Scandinavian Lifestyle How to drink beer more sustainably More breweries are becoming eco-friendly, with commitments to reduce carbon emissions, use sustainable and renewable energy, raw materials sourced locally, improve waste reduction and recycling processes, and so on. This is great, but what can YOU do as a consumer? Here are a few tips. To help reduce carbon emissions from transportation, the first step is to choose beer brewed locally. By cutting out transport, you are also likely to avoid old beer due to long travel and potential exposure to extreme temperatures in bad storage conditions. This is a major win as aged beer can take on a stale character and wet cardboard-like taste – not pleasant! Even better, take the opportunity to visit your local breweries and enjoy some beers in their taproom, where they use refillable kegs and serve beer in reusable
glassware. You’ll also be showing your support for the breweries and boosting the local economy. And remember, beer is actually best enjoyed fresh, straight from the source. If possible, choose an organic beer brewed with local ingredients, from an eco-friendly brewery that’s committed to helping save the planet. So how do you know if the brewery is in fact eco-friendly and using local produce? Well, do your research, check their website and the packaging, ask when you visit, or shoot them an email. What else can you do? Choose cans as they are more environmental-friendly. If you consume beer at home, make sure to drink it before the expiry date – wasting beer is never good and you don’t want to pour it out just because it’s gone bad. And, of course, recycle any bottles
By Malin Norman
and cans. Or you can brew your own beer, using local ingredients, and enjoy in the comfort of your home.
Malin Norman is a certified beer sommelier, beer judge and member of the British Guild of Beer Writers. She writes about beer for Scan Magazine and international beer magazines.
Creating a sustainable home By Alejandra Cerda Ojensa
While decorating my kitchen recently, I started thinking about my interest in interior design. As a Scandinavian, I’m used to white walls, light woods and pale textiles, and I wanted to move away from that. I asked myself who I’m decorating for and steered myself to the thrift store. Decorating a home doesn’t necessarily mean jumping on a trend to make it look like a typical Scandinavian home. Nor does it need to mean buying new things. As I was hanging up my hand-sewn striped linen curtains, I felt incredibly proud knowing I had made them myself, and as I put up my freshly thrifted frames with my selfmade prints in them, I felt even prouder. I finished off my makeover by oiling the wooden countertops. Not that sexy, but I want them to last. My home is more than 14 |
Issue 147
|
October 2022
a roof and walls, or storage for my belongings – it’s my safe space where I spend the most time. Making it a representation of who I am is an ongoing process. As always, I want to make informed decisions and choose sustainable options. The result is a cozy home with wonky walls, lots of light, books and creative projects. I feel at ease when I’m home. That hasn’t always been the case – perhaps that’s why I cherish the feeling so much. I have even made peace with the spiders on my ceiling (there are plenty of them!). Creating a sustainable home is creating a space that makes you feel safe, at peace and happy – without using resources that will damage our planet. And if white walls are not a part of that, let them be yellow.
Sustainability columnist Alejandra Cerda Ojensa is a Swedish sustainability blogger based in Copenhagen. She loves sustainable fashion, plant-based food, natural wines and music. Instagram: alejandracerda.co