Water is a key element in our lives. Therefore the local organisers and the host city Helsinki are paying close attention to how water is provided at the event.
The Men’s World Floorball Championships 2020 will be played in Helsinki 4th to 12th of December. Matches will be played in two venues, the Helsinki Ice Hall and the final rounds in the Hartwall Arena. In the spirit of sustainability the local organising committee is in cooperation with the city of Helsinki preparing a water distribution stand at the Helsinki Ice Hall. This enables spectators to fill their own bottles with drinking water. The target of this initiative is to encourage the use of reusable water bottles instead of one-way bottles (even though recycling of PET bottles is well organised too).
– It’s great to see that Helsinki is committed to sustainability and offers us such a possibility. The LOC is also aware that the IFF is making plans around sustainability so the initiative also serves this purpose, Hanne Pirkola, Event Director describes the situation.
The water supply for Helsinki is lead via a big tunnel from the Päijänne ridge area, some 120 kilometres away. Tap water is environmentally friendly as there is no need for transport or packaging. Further, tap water in Helsinki has been investigated and it has turned out that it is of far better quality than most of the bottled water. The research conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare states the tap water contains a hundred times less microbes compared to bottled water.
– Helsinki wants to be the most functional city in the world and an internationally networked pioneer in the local implementation of global responsibility. A functioning city is reflected in concrete actions, choices and things that make everyday life sustainable and easier for both residents and visitors. The water in Finland is one of the purest in the world. It is not only completely safe but a pleasure to drink, states Mayor of Helsinki Jan Vapaavuori.
Sustainability is at the core of future actions for Helsinki. The goal of Helsinki City Strategy 2017–2021 is to create a carbon-neutral Helsinki by 2035. When this goal is reached, operations taking place in Helsinki will no longer warm up the climate. The Carbon-neutral Helsinki 2035 action plan describes how Helsinki can get on the right track in terms of reducing emissions.
– We are very happy to accommodate the needs of the LOC and glad to see sustainability also high on the agenda of these World Floorball Championships, Mayor Vapaavuori says.
