Sign inSubmit Idea

Radical democracy initiatives you can join

Local initiatives near you related to Radical democracy — practical things you can do in your neighborhood this week.

Decisions and power in common.

Active inFrankfurtBrusselsLeipzigKiel

Ideas
224
Initiatives
228
Browse all ideas →

Top ideas for Radical democracy

CommunityCologne

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
CommunityFrankfurt

Clean up a square with friends and make it feel in Frankfurt

Clean up a square with friends and make it feel in Frankfurt Frankfurt has a small public square near almost every home: a market corner in Höchst, a quiet Platz in Nordend, a bench area in Ostend, a spot in Bockenheim or Westend. Most just need people to show up. Gather a few friends, spend an hour picking up litter together, then stay a while and enjoy the place you just cleaned. That is the whole idea, and it works because you repeat it. What you can do - Pick a square near where you live. Browse Wikimedia Commons: Squares in Frankfurt am Main for names and photos, or explore a district first on Visit Frankfurt: Frankfurter Stadtviertel (Bockenheim and Westend, the Brückenviertel in Sachsenhausen, Höchst's old town, Nordend and Bornheim, or Ostend along the Main). Well-known squares like Opernplatz, Konstablerwache, or Höchster Markt work too, but any square near you is just as good a start. - Message two to six friends who live close by and agree on a time. A Saturday morning works well. - Sign up once as a Sauberkeitspatin or Sauberkeitspate on the FES page Bürgerinnen und Bürger helfen mit. You choose the square or street, FES gives you grabbers, gloves, and bags and keeps restocking them, and you get one fixed contact person for questions. You clear small litter yourself and report anything larger, like dumped furniture, by phone or email. - Or plan a one-time group clean-up through FES Bürger-Sammeltage. Pick an upcoming date, such as the Main Cleanup on 12 September 2026 or World Cleanup Day on 20 September 2026. FES supplies the equipment and collects the waste afterward. For parks, playgrounds, or the city forest, contact the Grünflächenamt first (gruenflaechenamt@stadt-frankfurt.de), as the FES page explains. - Or join the citywide Frankfurt Cleanup weekend, run together by cleanffm and FES Frankfurt. The last edition, in March 2026, brought together more than 7,000 people across around 200 pickup points. The next one is set for 12 and 13 March 2027; registration opens closer to the date. - Add a reuse table once the litter is gone, the way Klimaschutz-Initiative Riedberg does it: lay out tools, toys, and household items nobody needs anymore so a neighbour can take them home instead of them being thrown away. - Finish by staying. Bring coffee, sit on a bench, talk to whoever passes by. That last part is what turns a cleaned square into a square people actually want to be in. How it works The Sauberkeitspate programme has run since 2000 and keeps adding people: 416 patrons by 2022, 476 by 2023, plus schools and kindergartens that care for an area as a group. You decide how large your patch is and how often you show up; there is no minimum. Bürger-Sammeltage work the same way for a single day: register, pick up gloves and bags at a collection point, clean, and FES takes the waste away afterward. Frankfurt Cleanup scales that same pattern to one weekend a year, city-wide. None of this changes who owns the square. It stays public land; you are simply the person, or group of friends, who looks after a small part of it. Why it matters Showing up for the same square more than once turns strangers into people you recognise and greet. It is a low-effort way to meet neighbours, and there is no guilt attached: you are not fixing a crisis, you are just making one place a little nicer to be in. A handful of small groups doing this across Frankfurt adds up to a city where public squares get used and looked after instead of avoided.
cleanupplazaneighbourhood
EventCommunityFrankfurt

Join Foodtura City Experiences in Frankfurt

Join Foodtura City Experiences in Frankfurt Foodtura is a ten-day festival (18 to 27 September 2026) where restaurants, farms, initiatives, and kitchens open their doors. Klimagourmet and Initiative Gastronomie Frankfurt organise about 50 City Experiences: tastings, workshops, bike tours, playground markets, and neighbourhood tables. Many events are free. Massif Central on Bethmannstraße is the festival hub. What you can do - Browse the live programme and book the events that fit your week - Start at the free Opening (18 September) or the Playground market (19 September) - Bring neighbours to a supper club, farm day, or unpackaged shop action listed on the map - Follow Über Foodtura for who is behind the festival (not a Solarpunker event) How it works Hosts publish dates, prices, and booking links on each event page. Tickets, if any, go to the organiser. Solarpunker does not take bookings. The programme can still grow through September, so check the festival site before you travel. Why it matters Sustainable eating is easier when it is delicious, local, and shared. Foodtura turns that into a week of doors you can actually walk through.
festivalfoodfrankfurt
VolunteerCommunityVitória

Back Ascamare recyclers in Vitória

Back Ascamare recyclers in Vitória Residents of Vitória can support Ascamare, the association of recyclable collectors linked to the city's selective collection partnership since 1999. What you can do in Vitória - Learn how Ascamare grew from Pastoral Social work in Jardim da Penha in 1991 (Ascamare history page) - Deliver separated recyclables through the city's voluntary drop-off network linked from Ascamare's site - Ask how your building or school can improve separation so less rejected material reaches the association - Visit the Consolação sorting space after you confirm access rules with the association How to join Ascamare is a private, non-profit association of 24 member collectors. The history page explains partnerships with Vitória's selective collection but does not publish a public open-day calendar. Use the association contact page before volunteering or touring the galpão. Founders describe early meetings with the Pastoral Social team and later talks with the mayor that helped formalise the first association of collectors in the capital. Why it matters in Vitória Clean recyclables mean safer income for collectors and less pressure on the landfill. The association's work connects daily sorting floors with the city's ecopoints and collection routes. When households sort better, collectors spend less time rejecting dirty loads and more time earning from clean paper, plastics, and metals. Find more community projects in Vitória. Good to know - When did the city partnership start? 13 May 1999, according to the organiser history page. - Where is the association based? Rua Construtor Camilo Gianordoli, 117, Consolação, Vitória/ES, listed on the contact section of the organiser site. - How much material do they handle? The history page cites about 50 tonnes of recyclables per month before the 2013 warehouse fire; current volumes are not listed.
ascamarerecyclingcatadores
LearnCommunityMexico 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.
municipalcompostreuse
FundraiseCommunityPorto Alegre

Sort recyclables for Coopertinga in Porto Alegre

Sort recyclables for Coopertinga in Porto Alegre Residents in Porto Alegre can support Coopertinga, a worker recycling cooperative, by separating dry recyclables at home so city selective collection can reach their triage unit in Restinga. What you can do in Porto Alegre - Follow Coopertinga on Facebook for cooperative news and contact options - Keep paper, plastic, metal, and glass out of your regular trash when your street has selective collection - Read how triage cooperatives employ neighbours in the Humanista profile of catadores - Ask your building group to post separation rules on the laundry wall How to join Separation at home is the everyday action. Cooperatives sort what the city delivers to their unit. For visits or donations, contact Coopertinga through the Facebook page and confirm hours before you travel. Why it matters in Porto Alegre Correct sorting sends income to cooperative members instead of burying useful material. Women-led teams often run the belts, as local reporting shows. Find more community projects in Porto Alegre. Good to know - Does my street have selective collection? Check the city collection calendar for your address. - Where is the Coopertinga unit? Estrada João Antônio da Silveira, 3240, Restinga (triage unit named in municipal waste programmes). - Can I visit without an appointment? Message the cooperative through Facebook before you go.
recyclingcooperativecatadores
LearnCommunityJoão Pessoa

Use Orquídea money at João Pessoa BCD

Circulate Orquídea social money in João Pessoa The Banco Comunitário de Desenvolvimento Jardim Botânico runs solidarity finance for the São Rafael community in João Pessoa. Neighbours use the Orquídea social currency and digital E-Dinheiro tools to keep purchases local. What you can do in João Pessoa - Visit the community bank managed by CPCC and learn how the Orquídea currency circulates (BCD Jardim Botânico) - Ask about consumer loans denominated in social currency and support for local micro-entrepreneurs - Explore how the bank connects to the Paraíba network of community development banks - Join community training sessions that built the management council and credit committee How to join The bank serves residents and entrepreneurs in the Jardim Botânico and São Rafael area. Visit the CPCC-hosted bank page and contact the organisation for account or currency orientation. Why it matters in João Pessoa When money stays in the neighbourhood, grocers and craftspeople see steady demand even when national credit tightens. The model follows Banco Palmas in Fortaleza while rooting governance in local assemblies. Find more community projects in João Pessoa. Good to know - When did the bank open? CPCC records public inauguration on 27 April 2013 with community and NGO guests. - Is there a digital wallet? The bank offers E-Dinheiro alongside paper Orquídea notes for digital transfers. - Who owns the bank? Community members govern through a management council and credit evaluation board.
joao-pessoacommunity-bankorquidea
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.
paytwaste-reductionfunding
EventCommunityGoiânia

Join community culture classes at LAJG in Goiânia

Join community culture classes at LAJG in Goiânia Families in Goiânia can sign up for low-barrier arts and culture at the Liga dos Amigos do Jardim Guanabara (LAJG), a neighbourhood association running the Casa de Cultura Oficina³ since 1998. What you can do in Goiânia - Browse open classes in dance, music, theatre, crafts, and graffiti listed by LAJG (Liga dos Amigos do Jardim Guanabara) - Register interest through the association cadastro page - Visit the Jardim Guanabara unit on Rua Ubá to ask about schedules for children, older adults, or beginners - Follow LAJG social channels for community events tied to the north side of the city How to join LAJG was founded in 1984 by pioneers of Goiânia's north zone to push for social and cultural improvements. The organiser site invites people to request information by WhatsApp or email. The page does not list separate prices for each class: ask what fits your household before the first lesson. Why it matters in Goiânia Shared studios keep creative skills in the neighbourhood instead of only downtown venues. Parents, teens, and older neighbours meet in the same rooms, building trust that outlasts a single course. Find more community projects in Goiânia. Good to know - Where is the main address? Rua Ubá, 61, Jardim Guanabara, Goiânia, on the Unidades page. - What classes exist? The home page mentions ballet, dance for older adults, street dance, graffiti, guitar, drums, keyboard, piano, theatre, manual arts, and crafts. - How do I start? Use the cadastro form or WhatsApp button on the site to ask for the current timetable.
lajgculturecommunity
Join inCommunitySalvador

Join Salvador co-op selective collection

Join Salvador solid waste co-op pickup routes CAMA (Centro de Arte e Meio Ambiente) shows how Salvador neighbours, schools, and workplaces can hand dry waste to worker-owned recycling cooperatives instead of mixing everything in one bin. You keep paper, metal, glass, and plastics in use while income stays with catadoras and catadores who sort the load. What you can do in Salvador - Read how Coleta Seletiva Solidária works and which fractions cooperatives accept (CAMA guide) - Separate clean, dry recyclables at home: paper and cardboard, plastics, metals, glass, used cooking oil, and small electronics as listed on the page - Match your address or organisation to the nearest listed cooperative and ask how they collect in your district - Invite your condo, school, or workplace to register as a partner so pickups become regular rather than one-off How to join The CAMA article is a starting map, not a city contract. Each cooperative sets its own route and capacity. Contact the cooperative that covers your area through the channels on the CAMA page and confirm what they can collect this week. Why it matters in Salvador When recyclables leave the mixed bin, fewer trucks rush to landfill and more families earn from material that still has value. Salvador gains quieter streets and cooperatives gain dignity in formal work. Find more community projects in Salvador. Good to know - Does CAMA collect at my door? CAMA coordinates the network; collection is run by the cooperative you contract with. - Must oil and electronics be separated? The CAMA list treats used frying oil and e-waste as their own streams alongside paper, plastic, metal, and glass. - Can a school join? The page explicitly invites public, private, and religious institutions to partner with a nearby cooperative.
salvadorrecyclingcooperative
FundraiseCommunityBelo Horizonte

Support ASMARE recyclers in Belo Horizonte

Support ASMARE recyclers in Belo Horizonte Neighbours in Belo Horizonte can learn from ASMARE, a worker-run association of recyclable collectors that turns street collection and sorting into shared income and dignity. What you can do in Belo Horizonte - Read how ASMARE began with street collectors and Pastoral de Rua support in 1990 (ASMARE on Pastoral do Povo da Rua) - Visit or partner with sorting units in Barro Preto and Prado once you confirm hours with the association - Bring clean, separated recyclables or ask how your school, company, or block can schedule a pickup partnership - Donate through the Pastoral network pages if you want to support training and infrastructure How to join ASMARE is managed by the collectors themselves, with equal sharing of earnings. The organiser page lists two operating units but does not publish a public visitor calendar. Contact the association through the Pastoral do Povo da Rua channels before you drop off material or volunteer. Why it matters in Belo Horizonte Sorted paper, cardboard, and metals stay out of landfills while people who know the city by foot earn a fairer share of the value they recover. Shared galpões turn invisible labour into visible community infrastructure. Find more community projects in Belo Horizonte. Good to know - Where are the units? Unit I: Av. do Contorno, 10564, Barro Preto. Unit II: Rua Ituiutaba, 460, Prado, as listed on the organiser page. - What work happens there? Street collection concentrated at Unit I, sorting at both units, and partnerships with public bodies, companies, and schools. - Is there a fee to visit? The page does not list a fee. Confirm any drop-off rules with the association first.
asmarerecyclingcooperative
FundraiseCommunityNatal

Natal Cozinha Escola Solidária Food & Skills

Natal Cozinha Escola Solidária Food & Skills Cozinha Escola Solidária, run by Associação S19 at Casa Confluências in Potengi, blends free meals with a 108-hour gastronomy course for women building livelihoods in Natal. What you can do in Natal - Apply for the free culinary course (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays) covering sanitation, regional menus, and small-business math (Saiba Mais report) - Volunteer prep shifts that help deliver roughly 4,800 planned meals over five months for neighbours in food insecurity - Donate ingredients aligned with the Brazilian dietary guide emphasis on fresh, regional produce - Use the house as a study and rest point if you join other Potengi mutual-aid circles named in the story How to join Register through the sign-up link in the Saiba Mais article or ask at Rua Largo do Eucalípto, 3, Potengi during published class days. Priority seats go to women in vulnerability, especially single mothers. When & where Classes run Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at Casa Confluências near Escola Estadual Padre João Maria; meal service follows the project calendar posted with each cohort. Why it matters in Natal North-zone Natal gains a bright kitchen where food justice meets paid-skill training. Graduates leave with pricing tools, not just recipes, so stalls and delivery apps stay open. Good to know - Are men turned away? The course prioritises women; ask S19 about ally roles in meal shifts. - Is there a fee? Training and core meals are free; confirm transport stipends on enrollment forms. - Can my restaurant partner? Yes. Local chefs can mentor modules listed in the association's public project pages when published.
cozinha solidáriaNatalfood training

Showing 12 of 224

Upcoming initiatives for Radical democracy

KielMon, Apr 13Ended

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
No one yet
BarcelonaMon, Apr 20Ended

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.
Room to join
KielSat, May 9Ended

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
Room to join
BrusselsTue, Jun 9Ended

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.
No one yet
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.
No one yet
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.
No one yet

Showing 8 of 228

Related values

What's next

Got an idea like this?

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

Share an ideaExplore the map