Lahti and Lappeenranta, two Finnish cities that are both environmental forerunners, are launching an international challenge campaign, the purpose of which is to encourage people to take an interest in the cleanliness of their environment by collecting litter.  

We challenge all residents, students, politicians, authorities, families, schools, jobs, associations, businesses, cities and communities - all around the world to spend one hour to collect garbage.

How to participate

When: 1.-31.5.2021 

Where: World  

Schools or school classes can make their own pledges on the Greenreality pledges website. The website includes a form for making the pledge as well as a pledge bank in which all the pledges made are collected for everyone to see. The website also contains support material for teachers to brainstorm pledges and the SD-Game Shabby Planet game app that supports making sustainable choices.

Make a pledge and put your school on the pledge map!

Go to the Greenreality pledges website

Advanced circulation economy in Lappeenranta

In Lappeenranta new sustainable material is developed by combining forest and mining industry side streams. It is intended to replace concrete in the construction industry as the cement industry accounts for 7% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. The aim is also to develop an entirely new way of building: pilot products are 3D printed.

Innovation from Lappeenranta accelerates the improvement of the water quality of Pien-Saimaa

The water quality of the Pien-Saimaa water body has significantly deteriorated over the last few decades. The adverse effects include cloudiness of the water, slimy fish nets and, occasionally, large algae blooms.

In the 2020s, wastewater in the Lappeenranta region will be pumped through new pipelines to a state of the art treatment plant to be constructed in Hyväristönmäki. The water treatment requirements will be Finland’s strictest, on account of the extreme sensitivity of the receiving waters. According to the preliminary plans, the treatment plant will be put into service in 2021, and the environmental permit is expected to be granted this summer.

Mechanical, chemical and biological techniques will be used to treat wastewater.

The wind, sun and ocean waves are energy sources, the capacity of which is in constant flux. The Switch’s new technology enables the effective use of intermittent energy sources for generating electric power, making the production of renewable energy profitable.

The world's largest wind turbines are designed and built at The Switch's plants.

Visedo Oy is a Finnish high-tech company specialising in electrical power trains and power train components for mobile machinery and heavy commercial vehicles such as buses, lorries and ships. The company's power trains are suitable for hybrid and electrical systems in the 30–2,000 kW power range. Its products are designed to withstand challenging conditions. They use cutting-edge technology based on Visedo's own patents and continuous research and development.

The city of Lappeenranta has entered into a contract with Lappeenrannan Energia Oy regarding EKOenergy. The contract means that only EKOenergy certified Metsävoima (forest power) and Tuulivoima (wind power) will be used at the city’s properties in the future. Many cities in Europe are already using renewable energy; but, according to the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Lappeenranta is the first city in the world to also adopt sustainability criteria in its electricity procurements.

Sammonlahti School is the first secondary school in Finland to have simultaneously received both the Eco-Schools Green Flag certificate and the environmental certificate granted by the OKKA Foundation. At the school, sustainable development is valued and efforts are made to mitigate climate change through one’s actions.

Measures to minimise environmental impacts at the school include energy conservation, efficient sorting of waste and reducing biowaste.

On the shores of Pien-Saimaa, seven stormwater wetlands have been constructed in the urban area. The constructed wetlands act as natural filters. They collect solid material as well as nutrients and other impurities from run-off water, before it reaches Pien-Saimaa. In the summer, a well-functioning wetland may also be an important remover of nitrogen.

The wetlands capture solids, nutrients and other pollutants transmitted by stormwater runoff.