Future in our hands: From Book to Movement
The Future in Our Hands began as a book by Erik Dammann, published in 1972. Just two years later, Dammann stood before a crowd of 3,000 people—packed onto chairs, floors, and staircases—in Nadderudhallen. His book had sent shockwaves through the country. In it, he challenged the relentless focus on economic growth and consumption, exposing the deep injustice of a global system where our material wealth comes at the expense of others.
The message struck a chord with many in Norway. The gathering at Nadderudhallen marked the founding of a movement named after the book: The Future in Our Hands (Framtiden i våre hender). What began as a grassroots initiative is today a non-profit organization with nearly 50,000 members and local chapters across the country. The organisation works to reduce overconsumption and global inequality through political advocacy,clear policy proposals, and hands-on projects that demonstrate how sustainable lifestyles are both possible and desirable.
Framtiden’s project-based work started in 2014, when the organisation Green Everyday (Grønn hverdag) became part of The Future in Our Hands. Green Everyday was a network that aimed to raise public awareness of sustainable development and engage people in practical environmental action. They focused on spreading accessible advice for making eco-friendly choices in daily life, eventually expanding to support municipalities, companies, and organizations in going green.
Today, project work is a core part of Framtiden, carried out by a dedicated team of 14 staff members. Their main focus areas are food and the circular economy. One of our flagship initiatives is Circular (Sirkulær)—a teaching programme designed for upper secondary schools. It consists of a hands-on workshop delivered at schools, followed by a video competition. In the workshop, we guide students from waste to solution and talk to action, showing them what the circular economy looks like in practice and why it is essential for protecting the planet’s limited resources. After the workshop, we encourage teachers to lead their students in developing and carry out a specific circular solution. Those who wish can document the process in a short video and enter it into our competition. This approach highlights the diversity of circular solutions while inspiring young people to live more sustainably. The programme is funded by regional county authorities in Norway, while we manage recruitment and implementation. Currently, five counties are involved.
