On Saturday 21 September, we celebrate Zero Emissions Day. As the day falls on a weekend, it will be celebrated earlier in the week in companies, universities, and schools.
Zero Emissions Day started in Nova Scotia, Canada in 2008. Climate Leadership Coalition (CLC) brought this day to Finland in 2017 and has been coordinating events related to the day ever since. The day aims to give the planet a day off from fossil fuels and encourage people to make climate-friendly consumption choices in their everyday lives.
There are many ways to mitigate climate change. For example, you can reduce your carbon footprint by replacing fossil-based energy with renewables and by choosing cleaner forms of transport such as electricity and biogas. In autumn, berries and mushrooms offer low-carbon alternatives to the diet. When considering other purchases, upcycling and recycling of products or buying products as a service can be an attractive option.
Companies can offer their low-carbon solutions to their customers. If a company's product or service helps to reduce the customer's carbon footprint, it also increases the company's positive carbon handprint.
CLC encourages its members and other actors to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their carbon handprint, and to communicate these actions on Zero Emissions Day using the hashtag #zeroemissionsday.
CLC works with schools and cities, among others
The Climate Warriors of Lempäälä General Upper Secondary School invited companies, associations, and various volunteer groups to take part in the Zero Emissions Day challenge and share their climate actions of the previous years. The winners of the challenge will be announced at a gala at the Virta Campus in Lempäälä on Friday 20 September. CLC is co-organizing the event together with the parishes of Lempäälä and Tampere, the Tampere Region Climate Partners, the City of Tampere & Business Tampere, the Municipality of Lempäälä & Business Lempäälä and the University of Tampere. Among CLC members, the University of Helsinki and Varma participated in the Climate Warriors’ Challenge and the City of Espoo is highlighting themes related to sustainable mobility.
The traditional Zero Emissions Day event will take place at Otaniemi Upper Secondary School on Thursday 19 September. Young people have been involved in planning the event and the day will include interesting streaming lectures on topics such as the activities of the Youth Nature and Climate Group (NUOLI) and youth-oriented planetary practices. The opening of the Mummola, which will feature a wide range of climate-friendly activities such as shoe and clothing maintenance and repair, will take place in partnership with the students and The Martha Association. At the Mummola, young people will be able to repair their clothes and take part in other craft projects even after Zero Emissions Day.
The event will be streamed on the YouTube channel of Lukema.
City of Espoo
On Zero Emissions Day, the City of Espoo will focus on sustainable mobility by highlighting themes related to rail projects, electrification of transport, and sustainable modes of transport. You can read more about Espoo's work on sustainable mobility on espoo.fi.
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki took part in the Climate Warriors’ challenge.
The University of Helsinki is an active developer of society, builder of sustainable well-being and solver of global challenges. The University is committed to promoting sustainability and responsibility in its research, teaching, social interaction and everyday activities. The University of Helsinki aims to graduate experts who will change the world towards sustainability and responsibility.
On Zero Emissions Day, the University of Helsinki is turning its attention to developing the sustainability skills of its staff. The University employs around 8,000 people, each of whom can contribute to sustainability and responsibility through their own work. To strengthen staff sustainability skills, tailor-made sustainability courses are offered to staff to familiarise them with the topic and to help them reflect on the sustainability aspects of their own working role.
City of Tampere
The City of Tampere participates in the organisation of the Zero Emissions Day gala at the Virta Campus in Lempäälä.
University of Tampere
The University of Tampere participates in the organisation of the Zero Emissions Day gala at the Virta Campus in Lempäälä.
Varma
Varma took part in the Climate Warriors’ challenge.
Climate change mitigation plays a key role in the sustainability objectives of the occupational pension company Varma, and the climate targets for its properties are part of Varma's climate objectives. Varma's investment portfolio includes around 4 600 rental homes across Finland. Varma has around twenty properties that have undergone major energy renovation and the number of properties to be renovated will increase in the future.
For example, in Kauppalantie 23 in Haaga, Helsinki, an entire apartment building (36 apartments) has been disconnected from the district heating network. The apartment block is heated by geothermal heat and solar panels. Because of using renewable electricity, the heat and electricity used in the apartment block is entirely CO2-free. In less than two years, these changes have reduced GHG emissions by 88.2 tonnes of CO2.
