Couple more days to go!

First of May with Spring celebrations are just around the corner. My best early flowers of the Spring are the proposals coming in to my mailbox for the Call for Solutions. Several have noticed the open call, but still more are welcome. I have slightly extended the time till 5.5. - so you have still some days to submit your solution.

It is really fascinating to see how the message of the Call goes around and finds the right persons. For many it is about right timing, suitable content and the possibility to see the potentiality in it. This has made so to many wake up and take part in submitting a proposal or wanting to be part of side events etc of the Solutions local, together Conference. The role of the social media in that can not be ignored.

The Conference is about creating something bigger together, it is not meant for an exclusive club or forum but for us all. This is what makes the entire difference!
Enjoy the first of May!

Celebration every day!

Have you noticed that nearly every day of the year has a certain meaning to part of the people on the planet. Weather we are discussing about a specific year, week or day that is dedicated to raising awareness on various topics. This week has been focused in Finland on the consumption with a topic of "Consume less - live more" by several organizations. I took part on the week by recycling books and baby cloths and doing my food shopping in shop selling only local products.

Yesterday was the Earth Day on 22nd of April and this made me think how to illustrate the different topics. Excellent and cleaver comics for the variety of our celebrations can be found from Seppo Leinonen´s blog. He is a very well known Finnish cartoonist and illustrator. One of my absolute favorite one that makes you think is the one were the father of the family is taking the coins out of his child´s piggy bank. This being the natural resources of our planet Earth. If this does not wake people up - what does?

The entire year 2010 is dedicated to Biodiversity by the United Nations. One of the interesting topics on the Solutions local, together is biodiversity and how do we incorporate that into urban planning. Now is still some time left to submit your solutions on this and several other topics on the website - have a look and create the added synergy with the conference.

And of course, happy St George´s day - I greet you with left hand!

A night out

Lucas was having a rare night out. He was going to the theater with his wife. The play they were going to see had got good critics, which was the reason why Lucas had agreed to go in a first place – he wasn’t much for the cultural things. Nevertheless, tonight he was going with an open mind and would enjoy the night.

As they were sipping wine at the interval, Lucas was trying to decide how he felt about the first part. The topic was well chosen and the characters were credible. The play made him think about the nature of people – what did they think was important, what were their values and what impact they actions had. How often do we adapt viewpoint of others and somehow hide our own wishes and hopes but also fears under a surface of artificial coating. Lucas wondered how much art, and especially today’s art, could influence on people’s behavior and their way of thinking. Could it make a difference and what would it take in order to do so?

Call for Solutions!

Finally, we are in the stage, that the Solutions local, together - conference themes are out and a Call for Solutions is open for anyone to propose good sustainable solutions to the conference programme. The Conference focuses on four themes, that have an origin from the classical elements. These are:

• Earth - Urban planning for citizens and nature
• Water - Water for life
• Air - Climate and energy
• Fire - Inner inspiration - knowledge, new skills and partnerships

Through these themes, the conference has a good ground to address well cross-sectoral topics that are in need of sustainable approaches. Also several side events are soon to be released for public and these will add significant value to the conference topics, especially addressing the local aspects and involvement opportunities.

All possible linkages are very welcomed to the conference, so do not hesitate to contact us. I am sure our enthusiasm will get to you, too, and we will be able to advance the passing of sustainable solutions around the local authorities, companies, communities and citizens in the Baltic Sea Region.