Under the leadership of the Finnish Embassy, this group of invited reporters and I introduced each other in the Loili Sauna. Loyly is located on the waters of Helsinki, which means you can choose to swim in the Baltic Sea.
We listened to the schedule for the upcoming meeting with a family in the forest, environmental companies, and political leaders. I think these meetings will be more formal than this, because we take turns from the wood-burning sauna, the sea, and the smoke sauna. And repeat.
Elves
The smoke sauna is hotter than wood. When I tried to withstand the heat, the group told me a Finnish Christmas story. It tells the story of the elves who allegedly protected the Finnish sauna.
The children were told that in order to protect the sauna, they must observe discipline, sometimes including giving gifts to the sauna elves. And if they misbehave, they will be told that the elves will burn the sauna. I can’t think of a better welcome to Finnish culture than making my first sauna experience with sustainably produced wood.
The second day was a picturesque visit to the forest, where we explained in detail how the Finnish trees ended up in the paper mill.We take risks To Hämeenkoski in the Päijät-Häme region and I met a family in the forest. They lived in a house made of Helsinki wood and made their trees.
We had vegan pumpkin and pumpkin soup outdoors before Laura Hämäläinen and Mika Hämäläinen Showed us a tour of their forest and explained their management strategy, including showing us a transformer-type tractor called a harvester, which has a huge claw that can grab the trunk, just like grabbing it and preparing to chop it. Carrots are the same as casseroles.
Mills
Markus Nissinen, an environmental expert at MTK who is in charge of forest protection measures, explained thatHe’s right 80% The number of trees is needed to allow a process called thinning. The remaining 20% of productive forests have not been harvested. He told us that deforestation can provide more space and light, thereby providing better conditions for trees, which means that better wood can be produced.
After the discussion, we visited the sustainable sawmill Koskisen and learned exactly how wood is made into plywood.
It is interesting to see how these sawmills are sustainable today, especially considering the history of pulp pollution of Finnish rivers and lakes after the opening of the first mill in the 1880s.
Globally, Koskisen exports 91% of plywood. The United Kingdom is its largest consumer country. Koskisen’s CEO Jukka Pahta showed how One cubic meter of sawn timber produces 35 kilograms of carbon dioxide. In contrast, the output produced in concrete production exceeds 900 kg.
The Federation of Finnish Woodworking Industries stated: “The carbon fingerprint of sawn timber is 573kg carbon dioxide2electronic, Represents the amount of carbon absorbed by sawn timber as a carbon sink”.
enterprise
The next morning, I met Petro Lahtinen, the CEO of a sustainable furniture brand called Woodio. All products of the brand are made from wood chips and are produced through powerful engineering.
Woodio is working hard to make products with 100% wood. The glue currently used to bond wood chips is not made of wood. However, UPM is producing biomedical cellulose glue that can be used as a substitute.
The products and brands provided by Finland can be outsourced across countries and are less harmful to the environment. During my stay in Finland, I visited sustainable companies, all of which aim to positively impact the environment. But what impressed me the most was their “fossil elimination” plan.
One of Finland’s sustainable development goals includes achieving carbon neutrality by 2035, and achieving carbon negative since then-which means that the entire country absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits.
One of the major setbacks of the Cop26 meeting was the inability of global leaders to commit to a ban on the use of fossil fuels. However, starting in 2029, Finland will ban the use of coal as an energy source.
The operation of the Hanasaari coal plant in Helsinki will cease in 2023, which will have a significant positive impact on the climate and significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the city and the country.
political
That afternoon, we even enjoyed the Finnish culture that I experienced in the sauna for the first time. We also met with Minister of Forestry and Agriculture Jari Leppä. It is not surprising to find that he has been interested in acting and drama for decades.
Compared with the ordinary politicians I am used to watching on British TV, his charming appearance is refreshing. I have never seen such a senior public figure before-but his friendly character gives me peace of mind.
He is keen to see forests as “solutions rather than problems.” He strongly advocates the importance of forests in terms of well-being and responsibility. This really makes me wonder if Finland’s efforts in sustainable development are very unique.
After meeting with Mr. Leppä, we jumped on the tram to meet the next minister. Environment Minister Krista Mikkonen gave a more formal introduction.she Explain that each country has its own unique challenges and emphasizes the importance of “carbon fingerprints”.
Most people will be familiar with the term carbon footprint. This can refer to the amount of carbon that each of us generates in our lives. Carbon fingerprints are a new measure for companies to show how they have a positive impact on the environment.
Companies are beginning to learn more about the climate crisis and want to show that they are addressing customer concerns. It is hoped that this new environmental indicator will become a reliable method to assess the value of the company and prevent the problem of green bleaching.
The speeches of business and politicians are very compelling. This brings me back to a bigger question: can Finland really become a driving force for global change? Is a country that influences other governments through diplomacy, branding, and business practices?
In the end, my opinion is that Finnish political leaders do prioritize the environment in a way that too many countries simply do not. it is Fortunately, it can use its vast forests and agricultural land for environmentally-friendly purposes. But it does go further than that.
tax
Sanna Marin The Prime Minister of Finland has been the youngest political leader in the world since he was elected in 2019. During the campaign, she put the environment and the protection of the country’s generous welfare state first. Someone told me that Finns don’t mind paying higher taxes to pay for all this.
I was fortunate to be able to extend my stay in Finland, away from the press center and embassy staff to see the city. My next itinerary includes experiencing Helsinki’s culture, cycling tours, participating in mushroom picking and visiting art galleries. I was surprised to find that the public library has a computer game room, a 3D printer, and a sewing machine.
From this short trip, I know very well that Finns don’t mind paying higher taxes, because obviously a lot has been given back. Investment in public services makes cities seem safer and easier.
From the perspective of a woman living in London, visiting Helsinki is a very refreshing experience. From being told that walking alone in the dark forest does not pose a threat to your safety, to being able to leave your coat unattended, no need to check tram or bus tickets, and no need to lock the door of my off-grid cabin. The level of trust can be imagined.
My trip to Helsinki taught me that prioritizing the environment and making sustainable choices will not come at the expense of the rest of society. In Finland, the world’s leading environmental policies have not caused adverse effects such as high unemployment rates or reduced services elsewhere. In fact, it can obviously improve the country’s health and wealth.
This author
Ruby Harbour is the editorial assistant Ecologist.
