Gothenburg's Green Revolution: Sustainability in Urban Style

Yes, there are cool shops! Yes, you can eat very well! And the cultural scene is interesting too. But Gothenburg has another trump card up its sleeve: Sweden's second-largest metropolis was declared the world's most sustainable destination for the sixth time in a row by the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDSI).

There is a Swedish word that defies translation: "lagom". The term stands for appropriate, balanced, not too much and not too little, and describes the casual and extremely likeable relaxedness of the Swedes. Not the Gothenburgers, though, because they don't want to be "lagom". They want to be environmentally conscious, and they'd rather do too much than too little.

In the city of 570,000 inhabitants, 93 percent of the hotels are green-certified, 97 percent of the public transport runs on renewable energy, numerous restaurants bear awards with environmental labels and mainly use sustainably produced products from the region. The ambitious plan is to make Gothenburg fossil-free by 2030. Yet the former industrial port city on Sweden's beautiful west coast was not always so "green". In the mid-1980s, Gothenburg was still considered run-down and dirty, "a courtyard to hell", as the then environment minister Brigitta Dahl put it.

A green bicycle with the inscription styr&ströll is depicted. The person on it can only be seen up to the middle of the body.
To navigate the cobbled streets of Haga's atmospheric old town, most locals prefer to ride their bikes..

And today? The city, which lies on both banks of the Göta River, is criss-crossed by several canals, earning it the nickname Little Amsterdam. To get from A to B, you can take the ferry or the tram, which often runs on grass-lined tracks. But most locals prefer to cycle to traverse the cobblestone streets of the atmospheric old town district of Haga. Or to meet friends in one of the many hip cafés that offer half a dozen vegan milk alternatives to go with their fair-trade cappuccino.

"Our goal is to create a city that is good to live in, that offers a wide range of leisure activities and that takes both the environment and people into account," says Katarina Torstensson, sustainability officer of Gothenburg & Co, the city's official tourism organisation. This is something to see!

Shopping with a clear conscience 

The picture shows a tailor's shop where jeans are made. A man can be seen blurred in the middle.
Nudie Jeans: Gothenburg's first and best-known shop for ethically produced fashion was founded by Maria Erixon in 2001 and has since become a global hit. Nudie Jeans are made of 100 per cent organic cotton, and every pair is sold with the promise of a free repair or taken back to be resold as a second-hand product or given to the Nudie Jeans Reuse programme. In 2022, 65,386 pairs were repaired and 20,772 were collected. nudiejeans.com. © nudiejeans.com
Various colourful shoe models of the brand Icebug are on display.
Icebug: This local footwear company was founded in 2001 by mother-son team Eliza Törnqvist and David Ekelund, with the aim of producing outdoor and sports footwear that not only keeps feet warm and dry, but also provides grip in slippery conditions and looks cool. The materials used are as environmentally friendly as possible - Icebug became the world's first climate-positive footwear company in 2019. icebug.com © icebug.com
The picture shows the concept store of the Thrive brand. Many dresses are on display in the bright room.
Thrive: Fair, vegan, organic - Thrive is considered Scandinavia's leading concept store for organic clothing. It offers a selection of unisex styles from sustainable designers as well as accessories made from vegan materials. The shop is also designed entirely with recycled and environmentally friendly materials and is just as chic and trendy as the fashion sold here. thrivestore.se © thrivestore.se

Between architectural highlights and scenic gardens

The red round Kuggen building is the focal point of the picture. The triangular windows and the colourful details stand out.
Kuggen: Workplace or art project? Completed in 2011 and part of Chalmers University, the tower is shaped like gears stacked on top of each other and has a facade of terracotta panels that change hue depending on the angle of view, time of day and weather. The stacked storeys provide shade, while solar cells that follow the position of the sun provide energy. The ground floor is open to the public. Frihamnen 7 © Superstudio D&D
A metal building on stilts stands on a jetty. The cranes of a shipyard can be seen in the background. The sunset colours the sky.
Sauna in the Jubileumsparken: A highlight for sustainability fans is the Jubilee Park, built on the city's 400th birthday. It stands on a former industrial site and features an urban vegetable garden, sandy beaches, a swimming pool and a children's playground. The top attraction, however, is the huge sauna that stands on stilts in the harbour basin. Its outer walls are made of used corrugated iron sheets, the interior is clad in wooden shingles, and the changing rooms are built from 12,000 recycled bottles. The sauna is currently being renovated. It will reopen at the end of the year and is free to use. botaniska.se © Peter Kvarnström
In the picture, a magnificent green forest is in the foreground. Slightly hidden, one sees a waterfall. Some people can be seen on the pavements.
Botenical Garden: Gothenburg Botanical Garden is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, covering around 175 hectares and 16,000 plant varieties, and has won many awards over the years. It is one of the city's visitor attractions and offers guided tours, exhibitions and question and answer sessions (e.g. a mushroom consultation in autumn). Particularly popular are the beautifully designed rock garden with a waterfall you can walk under, and the rhododendron valley with over 80 varieties, one of which is in flower even in December. botaniska.se © botaniska.se

From fair trade cappuccino to city wine 

The picture shows a restaurant which is packed with people. In the middle of the wall is a shelf filled to the brim with various alcoholic beverages. The shelf is surrounded by pictures
Taverna Averna: Bistro, bar, art and culture - Taverna Averna not only offers the best pizzas in town, but also often something interesting to see. Almost invisible but very much present is the environmental aspect: the restaurant cooperates with "Generation Waste" to minimise food waste, uses only renewable electricity, offers only ecologically produced wines and fish and seafood from sustainable fisheries. tavernaaverna.se © tavernaaverna.se
In the centre is a grey plate on which a dish is beautifully arranged. A glass of wine stands next to it.
Koka: Casual, uncomplicated, but with a Michelin star - at Koka the menu is based on the seasons and the products that are currently in season in western Sweden. There is no meat, but delicious seafood such as scallops with elderflower or scampi on monk's beard. Accompanied by mostly natural wines and very friendly service. restaurangkoka.se © Jean Paul Bastians
The red sunroof of the Cum Pane bakery stands out. Three wheat stalks adorn the logo.
Cum Pane: Probably the best eco-bakery in town is run by German expat Christiane Edberg. Her customers come for the crusty sourdough bread, fluffy cream puffs and delicious cinnamon buns, which can also be eaten on the spot with a coffee - as long as one of the few seats is free. cumpane.coop © cumpane.coop

Delicacies from the green city

A modern building with the bright inscription Wine Mechanics is in the centre of the picture.
Wine Mechanics: Gothenburg's first city winery is in an industrial area of the city and imports grapes from Germany and France to make vegan wines on site. The high, light-flooded halls are a popular meeting place to drink a few glasses of wine, but also to eat something with it - such as the delicious homemade hummus or a dozen oysters. winemechanics.se © winemechanics.se
A display of coffee beans is in the picture. In the background of the room, one catches a glimpse of the coffee roasting plant.
da Matteo: The coffee beans from fair trade traders are roasted in the café's own roastery above the café, and bread and pastries are also made here. Since the first café opened in 2003, the former insider tip has become a hotspot where all of Gothenburg meets. Not only because da Matteo is such a cool place, but because all the products are sustainable and very good. There is a great selection of coffees - from light roast to classic - and an equally great selection of vegan milk options to go with it. damatteo.se © Tina Starfen
One sees a factory building from the outside. Many bicycles are standing by a fence. Behind the fence people are sitting comfortably together.
Vega Bryggeri: Many of the old factory buildings in the Ringön district have been transformed into microbreweries that not only produce craft beer but also function as bars. Vega Bryggeri maintains old traditions on the one hand but is also known for creative flavours and stylish labels. The brewing equipment was built by a local welder, the company takes care of its own logistics to protect the environment, and the brewery includes a friendly restaurant with a terrace and music where you can sample the delicious craft beers. vegabryggeri.se © vegabryggeri.se

Even sleeping can be green

A small roof garden with beekeeper boxes is in the picture. In the background a man is picking something from the herb garden.
Upper House: The city's newest five-star hotel, which occupies several floors of the boxy glass giant Gothia Tower 2, is considered a true eco-hostel. From the outside, it looks like a modern office building, but inside, stylish young Swedes and expats bustle about, visiting the bars, cafés and Michelin-starred restaurant and enjoying the view. The hotel is 100 per cent wind-powered, recycles 95 per cent of its waste and has a rooftop garden with birdhouse and beehive. DR from 3100 SEK. upperhouse.se © upperhouse.se
A restaurant decorated with many plants is pictured.
Comfort Hotel Gothenburg: In 2019, the 289-room property won an award as the most eco-friendly and sustainable of the large Strawberry hotel group, now it aims to become the most sustainable hotel in Gothenburg and in all of Sweden. It resides in an iconic building right by the harbor and is currently undergoing a plastic reform: all single-use plastic has been removed, straws and coffee cup lids are now made from cardboard, toothbrushes from bamboo, etc. Rooms from 890 SEK. strawberryhotels.com © Inger Marie Grini
A long room with large semicircular windows was photographed. Small lamps stand above a long sofa.
Clairon Hotel Post: 540 modernly designed rooms and suites in a majestic old post office building right in the city centre. The hotel grows its own organic vegetables on the roof, which are then used in the kitchen of the gourmet restaurant. All the electricity in the hotel is renewable and there is a system to reduce water consumption. Especially nice: the roof terrace with pool and view. Rooms from 1332 SEK.clarionpost.se © clarionpost.se
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Date of Publication: 20.10.2023

 

Text: Patricia Engelhorn 

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