POCACITO - Social inclusion

Green-Roof programme

clf — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 08:51:04 +0000

In 2008 Copenhagen Municipality implemented a Green-Roof policy programme to tackle challenges such as impacts of climate change, increasing density and the need for healthier neighbourhoods. Green roofs are unique combinations of technical installations and ecosystems enabling cities to benefit from green areas without reducing development sites. Green roofs cool cities, enhance biodiversity and reduce rainwater run-off. They also beautify grey and anonymous places. By involving local communities in implementation, green roofs may become communication platforms for residents of all ages and origins. By 2010, Copenhagen Municipality has integrated the establishment of green roofs in most local plans, aiming to realize about 200,000 m² of green roofs in years to come. Green roofs are aimed to be realised at all scales of buildings; from cycle shelters, schools and mixed used buildings to underground garages.

Organic Solid Waste Management

clf — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 10:50:44 +0000

Dhaka has envisioned a strategy for zone-wise waste management through a network of decentralised composting plants and the establishment of successful partnerships with the government, private sector and residents. Through facilitating innovative partnership arrangements, a community-based solid waste management model for Dhaka has been developed, raising the attention of many other cities in Bangladesh and in developing countries, who sought to replicate it. With its emphasis on recycling and resource recovery, this model has improved the urban environment and the quality of lives of poor people living in slums.

Superblocks

clf — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 10:18:59 +0000

The Superblocks project, designed by the Municipality of Barcelona in collaboration with the Urban Ecology Agency, represents an innovative planning approach for addressing urban challenges such as mobility, public space, biodiversity and social cohesion. Superblocks are territorial units imagined as bigger than one block of the dense Barcelona´s urban matrix with strict grid pattern, but still smaller than a whole neighbourhood. The aim of creating such superblocks is to recover space for the general public, to preserve biodiversity in the city, to improve sustainable mobility as well as to encourage social cohesion and collaboration. The Superblocks is open projects, so that any proposed action undergoes a participatory process involving local residents and organisations. The duration of the pilot program is four years, starting in 2014. The vision of the city council in implementing the pilot program, as stated in the Public Commitment for Sustainability 2012-2022, is to promote five superblocks and to create a city that works in a more mixed, compact, efficient and diverse way.

Crowdfunded Bike Lane

clf — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:24:24 +0000

Following the general urban mobility trends in the United States of America, the City of Denver began planning its bike infrastructure. However, it often takes a long time for pedestrian and cycling projects to be implemented and sometimes local groups have to take the initiative in pushing the projects forward. The Arapahoe Protected Bike Lane project was led by the Downtown Denver Partnership, a business organisation dedicated to the improvement of Denver’s downtown area. The project’s funding scheme was not standard. After acquiring US $120,000 from private sector donors the Downtown Denver Partnership decided to collect the remaining $35,000 using crowdfunding. This was decided as crowdfunding has proven to be a very successful way not only for financing but to raise citizen's awareness.

Urban Gardens City Project

clf — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 14:10:52 +0000

The project 'Urban Gardens' was established in 2013 by the City of Zagreb to enable citizens to temporarily use small cultivable plots in the city for the production of food, spices and flowers for their own needs. Besides the sustainable use of the land owned by the city, the project has many positive impacts like improved availability of healthy food, protection of city nature and biodiversity, promotion of healthy lifestyle and creating new relationships between citizens. Nowadays, there are already 10 urban gardens in Zagreb, but due to high interest a few more gardens are planned. The process of distributing plots to citizens is placed through public calls in which socially disadvantaged citizens have an advantage.

"Mercado del Trueque" - barter market project

Website Administrator — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 18:48:43 +0000

The barter market project “Mercado del Trueque” was established in Mexico City in 2012. In Mexico City, an average of more than 12,000 tons waste are generated every day. Of these, only about 12% is recycled and the rest is shifted to landfills. As of 2011, Mexico City’s main and one of the world’s largest landfills, Bordo Poniente, reached its maximum capacity and closed, which caused the city’s waste management concerns to increase considerably. This, combined with other incidents, led to the invention of the barter market project “Mercado del Trueque”, which aims to raise Mexico City’s residents’ awareness of the importance of recycling and local consumption. The barter market is held monthly and enables citizens to exchange clean and separated household solid waste for locally produced agricultural food. Every month, over 2,000 people attend the market and exchange waste for food. Exchangeable waste is restricted to 10kg per person per market day. Although the project to date is limited in how much it minimises waste, it is seen as highly important in increasing Mexico City’s culture of waste prevention and recycling.