Making sustainability the center of public discourse in Neukölln

CLIENT

Bezirksamt Neukölln

BRAND & COMMUNICATION
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
since April 2021

The problem

The Berlin district of Neukölln is known for its trash problem. Whether it’s illegal bulk waste, overfilled trash bins, “forgotten” paper and plastic dishes in parks, or dog poop on the sidewalk, garbage seems to dominate the cityscape. For this reason, the district office launched the Schön wie wir initiative in 2016 to systematically address the issue of sustainability.

Our solution

Many initiatives in Neukölln strive for more cleanliness and sustainability. As the project lead for Schön wie wir, we make sure that, as a project funded by the Bezirksamt Neukölln, we support associations and citizens in their activities. Our three Kiezhausmeister (neighborhood janitors) organize swap and dump markets and regular cleanups, and take care of curbside gardening. With partners like Trial & Error and Yesil Cember, we also dedicate ourselves to the topics of upcycling and DIY. On social media, we focus on infotainment. Our racoon mascot Lilo leads by example by turning all things sustainability into fun, hands-on, easy-to-follow tutorials. Additionally, we organize neighborhood festivities and events.

Our impact

Since getting involved with Schön wie wir in 2021, we’ve taken on more responsibilities. From 2017 to 2020, Neukölln was always Berlin's dirtiest district. But since 2021, the amount of trash has been decreasing, and Neukölln now ranks second. In 2021, 10,053 cubic meters of illegal trash were dumped in Neukölln. In 2022, it was “only” 8,904 cubic meters. We hustle to make that even less!