Last Week in Denmark

Trump at Davos, US Boycotts, Danish Airbnb Crackdowns and donating your hair in Denmark: LWID S5E2

• Season 5 • Episode 2

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Trump, Davos, boycotts of US products, new Danish Airbnb rules and a very Danish hair story: This week Dom and Katie, internationals living in Denmark, are joined by guest Carly to look at renewed tensions around Greenland following comments made at Davos, and what this means for Denmark’s role internationally. They discuss the rise of consumer boycott apps targeting US products and whether these choices have any real impact in Denmark’s everyday economy. The episode also covers Denmark’s tougher enforcement of short-term rental rules, including higher fines and greater powers for municipalities to remove illegal Airbnb listings, before ending with one of the most uniquely Danish stories of the week. A call for residents to donate their hair to a national museum exhibition, and what this says about community, belonging and life in Denmark.

Topics:

(02:32) Trump backs down on Greenland threats

(11:19) App that helps you boycott US products

( 29:29) New rules for renting with Airbnb in Denmark

(39:14) Hair donations in Denmark

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🎵 Music,Jack Leatherbarrow @ Wizmedia: https://wiz-media.co.uk/

Dom:

Welcome to the award winning Last Week in Denmark podcast. Each week we're here to talk through Danish news stories and developments and how they impact internationals living here. This season, we're trying something new, having guests join us for some of the episodes. So sometimes there will be two of us and sometimes three, just like today. If you're an international living in Denmark or thinking of moving here, you'll want to check out many of these episodes. We've got four full seasons ready for you to explore and new episodes every week during season five. I'm dawn and I'm here with Katie and Carly. I'll let you introduce yourselves in just a minute. This week's topics are, number one, Trump backs down on Greenland, threats at Davos, number two, apps that help you boycott US Products, and number three, new rules for using your home as an Airbnb. Before we get going though, we'd like to ask one thing. If what we're talking about resonates with you, please leave a comment for us on Spotify or YouTube. We're here to help internationals in Denmark stay informed and feel connected. Thanks for helping us reach more people like you. Well, hello, Katie and Carly. I'm excited because this is the first time, Katie, you and I are recording. And I'm also very excited that we have a guest today. Carly, would you like to say a bit more about yourself?

Carly: 

Yeah. It's so nice to meet you both. My name is Carly Spring. I'm an American, so trigger warning on that fact alone. I am the founder of Parent Lab, a new small business in Copenhagen, and I'm also the LinkedIn lead for last Week in Denmark, and I help edit the English version of the newsletter. So I've been a Day one supporter and I'm really excited to get behind the microphone for this episode. Thanks for having me.

Dom:

Super nice. And how are you doing, Katie?

Katie:

Oh, my God. That was such a good introduction, Carly. Like, thank you. How am I meant to follow that? I'm okay. It's January, I'm tired, but I'm happy to see you both. Like, I don't. Yeah, that's. I'm excited to be here. It's been a long time since my last podcast episode, so I'm really, really excited to be informed, but also to.

Dom:

Talk to you guys, read the news and discuss panic. And I've also never spoken to either of you, even though we've been at Last Week in Denmark for a while. So it's really nice.

Katie:

And yet we're old friends, I feel.

Dom:

Yeah, exactly.

Carly: 

World's coming together.

Dom:

Yeah.

Carly: 

In the spirit of international relations. Yeah, yeah.

Dom:

That's what we all need nowadays, and that's great. All right, so why don't we get started on the first topic, the Davos deal on Greenland. I think while the annual Davos meeting, it's often criticized by experts for a lot of talk, but very little action. This year's meeting has brought, I would say, quite a lot of news. After strong pushback from Denmark, NATO and EU allies, Trump backed down from his tariff threats and announced some sort of framework for a future deal on Greenland. Although the details are still quite vague, of course. What are your first thoughts?

Katie:

It feels like a little bit of a nothing burger. I feel the Greenland stuff with Trump is such a. It's non news that is very scary because it is obviously threatening. Greenland doesn't have a lot of resources to protect itself. Denmark is not that big. So it's not like we have a huge amount of people and resources to be able to protect that. But at the same time, it seems like Trump has a moment in the shower and is like, maybe Greenland will be good today. And then it goes away, and then it comes back and then it goes away. It almost feels like, I know this is a big deal and it does affect international relations and it does affect, like, Denmark safety. Like, will this still be a safe place while this is going on? It definitely feels a little more uneasy, but at the same time, it kind of feels like he pulls it out every time there's a big news wave of something terrible happening in America, like, woman was murdered by ice God. Maybe we should go after Greenland again. And then people get a little bit distracted. Then I think as well, this kind of, oh, Trump has come with a framework. I don't think that man knows what a framework is. No, I know what a framework really is. You know, it's this kind of like, yes, we're going to go with this. It's like, he hasn't really backed down. He's more like lost interest. Maybe on the private jet ride over to the Davos. I don't. I don't even know what is it a meeting? Is it a composition, whatever. He was just like, yeah, I got distracted and decided airline food should be better, so maybe that's where it's going to be. I do see that, that there seems to be some kind of progress, good or bad, in the sense that they're trying to figure out how can we make this not turn into an international. But I'm also a bit like, has this actually changed anything or will. My fear would also be if you give a little. So there seems to be kind of a proposal based on a very old law that the U.S. can have a certain number of military personnel in Greenland and they're kind of renegotiating that to find some common ground between the two. But if you give a little, he's definitely going to take more. So that just also doesn't feel like an option. So I'm glad the discussion is happening. It feels a bit like non news, but I'm also still quite afraid of what's going to come out of this. What do you think?

Carly: 

Yeah, I think it's interesting that you frame it as the distraction because I hear that and there's obviously a lot going on in America that's worthy of being distracted from. But I actually think it's just what you said a few moments after that, that he's distracted.

Katie:

He, he.

Carly: 

It's not about throwing up bombs to make you look the other way. It's that he is just a perpetually intrinsically distracted person. So it's just jumping from one thing to the next. And yeah, I actually do think that the Davos meeting was kind of a big deal just because it's the first opportunity since this happened for these world leaders to share a stage. And I think while the substance didn't change, it was clear that the world leaders are marking that this is a rupture. As Mark Carney said in his speech, it was really powerful speech. If you didn't have a chance to listen to it. It's, you know, everything that's going to come out of this is exactly the same things that could have come out of it under that law that you mentioned it. The, the facts on the ground haven't changed what the eventual outcome probably won't change if we're all lucky. Right. But what has changed is that the fabric is clearly ripped at the seams. This, this international alliance that's held together since the end of World War II, we're now finally admitting out loud the same things we've been talking about in our living rooms, that it's just not working the way that it was meant to and it's going to have a massive, massive cost on how Europe organizes its societies and where its tax money goes towards. And I don't know, there are some reasons to be optimistic about that and some reasons to be really, really bummed about it.

Katie:

Yeah.

Dom:

I think also what's maybe important to add here, and this is something that the Danish foreign minister mentioned when asked about this, whom I don't always agree with, but I think in this case I agree with him, he said that what is very crucial to the whole situation is that we get to the end of this with respect for the integrity and sovereignty of the Danish Kingdom and the right of the Green Landing people to self determin. And I think we talk a lot about Denmark and the us Rightfully so. But I think it's also really important to center what the people of Greenland think about this and to remember that they are also a people according to law. So they should also have a say.

Katie:

They are also, in that recent election, they had the choice to just take a huge buyout from Trump where they could be like, cool, we'll take all this money, we'll build up our economy. And they made what I believe was the right decision to look at the long term safety and sustainability of their society, which was staying in the Danish Kingdom for now and then see what happens from that. So they have made their choice and they have made it clear and it is the voice of the people.

Dom:

Exactly, yeah. Because they do have the right to become independent whenever they want, if there's a referendum that the majority votes for that. And for now they have chosen to stay in Denmark. And I think maybe one potentially good thing that comes out of it is that I think Denmark and Greenland has come closer in this whole situation. So maybe that's one way of looking at it. Yeah.

Carly: 

And frankly, I think a lot of Americans who never knew that Greenland existed or that there were, you know, real human beings with real lives and opinions living there, a lot of us, frankly, are waking up to that fact. And hopefully those of us who oppose the regime can maybe also feel a little bit more solidarity and sympathy for, for these real human beings who deserve more than what they're getting right now. So. So let's hope that if there's any silver lining to the dark cloud, that the people of Greenland can come out of it on the other side with a little bit more autonomy and sovereignty and decision making over their own futures. That would be a really beautiful outcome to this whole weird, crazy, unnecessary situation, even if the costs are pretty high.

Dom:

For sure. I think in general, a lot of people did not know a lot about Greenland before this whole thing happened. What I also didn't know was that this is not the first time that the US would like to have Greenland. They did offer, offer or ask maybe to buy it. Also the first time during the Cold War, I think they offered like back then, $100 billion for it. But that deal also didn't go through.

Katie:

How do you decide on the price of a country? Like, how do you just pick a really high number? Like, what if it's just like, I have €10,000, can I have your country? And also, who gets to approve that purchase? You know, like, it's not like, shop. It's like, I have this. I'd like that. Cool. You can have it. But with a country, it's like, surely everyone has to be in on the decision for me to buy it. I don't understand this process.

Carly: 

No. I think back in the day, it was just men twirling their mustaches with big bags of gold coins, and they just threw it on the ice and said, you want it?

Dom:

You want to exchange?

Carly: 

Yeah, we'll take your ice. You have our gold. You know, have fun.

Katie:

Simpler times.

Dom:

Yeah. I saw this tweet somewhere. Someone was saying that they should just, like, take Trump to Alaska and tell him, oh, yeah, this is Greenland. It's yours now. He wouldn't even know the difference.

Katie:

The Internet is so funny.

Carly: 

I also saw one that said, let's name it Epstein's island, and then he'll suddenly lose interest.

Katie:

Any of these are viable. That's what's upsetting. It's like, oh, we're kidding. But it's also like, maybe it could work.

Carly: 

It could work creative, you know, desperate times, desperate measures, and. And when you're dealing with a madman, you need mad solutions, I guess.

Dom:

Yeah. Laster is the only thing we have left in here in this situation.

Katie:

Manic or otherwise.

Dom:

Exactly. What. Whatever it is. But also, I think the other thing that's quite important here is the financial pressure, because the markets have been very volatile after Trump announced the tariffs and a potential invasion. I think the S and P has dropped by, like, 2% in one day. And then it's bounced back up. And a lot of people are saying that that is one of the only things that might actually get Trump to change his mind on things, the financial pressure of the markets. And maybe that slowly brings us into the second topic, too, of boycotts and voting with our wallets.

Carly: 

Yeah. So I understand that there are these apps out there that help people determine which are the American products that you might not know about, and should you boycott them? And here are some alternatives. I totally get that psychologically, like, there is this need to do something. And as an American in Denmark for the last seven and a half years, like, I get it. I feel desperately like there's something I could be doing. Should be doing. And, and what is it that could actually make a difference? But honestly, I feel like this particular mechanism is the wrong one. It is throwing pebbles at a fortress and that fortress has a moat. That's a trampoline. So all you're really doing is throwing it and getting hit back. Because what you're actually doing by boycotting Coca Cola is hurting the workers in Federicia who bottle Coca Cola. You're hurting the Bangladeshi T shirt manufacturers. We have a globalized economy by now. And, and ultimately, if your end in this move is to hurt the global economy, then that's what they want anyway. Right? So it's just, it's something that is also asking people to do kind of a lifestyle rearrangement. And, and it's. I don't know. Unless it has massive, massive volume and really targeted ends, I just don't see it being the most effective form of protest because it, I don't know, it's just not how you get the king's attention unless you really, really make a big splash. And I was looking into it a little bit. Apparently these, you know, these apps have been around for a little while. In 2025, they were all over Europe and it made 0.3% of an impact on American markets. I mean, America has 330 million people. We've. We've got enough people to buy our stuff and, and the ones in power want it to be an American only market anyway. So I just, I hate to be so down about it because I know people want to do something and it makes logical, rational sense to hit them where it hurts in their pocketbooks, but I just don't think that it's the way. Disagree with me, please.

Katie:

Ooh, ooh. Okay, okay. No, unfortunately, I do agree with you. I do think there is something. I think, as you say, the benefit is really psychological. We have a lot of people who want to do something and we're so far away and no one knows what to do. So realistically, what can we do? So it is nice to feel like, oh, maybe there's something we can do. I do think the awareness. So kind of I was like, oh, cool idea. Maybe I should get this app. But then when I was reading about it, only around 1% of the food sold here actually comes directly from the US that's pretty cool. Like, I do feel like, I guess a sort of pride in Denmark of being like, oh, my God, okay, we're not going to suddenly run out of bread because how would the Danish people survive?

Carly: 

And Americans not making it I promise.

Katie:

What? But it's so mealy and interesting to eat. What a texture. But like, I think it was, Salling brought in a measure last year, not necessarily related to boycotting America, but to make us more aware as consumers of where is our food coming from. And I do think thinking about sustainability and also the quality of the food that we're getting and maybe also what's in the food. Anybody who's had Cheetos knows what I'm talking about. Why is it orange? I don't understand, but kind of looking at responsibly. I would rather buy something that came over on a boat from a nearby country than something that came over on a very long plane. So I do think there's something. While the app itself, I think it's fine. You can obviously use it if you want. I don't think it'll make that big a difference. But it did make me more aware of how Denmark is going to be okay with regards to our supplies and all the food that we need day to day. So that did put me in a good mood. I did also read about, okay, Coca Cola in America isn't going to notice that some of us are not choosing Coca Cola, but Harbo is seeing a big increase in people buying their drinks. So for the smaller manufacturers or ones that are more in Denmark, they are seeing a positive effect on their. Their pocketbooks. She don't really know what a pocketbook is. It's a purse, right? I don't know. My mom always. My mom's from America and she always says, like, my pocketbook. And I'm like, I don't. You have a bag? I don't understand what you're talking about.

Carly: 

I think it's a purse.

Dom:

Yeah, purse is full of crowns.

Katie:

Just so everyone's clear.

Carly: 

It is a weird word though, when you. When you think about it too much.

Katie:

Anyway, sorry, we'll move on. That's another topic for another day. But it is nice to kind of feel like, okay, the Danish companies are feeling a bit of a difference. So instead of thinking, fuck you, America, we're kind of like, okay, I'm going to choose a local supplier and support them instead so that my country and the economy that I'm in get stronger.

Carly: 

Yeah, that's fair enough. But even if you, you know, even if you do manage to make some kind of dent away from the American products and towards the Danish products, your pensions are tied up in the American stock market. You know it all, it's just worth all so interconnected. And I Think that's a beautiful thing, that it has its problems. Obviously, they're. They're coming to light now because suddenly we need to feel a little more isolationist. But I just really think that the drums should be beat in the. In the song of, like, let's stay a global society. So I actually think that the solution could be some radical allyship. You know, you find the. The companies, the people, the organizations, the activist networks in America that you align with, and you reach out to them and you say, what do we do over here to make noise to support what you're up to?

Katie:

We.

Carly: 

What do we do to show you that we know you also don't want this for your country and we want to help you? I mean, I think that's the thing that rarely countries try. You know, you just try so hard to fight against when what you don't realize is that you could be fighting with the other people in that place who feel like you do. So I don't know exactly what that means, if it means, like, giving money to the ACLU or Planned Parenthood or, you know, Minnesota organizations that are fighting ice, whatever it is that you care about. But I think you should just be considering using your time and money and energy thinking about, like, how do you actually support the people that feel the same way you do about wanting to keep some world order that allows us to spend our money on healthcare and not guns. You know, like, I just. I want to believe in that world and that it could exist.

Katie:

I love that. Carly, should you be in charge? Should we go and talk to someone and get Kylie to organize the world?

Dom:

Go to Davos.

Carly: 

Yeah, right where I belong.

Katie:

You gave. I got a little chill of, like, oh, my God, you're right. We can change the world together.

Dom:

We can do this.

Katie:

But I think. I do think it touches on a very important point, and particularly when there's big political things that are happening around the world that really we're not involved in, we're just affected by. It is easy to be like, America's so crazy. And it's like, not every American is crazy. Like, we clearly have a very smart, wonderful American on this podcast right now. So it is this kind of. You're right. That we often just think, well, we're in Denmark, so how are we going to help Denmark and other people in Denmark? But it's like, as you say, there's a lot of people in the world who want to work together. So going on that point of. There are a lot of Americans trying to do a lot of wonderful things over a very big space. Why aren't we thinking about connecting with them? And kind of, you know, there's this really nice story. I don't remember the exact information about it, which is a shame because it's a good one. But during the Irish famine, Ireland got a donation from, I think it was like a Native American tribe. And like, it wasn't a lot of money, but they showed support. And ever since then we've supported them and it was just something to show support. It wasn't like a huge amount of money. It wasn't going to get a lot of food into the country, but it was such a symbolic we stand with you. So let's like be thinking more along those lines as opposed to I'm not buying Coca Cola.

Dom:

Did you know that the Last Week in Denmark newsletter is available in eight languages? Hey there, this is Fjon from the Last Week in Denmark podcast. And every week you guys are tuning in to hear me and my fellow co hosts 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, you're 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 last weekdk.substack.com that's last weekdk.substock.com and sign up for our newsletter, delivered to you by every single Sunday.

Katie:

For sure.

Dom:

I have a maybe additional point to make about the boycotts, because I think focusing on supermarket stuff, of course that's not going to make a difference because I think Denmark only imports, like wine and almonds from the US So I don't really have much of that anyway. So I feel like I'm already boycotting.

Carly: 

And that's California, so they feel like you do.

Dom:

Yeah, exactly. But I think that there's a BDS movement, which stands for the Palestinian cause, and what they do is they boycott a lot of the big tech. And I think that's a point to make here because tech giants like Google, Microsoft and Apple, like it is known, I mean, besides being American, it is known that their technology is used in warfare, for example. And I think boycotts can only work when people focus on one thing. And I think maybe it's also less about actually making a financial dent and more like just making a statement as in like we don't want to work with this tech because it's used in a specific cause that we don't agree with. Do you think that is something that could work or do you think that's also not it?

Carly: 

I think the only danger there is that to be honest, America is so far out in front with technology that to try to replace, you know, make a European Google, a European Microsoft, like, more power to you all for trying to build that up and have more competitors. Because certainly I hate that I have, you know, products and that I'm using on a minute by minute basis that support a regime that I'm, that I don't want to be part of. But on the other hand, there just aren't that many alternatives. And to expect that an alternative could rise up that wouldn't have, that would eventually become big enough to be useful but also not support something that you don't agree with, I don't know, it feels a little bit unrealistic, unfortunately. I wish that I could trust that the, you know, Google started out with the motto of don't be evil.

Dom:

What happened?

Carly: 

They really tried.

Katie:

Then they changed it. Like don't change it.

Carly: 

Yeah, they quietly changed it. Nevermind, that's a little much. So, yeah, I think it's just. I don't want this to come off as condescending, but I do feel like in a grown up world we realize that things are more complicated than they seem. And so the tools we have at hand to fight the bad guys, I think just need to be a little more sophisticated and nimble than boycotts. Boycotts to me feel a little bit like a 20th, 19th century solution to 21st century problems.

Katie:

I think we all need to go a little crazy. Like if we had more crazy people in this like liberal democratic way of thinking, someone would have shot him. Like if this was the flip side, you know, there'd be a, there'd have been so many assassination attempts if this was like, you know, everyone should have equal rights and everyone should have a bathroom. Like that president would be shot so fast. So I think we all just need to get a little more unhinged.

Carly: 

All right, let's back down from the violence as a solution. I wasn't going in that direction.

Dom:

We don't condone violence.

Katie:

So boycotts one way, assassination another way. All right, Somewhere in the middle.

Carly: 

Yeah, there must be a middle road.

Katie:

Okay, Carly. I guess.

Carly: 

Unless, guys, I am trying to be able to visit my family again. Please do not put me on the record as wanting to assassinate the Leader of the free world.

Dom:

Carly's not part of this.

Katie:

Yeah. You rejected my idea immediately. We have it on tape.

Dom:

Don't worry. Yeah, it's all recorded.

Katie:

Okay.

Carly: 

That's right. If anybody is listening. The views reflected here do not reflect all podcasts.

Dom:

No, but I think there is something about it. Like, for example, when there's protests here in Copenhagen, the protests are so polite in general. Danish protest culture is like, oh, we'll be on the street between 2 and 4pm Apologies for that. The police is here to make sure we behave. It's like, that's not a protest, you.

Katie:

Know, so we're bringing a flag. That's how you'll know it's us.

Dom:

Exactly. So I think there is, like, what do we do? How do we make a statement?

Katie:

Yeah.

Carly: 

I mean, honestly, I think it's just radical allyship. It almost sounds cheesy or quaint, but I think it's the only thing that makes you feel good too. Right. Like going out and screaming and being angry. Like, it gets a little bit off your chest, but it's not the same sort of cup filling as finding other people in your community, online, across the world, wherever, and just connecting with them and sharing, you know, how you think about things and what can we do together to build a place that we want to live in and that we want to be part of? And it feels small when you're faced with the scope of all of the horribleness in the world, but it also feels tangible, and it feels like something that you can. You can do to get out of these January doldrums that you were talking about, Katie. Like, it's something to just hold onto in a moment when everything else is wrong and know that, you know, what, if I can't fix it all, at least I can make my corner of this city, of this world a little bit nicer to live in. And if everybody starts thinking that way, instead of, how do I make those people over there suffer more, then, you.

Katie:

Know, we've got a few more people.

Carly: 

Trying to make the world better. And literally that's all we can do when we don't have all the power and the money of the. The private jet flyers at Davos. Right.

Dom:

Damn it.

Katie:

What? How much is a private jet? Well, I have no idea. I just. I will never have that amount of money, so I've never thought about it. I have seen a children's bed shaped like an airplane. That's really cool. But it's like 50,000 Euro. So I imagine the private jet is significantly More as it works.

Dom:

A little bit more expensive.

Katie:

Yeah, of course, yes. Tap into my squillions.

Dom:

But yeah, but I do think that there is something about like, maybe it's naive, but I do think that most of the problems in the world, they're all just this tangled web and whatever string you pull, you are pulling at the whole thing. Yeah. So focusing on your local thing. But I also think it is also the art of standing up of what you believe in because a lot of these ideas, they start in your immediate circles and just also being able to debate people respectfully and say no to what you don't believe in and not accepting certain narratives. I think there's a lot of black and white thinking going on nowadays and people are not often able to hold two truths at the same time. The Venezuela thing, for example. So I think it's just so important to stand up for what we believe in, but also acknowledge that two things can be true at the same time.

Katie:

And also we don't know everything. Exactly. Like I don't know anything about Venezuela until this happened and then I looked into it and then I was like, hmm. But also, if someone has a different opinion, maybe they know something I don't. Maybe they don't know anything and I should figure that out as well. But you know, I think being open to explore. What is this person saying? Is there something I don't know versus like this is what I think. And they can think this and I can think that and then we can go on with our lives. And that is also fine.

Dom:

Yeah. And I think the most important thing is always just centering the people that are suffering. The green, or maybe not suffering, but the people that are most hurt, the Greenlanders, the Venezuelans, because they know the most about this. We've never experienced this. And I think that's always just so important to keep in mind. Just listen to the people who are there.

Carly: 

I totally agree and I love that you keep bringing it back to the people who are hurting. And I just want to put a small plea out there for people who encounter Americans in their day to day lives. I mean, it feels weird coming from me to ask you to just be nice to me, but do you want.

Katie:

Us to ask be nice to Carly. She's great.

Carly: 

Yeah, just be nice to me specifically. But no, I mean in general I do feel like people are supporting me and you know, supporting Americans and maybe being a little bit nicer to us than perhaps we deserve. But truly a significant, significant majority of people in America, in America, on American Soil do not agree with the idea of invading Greenland. It's just ridiculous. And even the people who voted for him don't get what's going on. And to your point earlier about distractions, I mean, there are also people in America who are really, really suffering under the Trump regime.

Dom:

A hundred percent.

Carly: 

Things that are happening on, you know, domestic soil in America. So please, if you could just show a little bit of kindness to those of us who, who did not vote this into being, who wish that this weren't the world that we were living in, who feel like the country we grew up in, where people were just nice and, and trying to get along with each other, has now become this authoritarian dictatorship that we don't recognize. I mean, it's, it's pretty stressful, to be honest. It's pretty stressful. And you know, we're the world power. We deserve to be, to be beat up on in some respects and to be put in a different place. But there are a lot of human beings behind that world power who wish that things looked different than they do.

Katie:

Very well said. Totally agree.

Dom:

And I think not even just for the people that didn't vote for him. I think also the people who voted for him. Everyone's suffering. I think at this point, nobody's having a good time.

Carly: 

Unfortunately, a few people are, but, you.

Katie:

Know, they were at Davos. They're fine.

Carly: 

Yeah, they'll be okay.

Dom:

Yeah. But I totally agree with you and I think now is not the time for us to be divided. We also. Back to what you said, right, now is the time to stand together and just, yeah, be kind to each other. Because we're not each other enemies. There's. Yeah, we have other enemies.

Katie:

We're all too cute and fun. This is not what enemies look like. It's not what Disney taught us.

Dom:

Well, I think maybe that brings us to our third topic. Maybe the enemy is short term rentals in Copenhagen.

Katie:

I think so. I think.

Carly: 

Oh, good segue.

Dom:

Yeah. So I don't know if you heard, but the Danish government, they've introduced a new plan to address unauthorized short term housing rentals. As a general rule, you may rent out your entire home as a short term rental for up to 70 days per year. What has changed now is that fines will be much bigger, starting from 5K. And municipalities will also have the power to order rental platforms like Airbnb, for example, to bring down a listing if they think that it's in breach of the law. What do you think? Is that something that's been bothering you or have you never heard of that before?

Katie:

I'm impressed how quickly they've done this because I remember doing an episode about it probably around last summer. Can't remember which side, but they were talking about cracking down on this and now it's already here. They already have the measures in place. You can already go onto municipality websites and you can report people, which I also like. Okay, I like that it's that kind of. I think, particularly now in Ireland, it would be terrible because I'd be like, ah, Marge down the road is annoying me. I'm going to say she's using Airbnb and waste her time. But in Denmark, people are trustworthy, so I do feel like people will be like, I don't think this is right. I think you're using this in a way that is legal. And it's also, they've done it for the start of the year, so 70 days is going to pass real quick. So it's going to get really obvious if people are depending on these short term rentals for money coming in. I also, I don't know the details of what it's like here in Denmark and specifically Copenhagen, but I know in Dublin this is a plague on the real estate and basically just young people can't buy homes. I have no intention of returning to Ireland, but if I did want to, I couldn't afford it and I would have to stay here anyway. So I think this is the first step in kind of making sure that prices will keep rising, but they stay at a reasonable level, and that we don't get any particularly extortionate rises as we have seen in recent years when it comes to property value. And Copenhagen's already so crazy, but it keeps getting more and more expensive. You guys live in Copenhagen, you know better than me. What do you think?

Carly: 

Yeah, I was actually prepared to have a slightly different take on this. I don't know if I can stick through it the whole way, but I'm going to try. I'm going to try because I'm a heavy user of Airbnb.

Katie:

Oh, okay, cool.

Carly: 

So while I totally understand the property value argument, and I'm finally, bless the stars, a homeowner in Copenhagen myself, so I'm on the greedy side of the equation now and I want those property values to keep rising, but I do actually think that what Airbnb offers as a disruptive service does give kind of little guys a chance to make a little bit of money while they're away on holiday. I mean, if you think about it from that Lens. Like, if you are actually what the site intended for human beings who live in a place most of the time and go away and rent out their home while they're gone so that it doesn't sit empty so that the. The wheels of the economy kind of stay within, you know, between families. Like, as a sweet, naive concept, I think that that's kind of nice, because who gets hurt then? Like, the big hotel conglomerations. Granted, there's the middle players, there's the boutique hotels that probably get hurt way more than. Than the big guys. But I don't mind Airbnb as a. As an entity. I think it's good to have some disruption to establish markets. And I think if it just went away out of regulation, it'd be kind of like Uber just went away. And yet then you're just missing that, like, that other player in the market that's serving a real need. So, I don't know. I just wish that, like, rather than making these very swift, sweeping proposals that aim to destroy the thing that they could find a little bit more of a creative way to. Yeah. To tamp it down. Now, again, I'm not sure that I can stick with it all the way, because what they did propose is actually not like abolishing it. It is to say, yeah, if you're that person going away on holiday, you can rent your home out for 70 days. So fair enough. Like, maybe that. Maybe they found the creative solution, but I guess just like painting Airbnb as the bad guys, I'm not quite there in my thinking. What do you think, Dom?

Dom:

I think there's also a difference between renting out your home while you're away and buying another flat to rent out for the whole year, because I think that's what primarily drives the prices up. But it is crazy. I mean, in the last year, I think prices in Copenhagen have gone up by, like, 20%. Ohus, I think it's been, like, 10%. So I understand. It's because we're better.

Katie:

That's what happened.

Dom:

Ohus is just better. Oh, okay. Didn't know.

Katie:

Okay.

Dom:

So I understand why they're doing it, but I just don't know if this is the thing that primarily drives up prices. I actually. I don't. I don't know.

Katie:

Yeah.

Carly: 

And as a user of Airbnb, like, I hate the soulless, empty apartments that are just there for, you know, pumping people through them like that. That is fair enough to. To want to crack down on that side of things. That's.

Katie:

Yeah.

Carly: 

Totally makes Sense it's ugly.

Katie:

That's right. We don't want ugly things. I feel like your airbnb place would be adorable, Carly, you got a cute sweater. You're a cute person. I just feel like it would be fun. There'd be trinkets. But I do, I do agree with you. I don't think Airbnb is the enemy. I think it's a perfectly valid business. I think it's a really cool idea. And, like, it came from someone who just wanted to couch surface and wanted to go from place to place doing that. And that's. That works really well. And it is. If you don't care about someone coming in and changing your towels, why wouldn't you go for something that's more sustainable? It's easier to get into. You know, it's more flexible. You often have access to a kitchen. I do think the reason why the cost of property has gotten so out of control is greedy politicians not doing anything, or that's definitely the reason in Ireland, because a lot of our politicians own property and that's why they're not doing anything about it. And I would imagine a lot of them have several airbnb properties. So kind of seeing like, something like this makes me a little hopeful that a country has done something about this. So there's something they can copy. Does Ireland won't come up with it on their own? No, they'll need to get it from somewhere else.

Carly: 

Katie, are you saying the rich and powerful protect the rich and powerful?

Dom:

No way.

Katie:

I would never say that on air. No, no, no, no, no.

Carly: 

God, that's absurd. Senseless.

Katie:

Senseless. It's never come up before. Never affected us before.

Dom:

No, no, no. I think besides the financial aspect, there is also. In the article I was reading about this, they were saying there's also the community aspect of it, that if there's always strangers in your building who are just renting a flat for a while, it doesn't really build the community. And I think Denmark is really big on that.

Katie:

I think there's also a problem with if you are coming in. So we have. It's not Airbnb, as far as I know. It's called Fornom. I don't. I've never heard of it. I think it's where businesses can rent out the property on behalf of employees who will stay in that area, but they keep putting pizza boxes in the trash chute because they don't know not to put pizza boxes in the trash chute. And poor Alif, the guy who. Who Runs like, our building has to dig them out of the trash chute. And he always leaves them in a pile and is like, please do not put these in the trash chute. So it's also, there's rules in the building that they don't know, and then that affects, again, the community that's already in that building. So that's something else that we need to kind of take into consideration. And also, if they're only there for a day, they're probably not going to.

Dom:

Care about the rules. True. I also think for the community aspect, I don't think I know my neighbors that well. I think in the place where I live, there's a lot of internationals living, and I just don't think there's much of that neighborly relation. So, yeah, if you're a listener and you're my neighbor in Ursul, please say hello to me in the elevator.

Carly: 

We're not far, actually, Dom.

Dom:

Oh, yeah. So if I see you, I'll say.

Carly: 

Hi, neighbors and friends.

Katie:

I am very far. I cannot say hello. This is as close as we look.

Carly: 

Yeah. I don't know. I think you guys have won me over on the argument. Airbnb is the bad guy. I don't know. I just want to. Yeah, I want a solution that just brings it back to, like, the small, intended uses of it. And maybe what they've come up with is. And it's a good point, that it's impressive how quickly they've done it. I mean, Danish efficiency is not just for dsp. They can really turn it on when they want to. So good for them. And good for, you know, trying to do something about keeping property prices down, keeping, you know, people able to. To afford a home and to have a community that feels like a community and not just a constant turnover of people throwing pizza boxes in the trash chute. Fair enough.

Katie:

That's terrible. That's so mad. They're eating too much pizza.

Dom:

No, it's like, get something else. You're in Denmark. Right, Right.

Katie:

Everything is pizza and burgers.

Carly: 

But support the local pizza owners.

Katie:

You know, hey, there's 86. How do I support them all? And they're all the same.

Dom:

You.

Carly: 

You can just have pizza every day like we do at our house. It's not that hard.

Katie:

I want pizza the least interesting takeout food, in my opinion. Like, it's good, but it's just the same everywhere. Yeah, it's bread and sauce and stuff. Oh, there's going to be some Italians who are mad at me about this, but just the Last point I'll make on this kind of Airbnb thing is it is important that they have put very specifically in place how to avoid these big fines, because it can go up to 100k, so obviously people want to avoid them, but it is things like making sure the property is registered, adhering to the rental day limits, ensuring proper taxation. So it is. If you follow all the rules that have been outlined, you're going to be fine. Carly's Airbnb is going to be fine.

Dom:

Yeah. Just don't break the law and you'll be fine.

Carly: 

Generally, a fine rule. Fine.

Katie:

Boring.

Dom:

Exactly.

Carly: 

Don't assassinate any world leaders. You'll be fine.

Katie:

Okay, I'm feeling attacked on this. It's an idea. This is an idea space.

Dom:

Safe space.

Carly: 

No bad ideas.

Katie:

Except that one.

Dom:

Well, speaking of bad ideas or good ideas, I know there's some strong opinions on this one, too. There's a call to donate your hair. This is our bonus topic of the episode. There's a call to donate your hair to the. They're doing an exhibition at Nubo Castle when it reopens in 2028, and apparently the response has been overwhelming. But the museum is still missing hair for a few historical figures.

Katie:

How much hair do they have already?

Dom:

I don't know, like, a bunch. They still need hair.

Katie:

How much hair does one museum need? And is this the big opening?

Carly: 

Dom, you're the only one with long hair on this call. I feel like you have the most ground to stand on. How do you feel about giving your hair away?

Dom:

I've actually given my hair away before. Not for historical figures.

Katie:

I thought you were going to send it. You were like, I already gave it to the museum.

Dom:

Like, oh, God, they're going to clone.

Katie:

You and make another dump.

Dom:

I mean. Yeah, I wouldn't mind hanging out with myself.

Katie:

Yeah, that's nice. I like that. Self love. That's a good message.

Dom:

No, I've donated hair before, but it was for a charity that does wigs for people with cancer.

Carly: 

Much better use.

Katie:

Yeah, it is a much better use.

Dom:

Exactly. Exactly. And it was 30 centimeters, so it's a lot. And I looked really bad with short hair, so I don't know if I would do it again.

Katie:

This is a bit different, though, right? Because it goes to a wig that goes to someone. You're never going to see that hair again. This is in a museum and it might be put in a beard. I don't know if you get a choice about where your hair goes.

Dom:

No, they actually make the distinction.

Carly: 

Or on which figure? Yeah. Is my hair going to be on Hitler's head? What's going to happen here?

Katie:

That's a very fair point.

Dom:

No, it's actually very historical figures. They even made a list of what they're still missing. There's King Olaf. They still need. If you have light colored hair at least 20 centimeters long, that's perfect for me. There's also Magreda, the first light colored hair at least 45 centimeters long. Or if you have a large gray beard, they need hair for Christian iii.

Katie:

Okay, I'll sign up for that one when my beard grows in. That'll be fine.

Dom:

Yeah. So it's pick and choose, basically.

Katie:

That makes it less fucking weird.

Carly: 

How long of a beard do you need to be able to donate your beard and still have a beard? Like, you really had to work on a maybe waist length beard to donate to Christian iii. Right.

Katie:

And you're just going to give it away to a museum?

Dom:

Yeah.

Katie:

Will they sew a bunch of beards together if they can't get someone with a long enough beard instead of just, you know, making one? I think they do, like every other historical museum.

Dom:

I think it's because when you have a piece of hair, the first 5cm goes just for the weave, so it has to be quite long for it to actually look long.

Katie:

I was about to be like, you know an awful lot about hair done. And then I was like, oh, yeah, you gave your hair to charity. Never mind. Not the point to mock you.

Dom:

And I did read that Slavic hair is very good for making wigs because we have very thin hair. So finally I'm benefiting off of that.

Carly: 

Or others are benefiting off of you and your great follicles.

Dom:

Exactly.

Katie:

Yeah. I don't see your benefit.

Carly: 

Yeah, but it's the community coming together like we were talking about.

Dom:

Exactly.

Katie:

Like radical allies should send our hair to America. Of course. Everyone get an envelope.

Carly: 

That's what we're missing. That's what we're missing. Maybe the people in Minnesota who are protesting can wrap it around for warmth, you know, get creative.

Katie:

Oh, God, that's so upsetting. You both have lovely hair. I don't want it on my body.

Dom:

Are you sure you're pretty.

Katie:

Pretty sure?

Dom:

I'm pretty confident.

Katie:

Yeah. But thank you.

Dom:

But I think this is just another example of one of those, like, super random things that would not work anywhere but Denmark. Like there was that thing where you could donate your pet to the zoo. Also debatable. But I think it is part of this Danish thing of, like, we're all equal. Let's all be part of this weird initiative and be one big society. And I think there's something really cute about it.

Katie:

One big weird society. Yeah, let's all be big weirdos together.

Carly: 

Yay.

Katie:

I get seven messages from my mom being like, what the fuck?

Carly: 

I agree. It's cute, though. And I like the idea of taking my boys to the museum and being like, look, there's mommy's hair as the first. You know, like, it feels like we belong to this country if we're. If we're willing to really give a piece of ourselves to it.

Katie:

We'll agree to disagree on this. Okay, you go ahead and lay your hair.

Carly: 

I've got short hair anyway. They can't take it. I don't have enough for the weave.

Katie:

No, they can't handle my hair. It's too floofy.

Dom:

I think it's a pity that this is a podcast and nobody can actually see Katie's facial expressions during this topic. But, well, I think that brings us to the end. I think we've covered quite a bit. Do either of you have any final thoughts to send our listeners off?

Katie:

Thanks for listening and listening to our mumbo jumbo Rambo Jamble on these topics.

Carly: 

Yeah, I just wanted to thank you both for having me. This has been so much fun, and I hope that the listeners get something out of it. Be nice to each other. Be kind to each other. Make your corner of the world a little better if you can. It doesn't take too much. Donate your hair if you feel so.

Katie:

Inclined, you know, do not donate your hair unless you want to. You are not forced to donate your hair.

Carly: 

That's right. That's it.

Katie:

Yeah.

Dom:

Do it or don't do it, but just be kind.

Katie:

That could be the tagline of the episode.

Dom:

Exactly. Well, but thank you so much, Carly, for joining. It was sort of last minute, but we're really grateful you made the time. I think it's always super nice to get external, or maybe not that external because you're still part of Last Week in Denmark, but to get some other views on things. So super nice.

Carly: 

Thanks for having me.

Dom:

Thank you and thank you for listening. See you next time.

Katie:

Bye. Bye. Hey, this is Kalpita and Golda, co hosts of the Last Week in Denmark podcast. Did you know Last Week in Denmark.

Dom:

Offer sponsored content in the newsletter? Our reporters are producing original articles and.

Katie:

Content tailored for internationals in Denmark. So if you have a business our readers should know about, let us write about it. Get in touch with us at reporter Wid DK. You can also reach out to us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Last Weekendenmark.



Head Shot

LWID

Host
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Dominika Handzlik

Guest
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Carly Spring

Guest
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Katie Burns

Guest