How Zurich is taking sustainability to the following level

When you visit Zurich in Switzerland, the query shouldn’t be whether your trip might be sustainable – it’s How sustainable.

In the Swiss financial capital, the recycling program is so ambitious that it requires an handbook.

At least one cooperative housing complex, which incorporates apartments and a hotel, requires its guests to sign a commitment not to make use of cars. Another resort on the Limmat even has a secret “green team” to be certain that sustainability rules are followed.

“Sustainability is part of everything we do,” says Barbara Walther, sustainability manager at Zurich Tourism, the town’s tourism destination management organization.

The city hopes to attain net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040The major objectives are to scale back energy consumption and switch to environmentally friendly energy sources.

Tourism officials say their sustainability goes far beyond recycling. It features a comprehensive Zurich takes responsibility Plan that encourages visitors to make use of environmentally friendly public transport and subsidises hotel partners in pursuing sustainability certifications.

But these efforts look very different in practice than on paper.

“Zurich is very, very advanced”

How does Zurich compare to other European destinations? Jakub Kasperczyk, the Swiss General Director of Blue floora world network of furnished rental apartments for prolonged stays, says it’s up to now ahead of other cities that guests sometimes find it difficult to regulate to the town’s sustainability rules.

Take recycling, for instance. If you reside in a Blueground apartment, you can find an in depth Recycling Guide in your front room table.

Household waste goes right into a gray container in front of the apartment, but you’ve got to make use of a special blue bag, the so-called Züri Sack, which covers the prices of garbage disposal. The bags cost about $2 each. Organic waste goes right into a separate green container. Paper needs to be bundled and brought out every two weeks. There is an app with a group calendar.

There are 4 various kinds of waste in total. There are plans to separate plastic waste right into a fifth category.

“Zurich is very, very far ahead when it comes to sustainability,” says Kasperczyk.

They take it very seriously, too. He says authorities are known to conduct spot checks to make sure recycling laws are being followed, and failure to follow the procedure can lead to a superb of over $200.

But how do they know who’s accountable for dumping the incorrect trash? Kasperczyk says officers sift through the trash, on the lookout for letters or other evidence which may link a resident to a recycling sin.

Tourism officials in Zurich stress that for them, sustainability means not only recycling, but additionally green energy and environmentally friendly transport options. But for visitors from countries with less developed recycling cultures, reminiscent of India, Eastern Europe and the USA, recycling is maybe essentially the most noticeable.

But some hotels go even further.

The Storks Zuricha luxury hotel on the banks of the Limmat, has recently been renovated twice and now achieves probably the best sustainability standard.

Opened in 1357, the property ticks virtually every box conceivable, with guest rooms freed from single-use plastics, a state-of-the-art food recycling program, and an ambitious farm-to-table initiative that sources most of its fruit, vegetables, and eggs from local farms or land owned by parent company The Living Circle. The company only works with rigorously vetted suppliers who operate sustainably.

But that is not all.

There can also be a secret “green team” of employees tasked with overseeing your complete process. The identities of the team members are known only to managers, allowing employees to maneuver freely and observe any environmental violations, reminiscent of improper recycling or disposal of food waste. The team meets in secret after which reports to Storchen’s CEO, bypassing the chain of command.

“The team reports directly to the management,” says David Minoretti, Marketing Director at Storchen Zurich.

The idea of ​​a covert Green Team may sound just like the stuff of a spy novel, but for the Stork’s staff, secrecy is needed. Minoretti says the Green Team can move freely across the hotel and make unfiltered observations concerning the effectiveness of its sustainability efforts.

However, this doesn’t mean that the guests are released from responsibility.

No cars in Zurich

A brand new sustainability concept has been created in Zurich’s trendy Wiedikon district, which imposes more responsibility on visitors. Kalkbreite Cooperativea cooperative housing project, features an eight-room guest house that pushes the boundaries of what “green” means.

Rooms are minimalist in design, with basic bedding and shared bathrooms in most units. In winter, rooms are heated to a maximum of 21 degrees to avoid wasting energy. Residents of rooms on the exposed side of the constructing are given extra blankets to maintain warm. But the minimalism also saves money. A single room costs just $80 an evening, which is an actual bargain in Zurich, one of the crucial expensive cities on the planet.

And yet one more thing: in case you live here you may’t have a automobile.

“Seriously? Seriously,” says Reto Tischhauser, manager of the guesthouse. “It’s about the costs. If everyone who lives here had a car, we would have to build more parking spaces. That would be extremely expensive and the rent would be higher.”

In fact, in 2014, Kalkbreite received planning permission from the town for apartments and residences because the town committed to refraining from owning a automobile.

“Besides,” adds Tischhauser, “you don’t really need a car here.”

Zurich shouldn’t be an anomaly

Interestingly, Zurich shouldn’t be that unusual by Swiss standards. The Swiss government has a sustainability program called Swisstainable which promotes environmental programs across the country. Being “Swisstainable” is a somewhat amorphous term meaning having fun with nature, experiencing authentic culture and eating locally grown food.

Swisstainable’s certifications range from Level I, which suggests a commitment to sustainability, to Level III. Zurich, a Level III destination, has a comprehensive and recognized sustainability certificate that covers all points of sustainability and is often audited by third parties.

But what does it mean to be Swisstainable outside of the massive cities? In the following a part of this series, I’ll take you on a journey through Switzerland to learn how this European country deals with sustainability.

Here’s a preview: It’s not what you think that.