JHL and Taimiteko (Seedling Action) promote climate protection and youth employment

This summer, Trade Union JHL is again participating in 4H organisation’s Taimiteko – Seedling Action together with central organisation SAK’s member unions. Thanks to the cooperation, young people can have an interesting summer job that also enables them to do good. Furthermore, this helps the environment!

The 4H organisation’s Taimiteko – Seedling Action involves carrying out concrete work – planting seedlings – to compensate for carbon dioxide emissions and curb climate change.

20 million trees!

The goal with Taimiteko is to plant 20 million trees (20,000 hectares new forest) by the end of the decade.  Carbon sinks are added by planting seedlings in areas which have not been in active forestry or farming use in decades.

Last year,  Taimiteko won the annual sustainability act competition. For young people, Taimiteko is a good springboard to working life. Especially for young people under 18, planting seedlings may be the first summer job for which they get performance-based pay in accordance with the collective agreement.

This summer’s planting work has started in SAK’s forest in Kuortane.

SAK’s forest is located in Kuortane, a municipality in Southern Ostrobothnia. The land was previously used for peat extraction. Summer employees will plant nearly 10,000 seedlings there. Approximately five hectares of new forest is growing in the area.

What is Taimiteko – Seedling Action?
• Through Taimiteko, new carbon sinks are planted in Finland and young people get work experience when they plant seedlings
• Carbon sinks are added by planting seedlings in areas which have no longer been in active forestry or farming use in decades
• Individuals, companies and communities can take part in Taimiteko and compensate for their carbon footprint
• The goal with Taimiteko is to plant 10,000 hectares of new forest (20 million trees) by 2030

This year, the following SAK unions in addition to JHL are involved in Seedling Action: Transport Workers’ Union AKT, Paperworkers’ Union, the Finnish Construction Trade Union, Railway Union, Finnish Food Workers’ Union, Finnish Seafarers´ Union FSU and Industrial Union.