Turun suomalainen yhteiskoulu (TSYK) Upper Secondary School challenges schools in particular to eat the Baltic Sea clean on Baltic Sea Day 27 August 2020. The challenge was born out of the desire to work even harder for the wellbeing of the Baltic Sea and the Archipelago Sea.

The Let’s eat the Baltic Sea clean! challenge is targeted particularly to schools and upper secondary education institutions. Businesses and communities are also encouraged to take part in the challenge for instance by offering local fish for lunch. One of the objectives of the challenge is to increase awareness of the role local fish plays in the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, at the same demonstrating the impact of eating local fish.

- All schools that register for the challenge will be placed on a map and we will monitor how many kilos of phosphorus the students help reduce from our waters during one day by eating fish, says coordinator of the challenge Nina Brander from TSYK Upper Secondary School.

On Baltic Sea Day, all schools and day care centres are encouraged to engage in phenomenon-based learning in addition to eating fish. Examples of tasks that can be utilised in teaching can be found on the website of the Let’s eat the Baltic Sea clean! challenge.

- We encourage open conversation about the challenge with student associations, teachers, principals and chefs so that everyone can find a suitable way for their school to participate. At the moment, over 20 schools have registered for the challenge. We hope to get many enthusiastic schools from the entire Baltic Sea drainage area involved, Brander states.

The Let’s eat the Baltic Sea clean! challenge and the City of Turku as a pioneer of sustainable development

TSYK Upper Secondary School has been involved in the Baltic Sea Challenge already for 12 years. The Let’s eat the Baltic Sea clean! challenge was born out of the desire to work even harder for the wellbeing of the Baltic Sea and the Archipelago Sea. The challenge is in line with the environmental strategy of the City of Turku, as Turku is a pioneer of sustainable development and aims at being carbon neutral by 2029.

- On Baltic Sea Day, schools in Turku offer Baltic herring patties as one meal option. Eating local fish reduces eutrophication in the Baltic Sea by reducing phosphorus in the sea. In addition, eating local fish supports local entrepreneurs and fishermen, Brander adds.