Switzerland today

Greetings from Bern,

Dry and hot conditions have increased the risk of forest fires in many parts of country. If the trend continues then the traditional August 1 fireworks could be in jeopardy.

This content was published on July 15, 2022 - 18:00

2 minutes

I cover food and agribusiness and have a special interest in sustainable supply chains, food safety and quality, as well emerging players and trends in the food industry. A background in forestry and conservation biology led me down the path of environmental advocacy. Journalism and Switzerland made me a neutral observer who holds companies accountable for their actions.

In the news: e-voting, forest fires, hungry wolves and Johnny Depp

The end of the e-voting option in 2019 has hurt the Swiss Abroad more than those living in Switzerland. It might seem obvious but there is now some hard data External linkto back this harsh reality. A political scientist estimates that e-voting led to an increase in voter participation of between 4 and 6 percentage points among the Swiss abroad while it had relatively little effect on Swiss residents.
Some cantons have increased their level of forest fire riskExternal link. In Valais and Graubünden, the risk level is four out of a maximum five. If this situation continues there is risk of a ban on fireworks for Swiss National Day on August 1.
Livestock let loose in summer pastures are proving irresistible to predators like the wolf. There have been a spate of recent attacks, including on cows. Farmers are calling for a cull but there are strict rules in place as the wolf is a protected species.
Today the Montreux Jazz Festival will feature British guitarist Jeff Beck. He will be joined on stage (and probably upstaged) by the Hollywood actor (and lead vocalist) Johnny DeppExternal link. The duo have just released a collaborative album called 18. Even though it was not well received by critics External linkplenty of fans forked out CHF145 to see the sold-out performance. Star power sells.

Sun lounger dilemma: Why reserving your deckchair with a towel is bad for everyone

If you’re a fan of holiday resorts, then you’ll be familiar with sun lounger stress. You arrive at the hotel pool to relax but all the deckchairs have been reserved via bath towels by holidaymakers who are nowhere in sight. Next day you force yourself to wake up at an ungodly hour and join the early birds with a beach towel of your own to reserve your place.

According to a tourism professor referenced by the Swiss public broadcaster SRF, this sort of behaviour makes things worse by creating a false sense of scarcityExternal link. Adding more sun loungers doesn’t help as people will then compete for the best spots. The solution: Get the pool supervisor to remove the towels if the deckchair is unoccupied for more than two hours.

“The majority are fine with it if it’s done this way for everyone. In other words, when everyone has the same chances and no one misses out,” says the professor.

Another problem with holiday resorts is all the food that goes to waste due to the popularity of all-you-can-eat-buffets. What are your tips to avoid this on holidays?