IES Blog

American in Lucerne, Switzerland: Sustainability as a way of Life

Posted : April 23, 2010 by Michelle, Category: Sustainability

As an American spending time in Lucerne, Switzerland, I am thoroughly impressed with the level of environmental awareness in both the city of Lucerne and the country of Switzerland. There is a level of respect for the environment that can be seen in all levels of society, from the abundance of public transportation to the required recycling programs. As a city with approximately 75,000 residents, 19% of those being foreigners, the city works like a well-oiled machine. The residents that are here, old or young, rich or average, have no problem following the rules to keep their way of life.

And that is one of the biggest differences; regulation and enforcement. You do not have an option to recycle, it is required. If you choose it ignore this rule, be prepared to pay a huge fine as the trash collector will have no problem opening your trash to find out who the violator is. Speeding down the highway will also result in huge fines received in the mail, and the charges are based on income so they will impact even the richest members of society. Air quality monitors with digital displays notify the public of pollution levels in the air on the highway.

As for the city of Lucerne itself, they won the “European Energy Award - Gold” in November 2009 for their progressive climate policies. The award focuses on “enforcement-oriented climate policy in communities” which not only looks at the plans a community has, but also involves a local group of authorities, as well as an EEA consultant, to ensure that the EEA measures are being followed. Again, it not just the intention to do something good, but the enforcement and overseeing of the EEA plan that ensures the measures are strictly followed. This enforcement leads to real change.

Stay tuned for my next blog where we look at some of the innovative companies and sustainable initiatives in the beautiful city of Lucerne, Switzerland.