Hiilijalanjälki, vihreä nationalismi ja suomalaisen metsän kansallisromanttinen kulttuuriperintö Helsingin Sanomien kirjoituksissa

Abstract

The forest has long been seen as an integral part of Finnish national identity. At the same time, there have emerged new argumentation in the media that rationalize the link between Finnish ”forest culture” with responsible environmental behavior in a national romantic and nationalistic way. This article discusses how the media intertwines the discourse on global warming and the carbon footprint banally around the discourse of nationalism, especially in the context of Finnish forest culture. The research material includes articles published in Helsingin Sanomat newspaper between 31 October 2018 and 31 January 2020. Using the analysis of newspaper material, the article illustrates how old myths about the Finnish forest are transferred to a new context, i.e. the theme of global climate responsibility, ending in an updated narration in where the age-old Finnishness is intertwined with modern Finnishness.