Climate smart living in Kuopio
Smart mobility
Mobility accounts for about one third of the average Finn’s carbon footprint, nearly 3,000 kg of carbon dioxide. A large part of this is due to the use of cars and the extensive environmental impact of fossil fuels.
By driving less and giving up fossil fuels we can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of our lifestyle. This also helps promote health and well-being and makes our surroundings more enjoyable.
Smart housing solutions
Housing accounts for a significant share of the carbon footprint of an average Finn, approximately 2,500 kg or one quarter of our entire climate impact. The carbon footprint of housing consists mainly of the consumption of heat and electricity produced using fossil energy. The construction and furnishing of buildings also cause harmful emissions.
On the other hand, a large climate impact means great potential for reducing emissions
• when switching to renewable energy sources in heating,
• when switching to certified green electricity,
• when renovating a building to improve its energy efficiency
• when moderating energy consumption.
Choosing a green electricity provider is the easiest solution in terms of its impact. In Kuopio, around half of consumer electricity is produced using renewable sources. District heating households in Kuopio also have the option of choosing renewable wood district heating in their contract. An increasing number of households produce renewable heating energy using geothermal heat, outdoor air, and exhaust air from buildings. Solar energy is also a sensible complementary solution for both electricity and heat production.
-
-
- Climate smart housing solutions (pdf, in Finnish)
- Free energy guidance in North Savo
- Motiva energy guidance on Facebook
- Motiva website on housing
- Motiva website on solar energy
- Tips for smart energy consumption (pdf, in Finnish)
- Everyman’s climate tips
- Information on sustainable building and renovation
-
Smart food choices
The carbon footprint of the average Finn’s diet is approximately 1,750 kg. More than two thirds of this is caused by meat and dairy products, which account for approximately one third of the food consumed. This means that animal-based food products have a large carbon footprint.
Based on food consumption data, the current average diet contains meat well beyond nutritional recommendations. By avoiding meat and favouring healthier and nutritionally balanced vegetable-rich options, wild-caught fish and legumes, the carbon footprint can be radically reduced. Transitioning from the current average diet to a vegan diet is estimated to halve the carbon footprint.
-
- eat plenty of vegetables, berries and fruit every day
• eat a wide range of vegetarian proteins every day
• add whole grain and potato to your meals
• eat locally caught fish a couple of times a week
• eat cheese, dairy and eggs in moderation
• eat meat only a few times a week – replace meat dishes with protein-rich legumes and wild-caught fish
You should also learn to buy and prepare food and fill your plate in appropriate amounts. Ask for a suitable portion. Check the contents of your fridge before going shopping. Eat all the food you buy, and remember to use all leftovers and scraps. Make sure to use food products that are close to their expiration date. Do all your grocery shopping at once if you are far away from the shops. Get your daily food from a nearby shop on foot or by bicycle.
- eat plenty of vegetables, berries and fruit every day
-
- Pre-cooked beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas can be found in the canned food section. Nowadays they are mostly packed in cardboard packaging. All you need to do to prepare them is drain them, rinse them, and heat them if necessary.
• The ready-to-eat section of the shop contains many kinds of oat, bean and other vegetable products as well as vegetarian steaks, balls and sausages.
• Tofu and oat protein products can be found in the cheese section.
• Dried beans, lentils and peas as well as different kinds of ground broad bean, pea and soybean products can be found in the dried products section. Dried legumes are inexpensive, but their cooking requires some planning. Especially beans require half a day of soaking and over an hour’s cooking time before use. Processed ground products are easier to use.
• Many kinds of frozen products also use vegetable or mushroom proteins.
- Pre-cooked beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas can be found in the canned food section. Nowadays they are mostly packed in cardboard packaging. All you need to do to prepare them is drain them, rinse them, and heat them if necessary.
-
People often feel that the biggest challenges in adopting a climate friendly diet are related to their normal eating habits and the lack of recipes for good, easy and inexpensive vegetarian dishes that are quick to make when you are hungry. Here are some good recipes that we prepared for the Ilmasto-olkkari project and a workshop held at the Kuopio Familyhouse. The main ingredients are Finnish vegetables that keep well, and the proteins are peas, lentils, beans, and wild-caught fish.
Climate smart habits
Most of the climate impact of our lifestyle is caused by the consumption of goods and services related to home, recreation, and hobbies. Our current habits of consuming goods and recreational services result in an average carbon footprint of more than 3,000 kg. The difficulty in reducing one’s carbon footprint is that the impact of individual purchases is usually quite small. The environmental impact of one electronic device, piece of clothing, toy, sports equipment, or furniture is not big, but as a whole, our current level of consumption is unsustainable.
The City of Kuopio has calculated its carbon footprint. The calculation of consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions aims at estimating all the emissions from municipal residents’ consumption regardless of where the consumed commodities were produced.
In Kuopio, the largest emissions from consumption are caused by energy consumption, food, transport, and goods and services. Kuopio aims to halve its consumption-based carbon footprint by 2030 from the 2005 level.
You can find Sitra’s tips on more sustainable consumption here.
-
We need to change the way we use and care for our possessions, as transitioning from fossil fuels and renewable energy sources alone is not enough to reduce our carbon footprint to a globally sustainable level. We need to use consumables, such as clothes and other similar goods, much longer than we currently do and buy fewer new products. Existing products should also be used more frequently, which means increasing their rate of use, for example, by loaning or recycling.
Climate-friendly solutions for consumption:
• Make sure goods are in active use and take care of them to prolong their lifecycle.
• Buy less and better quality. When buying a new product, consider its lifecycle.
• Borrow and rent items that you only need occasionally.
• Loan your own things to others, share ownership of items.
• Buy used products and recycle items that you no longer need.
• Service and repair items you own. Value your possessions.
• Buy products that were produced using renewable energy, that have an ecolabel or were produced using recycled materials. -
Waste sorting is often seen as a great example of environmentally responsible action. However, in terms of the climate impact of consumption, meticulous waste sorting has quite a small effect. What is more important is reducing the amount of materials and energy used as well as the accumulation of waste by consuming less and more sustainably. Sorting is important for the implementation of circular economy, as it produces reusable raw materials.
Reducing the carbon footprint of consumption requires a change in the way we think and what we value. We are used to buying the items we need even for short-term or minor use and always buying new items to replace broken ones. What if we started to appreciate longer lifecycles, durability and repairability rather than being excited about newness? What if we favoured services and paid serious attention to finding alternatives to buying?
From a financial and even an environmental perspective, using less money might not be the best possible solution. Instead, we should consume low-carbon services: rent products, service and repair items, consume culture and art, and buy services produced for people by people. A change in consumer culture does not mean that our quality of life needs to suffer. On the contrary, it can offer new kinds of opportunities for a good life.
-
Kuopio offers a wide range of services that promote sustainable consumption. We made it easier to start using them by compiling a list of the various leasing companies, repair services, and second-hand shops around Kuopio. The list includes a wide range of different kinds of products and services from traditional crafts to new types of private leasing service platforms.