On the carbon footprints of an Activist Granny

8.6.2022 7.55Updated: 17.8.2023 7.13

The visual look of the event and picture of Seija Kurunmäki — The Activist Grannies movement was founded in 2019 to act as a voice to slow down climate change, as Seija Kurunmäki decided that concrete action was needed to ensure a diverse and viable planet for future generations.Photo: City of Espoo

Activist Granny Seija Kurunmäki recognised her climate anxiety in 2008 while working on the issues of responsible and sustainable development in her own research and communications company. She started to follow the international debate on climate change, but it was the birth of her first grandchild in 2017 that officially kick-started the Activist Grannies movement. Kurunmäki thought about how she could ensure a good life for her grandchildren and realised that concrete actions and cooperation are needed to achieve the international climate goals.

In her blog post(external link, opens in a new window), she recounts how she went through a journey of awakening, anxiety and hope to become an Activist Granny – and finally, in 2019, she and 11 other founding Grannies wrote down the Activist Grannies’ values: hope, moderation and action. Since then, more than 6,000 people have joined the movement’s Facebook group, and there is also a great deal of active discussion on Twitter.

At the ‘Following the carbon footprint – towards a sustainable lifestyle!’ hybrid event on Wednesday 1 June at 17:00–18:30, Activist Granny Seija Kurunmäki will give a talk about her journey to becoming an Activist Granny, what concrete actions Activist Grannies have already achieved and what is still to come. Come and hear more at Lippulaiva Library or follow the event from the comfort of your own home here(external link, opens in a new window)! The recording of the event will be available until 15 June 2022.

Seija Kurunmäki is a Master of Science in Agriculture and Forestry and a food influencer. In 2019, she assembled a multiprofessional network of 12 founding grannies for the Activist Grannies movement, who created the Activist Grannies manifesto. The movement has mobilised thousands of grannies and granny-minded people to take action on climate and nature to ensure a liveable world for their grandchildren. You can find out more about Activist Grannies on their website(external link, opens in a new window).