Thank you for uploading the podcast every week! You can even do a separate episode just about public transportation. Still looking forward to your upcoming episode about dating in Finland
You guys should come visit Oulu in winter to see how the cycling doesn't really slow down that much due to the change of seasons. Hopefully Helsinki will be heading in the same direction in the near future and really invests into proper maintenance of bicycle paths during winter too.
Almost all the sustainable actions you speak about apply to California. We bring our own bags, have lots of vegan options, etc. Our power production is mostly sustainable. Transportation is improving but could be better. but all cars must be electric by 2035. Our state has set climate goals ahead of the rest of the country. So generalizing about the US based on New York might give the wrong impression. Can’t wait to visit Finland this summer to see for myself. Haven’t been there in 50 years.
Thanks for the great episode. I was thinking also about the local produce and the footprint there, since Finland is quite far away from middle Europe with two+ harvests. There's also a good variety of ecologically grown produce (luomu), but for me, the jury's still out on those. I think it's kind of nice but on the whole, many people would starve if food wouldn't be produced in bulk and efficiently.
True - it is a dilemma, because if the bulk is dependent on mono-culture and export/import, it can lead to disasters - like when the harvests failed, due to climate change in Russia and Ukraina. It was as bad as when the harvest now fails due to war. The dependency is enormous. Small scale farming is most efficient relative to the areas, but of course not relative to the profits made by agribusiness using immense areas of land. How can we promote a safe transition?
Well there is also the point that producing in bulk often lessens the fertility of the land which makes need to make new fields. So if you need more fields to feed people organic food or because the old fields stop being fertile after some years, I would choose first one. That wasn't even what I came to write though 😅 I was going to say that Finnish non-organic crops are so highly regulated that it equals with some other countries organic foods. So the labels doesn't always tell all 🙂
@@magicofshootingstar The fertility of the land depletes foremost, when not using sustainable organic agricultural methods. One has to have knowledge and use rotating methods for crops for many years in usccession and also plant suitable crops simultaneously. Watermanagement will be crucial, because the climate will not remain stable. In Finland early organic methods (in UK called "high farming") once gave relatively high yields and were taught to farmers in courses and institutes and especially at the agricultural faculties at universities. Then came the chemical fertlizers (tekolannoitus), the heavy machines, and much knowledge was forgotten. A few years back the once fertile fields around Salo were transformed to concrete covers, like parkinglots, for squaremiles, because the effects of climate change. So you with good intentions, "Magic..." just put up two alternatives to choose between, which both had the same basic problem, not being sustainable. As countries we need to choose between sustainable and unsustainable agricultural practices, not between two different unsustainable ones.
As an Amerikansuomalainen with friends and relatives in Finland I both enjoy the solidarity and calm of Finland and I have concerns about the obedience and Big Brother nature of the system. If Finland becomes significantly less homogenous, then you will see far more social conflict and loss of trust. All studies show that. Note Sweden, the UK, and the major increase in conflict in previously co-operative and previously (Nordic) homogenous Minnesota.
Let's mention a few bitter truths, also: relative to the possibilities, Finland has way too few windturbines, way too few small electrical vehicles, and way too few miles of trains powered by electricity - and way too much travelling by air. And what about the paper-industry - spreading havoc all over the world as a really big player, and at home you hadly see any old growth forests! We need all the trees in the slow growing boreal belt (is it havu-metsä vyöhyke?) as much as tropical woods and the very possible semi-desert greening. The problem IMHO is that sustainability is too much made an individual choice, like deciding about what you buy in the grocery store or if you bike, walk, take the bus, or not. But one can't decide about taxes and investments on a big scale, and the choices about who you will vote for are so muddled, that the issues would really need to be more separated. Keep us updated on big leaps on this front, please! Couldn't you make a video about how to be part of the wind-production in Finland? I live in Sweden and have for some twenty years owned a part in a wind-turbine. My relative on Åland newly bought parts of new wind-production there. How is it done in Australia and New York? We newly bought a very small second hand EV, but have difficulties with the charging - the nearest station is 4 km from home, and interestingly enough it is run by a Finnish company. I guess it is the programming invention that made it possible. Finland i strong in that respect. Kudos!
Interesting point! It could be argued that Finland has much more too down guidance on Sustainability than Aus or USA! Finland’s 2035 goal is quite impressive. But of course many areas to improve - Australia has a lot of solar power (because of our ☀️) but unfortunately also an unhealthy addiction to cheap coal power.
@@foreignersinfinland1170 Yes, for sure I'm very impressed by Finland, and a bit proud, too, for so many facts and attitudes! (My roots are firmly in Finland.) I'm glad to hear that Australia takes solarpower seriously, and that's the best when thinking about the wild-fires and heat waves. Why and when do you really need coal? Is the 2035 goal only for the tax-founded activities or for the whole society in Finland, consumers, businesses, experts/imports and all in Finland? If so I'm both hopeful and impressed!
Most Finns still like their meat/eggs/fish/milk, but I bet out beef/milk produced in Finland is more sustainable than in many other places. Most feed is produced locally, ie. cow eats hay&grain produced nearby, manure is used as fertlizer locally in fields, reducing the need of imported fertilizers. I live near Helsinki but in "rural" area and I see that happening around me. So animal products can be also quite sustainable. And of course, Finns in rural areas eat quite lot of moose/deer meet/fish all the time. There is no more sustainable protein than that... at least more sustainable than imported food.
Its sad that lot of your points you bring out, ONLY apply to bigger cities... Helsinki, Tampere, Turku and couple others. which said consists about 40% of population... And lot of the policies works only in cities. But as a whole Finland is divided between city folks and rural people, even though there are many towns where there are good services, they don't have any of the mentioned "Goodies" that Major Cities do.
Yes this is very true! Unfortunately we have both only lived in Helsinki so we can’t share our experiences from outside of living outside of urban centres in Finland - we are thinking of ways to incorporate some other perspectives of Finland…maybe through guests? 😁
It's fun listen and thank you for doing this
100% agreement from me!
Thanks for the comment 🙏
I'd like you to discuss about finnish music. These podcast are great and keep doing what you do!
Thanks for the comment - this is a nice idea 💡
Thank you for uploading the podcast every week!
You can even do a separate episode just about public transportation.
Still looking forward to your upcoming episode about dating in Finland
Thanks for watching! Hopefully we can incorporate that soon 👍
You guys should come visit Oulu in winter to see how the cycling doesn't really slow down that much due to the change of seasons. Hopefully Helsinki will be heading in the same direction in the near future and really invests into proper maintenance of bicycle paths during winter too.
Almost all the sustainable actions you speak about apply to California. We bring our own bags, have lots of vegan options, etc. Our power production is mostly sustainable. Transportation is improving but could be better. but all cars must be electric by 2035. Our state has set climate goals ahead of the rest of the country. So generalizing about the US based on New York might give the wrong impression. Can’t wait to visit Finland this summer to see for myself. Haven’t been there in 50 years.
🌱🌱🌱💚
Thanks for the great episode. I was thinking also about the local produce and the footprint there, since Finland is quite far away from middle Europe with two+ harvests. There's also a good variety of ecologically grown produce (luomu), but for me, the jury's still out on those. I think it's kind of nice but on the whole, many people would starve if food wouldn't be produced in bulk and efficiently.
True - it is a dilemma, because if the bulk is dependent on mono-culture and export/import, it can lead to disasters - like when the harvests failed, due to climate change in Russia and Ukraina. It was as bad as when the harvest now fails due to war. The dependency is enormous. Small scale farming is most efficient relative to the areas, but of course not relative to the profits made by agribusiness using immense areas of land.
How can we promote a safe transition?
Well there is also the point that producing in bulk often lessens the fertility of the land which makes need to make new fields. So if you need more fields to feed people organic food or because the old fields stop being fertile after some years, I would choose first one.
That wasn't even what I came to write though 😅 I was going to say that Finnish non-organic crops are so highly regulated that it equals with some other countries organic foods. So the labels doesn't always tell all 🙂
@@magicofshootingstar The fertility of the land depletes foremost, when not using sustainable organic agricultural methods.
One has to have knowledge and use rotating methods for crops for many years in usccession and also plant suitable crops simultaneously. Watermanagement will be crucial, because the climate will not remain stable.
In Finland early organic methods (in UK called "high farming") once gave relatively high yields and were taught to farmers in courses and institutes and especially at the agricultural faculties at universities. Then came the chemical fertlizers (tekolannoitus), the heavy machines, and much knowledge was forgotten.
A few years back the once fertile fields around Salo were transformed to concrete covers, like parkinglots, for squaremiles, because the effects of climate change.
So you with good intentions, "Magic..."
just put up two alternatives to choose between, which both had the same basic problem, not being sustainable.
As countries we need to choose between sustainable and unsustainable agricultural practices, not between two different unsustainable ones.
This is a great point! I always take care to try and buy Finnish produce when possible, local produce is very important for sustainability!
Doing what we are determined is called sisu
As an Amerikansuomalainen with friends and relatives in Finland I both enjoy the solidarity and calm of Finland and I have concerns about the obedience and Big Brother nature of the system. If Finland becomes significantly less homogenous, then you will see far more social conflict and loss of trust. All studies show that. Note Sweden, the UK, and the major increase in conflict in previously co-operative and previously (Nordic) homogenous Minnesota.
Back in the day my then gf donated some clothes to UFF and then like a month later bought her own shirt back from them 😂
Haha! Good business for UFF!
Let's mention a few bitter truths, also: relative to the possibilities, Finland has way too few windturbines, way too few small electrical vehicles, and way too few miles of trains powered by electricity - and way too much travelling by air.
And what about the paper-industry - spreading havoc all over the world as a really big player, and at home you hadly see any old growth forests! We need all the trees in the slow growing boreal belt (is it havu-metsä vyöhyke?) as much as tropical woods and the very possible semi-desert greening.
The problem IMHO is that sustainability is too much made an individual choice, like deciding about what you buy in the grocery store or if you bike, walk, take the bus, or not. But one can't decide about taxes and investments on a big scale, and the choices about who you will vote for are so muddled, that the issues would really need to be more separated. Keep us updated on big leaps on this front, please!
Couldn't you make a video about how to be part of the wind-production in Finland? I live in Sweden and have for some twenty years owned a part in a wind-turbine. My relative on Åland newly bought parts of new wind-production there. How is it done in Australia and New York? We newly bought a very small second hand EV, but have difficulties with the charging - the nearest station is 4 km from home, and interestingly enough it is run by a Finnish company. I guess it is the programming invention that made it possible. Finland i strong in that respect. Kudos!
Interesting point! It could be argued that Finland has much more too down guidance on Sustainability than Aus or USA! Finland’s 2035 goal is quite impressive. But of course many areas to improve - Australia has a lot of solar power (because of our ☀️) but unfortunately also an unhealthy addiction to cheap coal power.
@@foreignersinfinland1170 Yes, for sure I'm very impressed by Finland, and a bit proud, too, for so many facts and attitudes! (My roots are firmly in Finland.) I'm glad to hear that Australia takes solarpower seriously, and that's the best when thinking about the wild-fires and heat waves. Why and when do you really need coal?
Is the 2035 goal only for the tax-founded activities or for the whole society in Finland, consumers, businesses, experts/imports and all in Finland? If so I'm both hopeful and impressed!
"way too few miles of trains powered by electricity" maybe, but all passenger trains in Finland use electric motors.
@@hextatik_sound I'm happy to hear about that progress!
Most Finns still like their meat/eggs/fish/milk, but I bet out beef/milk produced in Finland is more sustainable than in many other places. Most feed is produced locally, ie. cow eats hay&grain produced nearby, manure is used as fertlizer locally in fields, reducing the need of imported fertilizers. I live near Helsinki but in "rural" area and I see that happening around me. So animal products can be also quite sustainable. And of course, Finns in rural areas eat quite lot of moose/deer meet/fish all the time. There is no more sustainable protein than that... at least more sustainable than imported food.
Its sad that lot of your points you bring out, ONLY apply to bigger cities... Helsinki, Tampere, Turku and couple others. which said consists about 40% of population... And lot of the policies works only in cities.
But as a whole Finland is divided between city folks and rural people, even though there are many towns where there are good services, they don't have any of the mentioned "Goodies" that Major Cities do.
Yes this is very true! Unfortunately we have both only lived in Helsinki so we can’t share our experiences from outside of living outside of urban centres in Finland - we are thinking of ways to incorporate some other perspectives of Finland…maybe through guests? 😁