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Radical democracy

Inspired by Radical democracy: practical solarpunk projects you can start or join today.

Decisions and power in common.

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Top ideas for Radical democracy

CommunityCologne

Walk Cologne with the Zero Waste Schweif

A playful city stroll: you choose the time 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. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Project and pick-up map: Zero Waste Schweif · Organiser: Zero Waste Köln e.V.
walkingeducationlocal
CommunityMexico City

Learn from zero waste municipalities across Mexico

Jalisco to Baja California: replicable pilots Mexico’s zero-waste momentum spans states and municipalities, including Jalisco, Apaxco, and Baja California programmes cited in the 2025 regional report. GAIA members help local governments design reuse, source segregation, and organics systems instead of defaulting to conventional waste contracts. What you can do - Ask your municipal environmental office whether a zero-waste diagnostic or segregated organics pilot exists locally. - Connect neighbourhood groups with GAIA Mexico partners for training on compost and recycler inclusion. Why it matters Curiosity and political determination, not expensive end-of-pipe contracts, are what the report celebrates as the region’s leading edge. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - Report chapter: Zero Waste Europe: Latin America & the Caribbean (5th ed.) · Regional hub: GAIA Latin America & the Caribbean
municipalcompostreuse
CommunityZagreb

Zagreb Pay-As-You-Throw: fairer billing, less landfill

Citizens control their own waste bill Zagreb introduced a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) system following recommendations from Zelena Akcija under the EU-funded ERIC (Elevating Reuse In Cities) project. By late 2024 the city had cut landfilling by 20 % and boosted separate collection by 50 % compared to 2022: with full rollout expected by end of 2026. What changed - Open street bins in the city centre replaced with underground containers for separated and mixed waste - Elsewhere, bins relocated into buildings and courtyards; caged and semi-underground containers added - Households charged based on the volume of mixed waste they generate, not a flat fee How to participate - Sort household waste into the correct streams: you directly reduce your bill - Follow Zagreb's city environmental office for updates on PAYT rollout in your district - Support the advocacy to extend door-to-door collection to more neighbourhoods Why it matters PAYT aligns the incentive system: the less mixed waste you produce, the less you pay. Combined with infrastructure improvements, Zagreb is turning around one of Central Europe's larger urban waste footprints. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - ERIC project: Zelena Akcija - ERIC - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th edition
paytwaste-reductionurbanrecycling
CommunityCologne

Bring Zero Waste into schools

Education as a lever for less waste Zero Waste Köln works in schools and out-of-school settings so young people learn separation, avoidance, and circular thinking: not guilt, but practical habits. Current offers - Bildungskoffer (in development with Universität Köln): a lending kit on waste, avoidance, and sorting for primary schools. - Schulausstellung “Zero Waste Parcours”: travelling exhibition formats (see project pages for availability). - Public talks and VHS evenings listed on the calendar. For teachers and parents Reach Team Schule/Bildung via bildung@zerowastekoeln.de for visits, materials, and volunteering (pedagogy helpful, not required). Why it matters Young people who learn separation and avoidance early carry those habits into adulthood, multiplying impact across households. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Bildungsarbeit · Bildungskoffer · Organiser: Zero Waste Köln e.V.
educationschoolscologne
CommunityBelgrade

Public drinking fountains as urban water commons

Blue dots on the city map: free water and heat resilience Across Serbia, javne česme (public fountains) are reopening each spring, heritage infrastructure that doubles as climate adaptation. Refill stations cut single-use plastic, offer free hydration during heat waves, and anchor neighbourhood gathering spots when maintained and tested. What you can do - Residents: locate your nearest public fountain, carry a reusable bottle, and report broken taps to the local utility or health institute - Neighbourhood groups: map fountains in your district and advocate for repairs, signage, and water-quality transparency - Municipalities: treat fountains as public-health infrastructure, regular testing, winter maintenance, and new installations in heat-exposed zones How it works Most urban fountains connect to municipal water networks; Belgrade also lists dozens of spring-fed fountains monitored by the city public-health institute. Quality data should be published before peak summer use. Why it matters Accessible water is a solarpunk baseline: low-tech, shared, and life-sustaining. Every working fountain is a small act of care for the whole neighbourhood. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Source: Klima 101 · Article: Public fountains in Serbia, underused resource, uneven maintenance.
waterfountainsheatplastic-freeurban
CommunityZagreb

PRE-KOM door-to-door collection: national leader in northern Croatia

14 municipalities, 71 % separate collection PRE-KOM in Prelog operates door-to-door waste collection across 14 municipalities in northern Croatia: Prelog, Goričan, Donji Kraljevec, Sveta Marija, Donji Vidovec, Donja Dubrava, Kotoriba, Belica, Dekanovec, Domašinec, Podturen, Martijanec, Jalžabet, and Pribislavec. The network consistently ranks as Croatia's top performer in separate waste collection, averaging over 71 % and producing fewer than 73 kg of residual waste per resident: well below the national average of 247 kg. What residents do - Sort household waste into the collected fractions at source - Follow the door-to-door schedule provided by PRE-KOM for each street Why it matters In a country where national policy still favours waste-to-energy, these 14 municipalities prove that source separation at the household level works at scale: and that small municipalities can lead a large country. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - Waste operator: PRE-KOM, Prelog - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th edition
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CommunityCologne

Swap clothes with Team Tausch

Tauschen statt verbrennen: swap instead of burning 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. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Details: Kleidertausch-Events · Kalender · Organiser: Zero Waste Köln e.V.
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CommunityLisbon

PAYT pilots in Portugal: municipalities taking control of waste costs

Pay-As-You-Throw arrives in Portuguese cities In 2024 the Portuguese national government opened new Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) funding schemes, making it financially viable for municipalities to overhaul their waste collection systems. Municipalities including Fornos de Algodres, São João da Madeira, and Silves are implementing the measures they observed during study visits to Italy and Spain: including door-to-door collection schedules, smart bin tags that identify and reject incorrectly sorted bins, and digital monitoring tools. What PAYT means for residents - Households that separate waste correctly and generate less residual waste pay lower bills - The system creates a direct, fair link between individual behaviour and cost - Monitoring data helps municipalities pinpoint collection problems before they worsen What you can do - If your municipality is piloting PAYT, attend public information sessions and ask how your household can benefit - Advocate with your local council to apply for the new national PAYT funding - Follow ZERO for the latest funding rounds and municipal case studies Why it matters With 60 % of Portugal's waste going to overflowing landfills, cost-based incentives for households are one of the fastest levers available. PAYT pilots in Silves and São João da Madeira are the first step toward national uptake. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. - National coordinator: ZERO – Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável - Report chapter: ZWE State of Zero Waste Municipalities, 5th edition
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CommunityAccra

WASHKING bio-digester toilets for slums

Pay-per-use sanitation that becomes fertiliser WASHKING (Accra, Ghana) builds bio-digester toilets for dense neighbourhoods, reducing faecal waste by 90% and converting it into fertiliser. A pay-per-use model keeps toilets affordable while protecting dignity, safety, and hygiene. Impacc lists support for WASHKING as completed, treat this as a replicable pattern, not a live Impacc grant. What you can do - Study how pay-per-use sanitation funds maintenance without large upfront household costs - Partner with local cooperatives to adapt bio-digester designs to your settlement's layout - Connect fertiliser outputs to urban gardens or peri-urban farms How to participate - Visit WASHKING's portfolio page for programme history and contact paths Why it matters Sanitation is mutual aid infrastructure. When waste loops close into soil nutrients, communities gain health and food sovereignty together. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Source: Impacc · Portfolio: WASHKING. Impacc portfolio support: completed. Photo: SuSanA Secretariat, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.jpg).
WASHsanitationGhanafertiliserslums
CommunityLeipzig

Learn waste avoidance with AG Abfall

Volunteer ambassadors for a cleaner city AG Abfall is a group of Leipzig volunteers working on waste reduction, correct sorting, and mindful consumption: joy and practicality, not shame. What they offer - Instagram updates on clean-ups, climate events, and avoidance tips - Workshops including the „Verpackungsampel“: which packaging can be reused or recycled, and what must not go in the bio bin (including misleading „bio“ plastics) - „Einmal Ohne, Bitte“ support for shops helping customers bring reusable containers Their motto The best waste is the waste that never appears; what remains should flow back into the circular economy. Why it matters Volunteer ambassadors turn dry sorting rules into neighbour-to-neighbour habits people actually remember. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Project page: AG Abfall · Programme: Mein Leipzig schon ich mir
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CommunityFrankfurt

Community refill & bag-share spots

Map refill taps and borrowable bags Chart vinegar, oil, and water refill points plus bag-sharing stations so neighbours borrow instead of buy, start with three trusted locations and grow the map together. What you can do - Visit Frankfurter Fass for bulk vinegar and oils - Fill your bottle at Refill Frankfurt partner taps - Use Taschenstationen to borrow a bag when you shop Why it matters Small daily habits, one refill, one borrowed bag, add up to a city that wastes less without feeling deprived. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Programme hub: Zero Waste Frankfurt · Frankfurter Fass · Refill Frankfurt · Taschenstationen
refillwatersharing
CommunityFrankfurt

Clothes swap party in your Kiez

Swap fashion joyfully: no money, just neighbours Host an afternoon clothes exchange in a park or courtyard: bring what you do not wear, leave with something new-to-you, good music optional. What you can do - Set up rails and mirrors; welcome first-timers with a simple “take one, leave one” rule - Partner with Greenpeace Frankfurt Makesomething or join Frankfurter Wandeltage formats - Document sizes and categories so the swap stays fun, not chaotic Why it matters Still-wearable textiles too often burn; swapping keeps joy in fashion while keeping tonnes out of incineration. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Programme hub: Zero Waste Frankfurt · Swap formats: Makesomething · Frankfurter Wandeltage
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Upcoming initiatives for Radical democracy

KielMon, Apr 13

Kieler Klimathon 2026: six-week challenge

Small daily shifts: city-wide prizes The app-based Klimathon runs themed weekly challenges on housing, food, mobility, consumption, and digital life, including Kiel-specific tasks that earn climate points redeemable at local partners. When & where - 13 April - 24 May 2026 (join any time while open) - City-wide app challenge, map pin is central Kiel; individuals, teams, workplaces, and school classes welcome How to join Register via kiel.de/klimathon, confirm current rules on the city site. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Zero Waste News: Klimathon2026 · Organiser: Landeshauptstadt Kiel
Bring friends.
BarcelonaMon, Apr 20

Youth Policy Dialogue on Affordable Housing (Barcelona)

Young citizens discuss energy and housing fairness with EU leadership Youth Policy Dialogues give young people a platform to contribute to EU policymaking through constructive discussions with Commissioners. Commissioner Dan Jørgensen held a dialogue on the European Affordable Housing Plan in Barcelona, Spain, on 20 April 2026. When & where - 20 April 2026: Barcelona, Spain (approximate pin: 41.3851, 2.1734) How to participate - Follow DG Energy and EUSEW announcements for future Youth Policy Dialogue open registrations - Organise a local pre-dialogue in your city to collect youth input on housing and energy costs Why it matters Energy poverty and housing costs hit young households first, structured dialogues give builders a seat before policies are set in stone. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Source: European Commission: DG Energy. © European Union.
Lead it.
KielSat, May 9

Reparatur & Upcycling Festival 2026

Gemeinsam Altes neu gestalten The second city-wide repair and upcycling festival fills the Anscharcampus with workshops, DIY stations, talks, a creative market, and regional food. When & where - Saturday 9 May 2026, 10:00-19:00 CEST - Coworkhaus, Anscharcampus, Weimarer Straße 6, 24118 Kiel (Wik) What to bring Broken textiles, bikes, small furniture, or curiosity, programme details on the festival site linked from city news. Source & repost Solarpunker reposts this event listing. Zero Waste News: RepUpFestival2026 · Programme: Zero.Waste.City Kiel
Lead it.
BrusselsTue, Jun 9

EUSEW 2026 European Youth Energy Day

Youth energy dialogue at Europe's flagship clean-energy week The European Youth Energy Day is part of the EUSEW Policy Conference. In 2026 it runs 9-11 June in Brussels, bringing together outgoing and incoming Young Energy Ambassadors for workshops, policy sessions, and peer networking under the umbrella of sustainable energy week. When & where - 9–11 June 2026: Brussels, Belgium (approximate pin: 50.8503, 4.3517) - Venue details published on the EUSEW website closer to the date How to participate - Register for EUSEW and Youth Energy Day sessions via EU Sustainable Energy Week - Youth organisations can propose side events aligned with the Youth Energy Day programme Why it matters Youth voices belong in the rooms where Europe sets clean-energy direction, this day turns policy week into a builder network, not a spectator event. Source & repost Shared here so you can get inspired or find action already happening near you. Solarpunker does not own or organise it. Source: European Commission: DG Energy. © European Union.
Be the first.
CologneWed, Jun 10

STADTRADELN: ride for team Zero Waste Köln

21 days of everyday cycling for Cologne 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
Bring friends.