Karola and Henri, a couple living in Estonia, are taking a practical approach to sustainability. Their home, a 24-square-meter Tiny House, proves how small-scale living can minimise environmental impact while building a connection to nature, community, and personal values. This lifestyle shift is rooted in a deliberate departure from traditional consumerism. “The world can only change as much as we ourselves can change,” Henri reflects. By adopting regenerative agricultural practices and reevaluating their needs, Karola and Henri are creating a new and sustainable lifestyle.
You can learn more about their lives from Karola and Henri themselves in our 1.5° Lifestyles case video.
From Climate Activism to Practical Solutions
Before moving into their Tiny House, Karola and Henri were active in the global climate movement, engaging in actions for systemic change through Fridays for Future. Over time, they realised that protesting and fighting was not enough; they also wanted to create something new where they could implement their ideals into their own lives. Their new lifestyle focuses on reducing their ecological footprint, living minimally and addressing the systemic issues of climate change on a personal level.
How to handle this new life
Of course, living in a 24-square-meter-house is a big change and requires adaptations. The average residential space per person in Europe is 40-50 square meters, meaning that Karola and Henri are using only a quarter of the average persons’ living space. This way they significantly reduced their energy use and material consumption. The limited space has forced them to reconsider their material needs and prioritise essentials. However, the house itself presents some challenges. Accessing clean water, energy and functioning isolation has been a learning process and their specific tiny house tested their creativity and willpower, with some initial issues with the building company. “It was just like a fancy tent, basically.” laughs Karola. But despite these difficulties, the couple is happy about their choice. Especially the possibility to be constantly in nature encourages them: “As long as we can find ways to get along, it’s quite a bliss to live here.” says Henri.
Regenerative Agriculture and Green Commuting
In addition to their housing, Karola and Henri are committing to regenerative agriculture: They rent a part of their 11.5-hectare property and just started their own farm. Here they grow food using sustainable practices that improve soil health, capture carbon and increase biodiversity.
Karola, who works as a project manager at the Estonian Green Movement, n her day job helps others deal with the psychological impacts of the climate crisis and climate grief. To get to her office in Tartu (which is about 20 km from the tiny house) she mostly uses her bicycle and public transport.
Key Questions for Sustainable Living
Living in a Tiny House has caused Karola and Henri to critically evaluate their needs and priorities. They want to step away from traditional consumer habits and instead focus on values such as sustainability, connection, and personal growth. Developing their own path by asking questions such as “What are the things that truly bring happiness and meaning in our lives?”, “Are your actions truly meaningful, or are they simply driven by tradition?” and “How much personal space do you actually need?” have made them re-evaluate what they actually want in life versus what marketing and society push on people.
The value of community
After reflecting upon the big challenges of our society, for Karola living in a community is especially of great importance. And in fact, studies show that strong social relationships can add years to your life. A 2023 meta-analysis by UNSW Sydney revealed that frequent social interactions are linked to lower mortality rates and reduced risk of dementia. As she says, disconnection from people, from themselves and from other living beings on Earth and environment itself leads to one of the biggest problems of our time: the loss of meaning. For Karola and Henri, the connection to their friends and community, people that they share their core values with, and especially the connection to themselves are huge drivers for their wish to live 1.5° lifestyles. Knowing why they do things the way they do them, gives their actions a deeper meaning.
Implications for Sustainability
Karola and Henri’s lifestyle demonstrates a practical approach to sustainability. While not without its difficulties, their choices show how individuals can significantly reduce their environmental impact by making the choice to adapt to smaller living spaces, sustainable agriculture and active community participation. Their journey also points out the psychological and social dimensions of sustainability. From addressing climate anxiety to building meaningful relationships, their story shows that reducing one’s footprint is about more than environmental metrics – it’s about redefining what truly matters. This case study raises important questions: What do we need to live fulfilling lives? How can we align our personal choices with broader sustainability goals?
Karola and Henri are one of multiple case studies from our Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) which will be published soon.
To watch the full video please follow this link.
Ellinor Krämer & Halliki Kreinin - RIFS Potsdam
Sources:
https://shrinkthatfootprint.com/how-big-is-a-house/
Mahalingam, G., Samtani, S., Lam, B.C.P., et al. (2023). Social connections and risk of incident mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and mortality in 13 longitudinal cohort studies of ageing. Alzheimer's Dement. 19: 5114-5128. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13072
Source of pictures: Halliki Kreinin ©