Malmö - green transformation of a troubled city

In the first half of the 1990s, Malmö lost 27,000 jobs and the city was on the verge of economic collapse. In the late 1990s, deliberate measures and a series of projects by the Swedish government revived the economy in the south of Sweden and turned the city with above-average unemployment into a center of science, high technology and above-average concern for the development of renewable energy. The transformation from a traditionally industrial city to a city of knowledge is also visible in the structure of the population. In addition to the 15,000 students studying at the university, which opened in 1998, Malmö has the highest percentage (27 %) of the population of non-Scandinavian origin in the country. The city's 270,000 inhabitants speak as many as 100 different languages and belong to as many as 164 different nationalities. The modern orientation of the city is not only visible in the diverse ethnic structure of the population and orientation towards the development of advanced technological and ecological technologies, but also in the changing appearance of the city.

Western port is Malmö's newest residential district with attractive architecture, beautiful promenades, swimming pools, restaurants and a beautiful view of the Őresund strait, which separates the coast of Sweden and Denmark. In the immediate vicinity, the newest symbol of the city rises 190 meters high - "Spinning Torso", which is the tallest building in Sweden and designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The rotating torso is mostly a residential building, which consists of nine cubes, which have a total of 54 floors, and from the ground to the top they "spin" by as much as ninety degrees, which is how the high-rise building earned its affectionate nickname. One of the greatest modern construction achievements is certainly the bridge that connects Malmö with the Danish capital Copenhagen via the Öresund sea strait. After almost a century of ideas and attempts to build a permanent road connection between Sweden and Denmark, the dream came true on July 1, 2000, when the Öresund Bridge was opened. The connection is 15.4 kilometers long, and the eight-kilometer long bridge is supported by four pillars that rise as much as 204 meters above sea level.

Stroll through the green city
Successful transformation and concern for an ecologically conscious life are visible at every step. Even public transport will convince us that ecology is not just a fad, as all city buses are "powered" by natural gas, and visitors who decide to explore the city by bicycle are rewarded with special discounts. The city canals surrounded by greenery are best explored by canoe. In addition to traffic, the offer in restaurants, bars and shops is also organic, as we can treat ourselves to organic ice cream, drink coffee from a fair-trade shop or buy ecologically sound clothes, and we will also be offered chocolates, bread, flowers and shoes made in cooperation with nature.

In store Astrid Och Aporna we will be able to buy vegetarian products on as much as 350 square meters, among many products we can even find vegetarian food for pets. For those who are not the most skilled in the kitchen, they take care of the bar and restaurant Brogatan, which is one of the largest consumers of organic ingredients in Sweden, because in the restaurant you can choose from organic wines, beers and other drinks, and the moderately priced food is also ecologically sound.

Also a restaurant Salt & Brygga is completely "green", because the bio idea not only covers the menu of this first Swedish slow-food restaurant, but the entire restaurant, including the clothes of the waiters and furniture, follows the concept of a nature-friendly environment. You can buy organic coffee from Ethiopia in the store Fair Trade Coffee barista, and by purchasing, we help provide food for school-aged children in this poor African country. Desserts can also be healthy, as evidenced by homemade organic ice cream and coffee, which are the main assets of the cafe and pastry shop Dolce Sicilia.

Caring for nature doesn't just end with food and drink. In a hair salon Big Hair Mom they use hair cosmetics without chemical additives, namely only plant ingredients and mineral dyes. The most ardent users of organic products find most of their food and other products in the store Ronnebygatans Ekolivs, which, in addition to dairy products, pasta, oil, fruit and vegetables, also offers organic cleaning products and cosmetics. Clothes can also be kind to nature and society, as demonstrated in the store Fiber Fin, where we can buy comfortable products made of cotton, linen and hemp. Also the store Ingrid Af In addition to natural ingredients, Meglehem emphasizes the ethical component of its products, as all clothes are made in communities where the principle of fair trade applies. The excellent and varied range of organic products and food and, of course, the devoted concern of the ethnically mixed population (one of the most famous representatives of the generation of successful children of Swedish immigrants is the footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović, the son of a Bosniak and a Croatian woman) for living in harmony with nature, were the godfathers of the ranking in fourth place among the fifteen the greenest cities in the world, something that a city that turned to nature protection instead of problems is particularly proud of.