Concrete ideas for a sustainable North Hesse: SDG+ Challenge Finale

All interested parties are cordially invited to meet the SDG+ Challenge teams in person at the final and join them:

SDG+ Challenge Finale
19 April 2024, 16:30
UNI:Lokal, Wilhelmsstraße 21
Organized by: SDG+ Lab - Laboratory for Sustainability Issues / UniKasselTransfer
Free of charge, no registration required

As part of the SDG+ Lab project, which is funded by the federal-state initiative "Innovative University" until 2027, the SDG+ Challenge is based on the project's theme years. This year, therefore, everything revolves around the topic of "Transformations in energy and the environment". Teachers, students, civil society, companies and initiatives come together in heterogeneous teams to work together on concrete solutions for a sustainable future. After a semester of intensive collaboration, seven concrete ideas have emerged:

• GRÜN stadt Schotter is committed to redesigning gravel surfaces.
• Frankfurter Straße für Alle wants to improve the quality of life on Frankfurter Straße.
• Grimm Forest is developing a game that combines today's use of forests as a resource with elements from Grimm's fairy tales.
• Leergut deals with the topics of vacancy and housing shortage and brings new and forgotten solutions into the discourse.
• Kasseler Wäldchen - Tiny Forest in Kassel aims to plant and maintain a small forest in urban areas with the help of cooperation partners.
• Sustainability Community makes sustainable initiatives etc. in Kassel and the surrounding area more visible with a map.
• Cycassel conveys the joy of cycling in a variety of ways.

The next SDG+ Challenge by UniKasselTransfer starts in fall 2024.

Focus on three approaches:

Forest walk in the middle of the city

The Kasseler Wäldchen group wants to contribute to urban climate adaptation with a so-called "Tiny Forest". Using the Myawaki method, small areas of up to 100 m² are planted with site-adapted and diverse species to create a forest ecosystem. Such a forest not only binds_CO2, provides shade and improves soil quality, but can also increase the quality of stay. Equipped with paths and edible plants, the Kassel forest can also become a place of adventure and recreation in the middle of the city in future.

Planting is planned for as early as fall 2024. The group is currently examining areas in the city and already has suitable plots of land in mind. Nevertheless, the team is still looking for suitable areas and cooperation partners to help implement the vision.

Bottom-up approach to the bicycle city

The Cycassel team uses various formats to promote the joy of cycling, as cycling is not only climate-friendly, but also promotes physical and mental health. To get as many different groups as possible interested in cycling, there is, for example, a so-called Bicibus, which forms a cycling community of parents and pupils to enable them to cycle to school safely together.

In addition, the Cycling Week took place from April 8-14, with a variety of cycling-related activities to encourage people to get on their bikes.

Kassel of tomorrow

The Sustainability Community team would like to create visibility for the many great associations and organizations in Kassel that deal with the topic of sustainability. The different activities often run side by side without knowing about each other and are not always known to the public. The group wants to change this and is therefore working on a map that provides an overview of sustainable learning locations, fair shopping opportunities and existing initiatives. The "Kassel of tomorrow" map is intended to join forces, facilitate a sustainable lifestyle and simplify commitment.

Contact:
Gianna Dalfuß
Head of Press and Public Relations SDG+ Lab
Phone: 0561 804 3567
Email: presse.sdgpluslab[at]uni-kassel[dot]de