SPECIAL EPISODE // COB SustainabilityDay Interactive Panel Discussion: From Responsibility to Possibility
This is a special episode of the Colours of Being Podcast, recorded at the Colours of Being SustainabilityDay on the 18th of April, here in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Read our public message to the Mayor of Gothenburg and the uncomfortable questions we can all ask ourselves below.
Our interactive panel discussion explored sustainability as more than an environmental issue — it is also social, psychological, and systemic.
Through discussions on food, corporations, consumer culture, and community, we reflected on how modern life has disconnected people from nature, local systems, and the consequences of their actions. We talked about different aspects including the dangers of endless growth, the importance of transparency and local resilience, the role of privilege and responsibility, and the need for community-driven action.
The conversation ends on a hopeful note that meaningful change starts with reconnecting to ourselves, each other, and the systems we shape together.
Key Notes
* Sustainability is both environmental and social.
* Uncomfortable Questions....Everyone thinks about.
* Message to the Mayor of Gothenburg.
* Humans struggle to understand the scale of consumption and waste.
* Responsibility is shared, and represents possibility
A message to the mayor of Gothenburg
Dear Mayor of Gothenburg,
We are writing on behalf of a group of Gothenburg residents who gathered recently for an open community conversation about sustainability — what it means in our everyday lives, and what we believe our city and people genuinely need to become truly sustainable.
The discussion brought together people with a shared sense that sustainability is not an abstract concept for conferences and reports — it is something that shapes our daily lives here in Gothenburg, and something we all have a stake in.
From that conversation, five concrete needs emerged that we would like to bring to your attention and invite an open dialogue about:
1. Greater transparency in supply chains and business practices. Many of us feel disconnected from where our food and goods come from, and how economic value is distributed along the way. Clearer, more accessible information would help residents make informed choices and hold suppliers accountable.
2. Sustainability-linked tax policy. The recent reduction of food VAT from 12% to 6% was welcomed in principle, but felt like a missed opportunity. There was strong feeling in the room that such a measure should have been tied to local, ecological, or seasonal food — not applied equally to multinational brands and Swedish produce alike. We urge the city to advocate for tax tools that actively reward sustainable choices.
3. Affordable spaces for small entrepreneurs and community initiatives within sustainability. The lack of accessible, affordable property as the single biggest barrier to building a more diverse and locally rooted economy in Gothenburg. And there are a lot of unused public and private commercial properties in town at the same time. Easy accessto city-owned spaces for small businesses, cooperatives, and community projects would make an enormous difference and send a clear message that Gothenburg celebrates sustainability and local entrepreneurship.
4. Reducing monopolies in the local economy. Several participants noted how difficult it is to participate in Gothenburg’s economy outside of large corporations — as a consumer, a business owner, or a community organiser. We would like to see the city actively create conditions that level the playing field for smaller actors.
5. Increased support for small local food producers. Specifically, easing labour taxes such as arbetsgivaravgift for small farms and local food producers would strengthen Gothenburg’s food resilience, support livelihoods, and reduce our dependence on distant supply chains — something that has become increasingly urgent.
We share these not as complaints, but as an expression of care for this city and ourselves, and belief in our collective potential. Gothenburg has a long tradition of creativity, craftsmanship, and community. We believe that with the right policy conditions, that spirit can be channelled toward a more just and sustainable future.
Thank you for your time and attention.
With respect,
Residents of Gothenburg
Uncomfortable and important questions that came up in the panel talk:
* How are our actions benefitting us AND how are they affecting others ?
* How happy are you after becoming a wealthy millionaire/ billionaire ? Are you happier than you were 20 years ago ?
* What if we stop mass producing more cars ? How many cars are enough?
* Do you understand how the batteries of your new electric car are made ? And by whom ?
* Why is an hour of work by a CEO worth more than that of the average employee ?
Get in contact with the speakers
Prithvesh Ashok [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prithivesh-ashok/]
Corina Akner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/corina-akner/]
Devansh Mehta [https://www.linkedin.com/in/devanshm/]
Swan Hering [https://www.linkedin.com/in/swantjehering/]
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