Switzerland has the highest proportion of threatened species in the OECD, according to Pronatura. However, a clear majority of the population thinks the situation is fine, according to a survey. Switzerland has already lost the grey partridge, the torrents cricket and the linseed dodder. Next in line could be the hedgehog, the hoopoe bird (see […]
Electricity prices set to jump next year in Switzerland
As the prices of the fossil fuels used to produce electricity across Europe rise so must the price of electricity. According to the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (AES), record market prices mean that a majority of electrical supply companies will have to charge their customers higher prices in 2023. A survey run by the […]
Drought risk rising in Switzerland
A lack of rainfall in Switzerland since the beginning of 2022 is becoming more and more concerning, according to Meteo News. The level of rainfall in Switzerland has been significantly below normal levels, according to meteorologist Vincent Devantay. Unusually low levels of rainfall began in August 2021 with the exception of December 2021. As a […]
Fluorescent bulbs to be banned from 2023 in Switzerland
From August 2023 it will be illegal to sell fluorescent tube bulbs in Switzerland, reported RTS. Switzerland follows the EU in banning these mercury-containing bulbs. Fluorescent tubes typically contain around four milligrams of the toxic metal, which is essential for making them work. This amount of mercury is relative small. By comparison, some older thermometers […]
The Swiss start-up generating heat from basements
Heat pumps are high-efficiency electric heaters that take heat from the air or ground and concentrate it. Currently, extracting geothermic ground heat typically involves costly processes such as boring holes deep into the ground or laying long lengths of pipe underground. Enerdrape, a start-up at EPFL in Lausanne, has come up will a simpler way […]
Abandon organic farming to feed world, recommends Syngenta boss
In the face of a global food crisis, Erik Fyrwald, the boss of chemicals giant Syngenta, has called for the world to abandon organic farming, reported RTS. The pandemic, extreme weather and the war in Ukraine have pushed the prices of some foods up significantly. Africa and southeast Asia are the regions most exposed to […]
Switzerland to see lunar eclipse on 16 May 2022
On May 16, 2022 (the night of May 15 in the Western Hemisphere), the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse, the first since May of 2021, according to NASA. The NASA animation above shows the changing appearance of the Moon as it travels into and out of the Earth’s shadow. The […]
Swiss government adds billions to fight against road noise
Switzerland’s federal government will provide the cantons with an additional CHF 52 billion to cut road noise, reported RTS. The additional CHF 52 billion will be added to an existing funding package of CHF 26 billion. The main source of noise in Switzerland is from road traffic. More than a million people, over 10% of […]
UDC/SVP wants biodiversity reserves farmed to boost Swiss food output
The soaring price of some food staples resulting from the war in Ukraine has stirred concerns in some political corners about Switzerland’s inability to meet its own food requirements. Switzerland imports around half of the food it consumes making it heavily reliant on the rest of the world. Some members of Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) […]
Electric bike theft jumps in Switzerland (and locking tips)
Recently published Federal Statistical Office (FSO) figures show a sharp jump in the number of electric bicycles stolen in Switzerland. In 2021, 8,919 electric bikes were stolen in Switzerland, 47% more than in 2020. At the same time the number of regular bicycles thefts fell by 11%, reflecting in part the shift away from regular […]
