"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"


Margaret Mead, Anthropologist
(used with permission)



"If you don't like the news .... go out and make some of your own !!"

Wes "Scoop" Nisker, Newscaster



INTRODUCTION

Government is a slow and tedious process. While it often includes citizen and neighborhood involvement, non-governmental, private organizations have created movements and interesting groups which can create positive change in our cities and towns.

I am fascinated by the way groups are created and how they influence public decision making. This blog merely recognizes them and forwards the description of these groups from their own websites.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Citytank

Locatiom: Seattle, WA

Website: www.citytank.org

Citytank is a think tank for cities.

Citytank aspires to be an online convergence of the best thinkers and doers in urbanism both locally and nationwide.

Citytank will generate pointed analysis and advocacy that supports the proposition that cities are our best hope for achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability, from the local to global scales.

Citytank will address the need to bridge the knowledge gaps between policy, research, and design.

Citytank’s mission is to propagate ideas that help fulfill the promise of cities to both expand the human spirit and sustain a thriving planet.

Citytank was thunk up by Dan Bertolet. He’s a recovering electrical engineer and lately an urban designer who created a blog called Hugeasscity that in the course of two years grew an audience of over 17,000 unique site visits per month. In 2010 the Seattle news and politics web site PubliCola swallowed up Hugeasscity, exposing Dan’s writing to a much broader audience.

Dan has long believed that Seattle needs a source of analysis and commentary to help bring sanity to debates over policy that will shape the future of the City. Thus, Citytank.

The Atlantic Cities

Location: International

Website: www.atlanticcities.com

The Atlantic Cities explores the most innovative ideas and pressing issues facing today’s global cities and neighborhoods. By bringing together news, analysis, data, and trends, the site is an engaging destination for an increasingly urbanized world.

Next City

Location: Nationwide

Website: www.americancity.org

Next City is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting cities and informing the people who work to improve them. Originally named The Next American City, the organization began publishing a quarterly magazine in 2003. What started as a black-and-white printed publication staffed by volunteers ultimately grew into a popular and influential magazine that reached 1 million people over the course of its 31 issues. It spawned a popular website, local events in cities around the country, and the Next American Vanguard and Open Cities conferences.

In 2012, Next American City announced that it would cease publication of the magazine. Next City now publishes a weekly long-form journalism product called Forefront, which is available by subscription, and a daily blog that networks urban affairs reporting from around the country. In addition to publishing these media, it also runs The Storefront for Urban Innovation, a Philadelphia hub for events and exhibitions related to urban issues.

Next American City deeply appreciates its funders, past and present: Ford Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Blue Moon Fund, Living Cities, National Endowment for the Arts, Rockefeller Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Dan & Joanna Rose, Surdna Foundation, William Penn Foundation, as well as our many other generous donors across the country.

Friday, October 19, 2012

StreetSense

Location: Nationwide

Website: www.streetsense.org

StreetSense is a multi-disciplinary look at the challenges and opportunities that our cities, towns, and countrysides are facing. StreetSense is founded on the principle that the design of our environments cannot be left simply to architects and engineers. On the contrary, what is around us is a product of every discipline working, or not working, together to create the most practical response to the needs of a society.

Our panel of contributors includes architects, urbanists, economists, developers, financiers, lawyers, and engineers. The goal is to make connections where there often is none. For example what does the cost of health care have to do with the way we build or how does regionalism protect our national and financial security?

Through making uncommon links we arrive at common sense solutions to adapt, grow, and prosper in an ever-evolving world. Our approach relies on the principles of thrift “that which cause a ramifying series of solutions (Berry)."

StreetSense is built around conversations, observations, and creating a dynamic toolkit for practical community building.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Street Art Utopia

Location: International

Websie: www.streetartutopia.org

This is a homepage with street art collections, videos around street art and the most beloved street art photos from Street Art Utopia on Facebook.

Contact: streetartutopia@gmail.com

About the ads: I have some ads on this homepage. They help me buy
myself some beers, pay rent to the web host, and some more fun!

Unique Visitors: +300 000 / week.