Activist scholarship: apply now!

Presentations and encounters with initiatives for change

Saturday, 11 May 2024, 10 am – 5 pm

Sonnenpark St. Pölten, Community Gardens North

‍

A cooperation between Globart, Solektiv, Fridays for Future, Mitmachregion St. Pölten and Pioneers of Change

Stronger together for the environment! The “Day of Initiatives” is at the heart of “Tipping Time – Civil Society Climate Conference”: we celebrate the power of courage, community spirit and change. Civil society initiatives from the St. Pölten region focusing on climate change come together to present their concerns, visions and plans to visitors. Civil society is already living many of the answers to pressing questions in its immediate surroundings – as a society, we just have to dare to use its energy and ideas for everyone.

‍

The range is wide: from co-housing projects and foodsharing initiatives to the cycling lobby and think tanks – a sign of how far the commitment of these actions and initiatives reaches. At stands in Sonnenpark, people network, discuss, encourage, recharge and celebrate.

‍

Admission to the “Day of Initiatives” is free!

‍

Fridays for Future
We can all contribute to a liveable future!

Fridays for Future is a global climate justice movement and has become a driving force in Lower Austria for greater climate awareness, the politicisation of young people and the implementation of concrete climate protection measures. Through regular climate strikes, press conferences and other actions, we create political pressure to advance climate protection at state level.

In recent years we have successfully campaigned for new wind power zoning, which now allows space for 250 new wind turbines. We are in close contact with the public and also get involved in citizen processes, most recently in the Waldviertel, to support and promote discussions about new climate projects with facts. We primarily represent the voice of young people, but we always network with other groups and form alliances. We live democracy by getting involved, standing up for our concerns and giving young people a voice.

Contact
Email: stpoelten@fridaysforfuture.at
Website: https://fridaysforfuture.at/

‍

‍

Mitmach-Region St. Pölten | Traisental (aka mimaSTP)

“It takes a village to raise a child.”

A “Mitmach-Region” (participation region) is an area where people come together to work on concrete solutions for the future. These regions focus either on one specific field of action or on several at once. For the St. Pölten-Traisental region, Mareike Aram, Christoph Hödl, Knut Wimberger and Lisa Wurm have joined forces with the aim of activating education as a central lever for socio-ecological transformation.
The 100 Mitmach-Regionen are a cooperation between Pioneers of Change, Be the Change, the Schweißfurth Foundation and wir&jetzt. In Lower Austria, there are further Mitmach-Regionen in Neulengbach, Sitzenberg-Reidling, Wienerwald, Waldviertel, Gumpoldskirchen and Piestingtal, among others.

‍

Contact
Knut Wimberger
Email: mimastp@gmx.at
Website: https://st-poelten-traisental.mitmach-region.org/
Events: https://ark.greensteps.me/community/mimastp/events/
About the Mitmach-Regionen project: https://mitmach-region.org/

Pioneers of Change
Live your change!

As “Pioneers of Change”, we are committed to profound cultural change and spread courage and know-how for the socio-ecological transformation of our society. We combine inner growth with impact in the world, because personal and social development belong together.
At our annual online summit, we inspire and encourage tens of thousands of people to take action themselves.

In our online and live trainings, we accompany people in unfolding their potential, finding their vision and building innovative change projects. Together with other change initiatives, we help build a culturally creative movement of inspired world-shapers and connect committed people across the German-speaking world. Pioneers of Change is a non-profit association based in St. Pölten (Lower Austria).

Contact
Martin Kirchner
Email: info@pioneersofchange.org
Website: https://pioneersofchange.org/

With the KlimaK at the KlimaTisch (Climate Table)

A space for listening, discussion and encounter.

As the climate crisis grows, so do fears and worries about a liveable future. This can be very stressful and demotivating, and can lead to a sense of powerlessness. With the regular KlimaTisch, we want to create an opportunity for positive exchange. Together we address uncertainties and talk about current developments in St. Pölten. It is important to us to inform and to explain complex issues clearly. In the green, barrier-free courtyard of the town hall, we invite citizens, initiatives, business, politics and the city administration to an open dialogue. With free drinks, standing tables and free childcare by the Kinderfreunde, we want to create a space for listening, discussion and encounter as equals. The launch takes place at “Tipping Time” in Sonnenpark, and afterwards every second Friday of the month.

First date: 14 June, 1:30 pm
Where: St. Pölten Town Hall

Contact
Martin Gruber-Dorninger / Climate Coordination Office
Email: klima@st-poelten.gv.at
Website: https://www.st-poelten.at/

‍

Big Friendly Giants

When your home town becomes a national park

The Green Steps initiative activates green spaces in urban and suburban areas through guided and self-guided routes along old trees that playfully inform about our home and bioregion. We stand for a concept of education that creates awareness of spatial perception and understanding of our ecosystem. With the “Big Friendly Giants” project, we are rethinking education and together building the Internet of Nature (IoN). Citizen groups and educational institutions playfully map old trees and combine them into age-appropriate walking routes. One of these walks leads right through Sonnenpark.

Contact
Gloria Corradini and Knut Wimberger
Email: info@greensteps.me
Website Green Steps: https://www.greensteps.me/
Website Ark: https://ark.greensteps.me/about/

‍

Bodenschutz St. Pölten & STOPP S34

The citizens' initiative “Stopp S34” was founded in February 2021. Via social media, around 1,300 like-minded residents, farmers and environmentalists from the region networked widely and found new strength for a dispute that had been going on for decades. In early 2023, the initiative “Bodenschutz St. Pölten” (Soil Protection St. Pölten) formed to fight against the construction of a 170,000 m² REWE logistics centre in the water protection and flood drainage area of the Traisen river in Hart/Wörth. Romana Drexler, who heads the association ZUUM – Zukunft Umwelt Traisental and campaigns for a liveable environment in St. Pölten, presents the two initiatives she plays a key role in at Sonnenpark.

Contact
Romana Drexler
Email: info@zuum.at
Website S34: https://www.facebook.com/StoppS34
Website Bodenschutz St. Pölten: https://www.facebook.com/Bodenschutz.stp

Empower this planet!

Association for lived sustainability

Empower This Planet is a community for interdisciplinary imagination and shaping the future. We present people with their heartfelt causes and concrete work online, in public relations and at events as a colourful bouquet of encouragement for all those who want to commit to new ways of living together, doing business and personal development. Empower This Planet connects different “sustainability bubbles” so that we can strengthen each other and achieve even greater impact together. These can be large and small undertakings: from sustainable businesses and programmes to growing vegetables on your own balcony.

Contact
Sabine Hoffmann
Email: mitmachen@empowerthisplanet.com or sabine@thetomorrowtribe.net
Website: empowerthisplanet.earth

Research Institute of Organic Agriculture

Practice-oriented research for an organic food supply

The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) is a non-profit association offering scientific expertise on current issues in agriculture, food processing and consumption. Practice-oriented research, application-oriented studies and the communication of well-founded organic knowledge are among our core competences. As a recognised scientific institution, FiBL Austria plays an active role in connecting all stakeholders along the organic food value chain. One focus of our work is the analysis and assessment of sustainability aspects of food production – from agriculture through processing and retail to consumers.

Contact
Martin Schlatzer
Email: martin.schlatzer@fibl.org
Website: fibl.org

Foodsharing St. Pölten

Together for greater appreciation of food

We see ourselves as an environmental and educational movement that opposes the careless use of resources and campaigns for a sustainable food system. Our long-term goal is to end the waste of edible food. That is why we take action locally: we rescue food from private households and businesses, engage in dialogue with politicians and carry our vision out into the world.

Contact
Claudia Zimmel and Stephan Hromecek
Email: st.poelten@foodsharing.network
Website: https://foodsharing.at/

Garten der Begegnung (Garden of Encounter)

Farming together

The Garten der Begegnung is an eco-social integration project in which people from different countries grow and process fruit and vegetables organically together with refugees. A third of the harvest is sold at the market stall, a third goes to the Traiskirchen social supermarket “der gute Laden”, and with the remaining third we support our co-workers. The garden is a place open to everyone. Here you can get to know each other, exchange ideas and do something meaningful and healthy in the fresh air. Visitors from near and far like to come to the oriental breakfast on Saturdays.

Contact
Nikolai Ritter
Email: ritternikolai1@gmail.com
Website: https://www.gartenderbegegnung.com/

Garten der Generationen (Garden of Generations)

Living well in solidarity

The “Garten der Generationen” is a solidarity-based housing project with a seminar centre in the middle of a spacious, nature-rich site in Herzogenburg. In 2022, 24 apartments were completed and occupied. A considered use of building materials and energy technologies and the best possible balance between community life and individuality form the core of affordable housing.

An “asset pool” was set up to finance the project. This alternative form of financing allows investors to invest their money meaningfully and transparently in a property. The investments are index-linked to the consumer price index and can be made in varying amounts.

Contact
Franz Ferro
Email: franz.ferro@gartendergenerationen.net
Website: https://www.gartendergenerationen.net/

Economy for the Common Good

Shaping money together

The Economy for the Common Good is a way of doing business that seeks to promote and realise human dignity, solidarity and justice, ecological sustainability, transparency and co-determination through concrete and measurable measures. Since 2010, this approach has spread from Austria to 35 countries. More than 1,000 companies already operate with a focus on the common good and transparently present their situation in a common good balance sheet. In Austria there are four independent regional associations, jointly represented in the federal association. Members are informed, supported in achieving their common good goals and connected with one another. For the climate, a shift in the economy towards circularity, social responsibility and sufficiency is essential.

Contact
Renate Hagmann
Email: st-poelten@ecogood.org
Website: https://austria.ecogood.org/

GfG Genossenschaft für Gemeinwohl (Cooperative for the Common Good)

Shaping money together

The Genossenschaft für Gemeinwohl grew out of a civil society initiative formed in 2010 in response to the last major financial crisis. In terms of membership, we are the largest newly founded cooperative in Austria in recent decades. Our goal is a monetary and financial system that serves the common good – social, ecological, fair, transparent and sustainable. Many people are unaware that their ordinary current account can help support change and make it succeed – we are happy to tell you more at Sonnenpark!

Contact
Silvia Koppensteiner
Email: info@gemeinwohl.coop
Website: https://www.gemeinwohl.coop/

Göttinnenland

The Dissident Goddesses' Network

THE DISSIDENT GODDESSES' NETWORK is an interdisciplinary research project that, starting from the significant finds of female figurines from Lower Austria's prehistory and early history, takes up the questions these finds raise from today's perspective:
What do these finds mean? Do they have an effect on the position of women today? What does the soil have to say, and how are archaeology, economy and ecology connected? Which recording systems could map what the territory tells us? What future can be envisioned, and what demands should be made?

Contact
Elisabeth Samsonow
Email: e.samsonow@akbild.ac.at
Website: https://www.tdgn.at/

Klimahauptstadt 2024 (Climate Capital 2024)

The people-, environment- and climate-friendly network of initiatives

Healthy soils, clean water and a functioning circular economy with regional food supply are essential foundations of life for future generations. We want to inspire and win over city, state and federal politics for the shared vision of Climate Capital 2024 and take on a pioneering role in Europe. To do so, we want to use the uniqueness of the city of St. Pölten to make it flourish on all levels. Twenty initiatives have joined forces for this. Together we are working to develop St. Pölten into an internationally respected hotspot for sustainability, climate and species protection.

Contact
Dieter Schmidradler
Email: info@klimahauptstadt2024.at
Website: https://www.klimahauptstadt2024.at/

Verein Landeshauptstadt-Luft

Good air for all

The association “Landeshauptstadt-Luft” was founded in 2022 in response to the massive, repeated odour nuisance that had occurred in the west of St. Pölten since November 2020. Its members are mainly local residents who, with considerable effort, had settled in the west of St. Pölten in the years before and now face a significant reduction in their quality of life.

The association's purpose is to collect, process, evaluate and publish relevant information on air quality in and around St. Pölten, to organise internal and public events on the topic, and to communicate with offices, authorities, political parties and other interest groups – with the aim of enabling all citizens of the state capital to breathe clean and healthy air again.

Contact
Wilhelm Maurer
Email: wilhelm@maurer@freenet.de
Website: https://www.lh-l.at/

“Las Mercedes”

A climate protection and art project by ÖIN, BOKU Vienna and ArtEmbassy

The small farm Las Mercedes in Colombia is home to a tropical forest full of bubbling springs, protected plants and endangered animal species. The main goal of the Las Mercedes project is to rescue and protect an area of rainforest in the heart of Colombia through art, activism and carbon offsetting. Las Mercedes offers space for local sustainable development to create alternative income and prosperity and to build innovative scientific labs. Las Mercedes is more than just a project – it is a visionary idea that brings people from all walks of life together in a wonderful way to create an ideal model for positive, sustainable change in the world.

Contact
Alfred Strigl
Email: office@oin.at
Website: https://oin.at/

Natur Dialog (Nature Dialogue)

Developing resonance competence in dialogue with nature

The Natur-Dialog movement is a network of people who incorporate nature-dialogical or ecosystemic approaches into counselling, psychotherapy, education, art, community work, agriculture, healthcare, adult education, coaching, supervision and organisational development. Affirming the connection between people and the spaces and things around us is the basis of the Natur-Dialog approach. Its attitude, and above all its methods, therefore aim to revitalise these connections, which have often been lost in today's society. Many years of experience show that learning this “resonance competence” allows more vitality, trust, confidence and cooperation to flow through systems again.

Contact
Maria Raab, Barbara Wörz
Email: info@natur-dialog.org
Website: https://natur-dialog.org/

Verein NÖ Berg- & Naturwacht (Lower Austrian Mountain & Nature Watch)

Protection for animals and plants

The statutory task of the association Niederösterreichische Berg- und Naturwacht (BNW) is to ensure compliance with the Lower Austrian Nature Conservation Act and thus safeguard the protection of animals and plants. This includes all preventive and acute measures. Its main tasks include protecting wild animals and plants, safeguarding protected areas, prosecuting illegal waste disposal, preventing and detecting forest fires early, and intervening in cases of water pollution. To enforce these points, our staff have special powers. In accordance with our statutes, we also provide support in accidents and disasters, according to our equipment and training.

Contact
Email: elisabeth@gut-prochaska.at
Website: https://www.noe-bnw.at/

Radlobby St. Pölten (Cycling Lobby)

Cycling is part of the solution. Radlobby looks after the concerns of everyone in Austria who likes to get around by bike. We are the voice of all those who use or want to use the bicycle as a means of transport or in their free time. At federal level, in the states, cities and municipalities, we campaign politically and run campaigns. Our goal is to make cycling in Austria even safer and more comfortable for everyone. Because cycling protects the climate, keeps you healthy, saves money and at the same time contributes to a more liveable city for all.

Contact
Maria Zögernitz
Email: maria.zoegernitz@radlobby.at
Website: https://www.radlobby.at/

The flourishing Society

Knowledge that makes flourishing possible

The flourishing Society is a group of young people from the ecology movement. We have experienced how inadequately our society responds to the ecological crisis. But we have seen that there is another way: always wanting more and never being enough doesn't really make us happy anyway. So many people are motivated to contribute to the wellbeing of others. Awareness of our deepest connection with the ecosystem is growing. We research existing knowledge at the intersection of science, art and practice, make the current state of knowledge available and carry it into the world through events, workshops and publications.

Contact
Moritz Gruber
Email: kontakt@flourisingsociety.org
Website: https://flourishingsociety.org/

Verkehrswende.at

We connect people

Verkehrswende.at is a cross-initiative, nationally recognised environmental organisation working to bring about a transport transition (Verkehrswende) in Austria. A transport transition means the totality of measures that change our mobility behaviour and freight transport so that transport no longer depletes our natural foundations of life. Verkehrswende.at advocates, among other things, avoiding traffic by strengthening regional action, traffic calming through a shift to public transport, a moratorium on road construction, and non-discriminatory, needs-based mobility without owning a car.

Contact
Dieter Schmidradler
Email: info@verkehrswende.at
Website: https://www.verkehrswende.at/

Verein Wimen

Our future is no accident – does every contribution count?!

The association WIMEN stands behind young people engaged in climate and environmental issues and contributes its members' knowledge from research on sustainability, mobility and the environment, sociology, psychology and more as supporting arguments. Its activities and projects follow the motto “Our future is no accident”, because it depends on us and our actions. The addition “does every contribution count?!” is meant to show that we all bear responsibility, but not every contribution always fits or is appreciated. With various workshop and discussion formats (a climate bet between the mayor and school students, Climate Future Talk, Climate Quiz, Raise Your Voice), we have been raising awareness of climate concerns and environmentally friendly behaviour for four years.

Contact
Email: office@wimen.at
Website: https://www.wimen.at/

WOGE Pottenbrunn

A housing island for lively neighbourliness

A historic four-sided farmstead surrounded by a large orchard meadow and two crystal-clear streams. A green island right next to the castle pond – this is the pioneering project of shared living and planning in the centre of Pottenbrunn. We want to create a pleasant architectural and social environment in which lively neighbourliness can develop. As a cooperative, we are committed to a local circular economy, autonomous energy supply from renewable sources and much more. For lively neighbourliness – together we achieve more!

Contact
Ralf Bock
Email: info@ralfbock.com, info@woge-pottenbrunn.at
Website: https://www.woge-pottenbrunn.com/

We also welcome the following projects at the Day of Initiatives in Sonnenpark:

Biohof Kurz

Raw milk from healthy, vital cows on an organic farm

Julia and Bernhard Kurz
Email: bio@kurz-ums-eck.at
Website: http://familie-kurz.at/

FamilyBikes cargo bikes

Affordable, uncomplicated mobility that's fun

Email: servus@familybikes.at
Website: https://www.familybikes.at/

lieber bio gmbH

Like your village shop – honest, fair and transparent

Email: fragwas@lieberbio.com
Website: http://lieberbio.com/

Plan G

Partnership for global health

Email: impressum@plan-g.at
Website: https://plan-g.at/

PureSelfMade

Self-built wind turbines

Jonathan Schreiber
Email: info@pureselfmade.com
Website: https://pureselfmade.com/