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Waking up, you might be focused on getting ready quickly. You likely use various personal care products – shower gel, shampoo, facial cleanser – which, even here in Finland, can contain microplastics or other chemicals.

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Principle 4: The ocean makes Earth habitable.

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Choose products with eco-labels, opt for solid shampoo/soap bars, and be aware of ingredients, particularly microplastics.

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Check out wastewater treatment systems in Finland, and project for for those  falling out the system, e.g., 1) The NURSECOAST-II project:  https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/nursecoast-ii/; 2)Itämerilaskuri: https://wwwp.ymparisto.fi/itameri/ 

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These products wash down the drain, contributing to the chemical load in the Baltic Sea, which is already sensitive to pollution. This directly impacts the water quality for swimming, fishing, and the overall health of an ecosystem that helps regulate local habitability.

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It’s 7:20 AM, and you are rushing around the kitchen to make breakfast before catching the bus to school. You grab a couple of slices of rye bread and instinctively load them up with thick slices of cheese and cold cuts (like leikkele or meetvursti), and pour yourself a large glass of cow's milk. It’s a traditional, easy, and filling Finnish breakfast, but you are choosing between what is fast/habitual and what is environmentally sustainable.

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The most severe environmental crisis facing the Baltic Sea is eutrophication. The intensive agriculture required to produce animal-based foods (like meat and dairy) is the largest source of nutrient runoff—specifically nitrogen and phosphorus—into Finnish waterways. These excess nutrients wash off fields into rivers and flow directly into the Baltic Sea. There, they act like fertilizer, fueling massive, toxic blue-green algal blooms every summer. When these algae die and sink, their decomposition consumes oxygen, creating vast, suffocating "dead zones" at the bottom of the sea where fish and other marine life cannot survive.

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Commuting to school, you and friends often use public transport, cycle, or walk. However, some of you might get rides from parents, contributing to car emissions. At school, lunch is often provided, but you might also buy snacks or drinks in single-use plastic packaging.

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The production and disposal of plastic packaging are significant. These plastics often end up in landfills or, if improperly disposed of, can make their way into waterways and eventually the Baltic Sea. Marine plastics break down into microplastics, entering the food chain and affecting human health.

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During a break or free period, you and friends might browse social media, seeing news or memes about global issues like plastic pollution in the Pacific or distant ocean oil spills. It might feel far removed from your life.

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This highlights the challenge of connecting local actions to a global impact. Finland's consumption patterns and reliance on globally transported goods mean that even seemingly distant ocean problems are linked to Finnish everyday life. For example, clothing ordered online might arrive via container ships that traverse distant oceans.

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After school, you might meet friends for fast food, or help with grocery shopping. If they choose imported salmon sushi or cheap shrimp, you might not consider its origin. You might also buy trendy, fast-fashion clothes.

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Unsustainably sourced seafood contributes to overfishing and habitat destruction elsewhere. Fast fashion often relies on synthetic fabrics (plastics) that release microfibers when washed, polluting waterways. The demand for these products puts immense pressure on global marine biodiversity.

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In the evening, you might be researching for a project or watching a documentary about unique deep-sea creatures, sparking a sense of wonder. At the same time, you might see local news about plans for new coastal developments or increased shipping traffic in the Baltic.

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Even in relatively shallow seas like the Baltic, many areas are not fully understood. New developments can destroy habitats or disturb unknown species. The cumulative impact of human activities continues to put pressure on ecosystems that still hold many mysteries.

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Before bed, you might reflect on a recent school trip to a lake or the Baltic coast, noticing algae blooms or murky water. Or you might think about how a mild winter shortened the ice-skating season.

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The ocean's influence on climate and nutrient cycles is evident. Eutrophication (excess nutrients from agriculture and wastewater) in the Baltic Sea leads to algal blooms, impacting water quality and marine life. Changes in ice cover due to warming impact winter activities and the unique ice-reliant species.

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Daily consumerism and pollution and its effects on nature and the planet.

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People often choose the more polluting option. For example taking fast food or private cars instead of school lunch and public transportation

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Even when  buying single use products like water bottles you can often actually reuse them. When you want to buy sweets from the store you can opt for the paper bag for example from LIDL paistopiste or irttarit. 

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Dilemma 3

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You can aim to take shorter showers and maybe opt for environmentally friendly dry shampoo to extend the duration between hair washes. Also consider consuming more environmentally conscious food options. 