn to rooftop solar—yet a typical 10-kilowatt system can cost around $5,000, a barrier for many amid soaring needs and a sun-rich environment that could power a broader shift if affordability improves.
Priya Raman With that much sun, Sudan should be a solar success story, not a cautionary tale about who can afford electricity.
Urban Gardens Bloom Across Cities, Empowering CommunitiesLifestyle — Aug 28, 2026Community gardens and urban farms are expanding access to fresh, pesticide-free food and strengthening neighborhoods through education, culture, and collaboration, with examples from Memphis’s Black Seeds Urban Farms, a rooftop-to-meadow transformation in India, a Red Hook garden, and community yard networks in Memphis and Glendale that show how shared spaces become hubs of belonging. The stories highlight how neighbors turn unused land, balconies, and parking lots into productive, beauty-filled spaces through collaboration, social networks, and intergenerational involvement, fostering empowerment and community resilience.
