What if the world’s largest economy somehow formed a partnership with one of the world’s greenest countries? What kinds of great green ideas and field-tested technologies would be shared, compared and implemented? How much mutual benefit would these two countries derive from this exchange? It seems as though we’re about to find out. The Swedish American Green Alliance just celebrated its first anniversary. That’s a whole year of exchange on sustainable innovation, and if you haven’t heard of the SAGA, it’s time to find out more.
Sweden is one of the most environmentally-friendly countries around today. Just a few months ago, The New York Times reported on the success of Kristianstad, Sweden, which converted its infrastructure to power the town completely on biofuels. Given this commitment to being green, it is no surprise that Sweden consistently ranks at or near the top of Yale’s Environmental Performance Index and yet never seems to rest on its laurels. The One Tonne Life project is a great example of the already-green country’s enthusiasm for finding new and better ways to be environmentally friendly.
Here in the States, we also have an enthusiasm for green living. From the world’s largest solar project in California to the emerging “biofuels belt” of the midwest, it’s clear that many Americans are embracing green technologies and behaviors. Still, for some, we aren’t greening ourselves quickly enough, which often means we’re not innovating quickly enough. So that’s why we’re excited about the SAGA. The American Embassy in Stockholm has opened a door for American and Swedish researchers, entrepreneurs, journalists, policy makers and legislators to learn from each other and make a greener world in the process.
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