EcoWorldly

Having taken no 1 spot in the world wide environmental performance rankings, Switzerland may also lay claim to being home of the world’s greenest family.

Dario and Sabine Schworer together with their two children are at the half way point of an epic round the world journey on which they aim to cross seven seas and climb seven of the world’s highest mountains, travelling only by foot, bicycle and wind power.

The family are currently in Sydney, Australia on year 7 of a 14 year expedition in which they expect to sail 70’000 nautical miles, cycle 18’000 kilometres and climb a total of 400’000 meters. They hope the expedition will “prove that great achievements can be done in harmony with nature" and have taken the opportunity to share their message with more than 21,000 school children whilst visiting schools on their route. Their own Children, Salina and Andri, were born during the expedition and continue to travel alongside their parents.

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Commercial aviation is coming under increasing environmental pressure due to its high emissions, noise and rapid growth. Militarily aviation in Switzerland is now starting to feel some of the same pressures.

Swiss hotel owner and environmentalist Walter Knutti has become tired of the noise and concerned by unnecessary emissions from military aircraft on training flights from the nearby airbase of Meiringen. Taking action, Knutti has collected enough signatures to force the issue to a popular vote - under the Swiss system of direct democracy voters have a right to challenge parliamentary laws or pass constitutional amendments by collecting a minimum number of signatures to force a ballot.

Under Knutti’s initiative, Swiss voters will decide next month if military jets should be banned from tourism zones. Read the rest of this entry »

Nestled within the heart of the Swiss Alps, the ski slopes of Davos are unusually quiet this week as the mountain resort plays host to over 6,000 CEOs, presidents, prime ministers, media representatives and rock stars attending the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

As forum participants breath the fresh mountain air and marvel at today’s particularly sunny blue skies, the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy together with the Earth Institute at Columbia University have released their 2008 Environmental Performance Index. The report fittingly awards their Swiss hosts top place amongst 149 other countries based on 25 indicators of pollution control and natural resource management.

Switzerland takes the number one spot ahead of Sweden, Norway and Finland having performed particularly strongly in the areas of environmental conservation and renewable energy. The report shows a general correlation between national wealth, sound environmental management and positive human health scores. European nations perform particularly well amongst the developed world.

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Like other wonders of the modern world, these amazing green wonders are places you must see before you die. These structures are unique in the world for their brilliantly creative methods of melding aesthetic beauty, functional design and environmental sustainability.

Built in Darmstadt, Germany, this structure is called Waldspirale or “Forest Spiral.” It was designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a celebrated Austrian architect and painter. Planted along the 12 floors of the rising roof are beech, maple, and lime trees. The structure even incorporates a running stream. The building comprises 105 apartments. In the tower on the Southeast corner, a restaurant and cocktail bar rises over the entire structure. Source: Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt.

Nestled in Pembrokeshire, in Southwest Wales, this structure is truly an eco-dream home. It was built about three years ago by a single family and their friends over the course of four months. The family estimates that it took about 1,000 to 1,500 hours of work and cost only about £ 3,000. It was constructed mostly out of logs, straw and mud, which acts as an effective insulator. According to the house’s inhabitants, the home “feels gentle. Feels to me more like being part of the (natural) world, less like a commodity in a box.” Source: Simondale.

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