Recipes for Systemic Change - Helsinki Design Lab

Environmental taxes and personal quota systems have significantlyreduced both business and personal travelling compared to 2010. Theattractiveness of travelling has, however, not disappeared and thus thereare new ways to travel and experience other cultures. Trips, once made, arelonger in time and concentrate in one place. Advanced virtual technologiesallow people to travel for several months and continue working fromabroad. New exchange programmes for manual and service sector workershave been created: A group of Finnish teachers, for example, may exchangejobs with their Irish colleagues for months or even years.Local consumption and production has increased, and the farming andforestry sectors have grown in importance. There are groups of people, livingon basic income, who have moved back to the countryside to live in selfsufficientcommunities. These communities who have embraced "povertyas a lifestyle," use local trading and exchange systems in addition to theregular currency.Economic diversification has increased compared to 2010. The lowermiddle classes are mainly educated but have low incomes and form thelargest group of citizens. The highest income group has also increased innumber, since the salaries for the most skilled specialists have grown andare now competitive with the rest of the world.The Asian influence is also seen in religious life as well as in economics;many who were previously Lutherans have converted to Buddhism andTaoism. The share of Lutherans has also decreased due to the Muslim andOrthodox immigrants.264