“There are very few things that you absolutely have to buy new. The world is overflowing with stuff, and sometimes you even find unused products at flea markets,” she says.
Emmi first found value in recycled goods when renovating a former office into a home for herself and her family. She began publishing renovation and decoration ideas on social media and realised that people were very interested.
On her Instagram account ‘Second-hand Lahti’, she presents recycled products and interior design ideas that inspire her.
“It’s a great feeling when someone who follows me on social media says they were inspired to go to a flea market. I also want to share information about the flea markets in Lahti,” she says.
The power of sharing
When Emmi began sharing photos about her discoveries on Instagram, she was inspired by the platform’s communality. Amongst her followers she has found many like-minded people who share her passion for recycling. Such actions align with the ethos of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, one of the main pillars of the European Green Deal – the EU’s new growth strategy. This new Action Plan aims to increase the lifespan of products by targeting their design, promoting circular economy processes, and fostering sustainable consumption, with the ultimate aim of ensuring these resources are kept in the EU economy for as long as possible.
The community has also encouraged her to open her own second-hand shop with quality items. So far Emmi still keeps her day job as a parking inspector, but the circular economy may well play an important part in her future. Emmi’s dedication to living a more circular lifestyle fits in with the City of Lahti’s aim of being carbon-neutral by 2025. Already the city has cut greenhouse gas emissions by an impressive 70% compared to 1990 levels! Lahti is urging all of its citizens to take steps towards a carbon-neutral lifestyle, in line with the EU’s long-term strategy of climate neutrality by 2050.
Enthralled by stories
Using second-hand goods represents many values for Emmi. Visiting second-hand shops is a hobby she enjoys with her young children who never complain about second-hand clothes or toys and are adept at finding treasures. The stories behind the items are also important for Emmi.
Cleaning up the neighbourhood
In her free time, Emmi engages in another hobby. While the children are swimming or at football practice, she clears up litter in the neighbourhood. She uses barbecue tongs to pick up cigarette butts and other rubbish from green areas or beaches. Emmi has also joined the Puhdas Päijät-Häme movement, which is involved in litter removal.
“I’m not a fitness enthusiast, but when you pick up litter, you get a good workout at the same time. It’s therapeutic too!”
Citizen Diaries - Lahti - EU Green Capital
Valtteri Bottas began his career when he was just six years old, racing karts in his hometown of Nastola in Finland.
In the winter of 2016, Eetu Floor was walking to a friend’s band practice in Lahti. On his way there, he chose a shortcut through the industrial area of Sopenkorpi where he found an overgrown industrial track and plot.
The Lahti Pelicans is a Finnish professional ice hockey team that plays for the City of Lahti, in the ‘Liiga’, Finland’s top professional ice hockey league.
Emmi Valli-Forsback from Lahti buys almost all of her family’s clothing and household goods second-hand; and rents a market stall to sell on what she no longer needs. She rarely considers buying something new if she can find it second-hand.
Bee doctor Kamran Fakhimzadeh knows what a miracle honey is: to produce a kilo of it, bees have to visit up to ten million flowers. At the same time, bees do us a huge favour by pollinating vegetables and fruit and berry plants.
Rikka-Liisa Aalto has always picked up litter in her local area. After becoming a mother, she started picking up litter almost every day. The Puhdas Päijät-Häme network was born out of a desire to make a connection with other people who care about the environment.
In 2015, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Sibelius Hall, the Lahti Symphony Orchestra initiated a project to help the City of Lahti reach its carbon emission reduction goals.
Fashion designer and entrepreneur Riikka Flink has been observing the clothing industry for over 30 years. She believes that ecology, sustainability, and responsibility are possible when production is closely monitored.
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In 2021, Lahti, Finland, stood at the forefront of sustainability as the European Green Capital. The city set new standards in clean energy, circular economy, and green urban living.