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Innovation

See how neighbors are turning SDG 9 into everyday action.

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Ideas advancing SDG 9: Innovation

Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseMunich

Hofflohmärkte, neighbourhood courtyard flea market in Munich

Hofflohmärkte, neighbourhood courtyard flea market in Munich Hofflohmärkte is a Germany-wide reuse programme: residents register a private courtyard, garden, or garage and sell pre-loved goods while neighbours follow a linked tour plan through the district in Munich. The platform runs in 30+ cities and 300+ neighbourhoods; initiator René Götz operates registration, participants organise their own courtyards. What you can do - Download the tour plan PDF for your Viertel (published about one week before each market day) - Walk the linked addresses and buy second-hand treasures from neighbours - Register your own Hof if you have landlord approval and goods to pass on How it works - Sales stay on private ground only, not sidewalks or public space - Typical hours: Saturdays 10–16, Sundays 11–16 (Munich also runs selected Friday evenings with M-net sponsorship) - No food sales; private sellers only, professional dealers are not welcome - Registration closes three weeks before each date for tour-plan marking; late sign-ups are accepted but may not appear on the map - Organisers may cancel a date if fewer than 30 courtyards register, fees are then refunded About Hofflohmärkte Neighbours register a private Hof, Garten, or Garage on Hofflohmärkte and sell used goods on scheduled Viertel days. Registered addresses appear on a tour plan published about one week before each date. Sales happen on private ground only. See city pages for local schedules and Spielregeln & Tipps for seller rules. Why it matters Every item re-homed from a courtyard is one less thing bought new or landfilled, and a chance to meet the people who live behind the front doors.
flea marketreuseneighbourhood
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseKiel

Pack Kita wet clothes in Wechselbüddel

Washable bags beat single-use plastic After a pilot, Kiel equipped about 55 Kitas with Wechselbüddel: waterproof, washable bags for muddy or wet children’s clothes instead of disposable plastic sacks. What you can do - Ask your Kita whether Wechselbüddel are in use; wash and return bags the same day when possible. - Replicate the pattern at home for swimming or forest days. Why it matters Daily Kita handovers add up; a durable bag removes thousands of plastic sacks per year across the city. Wechselbüddel
childcarereusefamily
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseLjubljana

Bled STICT: circular textile challenge with international experts

Tackling tourism's textile footprint Under the EU STICT (Sustainable Textiles In Circular Tourism) project, EBM partnered with the municipality of Bled and international sustainability experts to explore solutions for the environmental and economic impacts of textiles in a tourism-heavy destination. The initiative investigates sustainable sourcing, collection, and reuse of textiles across hotels, venues, and local businesses in the Bled area. What the project explores - Environmental footprint of hotel linen and event textiles - Collection and redistribution systems for reusable or recyclable textiles - Policy levers municipalities can use to shift procurement How to engage - Follow EBM for workshops and findings as the STICT project publishes results - If you manage a venue near Bled, ask EBM about participation in the textile audit pilot Why it matters Tourism destinations generate disproportionate textile waste. Bled's participation in STICT means findings apply directly to one of Slovenia's most visited areas: making lessons replicable for every European resort town.
textilescirculartourism
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseKiel

Donate good furniture through ABK to Echt-Gut

Sofas and tables get a second home ABK Kiel and Stadtmission Kiel restarted furniture handovers: register usable pieces on the ABK site, pass inspection, and Echt-Gut-Kaufhaus collects them for resale and social programmes. What you can do - Photograph and register furniture that is clean, complete, and fire-safe before leaving it on the street. - Shop second-hand at Echt-Gut when you need a table or chair instead of ordering new flat-pack. Why it matters Bulky goods clog bulky-waste routes; matched donations keep timber and upholstery in use locally.
furnituredonatereuse
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseZagreb

Zagreb Plastic Prevention Plan: ban single-use, refill the city

From city buildings to hospitality venues Zagreb adopted a Plastic Prevention Plan as part of the ERIC project: one of the most comprehensive municipal plastic policies in the Western Balkans region. The plan bans single-use plastics across all city-owned buildings and institutions and combines that with public infrastructure to make reuse the easy default. Measures already running - New and repaired public drinking-water fountains installed across the city to cut single-use plastic bottle purchases - Single-use plastic items removed from select city-organised events - Support for hospitality businesses switching to reusable packaging What you can do - Use the public refill fountains instead of buying bottled water - Ask event organisers in Zagreb whether the venue is single-use-plastic-free - Talk to your neighbourhood association about advocating for more refill points in your district Why it matters Policy without infrastructure fails. Zagreb pairs the ban with visible reuse alternatives: showing that a city of almost one million can shift habits at scale.
plasticreuserefill
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseLjubljana

Manj je več: Slovenia's Less is More reuse portal

Digital platform making reuse easier for everyone Manj je več ("Less is More") is a national digital platform by EBM that helps individuals in Slovenia find practical reuse options: repair services, swap events, sharing networks, and zero-waste shops - all in one place. An updated version is planned for 2025 to make the portal more user-friendly and to add guidance for event organisers implementing reusable tableware. What you can find on the portal - Local repair and upcycling workshops - Reuse and sharing initiatives by region - Tools and guides for reducing single-use items at home and events How to get involved - Use the portal to find reuse options near you: manjjevec.si - If you run a repair or reuse initiative, contact EBM to be listed on the platform Why it matters Behaviour change needs infrastructure and information. Manj je več makes the reuse ecosystem visible and navigable: reducing the friction between intention and action.
reuseportaldigital
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseBuenos Aires

Support recycler cooperatives managing organics in Buenos Aires

Segregation at source: cooperatives in charge Argentina’s FACCyR-linked recycler groups manage organic streams where source segregation is in place, a pattern the 2025 regional report pairs with Colombian ANR experiences. Cooperatives such as El Amanecer de los Cartoneros in Villa Fiorito show how sorted organics and recyclables can stay in community hands. What you can do - Sort organics and clean recyclables before cooperative pick-up on your block. - Connect your barrio association with a registered cartonero/a cooperative for collection routes. Why it matters Recycler-led organics management turns a climate liability into local jobs and compost, without shipping waste out of sight.
recyclersorganicscooperative
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseSilves

Silves: Portugal's first separate stream for sanitary textiles and diapers

A collection pilot the rest of Portugal is watching Silves, an Algarve municipality, became the first in Portugal to collect sanitary textiles and diapers as a dedicated separate waste stream: a hygiene category that normally ends up in residual waste and goes straight to landfill or incineration. The pilot, supported by ZERO, forms part of Silves's broader door-to-door collection overhaul in the Algarve region. Why it matters Diapers and sanitary textiles make up a significant share of household residual waste, yet they usually ride straight to landfill in mixed bins. Silves is Portugal's first dedicated collection pilot, a reference case other municipalities can copy once results are in. What you can do - If you live in Silves, ask the municipal environment office how to access the dedicated collection point or service - Advocate for this stream in your own municipality by sharing Silves's results with local councillors - Follow ZERO for policy developments around this waste stream nationally
textilesdiaperswaste-stream
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseBrussels

STICT: replicating textile waste prevention in Brussels

A city learning from the best textile programmes in Europe Brussels is participating in the STICT project (Sustainable Textile Innovation and Circular Transition), which compiles best-practice models for textile waste prevention and management and works with cities to implement and replicate them. Zero Waste Belgium leads the Brussels partnership, bringing evidence-based strategies to local authorities and businesses. What the project does - Documents the most effective textile collection, repair, and resale models from across Europe - Works with Brussels authorities to implement scalable textile waste prevention measures - Provides a replication toolkit so other cities can adopt proven approaches without starting from scratch - Connects local repair workshops, clothing swaps, and upcycling organisations into the city's circular textile network How to engage - Brussels residents: find local textile repair workshops and clothing swap events through Zero Waste Belgium - Textile businesses and retailers in Brussels: contact Zero Waste Belgium about participating in the STICT circular model - Other municipalities: request the STICT replication toolkit to adapt the Brussels approach to your context Why it matters Textiles are among the fastest-growing waste streams in Europe. Brussels joining STICT means a dense, fashion-forward city is building infrastructure for repair and reuse: sending a signal to the industry and giving residents real alternatives to disposal.
textilesreuseprevention
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseWarsaw

Poland: mandatory textile separate collection from January 2025

Used clothes now have their own bin: municipalities need to keep up Poland introduced mandatory separate collection of textile waste from 1 January 2025: a legal obligation for municipalities to provide dedicated textile collection infrastructure. The Polish Zero Waste Association is supporting municipalities in building education campaigns and collection systems to meet the new requirement, which affects how residents discard old clothing, fabric, and accessories. What the obligation means - Municipalities must provide clearly marked textile collection points or door-to-door collection for used clothing and fabric - Retailers above a certain threshold must accept back textiles sold in their stores - Residents no longer need to find a charity shop: the municipal infrastructure now handles textile waste How to engage - Polish residents: check where your nearest textile collection point is and use it for worn-out clothing you can't donate or sell - Municipalities: contact Polish Zero Waste Association for education campaign templates in Polish explaining the new collection obligation to residents - Textile retailers: ensure your in-store textile take-back complies with the January 2025 regulation: contact the Association for guidance Why it matters The EU's extended producer responsibility push is bringing textile collection mandates across Europe. Poland's January 2025 launch makes it one of the earlier adopters, and the Polish Zero Waste Association's work building municipal capacity will inform how similar programmes roll out across the region.
textilescollectionpolicy
Programme nearbyCommunitySingapore

Pass through Jewel Changi's indoor forest

Take a layover walk under the Rain Vortex Jewel Changi Airport wraps travel logistics in a multi-level indoor forest and the HSBC Rain Vortex — a biophilic hub travellers can enter without a separate ticket for the main atrium. Safdie Architects' Jewel is one of the Singapore projects Architizer lists beside Supertrees as Solarpunk-adjacent built work. What you can do - Walk the Forest Valley terraces and view the Rain Vortex on arrival, departure, or a transit break - Pause on the bridges to feel mist and canopy — then notice how policy and parks outside the airport still matter more than any single dome - Share the visit with neighbours as inspiration for indoor greenery in schools and stations at home How it works Jewel combines retail and transit with planted terraces and a rainwater-fed waterfall under a glass canopy — architecture as public atmosphere, not only spectacle. Why it matters Even airports can teach that people move better when plants and water share the volume.
singaporebiophilicairport
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseBonn

Practice traditional repair crafts at monuments

Practice traditional repair crafts at monuments Open Monument Day is at its best when you meet timber framers, smiths, plasterers, and restorers at work. Schaubaustellen and craft openings turn heritage from a postcard into a shared skill. What you can do - Filter the programme for Handwerk, restoration, or Mitmach workshops - At Bamberg's national opening, look for DSD Schaubaustellen and the Markt der Möglichkeiten on Maxplatz - Ask organisers how residents can join a club, course, or volunteer day after the event - Prefer listings that let you watch or try a tool under supervision, not only walk through rooms How it works Many openings are free walk-ins. Limited workshops may need registration on the event page. Facts and hours belong to the organiser listing, not to Solarpunker. Why it matters Repair culture keeps materials in use and hands confident. A Sunday at a Schaubaustelle can be the first step toward a club, FSJ, or neighbourhood repair habit.
craftrestorationtimber

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