Restore the trust and responsibility to community
Shanghai, China
http://www.shymca.org.cn
Synthesis
The Luoshan Community Service Centre is currently the only group house for elderly people in an open style, combining a service centre for youth with the service centre for elders. This creates an opportunity for the elders to communicate with people from outside. (more…)
Programa Carona Solidária
São Paulo - SP, Brazil
www.caronausp.z8.com.br www.ambiente.sp.gov.br
Promoters
São Paulo´s Environment State Office, schools, colleges, companies and condominiums all over Brazil.
Solution
Around the metropolitan area of São Paulo, the occupation of the vehicles is on average 1.5 people for each car. Considering the fact that there are four places where people can comfortably sit in a car, this number can damage many aspects of a good living structure in the town. The number of the cars on the streets is extremely high, causing heavy traffic, polluted air high levels, a increasing of the travel period and stress for many people. (more…)
Projeto Horta Comunitária - Program of Feeding Quality Improvement for the Suburb Inhabitants
Boa Esperança- MG, Brazil
Promoters
Communitarian Association of Boa Esperança, Cláudio Lúcio da Silva and Inhabitants of suburbs in Minas Gerais
Solution
Most of suburb areas in Brazil suffer with a disregard of the government in some social aspects. They are usually poor and the most needing areas in the cities.
This project was created as an answer to combat the hunger and to increase the citizenship of the lacking suburb districts in the state of Minas Gerais. With the support of Banco do Brasil Foundation, the idea of cultivating a communitarian vegetable garden appeared in the district of Boa Esperança, south of the state. At that time, Cláudio Lúcio da Silva was the local communitarian association president. He had the idea about asking to the fallow lands owners in the district, the authorization to cultivate vegetables in there. It was advantageous for the owners, because they didn’t need to spend with cleaning it and the lands would be all surrounded, what guarantees that there won’t be any invasion. (more…)
A network between urban people and traditional agriculture
Liuzhou, China
http://tuguan.bokee.com/
Synthesis
“Ainonghui” (the work group of communities support agriculture) established a bridge between urban young people and the natural (organic) agriculture resources. It established connections and trust relationship between urban communities and organic farmers. (more…)
Collective Purchase Centre
Taipei, Taiwan
http://www.hucc-coop.tw/
Synthesis
The initiative relies on the purchasing power of consumers seeking a healthier and safer lifestyle, with a direct participation into production. It opens up a direct conversation between producers and consumers. (more…)
France, Paris
By: Cafezoïde association
www.cafezoide.asso.fr
Education in enjoyable surroundings.
Solution
Café Zoïde is a combination of a neighbourhood workshop and a café, independent from the school system but providing educational yet liberating surroundings for children. The scheme offers a playground for families, art courses and exhibitions, help for foreign parents and children, a café based on exchange and participation, and a library of information. It is also a dynamic and convivial influence on the neighbourhood.
(more…)
Italy, San Donato Milanese, Milan
By: Cooperativa Sociale Solidarietà è Progresso, Municipalità di San Donato Milanese
http://www.comune.sandonatomilanese.mi.it
A flexible, customised professional day nursery for small groups of infants, at a reasonable price, and with a socialising environment
Solution
The service is run for the municipality of San Donato Milanese by a cooperative of 80 members started in 1999 to organise services for infants, the disabled and the. It offers professional nursery care to small groups of two or three children under three years old. Children are assigned to a childminder, who looks after them in her own home. The carers look after and educate the children, and take them also to other activities for infants organised by the local authority to help in the baby’s social development. The service is focused on two main concepts: having a maximum of three children per house, making it easier for the childminder to take them out on her own, and that the childminders should be well-trained.The scheme offers new job opportunities, especially for immigrants, and a new, flexible and personalised kind of childcare. The parents have to drop off and pick up the baby at the carer’s house and provide the baby’s food.
(more…)
France, Paris
By: Les Jardins de Cérès, Association
www.jardins.ceres91.net
People interested in healthy lifestyle and preserving the environment obtain organic food from local farmers, and also support their production.
Solution
‘Les Jardins de Cérès’ is consumer group which wants local farmers to produce food organically. To do this, the group orders the produce in advance, before it is even planted, and guarantees to buy the crop. The association is inspired by the AMAP (Association pour le Maintien d’une Agriculture Paysanne) system, well known for some years in southern areas of France. An AMAP is basically a group of customers (organised by the farmer) who buy goods from one particular farm. In this system the customers adjust their demand to what the farmer can offer seasonally. Members of Les Jardins des Cérès have persuaded a cereal farmer, with about 250ha, to use one part of his farm to grow organic potatoes – the simplest crop. The members of the association helped the farmer during the process – they cleaned the 400-year-old cellar and created storage places, and helped plant, tend and harvest the potatoes – and in doing so developed a close relationship.
(more…)
Italy, Milan
Il servizio per una mobilità sostenibile
Stop alle spese di bollo, assicurazione e allo stress del parcheggio; nasce MilanoCarSharing, un servizio di auto in condivisione disponibile 24 ore su 24, che permette di sfruttare l’automobile solo quando serve, pagandone l’utilizzo effettivo.
(more…)
The Netherlands, Eindhoven
By: Aquarius Association
People over 55 live in a resource-sharing community suited to their diverse needs and lifestyles
Solution
Aquarius is a social community of about 45 older people living together, helping each other when needed. They want to grow old together. They each have a private home and garden, but also use a communal space and large communal garden. The inhabitants help each other out as much as possible. A committee organises the community, and has the task of vetting potential new members, who can apply between ages 55 and 65 (to make sure there are is always a mix of younger and older residents). Aquarius is a community where elderly people spend their days in an active social active environment.
(more…)
Italy, Milan
By: School of via Bottego, Milan
www.iwalktoschool.org
Children get to school by themselves - enjoyably and safely
Solution
The walking bus encourages children to walk to and from school in the safety of a group under supervision of one or more adults. Safe routes are created and become a fun part of children’s daily routine. They meet their friends, talk and play, and share experiences outside the school. Gradually this builds up the children’s autonomy and personalities. It is also good exercise, and frees up time for the parents, who would otherwise have to take the children to school. What’s more, it improves children’s road safety awareness, improves pedestrian safety, and creates friendlier neighbourhoods as people get out and interact with one another. Finally, it reduces traffic pollution and accidents involving child pedestrians.
(more…)
The Netherlands, Utrecht
By: Nieuw Utrecht Association
A puiblic green makes a neighbourhood more beautiful and welcoming.
Solution
Loan Gardens is a public green, which as been turned into a garden by the residents. There are a lot of public green spaces in Overvecht, and residents wanted to use this particular area to give the neighbourhood more identity. Residents who want to garden there first ask permission first of the ‘De Bram’ community centre, which also provides all the information they need, as does the municipal housing corporation, Overvecht. When permission is granted residents receive a management contract, and sometimes some funding, which makes then the owners of the public space they applied for and they can start gardening. The association provides advice, gardening courses and plants for the inhabitants, and the district office and students of nearby Wellant College help with planting.
(more…)
Finland, Helsinki
By: Oranssi
www.oranssi.net
How young people live independently, yet communally.
Solution
Oranssi renovates houses for young people looking for a more communal way of living. Inhabitants participate in the renovation from the beginning, and maintain the houses afterwards. Neighbours know each other and are active in taking care of communal maintenance, such as garden work, snow ploughing, etc. Oranssi flats are as cheap as the cheapest council flats (for which there are long queues), and residents are allowed to renovate their flat as they wish and to participate in their house community, with its socialising as well as repair and maintenance work. Members, who must be under 24, need to take responsibility for the work involved and to be prepared for a more communal way of living. Whenever a vacancy arises, people can apply to the board, and are chosen by interview. The original members have become valued experts in traditional wooden house repair techniques, which they pass on to new residents. Unemployed young people can also get temporary work placements, and young carpenters can do their practical training there.
(more…)
Italy, Milan
Una spesa consapevole
Filo di Paglia nasce a Milano dieci anni fa da un gruppo di volontari decisi a modificare i propri consumi secondo criteri di maggior consapevolezza, giustizia e solidarietà.
Fare la spesa in modo diverso: ecco la motivazione principale di chi sceglie questo gruppo.
Aderire è rendersi disponibili, è partecipare alle attività, è l’impegno a prestare un servizio efficiente e di qualità, il tutto in un’atmosfera di grande entusiasmo e amicizia.
(more…)
The Netherlands, The Hague
By: The International Institute for the Urban Environment (IIUE), NV Woningbeheer and the department of Nature an Environmental Education of the City of The Hague
www.urban.nl
Inhabitants improve living conditionms in their village environment
Solution
Residents have taken over responsibility from the local authority for certain maintenance tasks for their neighbourhood. A residents’ association decides, with the local authority, what work needs doing, then organises it among local residents. Although the local authority pays for the work, responsibility is devolved to the residents’ association. The local authority and environmental organisations give the residents practical advice, and environmental awareness.
(more…)
Belgium
www.natpro.be
Une association pilote pour la Belgique qui conscientise et agit vers un bien être social et environnemental.
Présentation
• Promotion de : l’agriculture, du jardinage bio, de la biodiversité
• Aliment comme lien entre producteur et consommateur
• Mise en place, promotion des circuits de distribution courts
• Renforcement de la ruralité
• Eco-bioconstruction et formation
• Promotion de tourisme rural et alternatif
• Visites et rencontres, partage des connaissances dans différents domaines.
(more…)
Belgium, Brussels
Groupe d’achat commun de produit bio
INNOVATION CLÉ
Il s’agit d’un endroit où l’on peut acheter des paniers bios provenant d’une agriculture locale.
FONCTIONNEMENT
L’idée est de se regrouper, de manière à faire une commande groupée à un agriculteur proche et ainsi accéder à des produits garantis bio tout en ne déboursant pas plus qu’au supermarché du coin.
Ainsi chaque semaine, le mercredi plus précisément, une vingtaine de “gaceurs” (prononcer “gaqueur”) se réunissent pour passer commande pour la semaine suivante et enlever la commande du jour. Ils se partagent les différentes tâches de logistique à tour de rôle. Les produits disponibles sont repartit en paniers légumes (poireaux, potirons, choux, épinards, carottes, cresson, …) ou fruit (pomme, poire et venant du commerce équitable). Chaque client recevant le même panier, mais changeant chaque semaine (il y a du pain aussi).
(more…)
France, Paris
By: Association T.E.R.E.M
http://omnibusnet.org
People are taught about trade without attending a conventional course.
Solution
The training shop gives professional courses about the sales industry allows students to put theory into practice in the on-site shop. The aim is to enable young people and adults who are either unemployed or of low education find fulfilment through work. The shop only sells fair trade products. The main motivation of the organisers is both reintegrate people into society and introduce ethical issues by selling fair trade products only. Students who wish to take part are first assessed by the ANPE then sent to the ‘mission locale’ which decides the best location for each individual. Training lasts four months with three weeks dedicated to internship. Every day the students come in the morning for their course, one opens the shop, and every two hours they take turns to run the shop. The students follow strict discipline, having to be present on time there and supervised at all times by the team.
(more…)
Germany, Cologne, Bonn & surrounding
By: Apfelbacher Gemüseabo
web site: http://www.bioland-apfelbacher.de
Fresh, organically grown, reasonably priced vegetables are delivered to the door, together with recipes, and opportunities to visit the farm.
Solution
The Apfelbacher Gemüsekiste delivers a box of local vegetables and fruits weekly, giving several options: a basic assortment with only vegetables, one with additional fruits, a single box and a family box. It is also possible to order special vegetables and fruits, bread, cheese and tinned meat. The basic vegetable box costs about 12 euros. The products are fresh and seasonal, and have to be grown locally. Customers are often surprised to find unknown vegetable or fruit in their box: products that they would have never bought otherwise, because they don’t know how to prepare them. For this reason, a list of recipes is included in the vegetable box.
(more…)
France, Paris
By : Association Quartier Saint Bernard AQSB
www.qsb11.org
Residents transform an abandoned plot into a shared neighbourhood garden.
Solution
This run-down eyesore was transformed into a dynamic, locally run community garden, meeting and events space. The 270 square metre shared garden is a platform for a multitude of activities; it inspires interaction between generations and involvement with local schools. The Jardin Nomade offers a free and open space where locals of all age groups can meet and have fun. A monthly meeting is held by the Association du Quartier Saint Bernard (AQSB) to exchange information, organise events and deal with any problems. Claudine Raillard, a professional gardener, performs the general management and supervision of the garden, draws up contracts, distributes individual garden plots, gives gardening advice and programmes activities, undertakes environmental research (such as water collection) and organised the brick architecture (hut) project. The AQSB organises monthly meetings, within and beyond the neighbourhood by holding social events, such as soup parties, making sure that something is always happening in and around the garden.
(more…)
