Swisstainable tourism | Clean waters run deep


One of Patek Philippe’s most enduring company slogans: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation,” was introduced when the company launched its “Generations” campaign in 1996. Trust the Swiss to know a thing or two about the power of legacy, and how to honour and preserve it. But the idea of inheritors turning conservators is not limited to the rarefied world of haute horology alone. All of Switzerland prides itself on its legacy and joins hands to preserve it for future generations. In fact when it comes to leading the way towards a sustainable future, the Swiss are generations ahead of the rest— marking it the Swisstainable way.

One of Patek Philippe’s most enduring company slogans: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation,” was introduced when the company launched its “Generations” campaign in 1996. Trust the Swiss to know a thing or two about the power of legacy, and how to honour and preserve it. But the idea of inheritors turning conservators is not limited to the rarefied world of haute horology alone. All of Switzerland prides itself on its legacy and joins hands to preserve it for future generations. In fact when it comes to leading the way towards a sustainable future, the Swiss are generations ahead of the rest— marking it the Swisstainable way.

Not only are they champions at recycling, but also boast impressive water and air quality even by global standards. The waters of Lake Zurich are so pristine, not only can you swim in them, but it is allegedly potable! In fact, all 1,200 public fountains in Zurich offer fresh, crystal clear drinking water, and may I add delicious, to the mix. It is this delightful repository of nature’s bounty that Swiss programmes are specifically aimed at with low-emission mobility, targetted greening with pedestrian zones and shops that foster mindful consumption with selected products that promote local goods restricting carbon miles. Whether it’s Zurich, Lucerne or any other, Swiss cities have adopted forward-looking projects, not just reserved for locals, but even those that partner with travellers to promote mindful and responsible tourism.

For travellers, the measures are often presented as part of the city experience. From promoting public transport via eco-friendly trams, or their impressively connected rail network—believed to be one of the densest in the world—to walking tours that include a tour of locally run shops selling handicrafts and regional products, sustainable practices are a way of life in Switzerland.

A hive of innovative practices

Thirty-somethings Anna and Tom Wabe look like any other millennial working couple negotiating metropolis living in Zurich. The only difference: this couple are beekeepers using their roof as an urban apiary. Wabe3 is a young and innovative Zurich beehive that uses the roofs of unused flats to place bee colonies. Given the spectacular views of Zurich from the roofs, its no wonder the bees are happy and the honey flowing. Wabe and many others like them contribute to nature’s diversity within the city, by allowing people a glimpse into the fascinating world of beekeeping. They offer interesting activities related to such as workshops to make lip and cold balms, using the beeswax as well as honey tasting straight from the honeycomb.

SWISSTAINABLE INITIATIVES & GREEN DINING: Beekeeping in Zurich utiises unused roofs of buildings to place hives (top left); The Culinarium Alpinum is a monastery offers a farm-to-table dining experience (top right); Markthalle offers fresh, regional and seasonal produce at Lucerne station (bottom left); the legendary restaurant Haus Hiltl (bottom right)

Food­â€”The ultimate leveller

With the rise of green plates and sustainable dining, it hardly comes as a surprise that a growing number of restaurants in Switzerland feature vegetarian days once or even several days a week on which they avoid meat altogether. The Swiss hold the record for the highest per capita consumption of organic products in the world (2020 listing). Naturally, this demand is also reflected in the rising number of organic restaurants. But it doesn’t just stop at organic or vegetarian, more than 5,000 restaurants have joined the ‘Too Good To Go’ movement in order to combat food waste in the restaurant industry.

Waste not want not

The war against food waste is almost synonymous with the legendary restaurant Haus Hiltl, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world according to Guinness World Records. Apart from the more than 100 vegetarian and vegan delights on offer here, the best part is that you pay according to what you eat. So once you serve yourself, you weigh the plate and pay accordingly, an innovative way to disincentivise wastage.

Markthalle is another noteworthy mention, where you can buy fresh, regional and seasonal produce 365 days a year at Lucerne station. Sustainability is key and they follow the nose-to-tail philosophy, where every part of the animal is put to use. They find recipes to recycle products in their kitchen that are no longer 100 per cent fresh or close to their expiry date. So instead of ending up in the bin, they find their way into delicious lunch menus, stews or sandwiches for people on the go. And perched right on the station, it’s perfect to pick up for your work lunch or a flavourful dinner on your way back home.

The farm-to-table dining experience is popular and common the world over, but at the Culinarium Alpinum (former Capuchin Monastery in Stans), that opened in late 2020, regional credibility is the centerpiece. Such is the pride and joy in heroing regional products that the chefs employ ingredients from neighbouring organic farms and only use regional products from the culinary alpine region.

Circle of life

Recycling is not just limited to food, but finds its way to fashion too. Switzerland recycles almost 85 per cent of PET bottles, which are then put to new use. Freitag is one of the most popular fashion brands that produce bags, wallets, belts and other accessories using recycled truck tarpaulins, inner tubes of bicycles and car seat belts. Right from our walking-encyclopaedia-turned tour guide Ity Tiwari to Gen Z fashionistas, Freitag’s popularity speaks volumes for the citizen’s compliance in this noteworthy enterprise. Just as interesting as its brand philosophy, the flagship store is by itself a cult, made up of a stack of old freight containers that frames the Zurich skyline. The unique structural configuration actually stands out as a physical symbol to a sustainable lifestyle.

FASHION FORWARD: Freitag’s flagship store in the west of Zurich is a sustainable landmark in itself. It is made up of a stack of old freight containers known as the “Bonsai Skyscraper”.

Sashaying amid its clear blue skies, waving the green flag is also the proud Swiss carrier that flaunts its green epaulettes with as much aplomb. Deeply committed to its sustainability mandate, the airline has invested in extensive R&D towards the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). In fact, it is one of the pioneering airlines to offer customers the unique alternative to reduce their CO2 emissions via SAF. Travellers can contribute their green points to make their journey carbon neutral right at the time of booking (on Swiss.com) by buying a commensurate amount of SAF or by investing in climate protection projects. The offset is paid for at the end of the booking process. This way, your Swisstainable journey begins even before you take to the skies. Bon Voyage!

Published By:

Aditya Mohan Wig

Published On:

Dec 2, 2023



Source link

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Enquiry Form