The Nordic countries are famous for a number of different things. Cold weather, IKEA, meatballs, bleak noir dramas and as the home of the Nobel Prize. They also contains some of the world’s most eco-friendly places, the Environmental Performance Index ranks the most environmentally friendly countries in the world and the the top four are all Nordic countries. Finland comes in first followed by Iceland and next are the Scandinavian neighbours Sweden and Denmark. Norway is the only Nordic country not in the top ten but makes the top twenty in seventeenth place.
This makes the Nordics a real paradise for eco-travellers as the countries all work very hard to ensure that they give environmentally conscious travellers a special experience as well as lots of reasons to make a journey to the beautiful European north. One of the biggest pluses of coming north is the amazing public transport. If you visit a city like Oslo, Copenhagen or Stockholm there is absolutely no need to rent a car with so many great public transport options. The trains both within and connecting the Nordic countries to one another are also absolutely superb meaning you shouldn’t have to fly between them.
The cycling infrastructure is also absolutely astonishing with all the major cities in Nordic countries packed with cycle lanes as well as drivers who not only tolerate cyclists but respect them and give them space and time to ensure they are safe. Around a third of people in Copenhagen commute to work by bicycle with the city loaded with places to rent a bike, you can help the environment and keep fit in the Nordics.
For eco-conscious foodies you have no need to panic about visiting Sweden or its Nordic cousins with a wonderful range of eco and vegetarian and vegan food. Denmark was one of the first countries in the world to introduce organic standards and a recent EU survey showed that many more Swede’s had bought something with an eco-label compared to the European wide average.
Nordic countries also have a very stringent eco-labelling policy so you can know which products, food or otherwise, will help the environment rather than harm it. If this is all whetting your appetite you should check out these hotels that will give you the chills and provide you with a place to stay when embarking on your Nordic adventure. Stockholm has helped to lead the way in Northern Europe’s eco drive with big investment in green initiatives which saw it named the EU’s first European Green Capital in 2010.
The Nordic countries have not just embraced the chance to be greener but have tried to lead and become a beacon for the rest of Europe and the World about how we can help the environment and protect the earth. If you want to take a trip but don’t want to add too much to your carbon footprint then the Nordic countries are the perfect place to go.