Green favoured on Earth Day

Nearly all Swiss try to be environmentally friendly in some way, according to a poll carried out to mark Earth Day on Tuesday.

A Gallup International survey found 97 per cent of Swiss questioned said the environment needed to be protected and that they had implemented at least one green-minded practice.

Recycling is the most common environmental activity, practised by 91 per cent of Swiss. Only Ireland, Britain, Spain and Canada recycle more.

The least popular green practice is switching to public transport, with less than half of those polled in Switzerland leaving their cars at home. The figure is still higher than in the United States, where 35 per cent of people said they were in favour of the switch, and in eastern Europe (14 per cent).

Around two-thirds of the Swiss surveyed said they had cut down on their domestic energy use and just over half said their water consumption had dropped.

Overall, Swiss are less concerned than some nationalities that global warming is a threat. Around 55 per cent of Swiss consider it a danger, compared with a 75-per-cent average in the 57 countries where the poll was carried out.