Looking for inspiration for a project? Check out the top 100+ WHAT iFs created by people of York.
● WHAT IF all children in York could learn to swim in the River Ouse?
● WHAT IF food insecurity in York could be solved?
● WHAT IF 10,000 trees were planted in York every year?
● WHAT IF children off school with anxiety dropped to zero?
● WHAT IF more people lived in treehouses than houses on the ground?
● WHAT IF everyone in York no longer wanted social media and streaming platforms because they were having so much fun in York?
● WHAT IF York was completely pedestrianised (voluntarily)?
● WHAT IF we had as many public fiestas as they have in Spain? (Plus the council helps organise & pay for it)?
● WHAT IF in York people felt more able to "just do it"? We could develop a "just do it" spirit?
● WHAT IF York became known for empowering cohousing development. "Normal for York."?
● WHAT IF we evict the racecourse and grow food on the Knavesmire?
● WHAT IF each neighbourhood had a pickle shed™ for sharing produce?
● WHAT IF York had a song of celebration that bridged all territories?
● WHAT IF the River Ouse had River Rights & was respected as a living entity. Kept clean enough to swim to work?
● WHAT IF all Foundations devolved their money (spend down) in service to global climate reparations?
● WHAT IF York is a city of reparations – tax goes to provide for those in need?
● WHAT IF bike users were incentivised & rewarded for their green choices: free train tickets?
● WHAT IF the universities of York & York St John were owned by the people of York?
● WHAT IF culture and art explored in York in ways everyone would feel engaged or included?
● WHAT IF 50% of their business rates went to environmental projects?
● WHAT IF Fridays were dedicated to community action & collaboration?
● WHAT IF new housing was built from sustainable local materials?
● WHAT IF we redesigned our neighbourhoods to replace street parking with community gardens and encouraged shared eating, street parties & communal food?
● WHAT IF housing was warm enough in winter and cool enough in summer?
● WHAT IF developments included shared spaces to gather?
● WHAT IF education is been transformed to emphasise climate resilience?
● WHAT IF health opportunities were equitable & just?
● WHAT IF wellbeing services were rooted in nature?
● WHAT IF we were all taught to process and manage our emotions & knew how to heal ourselves & trauma?
● WHAT IF we continued steps to make the river clean enough for everyday transport?
● WHAT IF all the new development sites in York had health at the centre?
● WHAT IF everything was designed for pedestrians and cyclists to coexist safely.
● WHAT IF cars were reused to make better bikes and electricity instead of using concrete for roads and cars?
● WHAT IF what if people brought back herb gardens to make their own medicines?
● WHAT IF what if the rivers were cleaned so people could swim in it and have access to more water?
● WHAT IF what if housing were homes for community and happiness? What if housing was less expensive to make it more affordable for everyone?
● WHAT IF cars were not driven but used as greenhouses?
● WHAT IF money was taken out of unsustainable places to pay for medicine and building hospitals?
● WHAT IF in every neighbourhood we dig up the road to bury maturing kimchi/pickles and have a sharing pickle shed?
● WHAT IF car factories produced other sustainable forms of transport so everyone keeps their jobs?
● WHAT IF? Children's play running around and cycling could generate energy?
● WHAT IF there were imagination lessons?
● WHAT IF classrooms moved outdoors? Maths was taught outside?
● WHAT IF kids were trusted to be more independent? It was safe enough for kids to be independent?
● WHAT IF we used the river for swimming + the water was fresh & clean? The companies sorted the sewage?
● WHAT IF there were e-nature bridges & sky pathways over main roads? for pedestrian use?
● WHAT IF we could kayak to work?
● WHAT IF we abolished political parties?
● WHAT IF York had a 4 day working week and there were ways to connect with nature on the 5th day.
● WHAT IF there are wild camping spots around York that you can walk to from the city or get to on your bike (for free)?
● WHAT IF community buildings had indoor nature/forest inside?
● WHAT IF hospitals were nature reserves? & medicine gardens?
● WHAT IF multi-generational living was encouraged & the story of this was possibility?
● WHAT IF? Housing was focussed on the needs of local residents & prioritised people on waiting lists not airbnb + tourism. Was configured to facilitate community gardens, tools, transport & skills-sharing.
● WHAT IF town planning was inclusive and facilitated communities to co-design infrastructure that supports community & well-being, supported by programmes of small grants?
● WHAT IF York governance was polycentric & devolved, focussed on long-term thinking (future generations) & embedded rights for humans/non-humans?
● WHAT IF we had a responsible anchor institution network infrastructure?
● WHAT IF we had a community owned transport network (community wealth fund)?
● WHAT IF we had a free public transport network?
● WHAT IF active travel became community hubs?
● WHAT IF chatty benches networks expanded to good ideas benches rather than just addressing loneliness?
● WHAT IF Higher education (University of York) responded to & advanced the priorities of local sustainable business, & was co-funded by taxes on local profitable businesses?
● WHAT IF council tax paid by owner not renter?
● WHAT IF there was social mixing between rich and poor. Co-created art. Democracy to include representative panel of citizens.?
● WHAT IF local curriculum was decided by learners & parents?
● WHAT IF all Public transport was free & for everyone?
● WHAT IF everyone contributed a volunteer day to help people & plants?
● WHAT IF what if we put down our phones & went into nature?
● WHAT IF we removed paving slabs & planted wellbeing gardens?
● WHAT IF people could live in houses that were also sculptures?
● WHAT IF access to nature was prioritised e.g. school trips
● WHAT IF there were outdoor classrooms?
● WHAT IF nature prescriptions were the norm?
● WHAT IF you build it yourself: the amount of hours you put in, the amount of credit you get back for your house. To enhance community to help themselves. All the houses were made of Haybales and straw, with a layer to cover the walls and roof up? And if this was local. Have a training courseto be able to build them on disused supermarket car parks + other spaces?
● WHAT IF all the new houses were made of locally grown hay + straw, with a training centre to show how to build. People could build it themselves to get a discount.
● WHAT IF all homes have solar panels/renewable power. Teach how to build them?
● WHAT IF? Community cooking classes could be held in schools/community areas and could be supplied by community/local gardens. Any waste could be produced into meals and given to community suppers?
● WHAT IF? We create more community gardens & orchards - schools grow food - living walls on schools & offices (salads + herbs). Ensure more food used in the city is grown here?
● WHAT IF people know where their food has come and how it is grown?
● WHAT IF people grow some food at home. Space, knowledge, resources - a community hub for knowledge exchange & community compost?
● WHAT IF we create time at schools for learning to build haybale walls, how to grow and cooking skills. Also solar panels for skills in the future?
● WHAT IF? Businesses were required to join schemes like Olio to ensure food doesn't go to waste (community kitchens to use bulk items)?
● WHAT IF we stop all car journeys within the ring road (which do not start or stop there) & provide affordable trams, buses & cargo e-bikes around the ring road in each direction, with massive e-bike hubs where needed (e.g. Park&Rides, food/shopping hubs etc)?
● WHAT IF? We had a fleet of electric cargo bikes that were cheaper to hire than cars. Which are available at shopping hubs?
● WHAT IF capitalism went away?
● WHAT IF our democracy was more genuinely representative & based on the common good?
● WHAT IF homes were not just bricks?
● WHAT IF we valued care work more than banking?
● WHAT IF bills were not expensive?
● WHAT IF money wasn't a requirement to a good life!
● WHAT IF we taught each other skills and knowledge shared?
● WHAT IF education was not just in a classroom?
● WHAT IF we valued people over pounds?
● WHAT IF school students chose, grew and made school dinners?
● WHAT IF we built the city around healthy living? Free accessible fitness spaces in public, encourage ageing?
● WHAT IF there were cooking classes on how to eat with the seasons?
● WHAT IF restaurants showed the carbon footprint of each meal?
● WHAT IF all housing was in community ownership?
● WHAT IF there was increased/required business collaboration with other businesses, non-profits, universities etc?
● WHAT IF we had shared gardens rather than individual ones?
● WHAT IF houses were more sustainable?
● WHAT IF caring professions were paid more?
● WHAT IF businesses were bought locally, supplied locally? Encouragement to shop local. "Think global, buy local"?