Illustration: Sanna Pelliccioni
This week the Helsinki Time Bank celebrates its 2nd birthday. What first began as a circle of neighbours and friends in Kumpula, Helsinki, has quickly grown into an Internet-based network of at least a thousand people. (more…)
“What if we, ordinary people, could decide what kinds of messages we see on a bus stop, for a change”. This was the idea of Elissa Eriksson, art education student who became tired of the overload of commercial messages in public space. Last December, she started a Facebook campaign, called “Haluan nähdä muutakin/ I want to see something else” to free some space from bus stop advertisements.
Elissa describes how her idea was born, last November: “I was waiting for a tram, thinking about my master’s thesis, which discusses the possibilities of ordinary people to participate legally in shaping their urban environment. Watching the advertisements at the tram stop, it occurred to me that you could comment on them from within the structures. I thought that I could possibly gather a group of friends to rent one tram stop.” (more…)
Photo: Lissu Moulton
During August, Helsinki has been filled with concerts, festival and events, even so many it’s difficult to keep track of them. But besides the more traditional and commercial events, last Saturday it was proved that the streets can come to life also just through contributions of friends and yet unknown neighbours, without money being an issue.
Saturday 21st August, a group of old friends organised a blockparty to celebrate the neighbourhood of Punavuori in downtown Helsinki. The Punajuuri (beetroot) Blockparty started from Viiskulma (the Five Corners) crossing and later moved two blocks southwest. (more…)
Village community market in Oude Molen, Cape Town. Photo by Roy de Vos
Can money be a way of doing good and building community? Apparently yes, when returned to its roots as a tool of direct exchange. The Community Exchange System (CES) is a new model of local economy and social service, in which neighbours trade their time for helping others.
Today’s Helsingin Sanomat reported about a new exchange circle in Kumpula, a neighborhood of Helsinki. The circle’s idea is “a solidary way to trade” – a system of helping neighbors and getting something in return. Over a hundred active members are now exchanging favors, such as walking the dog, repairing clothes, bicycle maintenance or window cleaning. One hour of good work equals 10 “kumpennies”, the network’s virtual currency. (more…)
Presentation of US ambassador Bruce J. Oreck
How can we do our share in tackling climate change and contribute to positive changes? How do we look at the situation – as an inconvenient problem or rather as a new challenge that could be a start to new innovations, business ideas and positive changes in the patterns of our lives and the society? These questions were discussed in the seminar “Never Mind the Copenhagen” organised by Demos Helsinki.
On Friday 19th March, the seminar gathered about 500 people at the Bio Rex film theatre in Helsinki. Speakers from different disciplines – science, media, advertisement, large companies and private entrepreneurs – gave us refreshing and inspiring viewpoints and ideas. The focus was not in looking at charts of carbon dioxide and world temperatures, but rather about new, positive ideas and attitudes. (more…)