Last April, 12 French NGOs committed to the protection of marine biodiversity met for a three-day workshop in Maison Glaz, a seaside tiers-lieu – a community-driven place where people can meet, eat, work, and stay -- dedicated to social and climate action on the Gâvres peninsula, in the north-west of France.

Outside, you could hear children laughing and screaming as they ran back and forth across the pavement in the afternoon sun.  Nearby, in the shade, a circle of chairs was set out for a group guitar lesson.  The first students were tuning up their instruments.  In the street, a car stopped with its bass booming, waiting for the traffic to move.  Life outside Zapopan's community center, a giant brick structure covered in colorful murals, went on as usual, while inside the cavernous hall was transformed into a workshop space, its walls peppered with colored post-it notes, and people gathered flip-chart stands working against the clock to refine their project ideas in time for a final presentation.