Category: Case Study

Case Study: Creating centers of well-being.

cover_COWBPLACE: Stockholm, Sweden

SITUATION:  The think tank of AVBP was given  an interesting challenge: how to develop tourism in areas  of natural beauty that have  easy access to cities? The need was to encourage visitors to be tourists  closer to home. These tourists were looking for active holidays, with high interest and with a high degree of health involved.

FRAMING QUESTION: how can we develop our tourism business using our proximity to cities, areas of natural beauty and focus on health to develop a booming tourist industry, where people come back year after year.

SOLUTION: The Center of Well -being concept was proposed by the think tank. The basic idea is to create and market an area in a way to make it “sticky” offering so much and such a range  that the visitor will be enticed back time and again. Continue reading “Case Study: Creating centers of well-being.”

Case Study: using complementary currency to drive volunteering and collaboration

Journalist BirGitta Tornerhielm shows off her vouchers for ITK
Journalist BirGitta Tornerhielm shows off her environmental currency

PLACE: County of Uppland, Sweden

SITUATION:  Despite best efforts, rural areas – even some close to large cities – are experiencing a decline in population, investment  and or services. As unemployment is rising, and the production of services is moving away from the area, the ability of the area to handle challenges such as economic downturn, food shortages, freak climate, power failure etc. is decreasing.

When disaster strikes, the authorities and corporations cannot alone be relied upon, it is up to citizens to meet these challenges.

SECONDARY SITUATION: The above applies too, to the task forming the sustainable society. The challenges are similar but the time-frames differ. Firm public engagement, and collaboration between authorities and businesses is needed to meet the nation’s ambitious environmental goals.

FRAMING QUESTION: Are there  tools available that can be used to encourage citizens to take part in developing the sustainable society, tools and approaches that can encourage them to contribute their time and skills to developing a local resilient capability? Is so, how can these tools be implemented? How can corporations and authorities be involved? Continue reading “Case Study: using complementary currency to drive volunteering and collaboration”

Case Study: investigating fees on phosphorus to usher in the circular economy

PLACE: Baltic Islands, Sweden

SITUATION:  The Baltic sea is close to a tipping point, where phosphorous trapped in sediment may well start to be released. Regardless of whether emissions stop completely, there is a risk that the living eco-system will be threatened by this influx of nutrients. It may completely destroy all food chains through a massive algal blooming, for example. Continue reading “Case Study: investigating fees on phosphorus to usher in the circular economy”

Case Study: Walking maps

PLACE: Huddinge Municipality,  part of Greater Stockholm, Sweden

SITUATION:  The Municipality had decided to set up a circular “walk for your heart trail”. The problem is that the municipality is so large, and has so many places that make fine walks it looked like the trail would not have the impact intended, as too few would use it, either because it was too far away or because the options were better and so many. Continue reading “Case Study: Walking maps”