A recent poll showed that almost a third of Swedes consider the environment and pollution to be one of their most worrisome issues. By comparison, only 7 percent of EU residents as a whole, according to the same statistics, are concerned about these issues.
Overproduction and the constant growth of consumption is another issue of concern for many countries, since industrial production leads to pollution and overconsumption of energy. On a domestic level, it is popular among Swedes not to buy unnecessary things, trying, where possible, not to create unnecessary demand for certain “non-environmental” goods. It is quite common, for example, to buy used furniture, clothes and appliances to prevent overproduction, even on a small scale.
Almost all Swedish industrial companies are constantly innovating to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption at the same time. The government also supports the industry in these endeavors. In 2005, it introduced tax incentives for energy-intensive industries in exchange for their development of measures to reduce energy consumption.
Every municipality (of which there are 290 in Sweden) has an energy advisor whom people can turn to for help and guidance. Advice is provided on issues such as the use of low-energy lighting and switching to greener heating systems.
If you want to save the planet, take out your trash
More than 99% of trash in Sweden is recycled and reused in one way or another, a phenomenon already dubbed the “Swedish Recycling Revolution”. No other country in the world has yet come so close to the dream of zero-waste production and clean water and air. How did the Swedes achieve this?
When you consider that each inhabitant of the planet produces on average several tons of household waste a year, it is easy to imagine what the Earth will look like in at least a few years if no measures are taken.
Städa Sverige (Clean Up Sweden) is a network of non-profit sports organizations that involve their students in environmental projects.
Sweden is among the countries that have succeeded in recycling and waste management. Only 1-0.7 percent of household waste in Sweden is disposed of by landfills, compared to 34 percent in the European Union as a whole.
Every Swedish family has several bins with stickers in their apartment and house. One for glass, one for cardboard, one for metal, one for plastic, and one for newspapers. A separate container is for food waste. In these containers, the appropriate waste is placed and then taken to a waste collection station. The importance of sorting garbage is so ingrained in the minds of Swedes that many do it automatically. Paint, nail polish, old batteries, light bulbs and electrical appliances are hazardous waste that is disposed of in designated areas. Municipalities are responsible for organizing trash collection and recycling, and they are also responsible for making sure their residents are aware of the rules and recycling options.
Another way in which Sweden is trying to show other countries how to turn the planet into an ecological paradise is through innovative environmental solutions. The Swedish government has already invested more than 400 million kronor in research and development in the field of ecology and environmental protection. Among the most prominent developments are biofuels, smart power grids, and carbon capture and storage. In 2019, spending on research and development amounted to 3.41% of GDP.
Concern for clean air has forced the Swedes to look for ways to replace combustible fuels and gasoline. Alternative fuel sources that have become widespread in Sweden include biofuels derived from food and organic waste, electricity and ethanol. Many Swedish companies and almost all public institutions are replacing their vehicle fleets by getting rid of combustible fuels and switch to environmentally friendly electric cars. Almost all city and intercity buses have switched to biofuels and ethanol. These are just some of the measures by which Sweden aims to remove combustible gases from circulation and contribute to cleaning the air from harmful emissions. Targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020 compared to 1990 and to completely rid the car fleet of fossil fuels by 2030. – are among the priorities of Sweden’s environmental policy.
From the background
Sweden is credited with being a pioneer in the field of the environment back in the 1960s and 70s. For example, Sweden was the first country to establish an Environmental Protection Agency in 1967. It was Sweden that hosted the first United Nations Conference on the Environment in 1972, which led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the leading international authority on the environment today.
Sweden was also one of the first states to sign and ratify the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to take action on climate change.
Green cities
According to UN statistics, by 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities. That is why the problem of overpopulation in cities and their growth is a concern to environmentalists in all countries. Here, too, Sweden may set an example, since sustainability has played a decisive role in the planning of many Swedish cities.
Stockholm
In the mid-1990s, the Stockholm city council decided to turn the former industrial area of Hammarby into a model of ecological urban planning. The rebuilt residential area has smart power grids, accessible and environmentally friendly public transport, bicycle lanes and parking lots, waste management and recycling.
Malmö
A similar transformation of an industrial area into a residential area took place in Malmö. Today the Västra Hamnen area is a zero-carbon district that uses a thermal energy storage system. Water is stored during the summer, then pumped in with wind power to heat houses during the cold season. The water is then reused to cool buildings in the summer.
