Sign inSubmit Idea

Sustainability initiatives in Bielefeld

Find community gardens, compost programs, repair cafés, and neighborhood cleanup events in Bielefeld — local environmental initiatives you can join.

In Bielefeld, neighbours are already working on Repair & Reuse, including «Borrow at UnabDINGbar in Bielefeld». Start something similar this week, or join an initiative already planned.

Ideas
1
Initiatives
2
Participants
0

Bielefeld on the map

Top ideas in Bielefeld

Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseBielefeld

Borrow at UnabDINGbar in Bielefeld

Borrow at UnabDINGbar in Bielefeld UnabDINGbar is the library of things at Stadtbibliothek Bielefeld, Zentralbibliothek am Neumarkt. About 100 objects for hobby, household, and leisure include a DVD player, folding Bollerwagen, binoculars, instant camera, sack truck, energy-cost meter, iron saw, soldering iron, and cordless drill. What you can do - Borrow from age 18 with a valid library card at the 1st-floor desk (not self-checkout) - Keep objects two weeks and extend if they are not reserved. Manuals travel with the device. You supply batteries or instant-camera film - Ask staff if you want to donate a useful object or request a new one How it works Issue and return run in information hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday 10:00 to 13:00. The building itself opens longer. The same house also runs a MakerSpace open workshop once a month. Why it matters A staffed things desk lets Bielefeld residents test a tool before they buy, or skip the purchase entirely.
borrowtoolslibrary

Initiatives in Bielefeld

BielefeldDate TBD

Borrow at the UnabDINGbar first-floor desk in Bielefeld

Borrow at the UnabDINGbar first-floor desk in Bielefeld Issue and return for about 100 things happen at the 1st-floor desk during information hours, not at self-checkout. What you can do - Bring a card and be 18 or older - Borrow for two weeks, extend if free How it works Information hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday 10:00 to 13:00. The house can stay open later for reading. When & where Recurring. Check the organiser's website for dates. Zentralbibliothek, Neumarkt 1, 33602 Bielefeld. Why it matters A human desk for drills and meters keeps the collection complete for the next borrower. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Source: Zentralbibliothek. Photo: Stadtbibliothek Bielefeld (ground-floor lounge).
Join in!
BielefeldDate TBD

Join the MakerSpace open workshop in Bielefeld

Join the MakerSpace open workshop in Bielefeld The same Zentralbibliothek runs a MakerSpace with wood, metal, and electronics tools, sewing machines, and a 3D printer (after an introduction). Once a month it opens as an offene Werkstatt. Holiday workshops for children run separately. Other slots can be booked with the directorate. What you can do - Ask at the library about the next open-workshop date - Use the 24-hour Schraubstelle bike column by the main door for on-the-spot tyre and hex-key jobs (this listing is the indoor workshop) How it works Contact Stadtbibliothek directorate, 0521 51-8136 or stadtbibliothek.direktion@bielefeld.de. Confirm dates on the site. This is not a repair-café listing. When & where Recurring. Check the organiser's website for dates. Neumarkt 1, 33602 Bielefeld. Why it matters An open workshop next to a things library is where borrowing a tool turns into learning to use it. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Source: Zentralbibliothek. Photo: Stadtbibliothek Bielefeld (Zentralbibliothek interior).
Be first!

Nearby cities

Active categories

Nearby in the Cologne region

Ideas and initiatives from neighbouring cities in the wider Cologne area.

Ideas across the region

Programme nearbyFood & GardenCologne

Get a Biotonne: close the compost loop in Cologne

Get a Biotonne: close the compost loop in Cologne About 40% of what lands in the grey residual bin is compostable organic waste. In Niehl it is burned: costing money, CO₂, and fertile matter that could return to parks and gardens as torffreier Kölner Kompost. What you can do - Ask your landlord for the free brown Biotonne (tenants can use Zero Waste Köln’s postcard template on their project page). - Line the bin with newspaper, keep it in the shade, and skip “compostable” plastic bags: they need industrial conditions Cologne’s plants do not offer. - Buy Kölner Kompost or Blumenerde from AWB/AVG outlets (the Verein advocates more neighbourhood pick-up points). Why it matters Separate bio collection has been mandatory in Germany since 2015, but Cologne households still need to request the bin. Less bio in residual waste can mean a smaller (cheaper) grey bin.
compostcircularlocal
Programme nearbyCommunityCologne

Walk Cologne with the Zero Waste Schweif

Walk Cologne with the Zero Waste Schweif Grab the Schweif booklet and one to four friends, then wander your Kiez with small tasks that help you spot waste, reuse, and resources in everyday streets. No tour guide: you set the pace. How it works - Pick up a booklet at partner cafés, unverpackt shops, or Zero Waste Köln info stands (hours vary by location). - Work through quizzes and observation prompts designed in Cologne, usable in any urban neighbourhood. - Optional deep-dive facts on the project page after you have tried the riddles yourself. Why it matters Cologne burns roughly 2,000 tonnes of waste every day; the Schweif turns that abstract number into curiosity about what we throw away and what could stay in the loop.
walkingeducationlocal
Programme nearbyCommunityCologne

Swap clothes with Team Tausch in Cologne

Swap clothes with Team Tausch in Cologne Team Tausch runs small and large Kleidertausch events across Cologne. An estimated quarter of wardrobe pieces never get worn; locally, thousands of tonnes of still-wearable textiles are incinerated each year. Swapping keeps joy in fashion without the waste. What happens at a swap - Bring clean, good-condition clothes you no longer wear; take home something new-to-you. - Volunteers help with setup, guest welcome, sorting on racks, and (at larger events) a textile repair corner. - Many evenings end with music and drinks at partner venues such as the Wohngemeinschaft. Join in - Drop in as a visitor: dates are on the event calendar. - Volunteer for a 4-hour shift (no fixed commitment); cafés and community spaces can host new locations. Why it matters Swapping keeps wearable textiles out of incineration and builds neighbourhood joy around fashion without new purchases.
swapfashionvolunteer
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseCologne

Rescue deposit glass at street festivals in Cologne

Rescue deposit glass at street festivals in Cologne At parades and mega-events, returnable glass often misses the deposit system. Zero Waste Köln volunteers collect bottles so they reach supermarkets and breweries instead of residual waste or incineration. What you can do - Join parade and festival glass collections, email aktionen@zerowastekoeln.de - Bring gloves and sturdy bags; many collectors focus on plastic, glass needs extra hands Recent impact (from their project stories) - Sülzer Veedelszug 2025: 600 bottles with KG Grüne Rheinfunken (logistics: Gaffel). - Cologne Pride 2025: 6,500 bottles with Rheinfunken, Cradle2Cradle, Zukunft feiern, Grüngürtelrosen, Veedelperlen. - gamescom festival: 120 beer crates of empties with Feiermacher. Why it matters Every bottle returned to Pfand keeps glass in the brewery loop instead of residual waste or street litter after mega-events.
glassvolunteerevents

Initiatives across the region

CologneWed, Jun 10Ended

STADTRADELN: ride for team Zero Waste Köln

STADTRADELN: ride for team Zero Waste Köln STADTRADELN is a city competition: log bike kilometres instead of car trips, 10-30 June 2026 in Cologne. Join the “Zero Waste Köln” team and add your rides to the collective tally. Why join Every kilometre counts: especially trips you would otherwise take by car. The Verein uses the campaign to show visible climate action alongside their waste work. How to sign up Follow links on the organiser’s event page and STADTRADELN Köln. Source & repost Solarpunker reposts this listing. Campaign: Klima-Bündnis / city teams · Promotion: Zero Waste Köln e.V. · Kalender Details checked: 2026-09-19.
Be first!
CologneSun, Jun 14Ended

Summer swap at the Wohngemeinschaft in Cologne

Summer swap at the Wohngemeinschaft in Cologne Four dates in 2026 at a favourite swap venue: bring what you no longer wear, browse the rails, stay for music and drinks in Cologne. When & where - Sunday 14 June 2026, 15:00-17:00 CEST - Richard-Wagner-Str. 39, Cologne (Wohngemeinschaft) What to bring Clean, wearable clothing in good condition. No ticket sale: swap logic, not a shop. Source & repost Solarpunker reposts this event listing; Zero Waste Köln e.V. organises it. Event page · Kalender Details checked: 2026-09-19.
Be first!
CologneSun, Jul 5Ended

Glass rescue along the Pride parade in Cologne

Glass rescue along the Pride parade in Cologne Zero Waste Köln collects deposit bottles along the CSD parade so they re-enter the Mehrweg system instead of street-side residual bins. When & where - Sunday 5 July 2026 (all-day along the CSD parade route) - Cologne city centre, exact meeting point still being planned (map pin approximate) How to join Email aktionen@zerowastekoeln.de to get updates. Whether volunteers walk in the parade or run a static collection point is still being decided: either way, expect a high-energy, high-impact day. Source & repost Solarpunker reposts this event listing. Event page · Kalender · Organiser: Zero Waste Köln e.V. Details checked: 2026-09-19.
Join in!
CologneTue, Jul 14Ended

Sew your own market bags at IGLU in Cologne

Sew your own market bags at IGLU in Cologne Turn old textiles into drawstring produce bags or waxed bread pouches: skills you can use at any unverpackt shop in Cologne. When & where - Tuesday 14 July 2026, 18:00-20:00 CEST - IGLU, Sudermanplatz 1, 50670 Cologne (Agnesviertel) Practical info - €5 contribution - Register: aktionen@zerowastekoeln.de - Fabric available on site; bring a favourite scrap if you like Source & repost Solarpunker reposts this event listing. Event page · Kalender · Organiser: Zero Waste Köln e.V. Details checked: 2026-09-19.
Be first!

What's next

Got an idea like this?

Share it with your neighborhood, or explore what's happening nearby.

Share an ideaExplore the map