On 20 December 2019, Switzerland will shut down the Mühleberg nuclear reactor in the canton of Bern. The plant went into operation in 1972, making it the nation’s second oldest nuclear power station after Beznau, which started its first reactor in 1969. The Mühleberg power station, which takes its cooling water from the Aare river, […]
Switzerland bans toxic pesticides used since 1960s
Today, Switzerland’s Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) announced it is withdrawing, with immediate effect, the authorisation to sell products containing the chemical chlorothalonil, an ingredient used since the 1960s to protect crops from disease. The decision follows a reexamination of the toxic effects of the chemical over the summer. FOAG said that after examining data […]
The colourful history of Swiss mountain air rescue
Today two notable organisations provide mountain rescue services in Switzerland. Prior to 1946 mountain air rescue did not exist. Air Glacier SA is based in Sion in Valais, and Swiss Air-Rescue Rega in Zurich. Rega has twelve operational bases around Switzerland but does not operate in Valais. In Valais, Rega uses the services of Air […]
Extinction Rebellion blocks private jet terminal in Geneva
Over the weekend, members of the group Extinction Rebellion blocked passenger access to Geneva airport’s private jet terminal for two and a half hours. The Facebook video above shows part of the protest. One of the roughly 100 participants described private jet travel as “absurd”. A tiny portion of the population is having an excessive […]
Switzerland’s invisible pollution problem
Plastic pollution is a well-known problem. However, few have heard of micro rubber pollution. Like micro plastic, micro rubber is largely invisible. From 1998 to 2018, researchers estimate that 200,000 tonnes of micro rubber, shed from vehicle tyres as they move along the road, has accumulated in the environment in Switzerland. Bernd Nowack from Empa, […]
Most Swiss prefer home grown eggs, meat and dairy
Recently published statistics suggest most Swiss prefer home grown animal products. Three quarters (75%) of those surveyed said they preferred Swiss eggs and more than half preferred Swiss meat (51%) and dairy products (59%). Reasons for preferring local animal products were to support local farmers (nearly 25%), low food miles (15%) and product quality (15%). […]
Parts of Switzerland becoming too hot for middle eastern tourists
While the latest statistics show a rise in the number of tourists visiting Switzerland over the summer, tourist numbers from some countries fell significantly. Overall, the number of visitors to Switzerland in June, July and August rose by 3.9% compared to 2018. However, the numbers from Saudi Arabia (-8.7%) and the UAE (-13.4%) were down […]
Zurich to cut number of car parks
This week, Zurich City’s executive tore up an agreement between opposing political camps on parking, according to RTS. The agreement, known as the “Parkplatzkompromiss” which came into force in 1996, was a simple agreement to maintain the status quo. No new parking would be added and no existing parking would be taken away. Now, with […]
More than 100 members of Extinction Rebellion convicted in Switzerland
In September 2019, groups of people belonging to the environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion blocked two road bridges in Lausanne. Local police cleared the bridges by removing, in some cases carrying, protesters away. On 7 November 2019, 117 of the people involved in the bridge protests were convicted and fined for breaking Switzerland’s penal code, […]
Worried about flying? Geneva Airport’s CEO is listening
By Scott Poynton With the world finally waking up to the reality of climate change, flying is increasingly coming in for a bad rap. Planes put a lot of carbon into the atmosphere. Greta Thunberg chose to sail across the Atlantic last month to attend the New York climate bash because she wanted to avoid […]
