Some of the highlights of my experiences include visits to schools throughout the country and the chance to talk with students and teachers, hearing the Kantele played so beautifully in Ilomantsi, walking in nature during all the seasons and whatever the weather, coming to a deeper understanding of what the Kalevala means, and eating delicious Finnish specialities. I can say that visiting Inari in February took my breath away in the most positive sense – I loved it! Most of all, I think of the many friends I have made during the past three years and our wonderful times together. I will miss you more than you can imagine.

As I have told some people, my husband and son loved being here as much as I did. They, too, think of the wonderful friends they have made and very fond/fun memories. You can count on us to be very strong Finland boosters – promoting your beautiful country and very fine people to all we meet. Plus, I will look for every opportunity to return!

View from summer cottage (Photo Credit: Wikimedia)

To say that the Finns have a certain reverence for their summer season is no understatement. From May to August, nearly every Finn heads outdoors to take advantage of the twelve-plus hours of sunlight before the long, dark winter creeps back in. Government and other activity slows down, prompting many to travel to forest cottages where on Midsummer’s Eve they build bonfires and revel in the longest day of the year. So enticing is the Finnish summer that many Finns stay at their cottages for the entire month of July.  

In Finland, the summer season is a fleeting miracle – a mere four months of life-giving growth after months of sub-arctic temperatures. And the Finns do not take it for granted. With such an appreciation for their world around them, it is not surprising then that Finns have such an active interest in reducing their carbon footprint.

Since 2001, the Finnish government has produced a series of action plans, known as the National Climate Strategy, detailing concrete steps the nation must take to reduce their share of emissions. In its latest Strategy published in November 2008, the Finnish government set ambitious goals to ensure that 38% of energy and 10% of transport fuel is produced from renewable sources. By 2020, Finland hopes to produce 14.2 terawatt hours (TWh) of hydroelectric energy, 1.0 TWh of wind power and 34.9 TWh of nuclear energy – a big leap from their 2006 levels of 11.3 TWh, .1 TWh and 22 TWh respectively.

Finland’s efforts are starting to pay off. According to the latest United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s report, Finland’s total emissions declined slightly in 2007 from 79.9 teragrams of carbon dioxide equivalent (Tg CO2) to 78.3 Tg CO2. Just this month the OECD’s Environment Directorate Director Lorents Lorensten called Finland a pioneer of environmental policy.

Such environmental awareness coupled with a “can-do” attitude make the Finns excellent partners in the fight against global warming. In June 2008, Embassy Science Fellow – US Forest Service Senior Researcher Dr. Alan Rudie – spent several weeks with top Finnish scientists to advance work on the production of biofuel from forest trimmings. Building on this successful collaboration, the US Embassy Helsinki hopes to sponsor another US Forest Service Science Fellow in 2010.

In 2008, Finland joined the Methane-to-Markets program – a public/private partnership in conjunction with the US Environmental Protection Agency that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by promoting the cost-effective, near-term recovery and use of methane, while providing clean energy to markets around the world.

In June 2009, the first of three American National Science Foundation (NSF) research fellows will arrive in Finland via the newly established Nordic Research Opportunity Grant. Funded by NSF and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES), the new program will foster closer research ties between US and Finnish scientists.