Of the over 200 participating countries in the Shanghai World Expo, few embodies the Expo’s theme “better city, better life” quite as well as the Swedes.

In a country where recycling is second nature and children are taught to separate milk cartoons from plastic bottles before they are even out of their nappies, it comes as no surprise that the entire 3 000 square meters of metal and wood that make up the Swedish pavilion is 100 percent recyclable.

The pavilion is built around the theme “spirit of innovation” and showcases the Swede’s quite impressive collection of innovations they’ve racked up over the years. For instance, did you know that the Swedes are responsible for the safety match, the adjustable wrench, the boat propeller, ball bearings,Volvo, H&M, hot blonds with blue eyes, affordable furniture and ABBA? And the list goes on and on. The question is, what would the world be like without the Swedes? I shudder to think…

While standing in the pavilion looking around at all these innovations, I couldn’t help but wonder: what’s the secret? how come a small country like Sweden with a very modest population of only 9 million, can come up with so many important innovations? And then I look up, and the answer is staring me right in the face; Hanging upside down from the ceiling are tables and sofas (IKEA of course). “They represent the idea of daring to interpret reality in unconventional ways”, our guide tells us. It all comes down to thinking outside box — which is also why the creative Nordics are about to send an entire red painted house to the moon. Yeah, that’s right, they are sending a house to the moon.

The Swedish creativity is not only used for sending buildings to space and set things safely on fire, though. It’s also about sustainable living and improving the environment. The exhibition shows several different examples of how they country has taken former wastelands and transformed them into hip green neighborhoods, and how they have changed polluted rivers to clean streams where you can do both swimming and fishing without growing turning green and developing third eye in your forehead.

The Swedes seem to be on the right path and really set a good example for the rest of us to follow.

If you want to know more about the pavilion go here to take a virtual tour. For the Spanish version and more pictures go to Espacio Blanco

Thanks to Maria Warren for arranging a tour for us
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UPDATE: The lovely Maria Warren wrote about me and this post at the Shanghai Expo Swedish Site. You can check out the post here and If you want to know more about what´s going on at the Swedish pavilion visit http://www.swedenexpo.cn/en/