Last Week in Denmark

Denmark’s Week of Cuts: Coal Use, Power Taxes & Book VAT: LWID S4E3

• Season 4 • Episode 3

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This week on Last Week in Denmark, Katie and Kalpita — both internationals living in Denmark — discuss a wave of cuts making headlines. Denmark has gone three months coal-free, the government is proposing a major power tax cut, and book VAT may finally be reduced. Are these real steps forward, or just election-season promises?

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(00:00) This week's topics

(02:01) Denmark's 3 months coal free win

(11:36) Power tax cuts in Denmark

(20:40) Book VAT reduction in Denmark 

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Katie

Welcome to the Last Week in Denmark podcast. Each week, two of our community members talk through Danish news, stories, and developments and how they impact internationals living here. If you're an international living in Denmark or thinking of moving here, or maybe a Danish person looking for a different perspective, you'll want to check out many of these episodes. We've got three full seasons ready for you to explore and new episodes every week during season four. I'm Katie, and I'm here with Kalpita this week. The topics we're going to cover are: power tax cut promises big savings - relief or election bait, book VAT to be scrapped - culture boost or costly gamble, and Denmark runs three months coal free - milestone or risky dependence on wind. Before we get going though, we'd like to ask one thing. If what we're talking about resonates with you, please screenshot this episode and share it on social media. We're here to help internationals in Denmark stay informed and feel connected. Thank you for helping us reach more people like you. Enjoy. Hello, welcome to episode three of season four of the Last Week in Denmark podcast. This is Katie and I'm here with the wonderful Kalpita. How are you doing?


Kalpita

Hello. Hello. Very excited, probably because I'm also nervous of all the amazing topics we're going to talk about. There's so much info that I need to be sure of.


Katie

Yes. Well, we have three good news topics today, which I think indicates that election season is looming. So we're gonna have fun on this, our first episode together in season four. Great to see you and hear you again. So today we're going to be talking about. Denmark has hit a momentous milestone. It has run for three months with no coal, cuts in power tax promising big savings and tax on books being removed. Book clubs, rejoice. First things first. Yes, I know. So first, let's start with this huge milestone. Denmark has run three months coal free and it's basically the, I'm not going to try and pronounce it, but a coal boiler was shut down in May and the country's energy supply has managed without coal for the first time since the 1800s for a full three months. So obviously this shift was helped by the summer heat and the kind of, I suppose the country working towards decreasing our dependency on coal over time by using more sustainable methods like wind energy and hydro energy and perhaps some kind of energy from the moon somewhere in a backfield in Denmark. But it's really paying off because we've gone a full three months with no coal whatsoever. I feel very excited about this. Not knowing a lot about the energy industry. How does it make you feel?


Kalpita

I don't know really, I'm really on the fence of this whole sustainability conversation. Right. I come from India so we do rely a lot on coal and controversially on Russian coal as well. So coal free, yay great for emissions. But also when we, when we move to other types of energy resources, especially wind and now we're trying to harness seawater energy through seawater and what was the other thing with seawater pumps and wave turbines, which is essentially hydro energy although the tech is still young. But it's also something that we are trying to find how we can use it to make it more sustainable. So I'm, I'm really here for sustainability where it's, it's taking us to a better planet but at the same time it's, it's like a paradox, you know, because you're using E vehicles and you're using so much energy to fuel all these data centers, your Internet, blah blah blah. All of that requires special materials which you also need to harvest from the earth. So if you're not doing coal then you're using some other type of special material which is sort of like, you know, you're substituting one with the other and not really getting anywhere with that. Although I understand that there is this big target we have from the 2020 agreement to reduce emissions by 70% by 2030. It's ambitious, but Denmark seems to be very close to achieving that ambition. Having said that, it is fairly easy and achievable for a small city like sorry country like Denmark. It's because I think of China and India, and the US for that matter which like big, big big countries and are struggling to meet their sustainability goals or carbon emission goals for that matter. So it's, it will be an interesting next step to, to see how we get into wind energy and go full hundred percent only wind energy and remain coal free. I mean three months is also like a big, big historic feat to achieve. We have been a coal country for many years, especially since our industry grew. We've fueled factories, ships, we are a big shipping country and district heating which is primarily a coal fueled thing as well. So today coal is old world and what we're getting into is hopefully the new and sustainable, long-term sustainable world. In terms of energy in Denmark and, and the whole of Europe considerably.


Katie

I think what I, without knowing much about the energy sector and how things have progressed, I just feel like sustainable energy is something we've talked about for so long, and I feel like we've had a little win over here. There's been talk of, like, wind farms being good and bad. What are, what are, like the positives and the negatives? So to have a story like this where it's like, oh, no, we've actually moved away from it for the last three months, and nobody noticed a difference.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Katie

Obviously, we're in summer, and it has been pretty warm in Denmark, contrary to popular belief. So. Okay. It's not like we made ourselves through or made our way through the snowiest winter that we've ever had, but at the same time, it just feels like, oh, okay. And I feel like this is kind of the privilege I feel a lot in Denmark is, oh, we're actually doing something quite significant here. And that I, that makes me feel good even though I didn't do anything.


Kalpita

Yeah, sorry. That's also the beauty of being in Denmark. Right. There are so many things that are happening around us that we do not realize. Like you said, we didn't even realize that we shut down coal for the past three months, even if we were in the, in the summer period. Right. I mean, we're using coal for other, for fueling other things as well. So it's not just the heating. We will probably feel that in the, in the winter time, you know. But then again, winter time comes with its own challenges and with its own benefits as well. Like, there have been changes in, I think it was early summer or late spring, when we had these electricians come in and change all our electric insulation because they were almost 100 years old. And they're doing that across Denmark to make energy more and more efficient. So it's not necessarily that the bills come down, but then your, the possibility of your apartment catching on fire just because you have paper insulation has been reduced considerably just because of that change. And that's slowly and gradually happening in every household. I don't know if any of our listeners have a visit from the electricians, but we did, and we had this huge campaign, annoying huge campaign for a whole week in our apartment where there were people coming in and out and banging and all kinds of stuff. But then at least we're not going to be in a fire anytime soon.


Katie

That is worth it for the fire. The lifetime of fires that could happen.


Kalpita

Exactly. But these things like these small, quiet changes, these quiet improvements, is what makes it absolutely incredible to be part of a country that is Denmark.


Katie

Yeah, absolutely. And then as well, kind of seeing that, you know, this could have been a publicity stunt. Like they easily could have been like, yeah, oh my God, Denmark's so good, look what we're doing. But then actually, when you look into the information, it is: many coal plants in Odense, Aarhus, and Esbjerg have been retired recently. So there is this ongoing campaign to shut down, I think, by 2028, the coal plants. So, like, well on our way to getting to that fully sustainable, is it? No. Reduce carbon emissions by 2030. Is that the goal?


Kalpita

Yeah. 70%, yes.


Katie

It's a very high number. But it's again, kind of coming from a country where I feel like we have these goals and they're such a big deal and we have to learn about them in school. Like in Ireland, they'll be like, these are the EU goals that we have to hit. It's very important. And then two years before the goal, they're like, we are not anywhere near these goals. We should really think, maybe we'll change them. So it's nice to be in a country where it's like, there's very specific steps happening and they're not being loud and proud about it. But then they're like, oh, really cool milestone.


Kalpita

Yeah. Typical Danish.


Katie

Right.


Kalpita

We're probably the best. But then this is. This is significant for a town or city called Aalborg in Denmark because it has been the last big coal-using using, I don't know, town/city. And it has been in the front line of Denmark's green shift for these reasons. So it will eventually, at least by 2030, if not immediately, affect jobs, consequently, local economy, obviously, because it's heavily tied to heavy industry in Aalborg and the transition from green, green cement, for example, or alternative fuel consumption will also affect the city considerably compared to all other cities in Denmark. And maybe it's not all that quiet for Aalborg. And obviously there will be an economical shift from, from a really nice, quaint city to almost like the champion of climate change from a Denmark perspective. So Aalborg will be like the ambassador, the poster child for green transition.


Katie

That's kind of nice.


Kalpita

Yeah. Good for Aalborg.


Katie

I don't know what else there is, yeah. I mean, the zoo is fun, they have a lot of capybaras. But other than that, I don't know many things about Aalborg. So it'd be nice to be like, everyone's going to visit. No one knows how to say it.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Fionn

Did you know that the Last Week in Denmark newsletter is available in eight languages? Hey there, this is Fionn from the Last Week in Denmark podcast. And every week you guys are tuning in to hear me and my fellow cohosts talk about the top news of the week in English. But let's be real, we're all internationals. So not only are you speaking English every day, probably also speaking a bit of Danish, but you've probably also got your own native language as well, like the multilingual master you are. So why not treat yourself to the luxury of being able to read Danish news each week in your own native language? So head on over to lastweekdk.substack.com that's lastweekdk.substack.com and sign up for our newsletter, delivered to you every single Sunday.


Katie

Anyway, moving swiftly on to the second topic, which is related. So this is a power tax cut promising big savings has been proposed by the government. So this is great because... money? Why not? And so the government plans to basically almost remove tax on electricity in 2026 and 2027. So that's bringing down the tax per kilowatt to the EU minimum. So, which is going to be great. And savings are estimated for a typical family to be about 4,000 kroner per year, which is lovely and obviously somewhat related to this idea of reducing or choosing the different power sources and where is this power coming from and what are the costs associated and encouraging those more sustainable energy sources. But I also imagine there's a big component of kind of pushing everybody to get electric cars. And then I think as well, a big reason for this is there is a huge cost of living kind of thing going on in Denmark, where our food is 19% higher than the average for all 27 EU countries. Only in Luxembourg is it more expensive, which I would guess Switzerland personally. But several foods such as bread, cereals and fish are way more expensive in Denmark than in the rest of Europe. And the Prime Minister said there's no easy fix for that. So we're trying to find ways to get more money in other people's hands. What are your feelings beyond the free money thought?


Kalpita

Wow, I was getting excited that I'll have some more money in my pocket, but that didn't sound like it would. But then again, it's the same thing, right? You try to do something right, then there's something else that also needs to be compromised over. But then talking of replacing energy to more sustainable sources, we spoke about seawater heat pumps, which is basically massive installations turning seawater into heating for the entire neighborhood, for example. So anyone who's living close to the coast probably gets it even cheaper than people like in Copenhagen, who more or less don't have a coast. Or then the surplus heat that we will probably try to recover waste heat from industries, data centers and even, even supermarkets, which will be great because then hopefully that contributes in cheaper goods from supermarkets. But also we are investing in a big data center right now. We have this big supercomputer going on. We also have companies like Novo establishing industry in, in a town or a village, I forget what name where it was exactly, but they're doing that as well. So it's great that they're there. Then we get to use their surplus heat energy and make the best of that. Having said that, that means that we are increasingly building a dependency on wind. So for whatever reason, we have a calm winter, say weeks after weeks, then that raises the risk of shortages and also likely expensive imports because of the winds. And fun fact, which Fionn, our other cohost, told me is that the wind actually keeps pollution low in Denmark. Who knew?


Katie

I think that makes sense. 


Kalpita

Yeah. 


Katie

Yeah, that's, I never thought about it, but that makes perfect sense. Yeah, because it's moving it.


Kalpita

Yeah. I mean, so, so even when we complain that it's bloody windy, it is so good to have wind.


Katie

It's very windy though.


Kalpita

Yeah, but I mean, less pollution and, and almost free cheap energy, which we need. Who's going to, I mean, how are you going to scroll on your phone if you don't have energy? Think about that.


Katie

That's true. That's really important. There's a lot of cute dog videos I need to watch.


Kalpita

Exactly. And then you can learn random facts of harnessing wind energy from the moon, which is apparently possible. You know, there seems to be a project going on for that. Yeah.


Katie

What? That's, I do love the projects on the moon. I did see someone, somewhere online you could buy land on the moon, so you could buy an acre on the moon. And I was just a bit like, who is, who is keeping track of all these acres? I don't believe this is a real thing.


Kalpita

I mean, you, you can. Yeah, you can. And some countries allow that. You can also buy a star or a constellation.


Katie

But if I can't take it home with me, what's the point?


Kalpita

No, I mean, it's just a piece of paper really. And when you're dead, and when you're dead, which you probably will at some point, then you, you don't have the ownership of that.


Katie

Have you not been informed of this?  Was that a threat? Jesus.


Kalpita

But then you will forfeit your ownership, right? Because you, you only have the ownership until you're alive, sort of.


Katie

Hmm, I didn't check the terms and conditions. 


Kalpita

So that ownership, yeah, it's sort of fragile to have that ownership. But the latest on social media with, with, with space. With space, is this incredible, I promise you, incredible video that NASA has released of the stars and the stars, basically from Mars. It is insane. It's like just glitter all over. It's absolutely incredible. So if you get a chance, you should definitely catch that video.


Katie

I will. Okay.


Kalpita

In fact, there is a book, if you, if you or our listeners are interested, you should take a listen or a read of a book called 'A City on Mars'. And it talks about all of these things. What are the laws? If we can actually have a city on Mars, if you can have a city in, on the moon, how far are we from moving into space as a civilization? How will we survive there? What kind of ownership we can have? What are the laws? What are the geopolitical laws? And it's very, very interesting.


Katie

That's fascinating. I love, I love that there's already a history to the moon. I always. But whenever they're like, oh, okay, you know, moving to Mars is imminent. I'm not going to space. I hate space. It's scary. I'm staying right here. I will rot with the planet.


Kalpita

I mean, it's probably not happening in the next five, six generations because the science is not there yet.


Katie

Yeah, but then you get a crazy person doing a TED Talk who's like, I'm going to Mars and I'm not coming back. And you're like, oh, that sounds terrible, why would you do tha?.


Kalpita

Yeah. Or you have an insanely rich person saying, we really need to do it and the need is now so he can fill his pockets and everybody can take him seriously. But it's, it could be made possible in the long run. It's just not possible right away. The science is not there. I mean, they're living in spaceships. Do you want to live the rest of your life in spaceships? How are you going to reproduce? How are you going to stay healthy? What if you run out of supply? Basic amenities.


Katie

I was listening to like, it was kind of like, it must have been like on a podcast where they were talking about the struggles that come with going to the bathroom on the spaceship because of anti-gravity. And now they've had like, they've tried a number of different things and they find it really, really hard to just not make a mess every time they need to go to the bathroom.


Kalpita

Exactly.


Katie

And then they're eating like that horrible freeze-dried food and you're like, that can't be good for your diet. No. That alone, I think, is a good enough reason to stay down here. Where we have toilets.


Kalpita

Exactly. And, and running water and you can lie down, rest your back. In space you're floating. So imagine you never get, you never catch a rest in space. You're just always floating. Even if you're sleeping, you're still sort of floating. Yeah.


Katie

They must have to strap themselves to stuff so they don't float around and hit a load of buttons.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Katie

Terrible, terrible business. Anyway.


Kalpita

And I mean, lastly, just. Sorry, just a food for thought. They are literally surviving because they have connection to Earth. Right. They can communicate with somebody who's sitting on Earth and help them with anything. That you probably will not be able to do if you really wanted to move into space, irrespective of whether you want an apartment on Mars or, or a bungalow on the moon. So that's also something to think about. And then you don't have surplus heat, or you don't have seawater heat pumps. That's going to give you energy in there.


Katie

That's true. All of our hard work on sustainable energy sources would be ruined because we'd have to go and learn about the new energy on these, like what are the materials available? And then we'd probably ruin that planet too.


Kalpita

Exactly. Which is, I mean, the most dangerous animal, aren't we?


Katie

Yeah. New creative ways to make things terrible sometimes. But we're also very fun and we wrote lots of really good books. Which is the segue I will use into our final topic of the podcast, which is that book VAT is going to be scrapped. So I didn't know, but I'm not surprised that Denmark currently has one of the highest taxes on books in the world at 25% tax. And this may soon disappear as the government proposes zero VAT in its new budget. Coming from Ireland, which already has zero VAT on books, that would be very, very exciting. I don't buy books in this country unless they're for my partner, because they're in Danish. We wait to go to Ireland and buy a heinous amount of books. We bought 21 books on my last trip and they were very, very heavy.


Kalpita

Wow.


Katie

So I'm very excited about this. How are you feeling? You're a reader as well, I think.


Kalpita

Yeah, I am. I'm also part of a book club. I'm hoping the book club membership goes down. I'm serious. I have. I have it. I find it so difficult to look for books in Denmark. Because as soon as I'm looking at the price tag, I'm checked out. Okay, this, this is not happening. I'm not paying 200 koner for a book. Just because, like, I really, really need to desperately want a copy of this book to buy from Denmark. I went to Scotland in May and I also, in fact my mother-in-law and I came back with about 17 to 18 books and both of us together must have spent less than a thousand kroner on those books. I mean, it's incredible.


Katie 

Wow that's crazy


Kalpita

Yeah, the difference is incredible. How can you be the, the, the country that reads most books in the whole of Europe and then have the most expensive books? It's like a bloody luxury. Come on. It's books.


Katie

Yeah.


Kalpita

Why?


Katie

It's crazy. And it's, it also there's this kind of, you know, they're kind of like, this is in an effort to solve the reading crisis. And it's like, yeah, well, this has always been a problem. And I think like, has anyone walked into a Danish bookshop and thought, oh, what a bargain. I got my, my partner a book the other week and it was 350 kroner and like it was a new book. But that's insanity. We go to Ireland and I'm spending 70, 100 kroner. Nevermore, even for a brand new book that's a hardback. I think I got the latest Hunger Games book for 120 kroner and that was, that's much higher than I usually pay for things.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Katie

We also have lots of deals. So it's like buy one, get one half price or buy two, get the third free. There's nothing like that in Denmark. They don't really understand deals. They're like, buy this one and then pay the same price for this one.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Katie

And that's it. That's their idea of a two-for-one deal.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Katie

So I'm excited about it. I am wondering if it will still be much cheaper. Like, will it, will it be at the UK/Ireland standard of cheap that I am used to? Because like that it's okay if you take 20%, which is the savings they're expecting after, like publishers get through with them, then 20% off 300. Still pretty expensive by my standards.


Kalpita

Yeah. 


Katie

I am a bit like, ooh...


Kalpita

Yeah, I agree. I'm, I'm not sure when this is going to be levied, but I do, I do remember having this conversation with my book club store owner. So we are associated with a bookstore, and they have book clubs, which I'm part of. And I did speak to them about it and they've said that it's, books have never been, never been a special, like, like a special good within the fiscal policy of Denmark. We just have a flat 25% VAT for everything in Denmark. So unlike the EU countries that make books a cultural exception, like in the UK and Ireland and Scotland for example, also in Sweden they, they levy 6% and Germany is 7% which is also fairly cheap. Like in the UK, Ireland, Scotland and, and everything UK rest of UK is 0%. So it makes sense why you get, why you get books way cheaper than you would get them here. But at the same time, to think of books as not a special or an exempt, from a cultural exception is quite mind blowing. If now, after I don't know how many years, decades, centuries, they've realized that oh, maybe books should be zero VAT. How about that? Which, which is great in today's time because they are also making, they're making changes in the school policies as well. Right. They're going completely device-free now the schools are getting books. They're getting pen and paper again so that, I understand that they're trying to tie it with that, that okay, you know, now we are going device-free. So maybe you should, guys, you should have books. So maybe books should be cheaper. But also the thing from an international perspective. One, we all read in English. Most of us read in English, right. We don't, or in our, our national language, but we don't read in Danish. What we do need Danish books for is when we're learning the language. So grammar books, for example, storybooks, for example, and all kinds of exercise books for Danish language are also expensive. Like they're average 200 to 300 krone. That's insane for an international who's come in, who's probably not having a job and then has to spend that kind of money on something that they're probably not going to look back on after they have, they have passed all the exams. And the libraries are usually running out of these books as well.


Katie

Yeah, because everyone needs the same books to learn Danish. I think it's also, you know, we, we know for a fact how important it is to read to children now. And children book books are just as expensive. They have these very fun giant books in the bookshop in the middle of Aarhus and they're very large and it's like, it's a bit of a, like Where's Wally? But easy because, children. And it'll be like find the five ravens, find the ten things of milk. It's like, they were so fun. I nearly bought one for myself. It was 300 kroner. It was crazy. I was just like, I wouldn't buy this for myself, never mind for my child, who's probably gonna rip it in half. So it's that kind of as well. Like, this is a problem throughout life that you're gonna be like, okay, I can't afford books for my kids. Then they're not in the habit of reading. Then they can't, like, I can't afford to give them books. Then when they have their own money, they can't afford to get books. So you have suddenly you've gone your whole life and you're not buying books. And then if you're like that. Similarly, I'm in a book club and whenever we pick a book, everyone's on the library app. So then I can't get the book. So then I go to Audible or I go to Kindle or I order it. There's actually a really good. Sorry, Denmark. There's an Irish bookstore on the west coast called Kennys, and it's Kennys.ie and you can order books at Irish prices. So say €10, which is about 70 kroner for a book. And then the shipping is €2, so it still winds up way cheaper than the Danish book. So just hot tip, if anybody's desperate for some books, that's where. When I'm, when I'm kind of hitting my limit, I get it from Kenny's. But like that, when you have those limitations, it is like, it just feels like work or you, you're spending so much money on it, then you're like, I just, less people can get involved. And it's like, this is a really good start.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Katie

But at the same time, I am a bit like, without additional steps, it's only going to benefit me. The person who already wants to buy books.


Kalpita

Yes.


Katie

Buys books from other places. And not necessarily getting the kids who are 15, 16, and already kind of struggle to understand the point of books, because they're not. Because that's the reading crisis, referring to a study that was done on the, it's literacy, but specifically understanding things within longer texts. And that's where they're finding across Europe, but then also in Denmark, that children and teenagers are struggling with understanding messages in longer texts, which is obviously what reading helps you develop as a skill. And I think it's also kind of, in part due to most of what young people are consuming on social media is short-form, straight to the point very much summarized stuff. So this idea of spending, you know, three days reading 500 pages doesn't really appeal to younger people, particularly if they're going to miss the message anyway, so it's, this is a great start. And like, to me, I'm like, woo. Very positive dudes. It's going around all my book club people. But at the same time, I'm like, this feels like something that will only benefit me if they don't take further steps.


Kalpita

Yeah. I mean, to compare, when Sweden did it, they did that too as well. And unfortunately, they have not seen much change in the, in the business of publishing or book sales. What they did see and, and, and for a good reason have seen that the reading habits of kids has changed. And it's not, it's not like a drastic change, but it has gradually benefited kids and parents in, in, in creating more accessibility, especially for children's book. Like you said, I mean, 300 Kroner for a children's book is ridiculous. I mean that's probably not going to live for a very long time in the household and it's going to be sent to a Kindby center, which is, I mean, then that 300 Kroner has no value. And that's really sad. And I would assume that would be also unfortunate for a publisher to make such an effort to publish a book and then you, someone's read it and then tossed the book away, which is why people don't buy these books. But I have to, I have to even question this because it, all of these good things and we will hear a lot about all of these good things, question that, it is election time very soon, and I mean, November, we are getting into regional and municipal elections where, by the way, most internationals can vote. But also the, the big election where internationals are not allowed to vote unless you're a citizen is also coming up. So, you know, these cheaper energy bills, these book VATs, and all of that is also, also kind of seems like a ploy to sweeten the deal for elections.


Katie

Yeah, absolutely. And it is. You know, in each of these articles they state like for the, the book VAT being scrapped, they're saying it's going to be a cost of 330 million kroner. So that's 330 million that's not going towards, you know, all the wonderful things that we do have, like going to the doctor for free and those kind of services. So where's it going to come from and what's going to get more expensive later so that we could have this, particularly when we don't know, is this going to work. As you said, in Sweden, it improves some things, but not everything. So if this is the only initiative, not good enough, but if they're going to put in other things in place, what are the results going to be? How are they going to evaluate it? But what's the later cost that we will undoubtedly, as the taxpayer have to deal with?


Kalpita

I mean, they're also talking about free daycare.


Katie

Yes.


Kalpita

Yeah.


Katie

But in Copenhagen, which I am bitter about as someone who always lived in the capital and now I don't live in the capital, and the capital is getting something shiny that I don't have.


Kalpita

Yeah. I mean, to be fair, it could also just be like a let's see how it goes kind of a deal. You know, let's see how Copenhagen does, and let's see how their budget is adjusting to free daycare, and then we can replicate it to other towns, because I would assume that Copenhagen has more daycares than anywhere else, and we could just be an experiment.


Katie

That's true. I also don't have a child, so it doesn't actually affect me. It just. I had a moment of like, oh, Copenhagen's getting something that Aarhus isn't, unacceptable.


Kalpita

Yeah. I mean, for everyone with kids, that would be like a big, big bonus. Right. And also then have cheaper books. Hoorah. Like I said.


Katie

Yes. Let's live in the positive bubble.


Kalpita

Yeah. In one of my most embarrassing moments on this podcast, I said, let's all have babies. So, Katie, that should be next on the agenda.


Katie

If I get free daycare, I'll have a baby. I promise. I'll have two.


Kalpita

Yeah. I mean, but I mean that, that is something I would really vote for is, is making it easier and more supportive for women and couples to have more children by supporting them with a family, I don't know, budget or create more jobs or something like that. That is something that would really be serious change.


Katie

Yeah. Particularly like, you know, we're hearing about declining birth rates all the time. I think anything that helps people have families or encourages people to do so. Sounds great. Sounds like a great time. Can only do better than what's happening now.


Kalpita

Exactly. And then we can come to free daycare. Yippee.


Katie

Yes. Well, I think we've covered all our topics today. Thank you so much for the chat today. It was very fun and great. Again, great to see you again. I'm excited for our next episode.


Kalpita

It's always lovely to have an episode with you, Katie. Thank you.


Katie

Oh shucks, see you next time. Bye.


Kalpita

Bye. 


Kalpita

Hey. This is Kalpita and Golda, cohosts of the Last Week in Denmark podcast. Did you know Last Week in Denmark offers sponsored content in the newsletter? Our reporters are producing original articles and content tailored for internationals in Denmark. 


Golda

So if you have a business our readers should know about, let us write about it. Get in touch with us at reporter@lwid.dk. You can also reach out to us on LinkedIn and Instagram @lastweekindenmark.

People on this episode

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LWID

Host
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Kalpita Bhosale

Guest
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Katie Burns

Guest