For greener Helsinki

Okay, let's admit it. I like Christmas lights.

During these dark months the beautifully lit trees of Esplanadi Park stir up and bring a feel of winter even if the ground is bare and black. The electric candles in the windows of houses surrounding the Senate Square please my eye, and my spirit. Despite, or perhaps exactly because of this pleasure brought to me by the beautiful Christmas lights, I could not help but feel a sting in my heart, when I heard that Finland had ranked seventh in a European-wide survey on the most environmentally friendly cities in Europe. The rank is very good, but shouldn't we be on the top, accompanied by our neighbors Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo?

We could accuse the cold climate, since it was exactly in energy consumption, where Helsinki scored worst. However, it could be much harder to hold on to the claim that other Nordic capitals enjoy a significantly milder climate. The waste production of the population of Helsinki is also above the average. On a more positive note, we were acknowledged for our enthusiastic recycling. Thank goodness. And who could have guessed that Helsinki would have the survey's longest cycle path network when proportioned to the surface area of the city.

We scored first in our climate politics, which is easy to understand when breathing in the city's splendidly fresh air. I also learnt that Helsinki is the first city in Europe, which has already rendered its action plan for sustainable development. That relieved the sore sting in my heart. Water usage in all Nordic cities was criticized.

The comparison detected also a strong connection between social activism and environmental friendliness. So there is no point in claiming that one single person in Helsinki has no power or influence. In addition to the every day deeds, our voice can be heard also in wider circles, as long as enough people join in. We are definitely moving to the right direction, although this requires input from everyone. The reward is not only the top position in such a comparison, but a cleaner environment to live in.