In 1986 Uppsala borough council passed a decision to declare a parish within the borough a 'special ecological area'. It would act as a pilot and research area for more environmentally conscious activities.
Several parishes competed for the honour, and in the end two were selected. Their biggest single investment so far has been 5.5 million Swedish kronor (over L550,000) for a large composting plant.
SISU, Svenska Institutet for Sociala Uppfinningar, the Now House, Peter Myndes Backe 12, 5 tr, S-118 46, Stockholm, Sweden (tel 46 8 772 4587; fax 46 8 422 641).