Cluster: Science

Swiss researchers say bottled water may be money down the drain

This content was published on May 3, 2001 The study, commissioned by the Swiss-based World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), said that in many cases the only difference is that bottled water comes in a fancy container, rather than out of a tap. “Bottled water may be no safer, or healthier, than tap water in many countries, while selling for up to 1,000…

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WWF criticises state of Switzerland’s rivers

This content was published on Apr 19, 2001 The index, which has just been published, analyses the condition of freshwater ecosystems all over Europe. “Switzerland is very good on legislation and national monitoring programmes but our rivers are in very bad shape, said Matthias Egloff, spokesman for WWF Switzerland. “As regards the ecological status of our wetlands and, in particular, running waters, we…

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Swiss urge Bush to honour Kyoto protocol

This content was published on Apr 9, 2001 In the letter, Leuenberger expressed concern at Bush’s decision, and urged the president to “reconsider your position and…continue cooperation within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol”. Leuenberger argues that climate change is now known to pose “a real risk for the well-being of our planet”. He adds that “mitigation efforts are needed” and “time is…

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Swiss countryside threatened by urbanisation

This content was published on Mar 29, 2001 Every second four square metres of Swiss land is lost to development, according to a new study by the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape. The study, one of the most ambitious of its kind, assessed the impact of urbanisation on the Swiss countryside between 1972 and 1995. The findings show that an…

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International Day of the Forest stresses benefits of woodlands

This content was published on Mar 22, 2001 “Forests are very important for health,” says Dr. Felix Küchler of the Lausanne-based Swiss Foundation for Health Promotion. “Forests are places where it is quiet, where you can breathe clean air, where you have different plays of light, different relaxing sounds and where you can really recover from daily stress.” But while people may come…

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Bern to keep its bears for another 100 years

This content was published on Mar 2, 2001 On Friday, a working group called for the capital’s famous bear pits to be extended, providing a safe haven for the city’s bear colony for at least the next 100 years. The animal is Bern’s mascot, and bears have been resident in the city since 1513 when the pits were founded. The pits are a…

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Switzerland helps Indian reconstruction efforts

This content was published on Feb 16, 2001 The Swiss government’s international development aid agency (Deza) said on Friday the aim was to improve living conditions for local people. The promised aid is in addition to SFr500,000 donated by Deza in January to help with the immediate aftermath of the disaster, which left a confirmed death toll of 18,000. The latest funds are…

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Small victory for nature conservation

This content was published on Jan 19, 2001 The attempt to set up a second national park is a bold move by Pro Natura. It comes after communities living close to the existing Swiss National Park in eastern Switzerland voted against further expansion plans. Even though the Swiss National Park was the first of its kind in Europe when it was set up…

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Swiss glaciers melting at an alarming rate

This content was published on Dec 30, 2000 Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology found that of 76 glaciers studied, 68 showed clear signs of melting. Only three glaciers gained in size while five remained the same as in 1999. Martin Hoelzle, a hydrology and glaciology expert who participated in the study, says that melting ice causes lakes to form on…

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Swiss forests recover a year after hurricane

This content was published on Dec 26, 2000 Lothar, carrying winds of up to 160 kilometres an hour, left a trail of destruction mainly in central Switzerland, snapping trees like matchsticks, cutting swathes through forests and disrupting communications. More than 10 million trees succumbed to the terrifying winds. The forest above the central town of Stans was one of the worst-hit in the…

Cluster: Science

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