Sunday 15 December 2019

Finding Feminist Santa 🎅


The discussion around the image of Santa Claus is gaining momentum in Finland - is the good old man with his views out of date and is it time for him to replace the “feminist” Joulupukki?

According to worried parents, Santa should not divide children into good boys and obedient girls - he should address them by name, without making any separation based on gender.

As an option, one of the mothers proposes to play the role of Santa to the mothers of the families, because Santa is a fairy-tale character and, as a result, the role of the conditional protagonist of a fairy-tale scene can be performed, including by a woman.

What do you think? Does modern society need a feminist Santa Claus?

Saturday 26 October 2019

"Festival of Licorice and Salmiakka"

October 26 - 27 in Helsinki will be held "Festival of Licorice and Salmiakka"

The annual Licorice and Salmiakki festival will be held November 11-12. This festival is a celebration of taste experiments and knowledge about liquorice, the purpose of which is to organize a meeting place for liquorice lovers, producers and sellers. Visitors to the event will be able to take part in tastings, master classes, competitions and, of course, choose new licorice favorites.

Address: Wanha Satama, Katajanokka, Helsinki
Opening hours: 26.10 from 10 to 18 and 27.10 from 11 to 16
Entrance: 14 Euro

Wednesday 23 October 2019

Finn paid

Last year, each Finn paid EUR 105 to the European Union

Finland transferred 580 million euros more to the EU budget than it received.

Like other wealthy countries, Finland paid more to the European treasury than it received. In the case of Finland, this amount is 580 million euros.

The Ministry of Finance released the latest data, according to which last year each Finn paid EUR 105 to the EU budget, while the year before last this amount was EUR 50.

Not all benefits received from the European Union can be calculated on a calculator. For example, the EU’s domestic market greatly facilitates export and improves the competitiveness of companies.

Finland has been a net payer of the EU since 2001.

Most of the money from the EU in relation to GDP is received by Hungary, Lithuania and Latvia.

Wednesday 16 October 2019

Museum of Natural History

Museum of Natural History

The Finnish Museum of Natural History begins its journey into Finnish nature by diving into the Baltic Sea and continues through the changing seasons to the frosty Arctic hills. Other exhibitions allow you to see the diversity of the natural world, displayed through evolution from the era of the dinosaurs.

The museum building is located in the Kamppi district in the center of Helsinki. In addition to its four permanent exhibits, the museum has a hall for changing exhibitions.

The museum hosts more than 10 different excursions, there is also a cafe and a small museum store.

The Museum of Natural History is part of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, which also includes the Cabinet of Minerals and two Botanical Gardens of the University of Helsinki - in Kaisaniemi and Kumpula, open to the general public.

Address: Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100 Helsinki
Website: www.luomus.fi/ru

Schedule: Tue-Sun (see website for time)
Admission: adults - 15 euros, children (7-17 years old) - 7 euros


Emission Products

According to the latest publications of the Finnish press, in Finland about 400 million kg of food are thrown into the waste every year. The share of individual households in this volume is 120 - 160 million kg, which corresponds to approximately eight thousand truck wagons. In monetary terms, this amount of food is estimated at half a billion euros.

The least prudent of food are residents of Helsinki and its environs. In the metropolitan area, even unopened food packaging is often thrown into the waste. Their share in the total volume of discarded products reaches 15 percent.

Most often vegetables get into garbage cans - 22 million kg annually. The waste of food cooked at home is 21 million kg. Dairy products are emitted in the amount of 20 million kg. The amount of discarded bread is 12 million kg. Fruits and berries are thrown in the same volume. Meat, fish and eggs are turned into garbage in the amount of 11 million kg.

A Finnish family of four spends about 500 euros annually to buy food, which is then turned into waste.

It is alleged, and it’s hard to argue that the production of “excess” food, which then gets into the garbage, serves as an additional unjustified burden for the environment.

After all, agricultural and food production needs land and water. It is a source of various harmful waste polluting the soil, water and atmosphere. It is estimated that the production of food thrown into the garbage by consumers leads to the formation of such an amount of carbon dioxide, which is produced in a year by 100 thousand cars.

Specialists develop certain recommendations, the observance of which should lead to a decrease in the mass of products that are turned into waste.

In particular, they advise to go to the store for groceries only when it is really necessary, because almost always in the refrigerator you can find something from which you can cook dinner.

In order not to buy excess food, before going to the supermarket it is recommended to look in the refrigerator and make a list of what you really need to purchase.

Do not be tempted by the price discounts associated with a large number of purchased products, if this product is perishable.

Fruits are best bought by weight rather than in packaging, because it may contain spoiled or moldy fruits.

It makes sense to place perishable products in the refrigerator in the most visible place, so as not to forget about them.

Particularly noteworthy is the advice regarding the period of consumption of the product indicated on its packaging. A mark of this kind can have two meanings. In one case, she, as it were, recommends using the product until a certain day. Finnish Parasta ennen (Better before). This mark indicates the period during which the product retains its inherent properties. If the product is outside the specified date, then this does not mean that it is certainly harmful or hazardous to health. In this situation, it is necessary to use the senses: vision, smell, and also taste buds.

In another case, the mark indicates the last day of use: Viimeinen käyttöpäivä.

This means that this product must be eaten before the specified date. Later, microbiological changes that are difficult to detect can occur in it. In such a situation, the consumption of an expired product can be harmful to health or spoil your well-being.

The date of the last day of use is applied to products stored in vacuum packaging or in packaging using protective gases. It is also available on packages of meat and broilers.

In total, in Finnish home kitchens, 10-15 percent of all food consumed goes to waste. In restaurants, the situation is even less comforting. About twenty percent of restaurant food is thrown into the trash.

The struggle for respect for food is being waged today, above all, under the sign of environmental protection. This is understandable.

You just need to remember that environmental pollution will inevitably take place as long as humanity exists. Of course, unnecessarily unreasonable overproduction of any product, including food, should be avoided. But it is necessary to understand that modern man is difficult to change.

In the current high level of production, people behave accordingly. They relate to food, as they are used to relate to what is in excess. The upbringing and implementation of an appropriate culture of behavior can change something for the better. Nevertheless, a drastic change is unlikely to happen. It is possible only in conditions when food becomes scarce. Then everyone begins to relate to food extremely carefully.

But hardly anyone wants to live in conditions of lack or limited food. This is much worse than a careless attitude towards her. Limited products entail a lot of negative consequences: increased speculation, crime, morbidity, etc.

Therefore, urging people to be careful, and to protect the environment, it is not necessary on this basis to exert psychological or other pressure on the consumer, and, moreover, to adjust the level of food production, as well as, by the way, do not passionately refuse cars or airplanes. The consequences of such hasty actions can be much more tangible and more rapid than the consequences of environmental changes.

Sunday 13 October 2019

Foreign Minister Haavisto: Nobel Peace

Foreign Minister Haavisto: Nobel Peace Prize was given to those who deserve it

According to Pekka Haavisto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has great merit in promoting peace in his region.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Greens) believes it is the right choice of the Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

According to Haavisto, Ahmed is in the midst of a transformation in his country, and during his reign, relations with Eritrea became better.

Ahmed also made a significant contribution to the peace process in Sudan, said the head of the Finnish foreign ministry.

Haavisto, who has visited the region dozens of times, is personally acquainted with Ahmed.

“I met him many times.” He is a dynamic leader of the young generation of African leaders, who has done a lot for the region.

“Africa is changing thanks to his work,” said Haavisto.

Saturday 5 October 2019

Helsinki Public Saunas

Helsinki Public Saunas: Sompasauna

This sauna with a wood-burning stove was built on the seashore in the Kalasatama area by a group of Helsinki volunteers and is maintained in order. She works on the principle of self-service - there are no permanent employees. Anyone can come to the sauna at any time of the day, flood the stove and enjoy the steam for free (however, in winter it is recommended to bring a small package of firewood and a bottle of water, which can be purchased at the nearest gas station). And visitors to this sauna are free to swim in the sea.

In another country, such a sauna would be a risky venture, but in a calm and respectable Helsinki it is safe. Good for budget travelers.

Address: The southern tip of the Kalasatama area, a 20-minute walk from Kalasatama Subway Station.
Website: www.sompasauna.fi

Parking spaces

Finland wants to create 600 thousand parking spaces for electric vehicles

HELSINKI, October 4 - RIA News. To improve the infrastructure for electric vehicles by changing building codes that require charging in the parking lots of residential buildings and office centers, starting in 2021, the Finnish Ministry of the Environment is proposing.

Authorities are requesting comments from all interested parties on the bill, the government’s press service said Friday. The law is part of the implementation of the EU Energy Performance Directive for buildings.

“It is clear that electric vehicles need more recharging points so that more and more people can use them. Therefore, we noted in the Ministerial Working Group on Climate and Energy Policy that a significant increase in the number of recharging points is proposed. Electrification of transport is an important way to move Finland to carbon neutrality by 2035, "said Krista Mikkonen, Minister of Environment and Climate.

“The share of low- and zero-emission vehicles, such as electric cars, in the fleet should be increased in order to achieve climate goals for road transport. In addition to the public charging network, the availability of charging stations for residential buildings and workplaces plays an important role in electrifying traffic ", - said the Minister of Transport and Communications Sanna Marin.

According to government estimates, by 2030, with the help of the bill, about 171 thousand charging spots can be created, which will give about 621 thousand parking spaces in Finland.

The bill provides that all new or overhaul residential buildings with more than four parking spaces must be equipped with chargers without fail. The owner of the building must provide the tenant with a charging point if he purchases an electric car. The following obligations apply to new or major renovated non-residential buildings: if there are more than 10 parking spaces, at least half of them must be electrically charged.

It is proposed to apply new standards from 2021.
According to a VTT Technical study commissioned by the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Finland in February 2019, 93% of housing companies that answered the questionnaire of the Finnish Real Estate Federation have not yet taken any measures regarding the construction of charging for electric vehicles.

Finland is significantly behind the neighboring countries in the region in the number of electric vehicles sold in the country. According to statistics for 2016, in Norway there were more than 100 thousand electric cars that are sold without VAT, in Sweden more than 10 thousand electric cars that are sold under a special program of state subsidies, in Estonia there were about 1.2 thousand electric cars, in Finland - 1039 electric cars. The country lags behind in terms of infrastructure. There are about 9 thousand electric vehicle charging stations in Norway, 3.3 thousand in Sweden, and 800 in Finland. At the same time, the cost of a new Tesla S car in Finland is about 100 thousand euros.

Wednesday 2 October 2019

Finland ranked 2nd in the World Press Freedom Index


Finland took 2nd place in the World Press Freedom Index 2019 from the international non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders, located in the top of the list of countries with the most free press. The first place went to Norway, and the third to Sweden.

Compared to 2018, Finland managed to rise two points, jumping from 4th to 2nd place. In 2017, Finland took 3rd place.

Estonia ranks 11th, Latvia 24th, USA 48th, Ukraine 102nd, and Russia 149th. The last two positions in the list were taken by North Korea (179) and Turkmenistan (180).

1. Norway
2. Finland
3. Sweden
4. Netherlands
5. Denmark
6. Switzerland
7. New Zealand
8. Jamaica
9. Belgium
10. Costa Rica

Monday 30 September 2019

Mall of Tripla is an example of green and energy-efficient construction

Guests from Russia can already see the Tripla shopping center from the window of the Allegro train.

Mall of Tripla, built by YIT in the Pasila area of ​​Helsinki, will open to visitors on 10/17/2019. It will become Finland’s largest shopping mall and holder of the maximum LEED points. He was awarded the LEED platinum certificate, which is the highest level of international environmental certification, the YIT report said.

LEED is the rating system for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED), translated as "Leadership in energy and environmental design." The assignment of this certificate was particularly influenced by construction solutions that contribute to the energy efficiency of the shopping center and take into account environmental aspects.

The energy consumption of the shopping center and the consumption of clean water are approximately 40% lower than those of the corresponding new construction projects. The low level of electricity consumption reduces the operational costs of real estate and their environmental burden. The same applies to water consumption. Thus, lessees of premises will receive invoices for smaller amounts.

One of the LEED assessment criteria is storm water treatment. At the Mall of Tripla, the storm sewage system is designed so that storm water is either absorbed by the ground or reused, for example, to wash cars in a car wash. Approximately 41% of the total roof area is occupied by the green roof, which is designed to increase the area of ​​green spaces, increase the comfort of stay and control storm water. After the construction of all residential, office and hotel premises of the shopping center is completed, the green roof area will be about one hectare.

During the construction, attention is also paid to the cleanliness of indoor air, according to YIT. Numerous carbon dioxide sensors continuously measure air quality throughout the mall.

During the construction of the Mall of Tripla, not only LEED certification requirements were taken into account, but also the requirements of Helsinki regarding sustainable development and environmental friendliness. For example, the city considers it important to improve mobility conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. Therefore, the Mall of Tripla provides the maximum number of parking spaces for bicycles - as many as 3,250, much more than in other shopping centers in Finland. There are also sockets for charging electric bikes and 277 points for charging electric vehicles. There are also usual parking spaces for 2,200 cars in the building.

LEED certification was also influenced by the excellent location of the facility in a densely built-up urban environment with good transport links and numerous services facilities. It is believed that the Pasila area has optimal accessibility in Helsinki: it can be reached by any means of transport, and when the construction of the Central Pasila area is completed by 2040, the Pasila railway station will become the largest in terms of passenger traffic. By the way, guests from Russia can already see the Mall of Tripla from the window of the Allegro train.

Sunday 22 September 2019

Three islands of Airiston Helmi sold for half a million euros

Sold three islands owned by Airiston Helmi. A Russian-owned company in the summer announced the liquidation of its activities.

Three islands were put up for sale, located near the Innamo Island in the Archipelago Sea, Svenska Yle reports. The islands were bought by a businessman from the Turku region, which has several companies in Turku and Helsinki. The new owner declined to comment on the deal.

In the summer, it became clear that Airiston Helmi could not continue its business, as banks did not agree to open accounts for it. The owner of the company Pavel Melnikov announced his intention to sell all the property of his company.

The islands were sold, although the preliminary investigation into the Airiston Helmi case has not yet been completed. The owner has the right to sell the property, because large sums of money were withdrawn from him.

“The police found such a large amount of cash that they are likely to cover unpaid taxes,” said the head of the investigation, inspector Tomi Taskila from the Central Committee.

Three beneficiaries demanded a total of two million euros from Airiston Helmi. According to a company representative, two debts have already been paid. The third lender is the Internal Revenue Service, which requires EUR 1.7 million from Airiston Helmi.

Three islands sold
The first property consists of two lakes of Kolkan and Tampankari with an area of ​​six hectares. On the island of Kolkan there are a bathhouse, a warehouse and a pier. The businessman paid 285,000 euros for the two islands.

The third island of Hepokari, an area of ​​one hectare, was sold separately. It cost 250,000 euros. There are a bathhouse, a warehouse, a guest house and a pier on the island.

The price paid for the islands was acceptable, rated by Swedish real estate agent Yle Åboland.

The police last September conducted a large-scale search in dozens of real estate properties of Airiston Helmi. About 3.5 million euros were seized during the search.

Investigation of suspected money laundering and tax crimes continues.

Wine as an alternative

For hundreds of years, beer has remained the national drink of the Finns. However, recently, natural wine has also become in demand.

Studies show that among the population of Finland, the popularity of natural red wine is growing. Its one-time consumption, as a rule, is limited to one or two glasses.

Red wine in Finland, as in other countries of Northern Europe, is by far the most common of all natural wines. But this does not mean at all that sparkling wine and white wine are not in demand, their consumption has also increased.

The popularity of red wine and natural wine in the whole country has reached an international level. There are as many wine lovers in Finland today as in Sweden.

However, unlike many other European countries, Finland still does not have a pronounced separation of tastes by type of red wine. If somewhere in France or even in the same Sweden people immediately call their favorite brand of wine, then the Finns are limited to indicating the color: just red wine or just white wine.

There are several explanations for this. Basically, reference is made to features of a Finnish character.

The Finnish consumer, according to wine experts from Helsinki, is positively curious and straightforward. Seeking to get acquainted with the world of wines, he rushes into its variety without unnecessary delays and weighing. And for example, for many Swedes, the image of the drink, brand, etc.

In addition, in Finland, many wine consumers are quite pragmatic. The simplicity of choosing a drink is very important for them. The shape of the packaging of the wine, which should be appropriate for the situation, also matters.

As for the dose of wine consumption at a time, then in all the Nordic countries it is about the same and is, like in Finland, one or two glasses. According to more precise data, 45 percent of Finnish wine lovers drink two glasses of wine at a time. A quarter of respondents drink one glass each.
According to the conclusion of Finnish wine experts, the main mistakes made by Finns as consumers of wine are as follows.

Cheap wine is selected.

The problem of the Finnish wine buyer is that you don’t want to spend a lot of money on wine. The pain point is 10 euros. Almost 90 percent of ordinary Finnish consumers buy wine at a price of 7.5 - 9.5 euros. Although, as experts acknowledge, adding a few euros, you could buy a truly high quality wine.

The second mistake is that the same wine is bought from time to time and from year to year.

Here again, the Finns' inherent dislike for a long reflection on the choice of wine is affected. Most often, something that is already familiar is chosen in order to eliminate the danger of error and not to buy wine that is not to your liking. That is, when the Finnish buyer finds what he likes, he already tries not to change his choice.

The following common mistake is related to the order in which wine is consumed.

In most cases, wine is drunk immediately after the bottle is uncorked, when it has not yet had time to interact with the air. Because of this, the taste of the wine does not appear completely.

Wine should be poured into a decanter, or at least left open for a while, so that it can “breathe”, or rather, so that sulfur sulfites can get out of the wine.

As one of the Finnish experts put it, it’s very difficult for the Finns to open the wine a couple of hours before consumption, as if we were afraid that it would evaporate from the bottle.

From myself, I would like to add one more explanation of the mistakes made by the Finns in matters of selection and consumption of natural wines. I believe that these mistakes come not only from national character traits, but from the traditions that have developed in the country regarding alcohol consumption.

For hundreds of years, beer has remained the national drink of the Finns. In terms of its consumption, Finland is in ninth place in the world. About 85 liters of beer per person are drunk per year in the country. As for natural wine, it remains for the Finns a drink of the "second plan", the consumption of which is very insignificant in comparison with many other countries.
As a result, most people do not have the corresponding taste habits, the language is not prepared for evaluating the shades of the drink, and the desire to enjoy wine is not as strong as that of representatives of those peoples who are more familiar with it.

It is natural and understandable that under such conditions people buy wine cheaper. Buying expensive wine with an inability to appreciate its merits will be a waste of money. This can also explain the attachment to a particular type of wine. A person who does not have experience in the consumption of wines is justifiably afraid of changing the familiar variety to another, because for him it will be a blind choice.
In this regard, we can cite the example of the USSR and Russia, where vodka remains the unconditional national drink. Dry wine in Russia has always been drunk extremely rarely, and when choosing, they paid attention only to the price. But the choice of vodka was taken more seriously, just knowing which is better and which is worse. In many ways, the situation has remained the same to this day. Everything takes time.

If the popularity of red wine in Finland will grow, then the taste will naturally develop. And for this you do not need to immediately buy fine wines. The taste will develop on simple varieties of wine, there will be sensitivity to the shortcomings of the drink and its advantages. And then, of course, there will be a craving for the better.

In conclusion, I would like to touch on a topic related to wine and alcohol consumption in general. As a rule, alcohol and its use are associated with negativity, and this is justified in many cases. However, in fairness, one cannot ignore the positive that an alcoholic drink can give.

A study conducted at the University of Michigan, USA, led to the conclusion that alcohol helps ... strengthen marital relations. It was found that couples who drink alcohol together are happier than those who do not have a tendency to such a common pastime.
It also turned out that the closer the tastes of the parties in terms of drinking, the higher the positive effect.

Thursday 19 September 2019

Finnish food tastes better

In Finland, there has been an increase in the popularity of domestic food products.

The Finnish media and public opinion centers have found an inexplicable connection between the entry into force of Russian economic sanctions, expressed in the restriction of food imports from the EU, and the behavior of Finnish consumers. Residents of Finland, it turns out, began to more actively buy domestic products, giving them preference over imported ones.
A rather large-scale study was devoted to this issue, during which persons aged 15 to 70 years were interviewed.

The greatest commitment to domestic products was demonstrated by people over 56 years old. In this age group, more than 70 percent of respondents expressed their desire to buy mainly Finnish products. However, young people, in this regard, are not too far behind veterans. In the age group from 15 to 22 years, more than 50 percent of respondents showed their preference for their own products.

The survey was conducted at the end of August, literally 2-3 weeks after the entry into force of Russian economic sanctions. This is probably why the growth of consumer patriotism began to appear as a reaction to the actions of Russia.
But how exactly could Russian sanctions rally the Finns around a domestic producer? This is difficult to explain. Their only real impact on the Finnish consumer market is that a lot of relatively cheap products were destined for shipment to the Russian Federation.

Demand for these goods was really high, and this somewhat affected the increase in the share of domestic products in total sales. But this is not a momentary surge, but a significant change in the mood of the mass consumer.
If this is a protest against Russian actions, then the form of his expression looks rather strange. Russian food products are presented on the Finnish market in a scanty assortment and in the same scanty amount. We are talking mainly about several types of canned goods, which are bought, first of all, by the Russian-speaking inhabitants of Finland.

For the vast majority of Finnish customers, Russian products are actually exotic and completely unfamiliar to them. So, a change of preferences in favor of domestic products could not harm the Russian side.
Imported products on the Finnish shelves are mainly represented by products from Spain, Sweden, Germany and other Western countries. Therefore, refusing to import in favor of their own food, the Finns are attacking not their Russia, but their EU partners.

It seems that in this case it is not a real relationship between Russian sanctions and Finnish consumer behavior, but a simple coincidence. Sanctions may have been the impetus that gave some additional acceleration to the growth of patriotism of buyers. But no more than that.
The main reason for the revealed phenomenon lies, apparently, in another.
As it turned out, the growing popularity of domestic products in Finland has been observed for more than two years. And this is no coincidence.
It was about two years ago that Finnish society, as if waking up from a long oblivion, realized the whole dramatic nature of the situation in which the economy found itself after a recession that lasted morSubsequently, external problems related to the exchange of sanctions between the EU and the Russian Federation were added to domestic economic difficulties. The situation began to look very difficult. And this has a special effect on people's moods.
The fact is that the character of the small northern people has the ability to sharply increase cohesion in the face of serious problems or troubles. And the more difficult the situation, the more united and more stable the society becomes.
The Finns demonstrated this quality both during the war of independence, and during the period of the reflection of Stalinist aggression, and in the post-war period, when the USSR was able to pay a clearly exorbitant indemnity in a short time.

The current situation, of course, cannot be compared with these historical examples, but it is already serious enough to give an impulse to awaken a sense of national unity. The people rally again in the face of difficulties. The increased consumer patriotism is most likely due to this.
Another fact revealed in the August study is evidence that the growing interest in domestic products is not related to Russian sanctions. It turns out that, in addition to their own products, Finnish citizens have become more supportive of domestic services, giving them preference over foreign ones.

If this trend in the development of consumer addictions is strengthened, then this will undoubtedly serve to boost the Finnish economy.
I would like for the current difficulties for the Russians to provide the same incentive in terms of maintaining their own producer and economic growth.e than 10 years.


Wednesday 18 September 2019

The first snow fell in northwestern Lapland


The thickness of the snow cover is several centimeters.

Not far from the village of Karesuvanto in Enontekiyo municipality, the first snow fell on Wednesday. Reindeer breeder Per-Antti Lubba is currently at the local hills with her reindeer.

- Snow fell a few centimeters. It's foggy, cloudy and cold, ”says Labba.

For local reindeer herders, the first snow in the second half of September was not a surprise.

“It often snows here this week, but it still has time to melt many times before the start of this winter.”

Last year, the first snow fell in Kilpisjärvi on September 25th.

According to meteorologists Yle, while there is no official data on snowfall in Lapland. According to meteorological radars and traffic cameras, snow or sleet fell in Enontekiyo.

The snow, however, melted immediately. On the hills, a small amount of snow may have accumulated. There is no information about the thickness of a possible snow cover.

Rainfall in the form of snow or wet snow is expected in northern Lapland in the coming days, meteorologists Yle said.

Monday 16 September 2019

Women and men in the same barracks.

The Finnish Ministry of Defense is planning an experiment in which urgent male and female military personnel will be housed in the single sleeping quarters of the barracks. To ensure privacy, for example, in case of a change of linen, it is planned to use screens. At the same time, at least two people of the same gender are required to be placed in the general barracks.

According to the military, the law adopted in 1995 is fundamentally outdated. According to the current charter, it is necessary for women to organize separate sleeping quarters, which, in the opinion of representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Union of Conscripted Military Forces, does not contribute to the development of equality and the strengthening of team spirit.

However, this rule has more exceptions, because now women and men share sleeping space in exercises, in the field and other special conditions, as well as while serving on the Navy ships.

The experiment is under development and its details are only being specified. It is only known that it will be held simultaneously in various military units throughout Finland.

Recall that in 2018, a record number of female persons filed an application for military service - 1,500 people. A year earlier - 1,126, and in 2016 - 842 girls.

What does health depend on?


In 2018, under the auspices of the Department of Health, a study called FinTerveys was conducted in Finland. This study is conducted regularly and aims to check the health status of the population in various regions of Finland and in the country as a whole.

The study in question is, by far, the freshest in the series of such events in the health sector.

The results of the study were generally positive. They say that Finland’s health status continues to improve.

The pace of improvement in 2017 slowed somewhat compared to the previous two years, but this slowdown is not significant. The movement in the positive direction continues.

When conducting research for each specific area, the incidence index was determined. This is the name of an indicator that displays the incidence rate in the region in relation to the average incidence rate in the country. At the same time, the incidence rate in the country was indicated by the number 100.

The list of diseases examined during each study includes oncological and cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the organs of motion, mental problems and dementia. All these diseases belong to diseases that are called national.

The magnitude of the danger of each of these diseases is determined on the basis of the following factors:

Impact of the disease on mortality statistics

Impact of the spread of the disease on the number of sick leave and on quality of life

The scale of funds spent on the fight against the disease.

When comparing the situation in cities with a population of more than 50 thousand people, it turned out that the healthiest citizens live in Espoo (incidence index 73), Helsinki (81) and Vantaa (83). All these three cities have long merged with each other and represent, in fact, a single metropolitan center.

Among the most disadvantaged, in terms of public health, were cities such as Kuopio, (129), Oulu (115), Joensuu (114) and Kotka (113).

Comparison of the health status of the population of different regions showed that the residents of the Alansky Islands (63), the capital region (83) and the Pohyanmaa region, located on the western coast of the Gulf of Bothnia with the center in the city of Vaasa, turned out to be the healthiest (89).

The highest incidence rate was found in regions such as Pohjoys-Savo (130), Pohjoys-Karjala (122), Pohjoys-Pohjanmaa (122), Kainuu (118) and Lappi (115).

It was also noted that the incidence index increases with distance from the southern and western regions of the country towards the north-western regions.

Although the incidence index for Finland as a whole has decreased, the degree of its decrease in different places is not always the same.

In recent years, the incidence rate in the country has decreased by 16 percent. At the same time, in the top ten, in terms of population health, it became 36 percent lower, but in ten lagging areas the decrease was only 5 percent. According to experts, such unevenness is based on such reasons as living conditions, lifestyle, hereditary factors and differences in the degree of effectiveness of the work of health authorities.

The study showed that the education of the population also affects the level of its incidence.

Among people with higher education, health problems are much less than among people with only a primary level of compulsory education.

In this regard, I would like to note that this circumstance cannot be a matter of pride for more educated people.

Of course, it is more difficult for a driver of a heavy truck, who sleeps at customs in a truck cab, or a welder who inhales metal combustion products, to maintain his health than an office worker or a person who studies, for example, the problems of globalization.

It seems that people studying public health issues need not only to compare numbers and indicators, but to go, so to speak, to the people, getting acquainted with those areas of work where the threat to the health and even the lives of workers is most real and concrete.

Among such areas requiring close attention should be construction, dyeing and chemical production, deforestation, many transportation sectors, metal and metalworking, work of personnel in homes of disabled people, etc.

It is strange that, exploring a wide variety of topics, ranging from artificial intelligence to animal dreams, researchers bypass the topic of the impact of work on the health status of workers, as well as the theme of the development of occupational diseases.

At least in the media, these issues are not in sight. So when conducting the FinTerveys study, the incidence rates were compared by region, not by occupation.

But it is precisely the people who work in uncomfortable and, at times, hazardous to health conditions, create the very GDP in its final form. That’s the budgetfrom which funds are allocated to finance institutions and the large state apparatus.

A healthy lifestyle is not only good nutrition and proper leisure. In many cases, the workplace and working conditions have a decisive influence on the health status of thousands of people. This effect is often so significant that it can negate the benefits of proper nutrition and morning jogging.

Sunday 15 September 2019

Best beer

Finland's best beer - Kuopio Brewery wins decisively

The competition for the best beer was held for the ninth time.

The best Finnish beer of 2019 was Groteski-olut produced by the Iso-Kallan Panimo brewery.

This Piwo Grodziskie style beer is distinguished by its moderate alcohol content, as well as the aroma of wheat beer and haze.

“According to the jury, this fresh and interesting beer is the undisputed winner of the finals,” said the chairman of the jury, Mariaa Nelimarkka, in a press release.

This year 46 breweries took part in the competition and offered 300 types of beer.

CNN: Entrepreneur from Rovaniemi plans to open a pop-up hotel at the North Pole

You can book a hotel room at the North Pole for 100,000 euros.

Luxury Action from Rovaniemi next spring will open a pop-up hotel at the North Pole, according to CNN. The luxury travel company will transport ten heated snow-ice igloos to the North Pole. Hotels advertise under the name North Pole Igloos.

Company founder Janne Honkanen says in an interview with CNN that the North Pole has long been the most exclusive tourism destination in the world, but there are no options for comfortable accommodation. About 1,000 people visit the North Pole annually, but they usually sleep in cold tents.

Most of the year it is impossible to travel to the North Pole, but in April helicopters can land there, which means that goods and people can be transported to the North Pole.

The North Pole Igloos Hotel will be open only in April. The igloo and tourists will be transported from the Norwegian part of Svalbard.

According to Honkanen, the hotel has, among other things, a warm toilet, a cook and customer service staff.

Despite all the comfort, the character of a traveler-explorer is required from clients.

Wednesday 11 September 2019

What is valued at home

The inhabitants of Finland, for the most part, are ready to incur significant expenses when it comes to the house of their dreams.

To date, the real estate market in Finland is distinguished by both growth in demand and growth in supply.

The increase in demand is caused by an increase in the level of well-being of citizens, which has taken place in recent years. This was reflected in an increase in wages, in the growth of employment, in the revitalization of the consumer market and in the increase in the purchasing power of the population.

As for the growth of supply on the real estate market, it is due to the fact that, starting in 2015, the volume of construction, including housing construction, increased sharply.

It is easy to assume that in these conditions Finnish home buyers, as well as those who are going to be them, have become more picky. Old or, say, age-old real estate has become less appreciated than before. But the prices for new housing began to increase.

In addition, the attitude to different types of real estate has changed.

Individual houses became an object of increased attention in the consumer market, while apartments in storey houses began to lose their former popularity among home buyers.

We can say that today, for Finnish consumers who are looking for and buying housing, the most desirable acquisition is a new individual house. Therefore, prices for such residential properties are rising.

But the value of individual houses increases not only due to increased demand, but also because they, in accordance with the needs of the population, become more comfortable and more equipped.

Until relatively recently, at least in the 90s of the 20th century, houses in Finland, called the "front-line house", were in great demand. This is the name of two-story houses that were built in 1948 - 1955. on a similar project and were intended for participants in the war.

For their time and for subsequent decades, such houses seemed quite vast and well-maintained. In addition to two levels, they have a spacious basement, which houses a sauna and boiler room.

The “Front-line House” is still not uncommon in various parts of the country. Many of them are newly renovated, reconstructed and equipped in a new way.

However, even in a reconstructed form, these houses do not satisfy the needs of most of today's buyers.

Demand for more modern private houses built in 1960 - 1970 is also decreasing. Buyers, as it was written in one of the Finnish newspapers, want something “new, clean, bright and shiny.”

It is noteworthy that the novelty is put in first place in comparison with the size of housing. This allows buyers to avoid exorbitant costs for the acquisition of real estate. Therefore, in the context of growth in sales of new, more comfortable and more isolated housing, the share of housing expenses in the family budget remained the same or even decreased. This is due not only to savings in footage, but also to an increase in household incomes.

Probably, in every country there are special ideas about ideal housing, determined by the national mentality. Naturally, the inhabitants of Finland also have their own preferences.

Despite the influx of population into large cities, the Finns, with their lack of hassle and a desire for a relaxed atmosphere, still strive to live away from the noisy city center and outside densely populated areas.

This was revealed during a survey of 600 residents of the country, conducted by a group of researchers.

Three quarters of the respondents said that the most desirable type of housing for them is an individual house. Only 18 percent would like to live in an apartment in a multi-storey building.

Blocked cottage was of interest only to every tenth of the survey participants.

The survey also revealed that, in addition to the desire to live in their own house, the Finns attach importance to the place in which this house is located.

Half of the respondents dream that their home should be in a calm place and, preferably, near a reservoir.

The next most popular accommodation option is a small house or half-house on the outskirts of the city.

Only 16 percent spoke in favor of living in the city center.

Even among people under 30 years of age, there was no ardent desire to live in the center, although, as is commonly believed, young people tend to gravitate towards the noisy central areas.

As for the size of housing, most respondents would like to live on at least 70 square meters. The most popular quadratures for ideal housing were living space sizes of 150 m2 and 70-100 m2.

Less demanding in terms of spacious housing were people aged 50-60 years. This can be explained by the fact that after the children leave for an independent life, their parents do not have an urgent need to maintain a large apartment.

The survey showed that the Finns, for the most part, are ready to incur significant expenses when it comes to their dream home. A significant part of the citizens surveyed is ready to spend 100 to 300 thousand euros on the purchase of housing. About 6% of the respondents agree to invest more than 800 thousand euros in real estate.

Saturday 7 September 2019

Hotel F6

Tasty and healthy breakfasts at Hotel F6 are a great start to the day!

The price includes a buffet breakfast. Meals are prepared in the open kitchen in front of guests and are mostly made up of organic and local products. Finnish classic recipes are used to make such a tasty and healthy breakfast.

In summer, guests can have breakfast in the fresh air in the beautiful courtyard of the hotel.

Book online: https://goo.gl/fvQDb7

Address: Fabianinkatu 6, 00130 Helsinki
Tel +358 9 68 999 666
Email mail: sales@hotelf6.fi
Website: https://www.hotelf6.fi

Wednesday 4 September 2019

Finland took 1st place in the nomination of countries for travel in the wild!

If you love tourism and relaxation away from civilization, then according to the Global Wildlife Travel Index 2019, you will not find a better place than Finland.

According to the authors of the ranking, which was attended by 107 different countries, 73% of Finland's territory is covered by forests. Moreover, there are 39 national parks at the service of tourists in Finland, waiting for all adventure seekers all year round.

Other factors that determined Finland’s high position were the high level of environmental sustainability, species diversity, beautiful natural landscapes and efforts to preserve environmental footprints. Sweden took second place on the list, and Brazil came third. Russia is located in 14th place.

First 10 Global Wildlife Travel Index 2019

1. Finland
2. Sweden
3. Brazil
4. Canada
5. USA
6. Norway
7. Spain
8. Germany
9. Poland
10. Slovenia

Today is the first day of Finnish food



With the help of a theme day, they want to draw attention to domestic food products and the Hyvää Suomesta quality label.

Today is the first day of Finnish food.

The theme day was initiated by Ruokatieto. The purpose of the event is to draw attention to domestic food products and the “Made in Finland” quality label (Hyvää Suomesta).

The organization also encourages people to raise flags in honor of this day.

At the moment, Finnish Food Day is not an official reason for raising the flag.

Saturday 31 August 2019

Fear Festival iik! Week, October 7-22!

Lynnanmäki amusement park goosebumps from the program of the worst festival of the year of the year, and hiccups begin, iik! And not in vain, because this time the organizers promise to surpass themselves and make the carnival worse than before.

The main emphasis is traditionally placed on various thematic objects with actors. Animators in the "afterlife" make-up will be waiting for you in the dark corners of the terrible labyrinths. Most of these attractions have an age recommendation of 13 years.

The scenery, the monsters wandering along the alleys of the park, the menu of restaurants and cafes, designed in the style of the festival - in short, if you like to tickle your nerves and have fun, then you should definitely visit here. For kids this year will have its own program.

Below we have collected some of the most striking examples of thematic objects of the Festival of fear iik! Week!

👹 Zombie tunnel - get out of the radioactive bunker

You are locked in a nuclear shelter. To get out, you must go through the tunnel, teeming with zombies. Your only "weapon" is a green lantern that exudes radioactive particles and scares away the living dead. Age recommendation: 13 years old

👹 Creepy lab

In the scariest theme park of the park, guests will be waiting for victims of failed experiments. Do you risk going through the corridors of a nightmare laboratory with hellish creatures locked in it? Age restriction: 13 years.

👹 Nightmare circus

Do you have the guts to enter the Nightmare Circus, captured by bloodthirsty clowns? Age restriction: 13 years.

👹 Scary Lane

Dead souls were locked in our world and are now doomed to wander around the Terrible Lane. And recently, a gigantic ripper has settled here ...

Wednesday 28 August 2019

Helsinki Design Week



In September, from 5.9. on 15.9., Design Week will be held in Helsinki. The largest event dedicated to design will bring together experts from various countries and present this area of ​​art in all its diversity.

Exhibitions in the areas of Erottai and Otaniemi

This year, one of the topics of the annual design festival will be the atmosphere of learning. The heart of Design Week will be located in a palace that has been empty for several years, built in the style of a new renaissance in the very center of Helsinki. The building, located at: Erottaja 2, will open to the public for the first time. Visitors will be able to get acquainted with the exhibitions, taste eco-friendly wine or enjoy a cup of coffee while enjoying the architectural ensemble of the open building.

The room will feature new participants in the Design Diplomacy card game, numerous works and installations, for example, the experimental room of Sotamaa and Meiju Niskanen Studios, ceramic products by Leena Kouhia or the work of graphic artist Lotta Nieminen.

The second exhibition center of Design Week will be the Otaniemi district located near the metro. Designs for a Cooler Planet will showcase a green lifestyle concept. Eleven Aalto University exhibits will fill campus galleries. The range of the presented works will cover everything: from household utensils of the future - to urban areas without harmful carbon emissions.

The Helsinki Design Week program will include exhibitions by Eric Bruun, Ilmari Tapiovaara and Minna Parikka. In addition, the Young Designer of the Year and Illustrator of the Year will be selected as part of the event, as well as exhibitions of works nominated for these honorary titles and an exhibition of finalists of the Helsinki Design Awards.

A lot of impressions

The festival will present works for both visual and sound perception. At the festival week there will be a concert excursion into the world of big band style music. Classical works, acquaintance with the structure of songs and instruments, the composition of the orchestra, terminology - all this awaits those who wish to plunge into the world of music and expand their horizons.

As part of the Design Week, the famous Finnish guru of wild spices and seasonings, distinguished chef Sami Tallberg will prepare dinner, on the menu of which he included four dishes. As conceived by the master, the components of the dishes should arouse desire and adjust the sense of taste to the desired wave. Address: Erottaja 2 (cost 30-59 euros)
The exhibition Sense of wood will tell about the presence of this material in our life and thoughts, sensations associated with wood. Visitors will be able to touch the exhibits and even change them. Address: Bulevardi 15, (admission free)
You can think and talk about the impact of urban planning on mental or emotional well-being and health, as well as the impact of the living environment on the psyche, emotions and well-being, by participating in a discussion panel organized by the Kanttia2 architectural bureau and Raven & Wood Agency design company. Address: Hämeentie 11, 6. krs (free admission, registration required)

The program of the Week also included popular and well-established events, including such as: Open Studios, Design Delivered, PechaKucha, Design Diplomacy and others.

Organized fair of design works is a great opportunity to purchase unique things made by hands of designers from different countries. The fair will be held from September 7 to 8 at the address: Tallberginkatu 1 (from 11.00 to 18.00).
The Design Week program, which includes at least one hundred and fifty different events, is published on the Internet at: www.helsinkidesignweek.com

Passport HDW

If you want to become an active participant in the week, it makes sense to purchase an HDW passport, which gives you the right to discounts and privileges when buying tickets for paid events at the Erottaja 2 Palace, which will be held as part of Design Week. Registered users will receive a bamboo bracelet and a selection of individually selected, the most interesting events. Registration is conducted on the Internet at Helsinki Design Week.

The passport entitles you to receive a 50% discount on the entrance ticket to the main exhibition of the Helsinki Design Week, the bracelet owners will be able to get to more than 200 Open Call events that will be held as part of the HDW program.

Tuesday 27 August 2019

Among immigrants in Helsinki come from the USSR

Last year, the largest increase in the number of residents of Helsinki of Asian origin.

Every sixth resident of Helsinki is of foreign origin. At the beginning of this year, 103,000 people with immigrant backgrounds lived in the capital.

This is one sixth of the total population of the city. Of these, 18 percent were born in Finland, that is, they belong to the second generation of foreigners.

Most of the people living in Helsinki are natives of the former Soviet Union - eighteen thousand people, as well as immigrants from Estonia, Somalia, Iraq and China. Last year, the largest increase in the number of residents of Helsinki of Asian origin.


Friday 23 August 2019

Would you like to work 4 days a week for 6 hours a day?

Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Sanna Marin proposed reducing the number of working days to 4, and the number of working hours to 6 per day. According to Marin, people deserve more time for their personal lives.

The Minister from the Finnish Social Democrats expressed this idea during a panel discussion at the 120th anniversary of the SDP party. The opposition immediately responded to the statement with harsh criticism.

According to Arto Satonen from the bourgeois party Kokoomus, the SDPs have lost touch with reality. At the same time, Satonen referred to a study according to which Finns already work an hour less than the European average.

Well, what do you think? Wanted to work 4 hours a week for 6 hours a day?

New city bikes reach speeds of up to 45 km/h!

🚴

New city electric bikes from the Swiss company Bond Mobility, which appeared recently on the streets of Helsinki, will not make you sweat on the hills. Bicycles equipped with electric motors reach speeds of up to 45 km / h and have a range of 100 km. 🚴‍♀

And it is precisely these characteristics that immediately came under the magnifying glass of the capital's law enforcement officers. Police recall that Bond Mobility bikes are mopeds and must not be used on sidewalks and pedestrian areas. 🚓

In addition, the operation of a vehicle of this class implies the presence of a helmet and a driver’s license (or rights to a moped), as well as compliance with the rules regarding permissible doses of alcohol in the blood. Recall that for driving a vehicle in Finland it is 0.5 ppm.


The most unusual trees in Helsinki: Royal Oak


In the park of the royal oak (Fin. Kuninkaantammenpuisto) grows a beautiful reserved oak, in whose honor the park was named. Legend has it that the tree was planted by King Gustav III of Sweden at the end of the 18th century. We do not know why he planted it in this place, but the tree is very beautiful. Oak has seen a lot in its lifetime, and it still stands proudly on the road.

Drones flock to the Helsinki Olympics


September 2 - 5 in the metropolitan region of Finland for the first time held a competition on the use of drones. It is expected that about 50 teams from around the world will participate in Drone Olympics 2019.

The event is organized by the Ultrahack Hackathon. “The world market for unmanned aerial vehicles, estimated at about 4 billion euros, will grow at least ten times in the next five years. Drones are revolutionizing trade, logistics, agriculture and forestry, as well as research and security, ”said Mikko Järvilehto, CEO of Ultrahack. In 2017, Ultrahack hosted the world's first themed Aurora Arctic Drone Hackathon hackathon.

According to Järvilehto, the “drone competition” will be an important tool for developing new solutions, and an open Finnish innovation ecosystem will provide an excellent basis for this.

Teams will compete in various tasks using drones. For example, they have to assess the state of the roof of buildings; make a map of the location of containers with chemicals and determine the markings on them; transmit information about a traffic accident to the police. There will also be competitions in developing software for drones.

The Helsinki stage of the Helsinki Challenge will take place on September 4 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Harakka Island, located in close proximity to the city center. It will be possible to observe the flights both from the mainland and from the observation deck built on the island.

On September 5, from 10:00 to 14:00, the closing ceremony of the event and the award ceremony will be held at the Oodi Central Library. After that, the Mini Drone Expo & Recordings exhibition will open in Töölönlahti Park.

Friday 19 July 2019

At the bottom of the sea

At the bottom of the sea off the coast of Finland lies more than a thousand wrecks.

In the holds of some ships there is oil and other substances harmful to the environment. The Environment Center has launched a project to determine the risks associated with wrecks.

With the sunken ships lying in the Baltic Sea there are big environmental risks. Most of these 1,300 ships lying off the coast of Finland, at one time transported oil, which may at any time seep into the water.

In addition to oil, inside the ships there may be other substances harmful to the environment, including mercury.

“Our experts are currently investigating the risks associated with shipwrecks, as well as with explosives and ammunition submerged in the sea,” said Jorma Ryutkönen, Development Director of the Finnish Environment Center.

The project for the study of wrecks is carried out under the program for the protection of water bodies, which is conducted by the Ministry of the Environment. The aim of the program is to improve the quality of water in the lakes and the Baltic Sea.

Monday 1 July 2019

Salary in Finland

The average monthly salary in Finland is € 3,691

According to a study conducted by the Statistics Center of Finland among non-governmental organizations, Finns earn an average of € 3,691 per month. At the same time, the average salary for men in the private sector is 3,710 € / month and for women 2,903 € / month. Looks like the truth?

Kaisan Café

This popular location is located near the Stockmann shopping center in Tapiola. Here you can taste delicious pastries and have a cup of aromatic coffee.

Address: Ainoa shopping center, 1st floor, Tapionaukio 4

Opening hours:
On weekdays 7:30 - 21:00
Saturday 9:00 - 19:00
Sunday 12:00 - 18:00

Saturday 29 June 2019

Internet security

In the EU, new Internet security measures have entered into force

In the EU, new Internet security measures for companies and private Internet users have come into force. EU countries must now ensure that the online resources registered in their territory are safe and do not spread misinformation. This is especially true of descriptions of goods and services. To do this, developed and adopted a single European certificate of online security.

New rules are fixed in the cybersecurity act of the EU Cybersecurity Act.

In addition, the European Cybersecurity Agency ENISA received permanent powers (previously, its powers were temporary, and they had to be updated every few years). Thanks to this, the agency will be able to more effectively deal with various threats on the Internet: for example, to deal with massive hacker attacks. To this end, it offered last year to create a 24-hour response center in Brussels.

Robot buses will appear on the streets of Helsinki

The transnational project Sohjoa Baltic organized a route in Helsinki for its autonomous electric buses as part of testing, which will last until September.

As part of a pilot project in Helsinki, autonomous bus-robots will carry passengers free of charge. The idea of ​​Sohjoa Baltic is to collect information about smart mobile solutions in technical, legal and organizational terms.

“By taking part in the testing of unmanned bus robots, we received first-hand information on technological developments of automobiles and established contacts with independent participants in the automotive industry,” said Essi Kyllönen, a public transport planning specialist in the organization of the Helsinki Region Transport region. .

Automated electric buses could support the public transport system in the future, especially in terms of transport logistics. The pilot project will help build routes for the first commercial operators such as holo, a Danish company responsible for operating buses in Helsinki.

“Our first experience in Finland is excellent, and cooperation with the Finnish authorities is proceeding very smoothly,” commented Peter Sorgenfrei, CEO of holo.

This project is the result of the joint efforts of several participants from eight countries in the Baltic Sea region. Finnish project partners were the Forum Virium Helsinki, the Metropolis University of Applied Sciences and the Finnish Transport Safety Agency. Similar tests are currently being conducted in Estonia and Norway.

Metropolia also serves an additional route for robot buses in the metropolitan area of ​​Kalasatama under the name Helsinki RobobusLine.


Saturday 15 June 2019

New plastic processing technology

Finland is developing a new plastic processing technology.

VTT Technical Research Center of Finland successfully demonstrated the technology of chemical plastic processing, which promises to be an environmentally friendly alternative to incineration.

According to various estimates, approximately 40–60 percent of plastic waste in Finland is ultimately incinerated due to the technical limitations of mechanical processing. Plastic quality deteriorates with an increase in the number of recycling cycles, and it often happens that different types of plastic cannot be separated from each other.

“However, by chemical processing of plastics and their mixtures can be divided into individual types of raw materials, the resulting quality will be close to the quality of the corresponding raw materials,” said Anja Oasmaa, lead researcher at VTT Technical Research Center of Finland.

VTT demonstrated the feasibility of a new chemical processing technology during its two-year project, Business Finland WasteBusters, in which long polymer chains of plastics were divided into smaller ones as a result of pyrolysis or heating in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of organic and many inorganic compounds) .). The final product is pyrolysis wax or oil, which can probably be processed in refineries in the usual way.

“Companies are interested in plastic waste to be transformed into chemicals other than plastics, which then will replace the raw fossil in a renewable manner,” said Oasmaa. “We want to develop this line of business with sustainable solutions in close cooperation with companies.”

The researchers also estimated that 10 pyrolysis plants in Finland could be profitable, and suggested connecting these plants to waste treatment plants. VTT is preparing further research related to this technology, for example, in the field of diesel fuel production, which can be used in flexible energy production (with flexible energy production, the use of multi-fuel plants allows for the constant selection of the most suitable fuel, including liquid, gaseous or renewable fuel, . per.) and for sea transport.

About crime

Pseudo-policeman stole 80,000 euros from the accounts of his victims

The fraudster managed to beat off about 20 victims in different parts of the country.

In the county court of Päijät-Häme, the process began in the case of a false police officer, who stole about 80,000 euros from his victims. The prosecutor demands to sentence the defendant to imprisonment. The suspect contacted his victims by phone, introduced himself as a police officer, lured away passwords to Internet banking, and then transferred their money to their accounts.

Pseudo-police committed crimes in different parts of the country, including Helsinki, Heinola, Kouvola, Lappeenranta, Juva, Rovaniemi, Sastamala, Sotkamo, and Pälkäne. According to the prosecution, a total of damage amounted to 80,000 euros. The crimes were committed from April 2016 to March 2017.

Charges are brought against another man who is suspected of aiding fraud. According to the prosecutor, he allowed the main suspect to use his bank account, although he knew that criminal proceeds were transferred to the account.

A total of five persons were charged in connection with the investigation of the case. There are about 20 victims.

Nature is getting richer


The Interstate Organization for the Conservation of Biological Diversity (IPBES) has published another report on the state of nature in terms of the conservation of species.

In Finland, a similar description on a national scale was submitted by the Center for the Environment (Ympäristokeskus).

The data presented in both international and national reports suggest that Finnish nature is becoming more diverse and less polluted, and that development in this direction is fast and steady.

In the 1950s and 1960s, many species of animals began to disappear over large areas in different parts of Finland. This includes moose, reindeer, otters, beavers, whooper swans, sea eagles, gray geese, hares, golden eagles, seals and other fauna. But in the past few years, all these species have returned to their previous habitats.

Moreover, many representatives of the animal world, such as the raccoon dog, the muskrat, the long-mouther seal, the heron, the American mink, the mute swan, the European rabbit, the European roe deer, the cormorant, the wild boar, which until now were not typically Finnish species, have now moved to Finnish lands for permanent residence.

The main reason for such positive biological changes, according to experts, was the reduction of pollution of lakes, forests and the atmosphere. In the air becomes less nitrogen, sulfur and other impurities. The amount of harmful precipitation also decreases.

The return to the Finnish forests of such a sensitive indicator of natural purity, like the usneya lichen, is a sure sign of ecological improvement.

Systematic deforestation has also contributed to improving the state of Finnish nature and increasing its diversity.

Without dilution of forests, forest health deteriorates, it stops in its development, it becomes monotonous.

In a rather distant past, frequent fires contributed to the dilution of forest spaces. Now fires have become rare. They can not be allowed, as they represent a danger to human health and life. The role of the healing factor for Finnish forests began to play thoughtful industrial logging.

Other reasons for the growing diversity of Finnish nature include the following:

the development of environmental legislation to reduce the use of problematic fertilizers and sulfur-containing technical fuels,
creation of nature parks and other environmentally protected areas
improvement of roads and roadside areas, which led to the creation of meadow areas along the roads.
One more factor is mentioned which, quite unexpectedly, is included in the list of reasons for the improvement of natural diversity. This refers to global warming.

The effect of surprise, in this case, arises because global warming, according to supporters of this theory, is a danger to the health of nature and for its existence in general.

The media, many politicians and various public organizations warn us about this. Organized around the world companies, marches and rallies with demands to take urgent and immediate measures to save nature from overheating are dedicated to this.

Against this alarming background, the report on the rapid improvement of the natural conditions in Finland sounds like a clear discord. It turns out that over the course of several years, at a time when global warming is leading the planet to a catastrophe, nature in Finland is flourishing, cleansing and becoming richer.

How can such a contradiction be explained?

There are only two possible explanations:

The first. Warming does not occur. Certain concrete facts speak in favor of this. For example, in Finland in 2016, that is, in the midst of the fight against warming, the amount of energy used for heating buildings was significantly higher than the average for the previous ten years.

The second. If warming takes place, then nature does not fade away as a result.

Evidence can be found in the history of Earth's climate. We give only one of them.

In scientific works, as well as in publicly available encyclopedic dictionaries, including Wikipedia, there is a description of the so-called Roman Climate Optimum.

It is about the length of time, lasting more than six centuries: 250 BC. er - 400 AD er It was significant in that at that time a mild, warm climate was established in Europe.

In the period of optimum, the climate of Europe warmed by 1-2 ° C compared with the preceding period. The temperature in some places corresponded to the modern, and in many areas was higher than the present.

Warming has not brought negative consequences either for society, or for the economy, or for nature. On the contrary, the climate optimum contributed to the prosperity of states and empires.

Blooming and nature. At that time, new plant varieties were cultivated in many territories. So, in the territory of modern Germany began to grow grapes.In any case, the improvement of the ecological situation in Finland, and, probably, not only in it, does not correspond to the assertions that the changing climate leads to a catastrophe. Moreover, the situation in Finland is only one of many such inconsistencies.

The weather itself often contradicts the theory of warming. Do not confirm it and the conclusions of many prominent scientists, as well as observations of NASA, which, in the media are not publicized.

Such misunderstandings of theory with reality arise, apparently, from the fact that in the current rush around climate change, there is much more politics than objective facts and scientific justifications.

As for the real reasons for improving the environmental situation in Finland, we can say that, most likely, the main one was the improvement of the overall situation in the country, which in recent years has moved from an economic downturn to a rapid rise.

When order is established in the economy and in other areas of society, then forests and lakes also improve their condition, because they are part of the economy and a component of the national economy.