2020 will be extended by one hour this weekend. Early on Sunday 25 October 2020 Swiss clocks go back one hour. Officially, time shifts at 3am. This means you can spend an extra hour in bed and it will be lighter when you get up. On the down side, it will get darker one hour […]
Swiss would pay more for food to cut waste, according to study
After surveying 3,229 people, political science researchers at ETH in Zurich discovered that a majority would pay more for food if it would cut food waste. Switzerland’s population is well aware that food waste is a problem. The vast majority of those surveyed regard food waste as a moral, economic and environmental problem. Most accurately […]
Referendum: whether to make it easier to hunt wolves
Switzerland has laws to protect wild animals. The current rules were introduced in 1986 when there were no wolves. In 1995, wolves started to return to Switzerland. By 2019, there were 80 wolves living in Switzerland and in some places packs have formed. Wolves have attacked sheep and goats and been seen near villages, something […]
Climate activists lose appeal against conviction in Switzerland
On 23 September 2020, twelve climate activists were convicted on appeal at Vaud’s cantonal tribunal. In 2018, the activists entered a branch of the bank Credit Suisse in Lausanne, Switzerland and started playing tennis. Their prank aimed to draw attention to the bank’s investments in companies involved in the fossil fuel industry. Tennis alluded to […]
New overnight trains planned between Switzerland and Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona
Swiss Rail and ÖBB, the federal train operator in Austria, announced plans this week to join forces to launch new overnight train links. The planned services will include overnight trains between Zurich and Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. Demand for such services is on the rise, partly driven by climate change concerns. Taking a train to […]
Swiss government relaxes rules for most polluting cars
Citing the economic effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, Switzerland’s Federal Council has decided to relax measures designed to curb the sale of the most polluting cars in Switzerland. In July 2012, Switzerland introduced regulations on the CO2 emissions of new cars. The rules, which include average fleet emissions limits, apply to any vendor importing more […]
Switzerland’s anti-noise initiatives spark anger
Last weekend, hundreds of motorcyclists protested in Bern over two parliamentary initiatives aimed at silencing their bikes. According to Le Matin, between 200 and 300 motorcyclists assembled to protest after calls were sent out via social media. The proposed laws would ban motorcycles emitting more than 95 decibels from Swiss roads. 95 decibels is around […]
Beaches closed in Neuchâtel after dogs die from poisoning
At least six dogs have died after being poisoning on the edge of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, according to RTS. The local police force closed beaches between the town of Colombier (NE) and the mouth of the Areuse river after several dogs died. Swimming is now banned in the area. The exact area covered by […]
Temperature could hit 38 degrees in Geneva
The heat wave sweeping across parts of Switzerland is expected to last through Saturday, according to Météo Swiss. Certain regions including Geneva, Nyon, much of the canton of Valais and nearly all of the canton of Ticino could experience temperatures as high as 38 degrees, according to Switzerland’s weather service. The meteorological service issued a […]
More chlorothalonil found in Evian water than in Lake Zurich
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) accidentally found traces of chlorothalonil in Evian bottled water, according to the newspaper SonntagsZeitung. Chlorothalonil is a substance found in agrochemicals used by farmers to control mold, mildew, bacteria and algae. The substance was banned from use in Switzerland at the beginning of […]
