Kensington residents are using Park Friends groups to advocate for their parks. Here's how the groups work.

Together Baton Rouge connects different organizations and individuals to collaborate on important community issues, such as advocating for needed infrastructure work. The group helped bring about the restructuring of a corporate tax break program that brought in $282 million in revenue in 2021.

Mysuru has become a gleaming example for solutions to India's vaster struggles with solid-waste management, toilet construction, sanitation strategy, public outreach, and other measures. The city uses a decentralized model that leverages a mix of municipal resources, NGO leadership, civil society, and cooperation from proud residents and businesses.

While laws and regulations banning the use of plastic bags and wrappers lag in the government, neighborhoods within the city of Bengaluru (Bangalore) have taken it upon themselves to remove wasteful plastic from their communities and their environment. From organizing marches and demonstrations, to creating clever alternatives - such as renting reusable bags from stores and wrapping goods in newspaper - numerous zones within the city are going plastic waste-free on their own initiative, and inspiring their neighbors to do the same.

The Street Moves initiative in Sweden is pushing local communities to become the designers of their own streets’ layouts and look at urban planning through the lens of the “one-minute city.” Through a public-private partnership, residents in four sites in Stockholm can help determine how much street space is used for parking, outdoor dining, and children’s play spaces. The goal is to increase participation in the community, address climate resilience, and create a more livable city.

By participating in the decision-making process, Mexico City residents successfully convinced the government to build a public park instead of an office development. The Parque Imán is 2.4 hectares, includes 163 trees, and the green space can potentially benefit up to 200,000 residents of some city boroughs. While there are some concerns about the soil quality in the park due to the adjacent asphalt plant, the park shows how participation from residents and transparency from the government allowed the public space to be built.

Chicago is asking its citizens, including youth, to help determine how to spend public money. Participatory budgeting involves communities identifying their greatest needs and guiding spending towards solutions.

Participatory budgeting is a way for citizens to directly influence government spending. The idea is taking off in New York with city councils in all five boroughs now putting money into these “people’s budgets.” Citizens propose ideas of how to spend the money, usually one million dollars or more, then vote. Past projects have included creating a teen space, planting trees, and building a community recording studio.

Around the globe, countries have taken actions that have helped reduce carbon emissions and increase the use of renewable energy. Although the state of Florida feels the effects of climate change, its state representatives have not produced policy addressing it. Local policy makers and organizers have made the biggest difference in the state.

Tulsa Public Schools drew on expertise across many sectors and extensive neighborhood input to address the issue of thousands of empty seats in local schools. Through a community-focused process, they were able to mindfully close under-utilized schools and better maximize the community's resources for students.

The République des Hyper Voisins, or the Republic of Super Neighbors, is an experiment organized by residents of Paris's 14th arrondissement to encourage community engagement, combat social isolation, and improve how the neighborhood functions. The group has organized mutual aid efforts, installed compost collection points, facilitated the launch of a new health clinic, and given residents opportunities to weigh in on local development projects.