Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [89]
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THE SWEET STENCH OF SUCCESS
Take some slaughterhouse innards, add a splash of seized alcohol, mix them together with human waste and heat the lot to 70°C. Pour the slush into an anaerobic digester, allow 30 days of decomposition and presto: ecofriendly biogas. This cleaner, greener energy source is increasingly powering everything from Sweden’s buses, trucks and cars to the world’s first biogas train, running between Linköping and Västervik. Carbon neutral and renewable, its other benefit is that it’s locally produced.
One of the largest producers of biogas is SvenskBiogas, whose Linköping plant turns a whopping 50,000 tons of waste each year into fossil-free fuel. Tullverket (Swedish Customs) supplies most of the alcohol, which is seized from citizens re-entering the country with more than is permitted under the ‘personal use’ rule.
The good news for both SvenskBiogas and the environment is that the biogas market is booming. Vehicles running on alternative fuels made up about 20% of new car sales in Sweden last year and the figures are expected to soar. Enlightened local councils make ‘switching to green’ a tempting option: ecofriendlier cars are exempt from road tolls in Stockholm and enjoy free parking in most large Swedish cities.
In small-town Växjö, where biogas is produced at the local sewerage works, residents and businesses are entitled to subsidies to buy greener cars. The town’s main taxi company runs a hybrid biogas- and ethanol-run fleet, with its drivers put through an ‘eco-driving’ course to get them driving in more fuel-efficient ways. Not surprisingly, Växjö itself won a Sustainable Energy Europe Award in 2007 for its green ambitions, which includes slashing carbon dioxide emissions per capita by 70% by 2025. Impressively, over 50% of Växjö’s total energy is currently derived from renewable sources.
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Quality Hotel Ekoxen (25 26 00; www.ekoxen.se; Klostergatan 68; s Skr1295-1495, discounted to Skr795-1095, d Skr71495-1695, discounted to Skr760-1295; ) The large Ekoxen has stylish, modern, newly renovated rooms. There’s a spa and massage centre (including flotation tanks) and an acclaimed restaurant.
Eating & Drinking
Most places to eat (and drink) are found around the main square or nearby streets, especially along buzzing Ågatan.
BK (10 01 11; Ågatan 47; tapas around Skr35, mains Skr145-249) Particularly heaving on Friday nights, BK peddles exotic tapas and mod mains like grilled elderflower-cured salmon with dill polenta and blanched summer vegetables. Food aside, BK is a winner with thirsty locals.
Barista (10 10 90; Tanneforsgatan 11; sandwiches Skr56-72; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat, 11am-4pm Sun) This hip cafe chain (attached to the equally hip store DesignTorget) peddles decent fair-trade coffee and other trendy perishables like chai tea, organic focaccias and pick-me-up chocolate bars under fashionable low-slung lamps.
Stångs Magasin (31 21 00; Södra Stånggatan 1; lunch around Skr90, mains Skr245-295; lunch Mon-Fri, from 6pm Mon-Fri & from 4pm Sat Sep-Jun, from 2.30pm Tue-Sat Jul & Aug) In a 200-year-old warehouse down near the Kinda Canal docks, this elegant award-winner fuses classic Swedish cuisine with continental influences – think glazed duck breast with almond potato puree and artichoke ragout in a wine balsamic sauce. The lunch buffet is good value.
Kikkobar (13 13 10; Klostergatan 26; mains Skr135-280) Head here for Zen designer details with Japanese classics like tempura, spicier Southeast Asian numbers like tom yum soup, and the odd Western staple.
Riva (12 95 15; Ågatan 43; mains Skr149-256; from 5pm Tue-Fri, from 6pm Sat) Trendy Riva serves Italian-with-twist bistro grub like buttered taglierini pasta with chilli-sautéed scampi, prawns, mussels, shallots, white wine, cherry- and sun-dried tomatoes.
The Hemköp supermarket on Storgatan