Inspiring Global Climate Action
Keeping global warming below +1.5 degrees Celsius will not be achieved in Paris, Washington DC, or Glasgow alone. Efforts against climate change will mostly occur at the grassroots level, where activists throughout the world work for a greener and more sustainable future. Together with The Urban Activist, we engage with urban practitioners from both sides of the Atlantic, who inspire and spark action in cities.
This series of articles is created in partnership with The Urban Activist, an independent non-profit media platform committed to advancing urban progress.
‘Gieß den Kiez’: Giving trees in Berlin a chance to outlive their planters
Berliners are making watering trees more sexy than announcing new planting. The citizen-led initiative ‘Gieß den Kiez’ coordinates watering efforts to prioritize aftercare of street trees to outlive multiple generations of people. More…
By Susana F. Molina
Housing Los Angelenos is a human right and can fight climate change
Decades of housing shortage has submerged Los Angeles in a humanitarian and sustainability crisis in the midst of extreme weather. But a growing group of volunteer Angelenos are building the movement to house LA and reverse climate change. More…
By Laura Scherling, Ed.D.
Urbanists or environmental activists. The odyssey of the superblocks
Increasingly, more activist voices are advocating to reconsider the superblocks in Barcelona. Initially planned as a project of great urban transformation, it threatens to result in a giant greenwashing operation. More…
By Gemma Barricarte
London’s Dream for Trees: Mini urban forests towards carbon neutrality
With a science-led approach, ‘Dream for Trees’ has started to plant mini urban forests in London to efficiently store carbon and create local balanced ecosystems. Can they save us from human-caused climate change? More…
By Susana F. Molina
La Plaza Cultural: The wisdom of a visionary garden
‘Radical acts of gardening’ more than 40 years ago were visionary actions to reconnect with nature, which anticipated the challenges facing our cities today to fight climate change. More…
By Yasmeen Abdallah
“Radical Gardening” in Echo Park Lake / Photo credit Sara Suarez
Gardening decentralized healing in Los Angeles for a damaged planet
In Los Angeles, a guerrilla garden proved that cultivating collective healing is possible where hardship prevails. Gardening is where healing the body and healing the planet meet and paves decentralized ways for eco-social renewal in cities. More…
By Paige Emery
Pioneering a circular city. At Haus der Statistik nothing is wasted
In Berlin, grassroots initiatives at Haus der Statistik and a modern municipality are masterminding together a town hall of the future to decouple the city’s economic growth from environmental impacts. More…
By Sara Grossman
An urban garden brings new life to Berlin cemeteries
In Berlin, urban garden pioneers have spotted the potential of increasing idle space at cemeteries to foster sustainability and fulfill the purpose of remembrance. More…
By Susana F. Molina
Locals give Canadian cities butterflies. From their backyards
In Canadian cities a neighbour-led movement is unfolding the potential of backyards to provide pollination routes for monarch butterflies. Also it is a call on locals to become Beebnb hosts — the Airbnb for wild bees. More…
By Susana F. Molina
We are here Venice. Back soon but better
Now that Venice is back for its residents, culture and science are stimulating an urgent debate on its future. Some answers might already lie in the natural capital of the lagoon. If we can’t save Venice, what does that mean for the rest of humanity? More…
By Susana F. Molina
No more unease to refill. A revolution to free tap water
There is this great American concept at coffee shops and diners that we, Europeans, all love: Refill. You order a coffee or an orange juice, pay for the first one and get as much refill as you want. More…
By Susana F. Molina
A green strip full of potential. Creatives in Turin reclaim their city
During the 80s a flurry of mechanical sounds and industrial decline inspired underground electronic music at a very defining moment in industrial cities, which nurtured future generations of creatives. Years later cities like Detroit are still paving the way to unplug the misfortunes of deindustralization. More…
By Susana F. Molina
A towering waste problem. Local ideas spearhead change in Brooklyn
Waste is a huge problem. By the day. Here are some community-led ideas bred in Brooklyn which are a successful approach for radical change in waste reduction. More…
By Susana F. Molina
Food warriors in New York. The Fight of our Century
The founders of the first plant-based community fridge in New York unlock fresh food for everyone and its value to combat diseases and heal the planet. More…
By Susana F. Molina
Demystifying open data. Citizens-created science for change
To embrace sustainability, cities ably need to reduce the social divide between the public and science by building data literacy and democratizing the use of open data. More…
By Laura Scherling