How often is it said: "Only bad news is good news". FUTURZWEI says: Not true! The non-profit foundation based in Berlin has been committed to the project of a sustainable, grandchildren-friendly, open society for over five years. To this end, it brings people in front of the curtain who have other stories to tell. Not stories of impending doom. No, stories of hope, of cooperation, of sustainability. In short: stories of success.
Story: ReVital makes old goods fit again
Whether electric razors, toy dolls or drills: under the "ReVital" banner, former long-term unemployed people in Upper Austria refurbish discarded everyday objects. These are sold in one of the 21 ReVital stores at a low price. A win-win-win business idea. Because the initiative benefits the environment, the economy and society in equal measure.
Public relations for the little ones
The members of FUTURZWEI are constantly on the lookout for stories. For new facets to paint a picture of the future of society. Harald Welzer, one of the leading minds behind the foundation, sums up the mission in a nutshell: "We need PR for small initiatives, people who want to make a difference. For us and all others who prefer not to be bad people and who continue to focus on resistance, community and self-empowerment in order to continue working on the social and ecological civilization of our lives."
Story: Carla Cargo takes off with electric drive
According to a study by "cyclelogistics", half of all inner-city car transportation in the European Union could be carried out using cargo bikes. To make this a reality, the Freiburg-based start-up "Carla Cargo" has developed a bicycle trailer with an electric drive. It can be used to transport loads weighing up to 150 kilograms. For better air and a healthier future.
Future viability on all channels
To spread the success stories, FUTURZWEI fires from every conceivable journalistic barrel. On the one hand, there is the flagship, its own website. The ideal starting point for exploring the world of tomorrow. The centerpiece here is the future archive. This contains the collected stories of success. There is also a global version of this archive, Future Perfect. The foundation recently launched another online magazine, Trafo. The Open Society initiative, on the other hand, aims to initiate an analog debate about what kind of country the population wants, away from online forums and social media.
Story: Affordable living at Bellevue di Monaco
Munich is one of those cities where housing is becoming increasingly expensive. To slow down this dynamic, idealists formed a social cooperative. They actually managed to save and renovate three houses that were slated for demolition. The starting signal was given for the "Bellevue di Monaco" - a place of togetherness, information and advice center, affordable living space and meeting café. All in one. And much more besides.
New impetus through cooperation with TAZ
Those who prefer reading in print will also get their money's worth. In summer 2017, FUTURZWEI established a cooperation with the national Berlin newspaper "Die Tageszeitung" (TAZ). The product of this collaboration is the magazine taz.FUTURZWEI. For Harald Welzer, this step is obvious. "Whether it's wars, IS, right-wing populism, Trump, Putin, Erdogan, climate change or digitalization - you can't look at problems of justice and freedom or the ecological crisis in isolation. We are seeing a new politicization of society, as yet without a fixed form or direction," says the sociologist. "This requires a political magazine that provides analyses and debates and once again sees the future as the center of politics."
Story: Children wear robbers' clothes
From rompers and shoes to dungarees: fashion for the little ones looks cute, but often has a catch - the little ones grow out of it quickly. Räubersachen has the solution to this challenge. Founded in 2015, the online store sells ecologically produced children's clothing on a temporary basis. Here, parents, relatives and friends can choose, order and keep clothes for as long as they fit.
What exciting stories will the future bring? We can't wait to find out. If you want to be inspired by sustainable projects and innovative pioneers right now, you'll find it here: FUTURZWEI.
