Don´t be so keen on machines!

Climate change is an abstract and remote concept to many of us. How to get people to think about the climate and act for its benefit in everyday life? This is a problem that Viveka Nordman is facing as a chair of Kimito regions Association for Nature Conservation.

Viveka says that today’s people are too keen on their machines. We should use cars only when we truly need them, and rest of the time travel by foot, bike or anything without an engine. Saving energy and material is the best way, how an individual person can reduce greenhouse gases.

Municipality of Kimito is in the Finnish coast. Climate change is affecting also the Baltic Sea and archipelago’s nature. Warming weather makes the state of Baltic Sea worse and there will be fast changes in the ecosystem.

24.5.2005 Henna Silén

Food from Nearby and Bananas Without a Bag

Known for its domestic science advice, Martta -organisation believes that even small things can make a difference in the fight against the climate change.

Well-being of the families, the respect of household work, equality, environment and health are main objects of the 50 000 members of this organisation.

Ilmasta iloa (“Free Joy from Air”) is a campaign against the climate change in which the organisation has brought up the meaning of the choices made in everyday life and has included the way of thinking, that is less harmful to the environment, to all its activities.

For examble you can buy ecologically cultivated food that has been produced nearby or when you buy bananas you don't need to put them in a plastic bag.

- Our organization thinks that everything must start from concrete things that people can do in their every day life. Things that are so easy to do that life quality doesn't degenerate, says executive director Sanna Voutilainen.

See also: The Martha Organization and Association for Promoting Fairtrade in Finland

24.5.2005 Maria Linden

Innovations help resist climate change

Dodo - Living nature for the future organisation's contact person Tea Tönnov thinks that southwestern Finland has an intresting position regarding to climate change because there is a lot of creativity and originality that can be used in finding good and innovative solutions to the climate problem.

- Dodo's wish is, that new solutions and innovations to resist climate change would support the existing structures of society. Thus the gained welfare could be sustained, Tea Tönnov says.

Dodo has carried out Ilmari climate information project together with Friends of the Earth Finland, Luontoliitto and Youth Academy.

- The intention of this project is to increase knowledge and discussion about climate change in elementary school and upper secondary school.

See also: Dodo - Living nature for the future

20.7.2005 Elina Aitoaho

Climate change has to be answered locally

Friends of the Earth Turku sees the climate change as a global problem. Local acts have an essential part in the fight against climate change.

- To decrease private car using and to increase non-polluting traffic at the city center are the kind of actions, that a small local group have possibilities to join in, says Saara Henriksson from Friends of the Earth Turku.

The Friends of the Earth Turku is a part of the national Friends of the Earth – network, where there are local groups joined from 66 different countries.

The Friends of the Earth Turku organized lecturers about the climate change in Turku University at spring 2004.

- We have also organized an event about fossil fuels in Turku in summer 2004. This event was a part of the International Friends of the Earth’s coal dinosaur – tour. And we are also organizing the Critical Mass- bicycle events, Henriksson sums up.

See also: Friends of the Earth, Finland and Critical Mass Europe

10.8.2005 Reetta Taponen

Against change in Swedish

The Finnish Society for Nature and Environment or Natur och Miljö is the Swedish speaking Finland’s organization for environmental protection. The aim of the organization is to “actively uphold the environment and promote sustainable development”.

Håkan Eklund from Åbonejdens Natur emphasizes the meaning of consuming habits as a way of an individual to prevent climate change.

– One could do a lot by changing his lifestyle, says Ekholm.

Natur och Miljö’s local group in Turku area is called Åbonejdens Natur. Even though the group has about a hundred members, there has not been much activities recently. Åbonejdens Natur sees climate change as an encreasing problem, and individual members participate in different ways. Some of the members publice articles in organisations periodical, ”Finlands Natur”.

See also: The Finnish Society for Nature and Environment and Finland's Environmental Administration

26.5.2005 Kirsi Kujala

Riding-a-bike against climate change

One of the most important duty of Agenda Office of Southwest Finland is to fight off climate change. The Agenda Office is trying to have an influence on people’s attitudes for traffic with different campaigns.

Taking a part in European Carless Day and arranging Riding-a-bike to work challenge
are examples how Agenda Office of Southwest Finland is trying to achieve its tasks.

The campaigns have succeeded with diverse results;

- Some people think that they aren’t enough and some think that they are needless, says Kristina Karppi from Agenda Office.

Many partners

Agenda Office also makes cooperation with other organizations to prevent the climate change. One of the most important partner in cooperation is Energy Agency of Southwest Finland, which also takes part in Agenda Office’s campaigns.

In the future Agenda Office is trying to continue its work, but its operations are dependent in financing. But something has to be done.

- If the climate chance continues as it has been predicted, some huge chances will happen in Southwest Finland. The climate here would probably remind North Germany’s climate, Kristina Karppi points out.

See also: Agenda 21 for Southwest Finland

24.5.2005 Katri Pasanen