Metrotwin

Metrotwin is a new website from British Airways, bringing together two of the world's greatest cities in an online community. Whether you're a Londoner or a New Yorker living in either city, share your reviews on restaurants, hotels, bars, art venues; all the best places to go, that only the locals know about.

http://www.metrotwin.com/

Meine Ernte

Allotments and community gardens have long been a refuge for gardenless city dwellers wanting to grow their own food. But for garden newbies, the commitment and work involved can be daunting; not to mention having to deal with waiting lists and established social dynamics on a shared piece of land.

Which is where our latest (sub)urban farming spotting fits in: Meine Ernte—German for My Harvest—rents out vegetable gardens for a season, and takes care of soil preparation and planting. Once the plants start growing, members come in and spend 1-2 hours a week caring for their plants and harvesting their crops.

Prior gardening experience isn't required. A professional is available onsite once a week to answer any questions the amateur gardeners may have, and detailed information on plant care and harvesting is accessible through a members' area on the company's website. Meine Ernte provides members with the necessary tools, and offers gardens in three sizes: Small (enough veggies for 1-2 people, for EUR 149 per season), Standard (3-4 people, EUR 289) and Large (5-6 people, EUR 433). According to Meine Ernte, members can easily get EUR 600 worth of produce from a standard size garden. In advance, Meine Ernte sows and plants over 20 varieties of vegetables, while a section of each plot is left open for gardeners to add varieties of their own choosing.

Launched this year by Natalie Kirchbaumer and Wanda Ganders in cooperation with local organic farmers, Meine Ernte currently operates garden sites near six German cities, which it hopes to double in 2011. There's no doubt about it: consumers are increasingly interested in growing their own food, helped by smart entrepreneurs who turn those novice (sub)urban farmers into paying customers. 

www.meine-ernte.de

Shop for Hunger

ABOUT THE PROJECT

I created an app that will allow people to donate food on a regular basis to children and families suffering from malnutrition in an easy and inexpensive way. The virtual grocery store allows people to scroll through food items and shop for people in need. The money in association with each item will be charged to their phone bill, which will then be sent to UNICEF for the puropose of buying and shipping the goods to third world countries. The app will allow people to make donations freely, whenever they choose, while also providing encouragement through the formation of personal goals.

SOLUTION

To solve this problem, I created a virtual grocery store that will allow people to donate as little as one dollar at a time. The money will go through their phone bill. People will enjoy using the app because they will feel like they are physically buying items. They chart and graphs will let people track their generosity.

Yeah, I Like To Cook ;)

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Cooking has the power to bring individuals and communities together around fun, exciting ways to collaborate that provide opportunities to learn, share, eat, laugh, and gain leadership skills. RootDown LA in a nonprofit that goes into our local high schools and works with youth to develop knowledge and demand for heathy food while also cultivating leaders for the food revolution. Giving youth the power to choose what they eat and cook, leads to long term benefits for the individual, the community and the future of our food systems. The project is designed to inspire youth to cook together as a way to bond and develop healthy communities.

CHALLENGE

The south Los Angeles community is over saturated with fast food and local liquor stores with little to no fresh produce. Local youth (and adults) choose a bag of chips over an apple in most instances. The local supply chain stocks items that sell. Cheap, processed foods are marketed to the community on every corner.

SOLUTION

ILocal design students will create inspiring billboards that can speak to their peers in a way that resonates. Our design students will learn to use the power of design to change behaviors and perceptions. The idea that cooking is a valuable tool to spread action based change is a guiding principle.

PieLab

ABOUT THE PROJECT

PieLab is an endeavor that has taken root in Greensboro, Alabama, undertaking a commitment to build relationships and establish initiatives within the community. One of these initiatives is with the YouthBuild program, in which we assist students in starting a pecan product venture. Pecans! aims to give 16-24 year old high school drop-outs of Hale County, Alabama hands-on experience to learn how to start a business, manage it day-to-day, brand and market their product and ultimately, gain control of their future.

CHALLENGE

These local youth of Hale County live in a town where one in three children live under the poverty level and where industry has all closed to move to bigger cities. This leaves little employment opportunities for those who desire to stay.

SOLUTION

Solution: Pecans! Pecans are one of Hale County's abundant natural resources. By teaching the students of the YouthBuild Program how to utilize a local resource into a profitable business, we are empowering them to seize an opportunity that even their small town affords.

A Book by its Cover: Reading Stereotypes

ABOUT THE PROJECT

In an effort to foster contact between children of different ethnicities and eradicate stereotypes before they form, this social experiment uses storytelling as a vehicle for cultural understanding. Two very different schools, same format: Books designed to comfortably address race and prejudice are read to 9-10 year olds, ending with each child creating a book expressing their experience with prejudice. The books are then swapped between the schools. The ethnicity of each child’s “book-pal” is finally revealed in the form of a small gift, introducing themselves. Lesson of this story: We’re more alike than different.

CHALLENGE

Unfortunately, the picture most Americans have formed of people of Arabic descent is vastly skewed. According to a new study by the Pew Research Center nearly six in 10 (58 percent) Americans think Muslims are subject to discrimination. This prejudice is rooted in a lack of physical connection with Arabs or Muslims.

SOLUTION

Books designed to address race will be read to children at different schools. Each child will then create their own book about an experience with discrimination, which will be swapped with another school. Finally, each child will design an autobiography and gift, for their "book-pal" revealing their race.

Teach, Learn and Earn

ABOUT THE PROJECT

This project aims to tackle homelessness in Austin by focusing on people’s existing skills, shifting the emphasis from what they need to what they have to offer. The current system makes people feel helpless, indirectly hurting their emotional abilities to get back on their feet. A new system is needed to give people experiencing homelessness an opportunity not only to receive help, but to help. Our project intends to set up the infrastructure for these individuals to get paid to hold classes and teach what they know. By doing so, we shift their self perceptions as well as the public perception of homelessness.

CHALLENGE

Close to 10,000 people in Austin are homeless. Contrary to general perceptions, many are homeless due to factors beyond their control - recession, natural disasters, or divorce. Currently most social services take a hand out approach, indirectly demotivating individuals and undermining their abilities to help themselves.

SOLUTION

Many homeless individuals not only possess unique skills that they share with others, they do this as a mean to give back, feel valued, and belong. By providing a platform for them to teach, learn, and earn income; we are fulfilling their financial and emotional needs while changing the public perception of homelessness.