Last modified 15.3.2011 at 13:23

Waste hero in the forest

Text: Susanna Siironen Photos: Milan Kolarovic

Ecological problems are like from the horror movie where mankind is on the verge of destruction. Luckily we have people who want to solve those problems. Czech Jakub Sapák studies waste management and wants to utilise his experiences in his work in the future. Love to travel brought him in the school in middle of the forest.

Jakub Sapak has three courses in Oulu UAS. Hopefully courses are not going to be this heavy for him.

24-year old Jakub Sapák became interested in the waste management at high school when they were talking about ecological problems.

– It was like from a horror movie, he laughs.

Jakub’s friend studied waste management and Jakub realised that it would be a proper degree programme for him, too. In Oulu he studies in the School of Renewable Natural Resources.

– I had my first lecture on Nature and Rural Tourism, which tells among other things about Finnish nature. Lecture was very interesting and it was nice to study in English. The group is small and everybody has the opportunity to take part in the discussion.

Passion for travelling

One reason why Jakub is now studying in Finland is his love for travelling.

– Every time I can I pack my things and travel away. Well, I do have also more ordinary hobbies like music and sports, he laughs.

When he started to find out the place where to go for an exchange, the first one on the list was France. Unfortunately co-operating with exchange school did not work out. Therefore Jakub check out the next place in the list which was Oulu.

– My brother was here for few days a couple of years ago and he showed me some pictures and told that Oulu is a nice city. From our school I heard that Oulu UAS is a good school, communication works and people here are nice. In France I have been several times so I was a little bit curious of Oulu. Everything was on Finland’s side so I decided to come here, Jakub tells.

In the forest

Jakub says that he has not noticed big differences in the school system in Finland compared to the Czech Republic.

– Biggest difference is that my school here in Oulu is almost in the forest. It is very nice, there is kind of its own atmosphere. My school in the Czech Republic is in the city centre. This is better, Jakub laughs.

Jakub tells that differences are found in everyday life. Recycling in Finland is a bit different than in Czech Republic.

– Your plastic recycling system is different from ours. You return plastic bottles to the stores and get some money back. We do not have that kind of a system. And in the Czech Republic we are just starting to recycle biowaste. Here you have biowaste containers in every house.

When I grow up I wanna...

Jakub considers ecological issues to be very important. He wishes that he could someday work with ecological problems like developing of the recycling system. Jakub thinks that his exchange will help him in his work in the future.

Jakub has also lived in England for awhile and knows how their system works. He thinks that it is important to see how things are handled in other countries.