When you hear "Sweden," you might think of IKEA furniture or stylish Scandinavian interiors. If you actually visit a Swedish home, you'll find that many people make their living spaces comfortable to enjoy the long winter months indoors. This way of creating space is deeply rooted in "respect for nature" and "a culture that values daily life."

It's a country with long winters and precious sunlight. Living in such an environment, even on a chilly spring day, if the sun comes out, people naturally gather on cafe terraces. Even I, who used to avoid UV rays when I lived in Japan, have come to truly appreciate the "blessing of the sun" since moving to Sweden.

Here in Sweden, living with nature, being grateful for nature, and making choices that allow us to continue living on Earth are ingrained as everyday values.

Nine years into living in Stockholm, I have come to experience firsthand, through everyday life, “why Sweden has been able to achieve such a sustainable society.”

Living in a country at the top of the SDG ranking reveals the feeling that "sustainability is not something special"

Sweden is consistently ranked high in the SDG achievement index. However, the term "SDGs" itself is not often heard in Sweden.

Instead, a "fundamental discussion" about "what actions are necessary for humanity to continue living on Earth" exists in daily life.

Supermarket products, news topics, children's school initiatives, household habits—sustainable choices are scattered everywhere, making you consider them personally just by living here.

In fact, the designer of the SDG logo is also a Swedish designer, Jakob Trollbäck. Sustainability is deeply rooted throughout the country, to the extent that it's involved in such iconic projects.

Reasons why Sweden became a "world-leading environmentally advanced country"

From here, I will clearly organize and introduce the systems, culture, and mechanisms that support Sweden's sustainable society.

① Plant-based food is "everyday," not just an "option"

In Sweden, more and more people are reducing meat consumption to cut CO₂ emissions. As a result, supermarkets offer

• plant-based meat and dairy products

• various vegan foods

• oat milk and almond milk

in abundance.

Plant-based menus are standard in restaurants, cafes, and school lunches. IKEA's veggie sausage is also an iconic example.

② The awareness of the younger generation drives society

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who spoke at the UN, is also from Sweden. The younger generation actively speaks out on climate issues, and their awareness drives society.

③ Renewable energy is mainstream (over 50% nationwide in Sweden)

Sweden's energy mix consists of:

• Hydropower: 41%

• Nuclear: 29%

• Wind: approx. 19%

• Biomass/Waste: 8%

*Over 60% of electricity is fossil-fuel-free.

Food waste from households is turned into biogas, and buses in Stockholm run almost entirely on biogas. A system where "the city runs on household waste" has been established.

④ Thorough deposit system (pant): over 86% collection rate

Plastic bottles and cans operate on a deposit system, where you get your deposit back upon return. This system has been in place for over 35 years and is fully ingrained as a national habit.

⑤ Recycling stations available 365 days a year

Recycling stations are almost always found in the basement or on the premises of apartment buildings, where you can sort:

• glass

• metal

• paper

• plastic

• newspapers

• food waste

in detail.

Since you can dispose of waste regardless of the day or time, the hurdle for recycling is extremely low.

⑥ Single-use plastics are completely banned due to EU regulations

Disposable plastics such as forks, straws, and cups have all been replaced with paper or compostable materials.

⑦ Sweden, "the country that imports waste" (Waste to Energy)

Remarkably, Sweden's incineration facilities are so efficient that domestic waste alone is insufficient. As a result, about 1.3 million tons of waste are imported from other countries each year.

• Efficient incineration of waste

• Thorough treatment of exhaust gases

• Supply of electricity and heating to households

A "waste-to-energy" cycle has been achieved.

Citizen voices × scientific data × transparency support a sustainable nation

Sweden began its environmental policies in the 1970s and has drawn up long-term roadmaps based on scientific evidence and citizen voices.

• Data-driven reports

• Policy transparency

• Cultivating environmental awareness in education

• Active citizen movements

The result of decades of accumulated effort is today's "environmentally advanced country, Sweden."

So, where can we start? Everyday sustainable actions

Looking at Sweden's example, you don't have to think, "I can't do all that..."

Wherever you live, there are "small steps" anyone can take.

✔ Question everything

Pause and ask, "Is it really necessary?"

✔ Change your electricity provider

Switching to renewable energy can significantly reduce your household's CO2 emissions. In Japan, it's also very easy to switch with just one phone call. No construction is required!

✔ Get informed

Researching and learning is the first step to action.

✔ Vote for the future with your purchases

As consumers, our "wallets" have the power to move society. We have the right and power to choose things we want to use for a long time and things we want to leave for the future.

Bring sustainable living learned in Scandinavia into your daily life

"How can we protect our Earth as a 'livable place' for the future?"

This question connects not only to politics but also to society and our daily lives.

In this blog, I will carefully introduce sustainable ways of living, thinking, products, places, and culture that I've discovered living in Nordic Sweden, from the perspective of a local resident.

I hope you can find tips here to make your life a little lighter and richer.

The story that embodies Circuliv's cherished "circular living."
→ ［The Story of the Nordic Tote Bag Upcycled from Hotel Linens: Why I Want to Deliver This Circular Item］