Government-created app suite aims to improve experience of Brazilian city
While Boston authorities are making their civic services mobile with its City Hall To Go scheme, the Brazilian city of Curibita is using a new suite of apps to benefit its residents. Passaporte Curabita features a range of apps that aim to improve users’ experience of the city. READ MORE…
Online farmer’s market enables local, subscription-based food communities
It may be feasible for a large hospital to build and operate its own organic greenhouse, but that’s simply not an option for countless other organizations and communities, however much they might want similar produce. Enter Farmigo, a site that connects local farms with groups such as workplaces, schools and community centers for custom delivery subscriptions direct to a convenient community location. READ MORE…
In Cairo, crowdsourced app challenge seeks to ease traffic congestion
Crowdsourcing has already been used to good effect to help provide potential solutions to social issues, such as unemployment in ireland or helping businesses go green. Now, the Egyptian government is calling on citizens to come up with a way to solve the capital’s traffic problems through its Cairo Transport App Challenge. READ MORE…
In Beijing, citizens build and fly kits equipped with air pollution monitors
We’ve seen numerous technology-based efforts aimed at giving citizens the power to monitor their environment, including the Montre Verte project for assessing air quality in Paris. Taking an airborne approach to much the same problem, FLOAT is an initiative to teach residents of Beijing how to build and use kites equipped with air pollution monitors. READ MORE…
Citizen polls printed on posters gather replies via text message
Code for America initiatives have appeared on our virtual pages on several occasions before, including wildfire warning system Prepared.ly just earlier this month. Now joining the list of the nonprofit’s civic-minded efforts is Textizen, a system by which citizens can respond via text message to quick polls posted around the city. READ MORE…
In Finland, a crowdfunding platform for community projects
Following on from our coverage of Smallknot, the US site that enables residents to support their favorite local businesses with donations, we’ve now discovered another similarly community-minded crowdfunding platform. Operating in Finland, Brickstarter encourages citizens to take civic projects into their own hands, rather than waiting for governments to pick them up. READ MORE…
App provides platform for community lift-sharing
While car sharing isn’t a new concept, we’ve seen a few examples of startups simplifying the process. The Car Club has already provided a way for owners to rent out their unused vehicles in the UK, and now San Francisco-based SideCar enables people to take advantage of lifts from trustworthy drivers in the community. READ MORE…
Wise Words with Max Marty
Whilst we’re always quick to share any great new ideas we come across it can be easy to forget that without the right nurturing environment, any fledgling startup can flounder before it’s had a chance to find its feet. Which is why initiatives like Blueseed can prove to be a lifesaver for young businesses, giving entrepreneurs a secure base from which to develop their ideas. READ MORE…
In Detroit, florist rewards good deeds with ‘Good Job Bouquets’
In the wake of our recent story about The Generous Store comes word of yet another kindness-focused initiative. Set this time in Detroit, a florist has launched an effort whereby it will give free ‘Good Job Bouquets’ to locals nominated by the community for the kind things they’ve done. READ MORE…
Site helps neighbors share rarely used goods
We’ve seen an increasing number of sharing platforms appear over the years, as consumers seek to lend and borrow rarely used items while earning and saving some extra cash. NeighborGoods and StuffPal are two efforts we’ve seen designed to facilitate such exchanges, and recently we came across another: Share Some Sugar. READ MORE…
