Have you noticed summers get hotter each year and how it feels for each of us? How winter snow patterns change, and there are differences you have seen over the years in your life? These aren’t just random weather patterns; they’re signs of something that may be bigger happening to our planet.

Every time we flip a light switch, drive to the store, or throw something away, we release greenhouse gases into the air. Think of it like footprints we leave behind, except these are invisible footprints that warm our planet. Scientists call this our carbon footprint the total amount of greenhouse gases our daily activities create.

Why should you care?

Because these emissions are changing life as we know it. Birds that used to visit your garden might disappear. Trees that once thrived are struggling. Floods happen where they never did before. Summers become unbearable. And our children will inherit a world very different from the one we grew up in.

But here’s the good news: you have the power to change this story.

Can You Really Calculate Your Impact?

Yes, you can! Imagine being able to see exactly how your lifestyle affects the planet. Several free online tools let you calculate your personal carbon footprint. Just answer simple questions about your daily life:

• How do you get to work or school?
• How much electricity do you use?
• How often do you buy new things?

Within minutes, you’ll see your impact on numbers. Some people are shocked to learn they produce tons of CO₂ per year. Others discover they’re doing better than they thought. Either way, you can’t improve what you don’t measure or if you do not have an idea.

Try this ilmastodieetti resource

The Waste in Your Bin Tells a Story

Let’s talk about something we all do but rarely think about: throwing things away.

Ask yourself:

• How many trash bags do you fill each week?
• Are you really separating everything correctly, or do you sometimes just toss it all in mixed waste?
• What happens to that yogurt container or pizza box after the truck takes it away?

Here’s what most people don’t realize: when waste goes to landfills or gets burned, it releases greenhouse gases. But when you separate waste properly, putting glass with glass, paper with paper, food scraps in bio-waste, much of it can be recycled or turned into new energy with lower emissions.

The reality check: If you put recyclable paper in mixed waste, it might end up burned or buried. That paper could have been made into new notebooks, saving trees and energy. Every incorrect sorting choice adds to your carbon footprint.

What you can do

• Keep separate bins at home (it takes a week to become a habit)
• Rinse containers before recycling
• Learn what goes where using Hämeenlinna’s waste guide
• Compost food scraps if you have a garden
• Ask yourself before buying: ”Will this end up in the trash quickly?”

Water: The Resource We Take for Granted

Have you thought about what may happen before that water reaches you and after it drains down your drain? For heating water and treating wastewater requires significant amount of energy, and if that energy comes from fossil fuels, our excess water consumption could lead to climate change.

Simple questions with big impacts

• Do you leave the water running while brushing teeth?
• How long do you shower?
• Washing dishes under running water?

Small thing that you can do

• Fix leaking taps immediately (a drip per second wastes ≈ 20 liters per day)
• Fill the dishwasher and washing machine completely before running them

Electricity: Your Biggest Climate Choice

Almost all devices in your home needs electricity. Your phone charger, laptop, refrigerator, lights, TV, heater (electric). But where does that electricity come from? This question determines whether you’re supporting clean energy or burning fossil fuels.

Here’s the thing: In Finland, you can choose where your electricity comes from! Most energy companies let you select renewable energy packages. Yes, they might cost a bit more per month, but that small difference fights climate change directly.

Your electricity choices

1. Choose your source of energy wisely
2. Reduce consumption:
   • Turn off lights in empty rooms
   • Unplug chargers when not using them
   • Use energy efficient lighting
   • Set heating as per recommendations

Transportation: Your Daily Impact on Wheels

Short car trip might seem harmless, but it releases more greenhouse gases than you’d think. It is not only direct emissions release when you drive the car by burning fuel, but also required large amount amounts of energy to manufacture, transport…etc.

Let’s ask few questions from ourselves

• Do we drive distances we could easily walk or bike?
• Do we drive alone when we can share rides?
• Have we explored public transport options in Hämeenlinna?

Better choices we may try

• Walk or bike when possible – good for the planet, your wallet, and your health
• Use buses – one bus may replace 40 cars on the road
• Sharing rides with colleagues
• Plan combined trips – do several errands at once instead of multiple short drives

Everything You Buy Has a Hidden Carbon Cost

That new phone. Those trendy sneakers. The cheap T-shirt. Even your morning coffee.

Everything we buy has what’s called a ”supply chain emission” the carbon footprint from making it, packaging it, and shipping it to you. When you buy things made far away and shipped by air or sea, when you buy items that break quickly and need replacing, or when you buy things, you don’t really need, you’re increasing your carbon footprint.

Before every purchase, we may think

• Do I really need this?
• How long will it last, only few days or months?
• Can I buy it second hand or borrow it?
• Is there a local alternative option?

Sustainable options

• Try secondhand stores (Hämeenlinna has several great ones)
• Repair instead of replacing
• Consider quality over quantity
• Try local products when possible
• Use reusable products

Let’s try a Simple Action Plan

First

1. Calculate your personal carbon footprint
2. Switch one daily car trip to walking or biking if possible
3. Check the electricity bill, to understand source of generation?

Second

1. Consider sorting waste further if applicable and possible
2. Replace old light bulbs with LEDs if applicable
3. Consider taking short showers (but make sure to assure your hygienic requirements)

Third

1. Check the possibility of switching to a renewable energy contract
2. Plan one big change (bike more, buy less)
3. Share your experience with a friend or family member

The Future Starts with Today

Close your eyes and imagine: Your grandchildren ask you, ”What did you do when the planet needed help?” Will you say you were too busy? Or will you tell them about the day you started making different choices? About how you and thousands of others in Hämeenlinna decided to live more carefully, more thoughtfully?

Your individual actions, switching off unnecessary lights, separating waste properly, choosing renewable energy, biking instead of driving (avoid fossil fuel consumption), they all add up. Because here’s the truth: Every ton of CO₂ eq you prevent from entering the atmosphere helps. Every sustainable choice you make matters. Every person you inspire multiplies your impact.

The question isn’t whether you can save the planet alone. The question is: will you be part of the solution?

Learn More about Hämeenlinna Climate Action

• Visit Hämeenlinna’s Carbon Neutral Initiative

Aruna Sampath
A sustainability enthusiast, passionate about sustainable development and positive change