A warm welcome to our new Executive Director Emil Wasteson

Hi Emil, and welcome to the Effektiv Altruism Sverige team! We are excited to have you as our newly appointed Executive Director.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Thank you! I recently turned 30, and after many years of moving, traveling, and shifts in interest, I’m now starting to value stability more and appreciate things I already have around me. There are few things I appreciate more than a good book, a dinner with close friends, or running and swimming in nature (yes, I’m one of the people that have been sold on cold-swimming).

I’ve been involved in the EA community for about five years and feel very excited about stepping into the role of Executive Director for EA Sweden, continuing the great work EA Sweden has done so far. Before joining EA Sweden, I co-founded Hooked Foods - a startup that’s developing plant-based alternatives to seafood, also based on EA principles - where I was leading the operational part of the company. 

​​What do you like about the ideas of effective altruism?

The concept of altruism has fascinated me for a long time, and few things intrigue me more than figuring out how we can do the most good in the world. One of the things I appreciate most about effective altruism is the epistemic humility it’s based on. That it’s not claiming to have all the answers, but instead, asking the question of how we can do the most good and trying to find ways of figuring that out. 

What is something you changed your mind about in the past year?

Up until recently, I didn’t measure or track anything in my personal life. I thought it felt too “work-like.” A few months back, however, I was convinced to try tracking my daily habits, and I was surprised at how it increased my motivation to take better care of myself. Now I’m tracking everything from my sleep and screen time to my meditation and workout habits, and love it.