Sign up for an invite
The Land of Cuckoo Clocks & Environmental Beauty
Written by Karl Fabricius 
Photo:
All images via MySwitzerland
Although often associated with banks, cuckoo clocks, chocolate and cheese, it's less commonly known that Switzerland is also one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world. Travelling there offers fresh alpine air and spectacular mountainous scenery, but behind the scenes, less appreciable things are going on to keep it that way. Discover why Switzerland is keeping it green and what you could savour by taking an eco-friendly trip there.
Green wonderland: A typical Appenzell house in typical Appenzell countryside
Photo:
In Switzerland, you might want to stay in a green resort like Palace Hotel St. Moritz, a luxury hotel that incredibly manages to heat itself by extracting energy from ice-cold water sucked from Lake St. Moritz. As for travelling around the country, low-polluting train travel is easily accessible – the Swiss are the keenest rail users on the planet – and Switzerland is also a bike friendly nation with a growing number of nature parks to explore on two wheels.
One prominent green landmark is Oberburg near Burgdorf’s Zero Energy House, the first building to be heated totally by solar energy. Meanwhile, the soon to be completed, high-tech Monte Rosa Hut, overlooking Zermatt 3000 meters up in glacier country, will be up to 90 percent energy-independent. Add an abundance of organic products to buy and lake water of such good quality that you can safely drink it, and Switzerland begins to sound pretty darn green and clean.
Green Fantasy: Spring in the Swiss canton of Thurgau
Photo:
Compared to most countries, Switzerland takes a pretty tough stance on pollution. A record-setting 96 percent of the glass used in Switzerland is recycled, and it also boasts a unique and pioneering system whereby old batteries are turned into raw materials for manufacturing new products. Switzerland’s electricity-generating network is almost CO2-free, and it has brought in ground-breaking legislation to help further reduce the amount of pollution.The Swiss also charge fees for their water and waste management services and apply environmental taxes to promote personal responsibility.
It’s refreshing to hear about Switzerland’s environmental policies; some green lessons are there to be learned and shared.
Learn more here: sustainable Switzerland
Photo:
Source: 1
If you want to find out all the latest news on the environment, why not subscribe to our RSS feed? We'll even throw in a free album.
License:
Attribution-Share Alike 
Related Posts
Popular in Countries
Comments
Richard (not verified) says:
Dec 4th, 2009 at 9pm
These are very beautiful pictures. Nice post. Wouldn't we all wish we'd live in some unique place that's grass-filled and where we can breathe fresh air?
Wretched says:
Jun 8th, 2010 at 7pm
As a chocolatier, I've often wondered if Swiss chocolate is so much creamier and tastier than our North American blends because of the grass the cows eat. There is a flavour to their milk chocolate especially that is very unique. Beautiful photos!
Reeta Sethi (not verified) says:
Earth Day – Reuseable Bags, Grocery Bags, Totes, cotton bags
Earth Day 2010 all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment. Our mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable environment. We at Crafts and Creations encourage registered charities eco-friendly cotton canvas fabric bags / totes at no profit no loss basis
We wish to encourage Teachers, Schools, Universities and Churches to promote this campaign across the world. Each one of us have to strive to create a healthy and sustainable environment and inform the public about the environmental issues – locally, nationally and globally.
Earth Day 2009, April 22 marked the beginning of The Green Campaign. Let us use, Organic Cotton bags, green totes, cotton bags, canvas bags and avoid usage of Plastics which are majorly responsible for the present Global Warming.