In 2007 we migrated from Sweden to Norway, after struggling financially when our honeybees died. I had also developed problems with my back. I worked as an agricultural advisor in the local administration in Norway, and one of my tasks was to motivate farmers to embrace ecological farming and consider new ways of production with the goal of meeting the climate change challenge. This was not an easy task when farmers generally are living in a situation struggling with increased costs as well as reduced income.
I realised that I could change my own lifestyle considerably and I could try to convince others to begin to think in similar ways. We built our own low energy house in 2010. We combine production of solar electricity with wood heating in a well insulated house. We grow our own vegetables and fruit and we pick wild berries and mushrooms. We also started up the beekeeping again and have chosen to work with the native dark bees that have adapted to the local flora in western Europe. We recycle as much of our waste material as possible.
We live in beautiful mountainous countryside and use electric bicycles for short journeys and exercise. We cannot live without our car but use the bus, boat or train whenever available. However, it was an easy choice to stop flying two years ago. There are so many interesting places to visit in our neighbourhood or across the border in Sweden, together with our children. We still see the white stripes in the sky from passing jet planes, but we feel confident and satisfied that we will see the number of planes being reduced during our lifetime.
Börje Svensson
Agricultural advisor,
Norway