by Alicia Deadrick
I’ve recently, finally, gotten my hands on The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson and a country that rarely makes the news or pop cultural references is fascinating me. With references to the great blue retailer Ikea and America’s favorite corner-store, 7-Eleven playing prominently in Larsson’s journalistic writing details, I wondered how well the home of my ancestors was fairing in the modern world of green living. Sweden, here we come!
I was happily surprised by my discoveries.
Apparently, in an oil crisis in 1973, Sweden declared it’s intentions to lessen reliance on fossil fuels and they actually saw some success. By 2005 “only 32% of the country’s energy [was] obtained from oil fuels, nuclear power and hydroelectricity completing the country’s energetic needs.” It is the most eco-friendly country in all of Europe and rivals for the top in the world. Inspired by their success, 2 years later big environmental goals were set in the land of meatballs (seriously, you need to try Ikea’s Swedish meatballs), and by the Commission of Oil to be reached by 2020:
- Oil consumption for road transportation to be reduced by half;
- Oil use for heating buildings to be totally eliminated;
- Oil consumption in industry to be reduced by 40%;
- The use of energy to be more efficient by 20%.
The fossil fuel will gradually be replaced by biofuels, solar cells, wind farm, wave energy, fuel cells and geothermal energy.
In addition to the government’s role in limiting fuel usage, Sweden’s architects and designers have for long revered a natural, Spartan aesthetic to live harmoniously with the outside world.
Not just limiting themselves to a few homes here and there, the entire city of Malmo has pledged that “[b]y 2020, the City of Malmö's own organization will be climate neutral and by 2030 the whole municipality will run on 100% renewable energy.” Unfamiliar with Sweden’s geography, I thought Malmo must certainly be a smaller town developed principally for this purpose, a case-study in the form of a village. No. Malmo is the third largest city in all of Sweden with a population exceeding 280,000. Also, many of the building have existed since the Middle Ages and many districts and neighborhoods have developed distinct methods of contributing to greener living, including roof gardens, electric street trains, solar panels, and water energy. Another excellent plus, the entire city is bike and pedestrian friendly, which, locally we are not (the fact that 2 weeks ago I was yelled at while biking from a man in an oversized truck).
Outside of personal home design, the eco-travel and hotel industry is blooming, including the ingenious and whimsical Treehotel, where guests book private rooms actually individually built in a forest of trees. The sparse, but thoughtful designs in many hotels evoke a simpler understanding of our needs and limit wasteful tendencies and inspire simpler living within the visiting guests.
I was not expecting Sweden to fare so well in the great race to epic greenness, but I am pleasantly surprised by the efforts of this Nordic culture and proud to share a in this rich heritage. Perhaps it’s time to plan a visit!
What country would you like to see in the Spotlight next?
