The Habiteum, where we spent the second half of our day, is a workshop for “the quality of life” that addresses the relationship between the environment and public health. The environmental workshop is Helsingborg's investment in supporting schools' environmental education. Habiteum derives from the words habitat which emphasizes the natural world, and habit which stands for lifestyle. The ending “-eum” stands for “creative space, places of curiosity, exploration, and learning.” The environmental workshop's teaching enhances children’s ability to take personal responsibility for Sustainable Development. Through dialogue with the students, they develop insights and understanding of how nature and society work together. The students' thoughts are expressed through creative activities, among other things in exhibitions in public places. In this way, respect for the students' opinions is shown. They work with an outdoor educational method, meaning that the students use all their senses so that they get personal and concrete experiences. Facts and students' own experiences are linked to the outdoor teaching method. The hand, the heart, and the brain work together and make the students motivated and learn.

We met with Therese Olofson, Head of the Environment and Lifestyle Unit, Tony Fagerberg and their colleagues. Their perspective on outdoor education had a focus on sustainable development. We discussed how our activities related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To address the UN’s sustainable development goals, the Habiteum holds environmental-related workshops. We walked through some of these activities, starting with forest bathing. The sounds of the birds and leaves, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the branches, and the fresh, clean air all give us a sense of comfort. They ease our stress and worry, help us to relax and to think more clearly with a boost of energy and vitality. Being in nature is a therapy, which refreshes and rejuvenates us. We walked along their forest and hugged their trees, which seemed to invite us in with open arms and gathered back together and shared our knowledge and our experiences, as it’s important to both share and listen to each other. Later on the day, we ended our afternoon with fika, a Swedish tradition that’s more than a coffee break; it’s a space together that fosters a sense of community, calmness, and fuel for the rest of the day. We learned how to make our own fires, gathered sticks, wrapped cinnamon rolls we made around them, and ate together around a bonfire. The goal is that some of these activities work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as, for example, good health, quality education, and protecting the planet.

Sustainable development is a way of organizing society so that it can exist in the long term. This means taking into account both the imperatives present and those of the future, such as the preservation of the environment and natural resources or social and economic equity. Visiting these areas gave us insight into the core ideas behind and methods between outdoor education and sustainability. As societies grow increasingly urbanized it’s critical that inner-city neighborhoods have access to green spaces. Research shows that green spaces have a calming effect and can reduce violence, thus, it’s important to see not just how natural spaces work, but how outdoor education fits into the urban context. Not everyone is lucky enough to easily access green spaces, nor is it an easy process, but it should be a priority. We thank our tour guides and educators, who used their position to drive this change and believe in the power of outdoor education.