This blog is part of the “How to Change the World” podcast, where we look at practical ways to make the world more environmentally sustainable. The episodes are in Finnish, but you can read about each solution here in English.
Guest of the Episode
“If three different customers ask you in one day whether it’s really okay to sell Greenland halibut, you’re definitely going to think twice before putting it on the counter again.”
Matti Ovaska
Leading Fisheries Expert
WWF Finland
WWF’s Fish Guide is nearly 20 years old – a practical tool that helps people make more responsible choices when buying and eating fish. Although it was originally created for consumers, the guide eventually found its way onto the desks of major retailers and policymakers. The result? Endangered fish disappeared from store counters. So how did this happen?
→ Change begins with knowledge, and that knowledge needs to be accessible. The Fish Guide turns complex data into an easy-to-read traffic-light system that sorts fish into three categories based on their endangerment: Green – First Choice, Yellow – Second Choice, Red – Avoid.
→ Most people want to behave sustainably, but everyday life rarely offers the time or mental bandwidth to wrestle with complex issues. Clear and simple information can spark real change – sometimes even reshaping the environment itself so that unsustainable choices become difficult or unlikely.
→ Shifting consumer behavior toward sustainability isn’t necessarily complicated: design the environment to support better choices. A useful rule of thumb is the “four A’s”: when sustainable options are Accessible, Affordable, Appealing, and socially Acceptable, people are much more inclined to choose them. Read more in Finnish.
→ Change starts with individuals, but it must scale to influence systems. The Fish Guide reached people both at fish counters and in policymaking circles. When enough consumers questioned why red-listed fish were still sold, retailers began adjusting their selections to match the guide.
→ Changing the world requires strategy. The campaign’s ultimate aim was to strengthen conservation and improve legislation. As consumers raised questions in stores, retailers saw the guide’s practical value. Once retailers aligned with WWF’s recommendations, it became possible to influence fisheries management and legislation more effectively.
→ Act when the timing is right. Sustainable fishing was already a topic of interest among enthusiasts and recreational fishers. Momentum grew in the 2010s, when both the EU Common Fisheries Policy and Finnish legislation were being reformed. This created a window for advocacy to make a real impact.
The result: the environment – in this case, the fish counter – was redesigned so that consumers couldn’t make poor choices. Brilliant!
How to Change the World – Podcast
This podcast highlights real success stories of solutions that have advanced environmental sustainability. How was change achieved? What did it require? And what can these pioneers teach the rest of us?
The podcast is hosted by Annukka Valkeapää, Doctor of Social Sciences and Executive Director of the Compensate Foundation. Each episode features an expert who knows the success story inside and out. The podcast is funded by the RELEX Foundation.
The episodes are available in Finnish, but you can read blog posts about each solution also in English.