An Ode to Sweden: From its Viking Runes & Ragnarok Roots to Today’s Recycling-Conscious Royals & Retailers

It’s been 1025 years since my outlaw ancestor, Prince Styrbjorn the Strong of Sweden, the Viking ruler of Jomsborg on the Isle of Wolin in Poland and brother-in-law and ally of King Svein Forkbeard of Denmark (and briefly England) – was killed by his uncle, King Eric the Victorious, (my one other notable Swedish ancestor) at the Battle of Fyrisval on Nov. 1, 985 near Uppsala, Sweden.  A firm believer in “Ragnarok” – the Norse prophesy that the ‘final great battle’, the ‘end of the world’, and the ‘destruction of the gods’ would ultimately result in a cataclysmic series of natural disasters submerging all of the earth’s known landmarks into the sea — Prince Styrbjorn illustrates not only the Viking’s world view of great storytelling symbolism but the Viking’s remarkable insight into their own eco-surroundings i.e. the brilliant use of polarizing sunstone crystals to navigate the high seas on cloud-covered days long before compasses reached Europe, the release of ravens (one of the 10 most intelligent animals in the world) after setting sail and losing sight of land, and the harnessing of seaweed, seafloor mud samples, and the North Star to estimate their location.  Perhaps more telling is the fact that the heyday of the Viking period – and “Ragnarok” itself – coincided with what scientists now call the “Medieval Warming Period” – the years between 800 and 1300 A.D.

Ironically, one thousand years later, the earth is now undergoing another global warming trend.  Indeed, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) of the Arctic Council has recently revised its forecasts and has now projected that the melting of arctic glaciers, ice caps, and Greenland’s massive ice sheet will raise sea levels by 35 to 63 inches by the year 2100.  Together with the ever-increasing prices in oil production, Sweden’s policy-makers have now committed themselves to ending the use of fossil fuels by 2020.  Already 28% of Sweden’s energy is renewable and eco-friendly.  But this is not the only reason why Sweden today is considered by many to be the “greenest country in the world” nor is their stunning aspirational drive toward an eco-efficient economy some recent reactionary proclamation by Swedish government officials. Rather there is something deep within the Swedish psyche, the Swedish culture itself, and in their love of nature that has persisted over the past millennium from their earliest Viking days – an unspoken notion that Swedes are somehow the sustainable guardians of the earth’s resources, not only the green care-takers of their planet but the innovative house-keepers of their planet.

One can particularly see it in their world renowned recycling projects – from recycling everyday newspapers to plastic packaging – and in their 3500 environmental technology companies — companies like three year old ‘Minesto’ in Gothenburg and its newly designed underwater kites that capture the energy in falling and rising tides and ocean currents and in 97 year old ‘Electrolux AB’ of Stockholm Sweden, the world’s second largest home appliance manufacturer and inventor of five novelty green vacuum cleaners made of recycled plastics found in the world’s seas and oceans.

One can also see Sweden’s eco-innovativeness in both its ancient textile traditions and up and coming eco-fashionistas – companies like ‘Ekelund Weavers’ – Master Weavers since 1692 and purveyors to the Swedish Royals for over a hundred years, noted for its organically grown fibers, naturally colored cotton, and eco-manufacturing processes that comply with the requirements of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation — and in young, hip companies like ‘Swedish Hasbeens’ of Stockholm,  eco-designers of handmade shoes made of natural grain leather and rubber and “Swedish alder wood and lime-tree that has been harvested and grown according to the regulations of the ‘Preservation of the Forests’.”

Closer to home here in America, Swedish entrepreneurs are now brandishing their eco-uniqueness with elegantly made “New Nordic Cuisine” and recycled “Gilded Lace” jewelry – in restaurateurs like ‘Smorgas Chef Restaurant’ in New York City whose devotion to serving fresh and flavorful food and managing their own food resources has now culminated in a newly acquired 150 acre eco-farm in the Catskills  — and in Monika Knutsson’s collection of fine art jewelry  – whose inspiration comes from the flea markets of Paris, Berlin, and New York and the early 20^th century pieces she finds and dips into sterling silver or 24k gold.

And of course, there is the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce here in New York – whose active support and recognition of green businesses both here and in Sweden and its sponsorship of this year’s 4^th Annual Green Summit and the Pre-Conference  Gala Dinner on Nov. 1st – will allow me to hear for the first time, the eco-introduction from none other than H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden – a graceful proponent of recycling efforts and clean water and energy initiatives – the heiress-apparent to the Swedish throne – and proudly I might add – a royal eco-reminder of my long lost Swedish heritage – in the  way of my 35^th cousin – and 1026 years to the day since my 36th great-grandfather, Prince Styrbjorn Starke of Sweden met his fate at The Battle of  Fyrisval. Little did he realize the final ending of the Ragnarok prophesy  – that the earth would resurface again – be renewed and fertile and that Sweden would  take its rightful place as the world’s eco-sentinel.