101.7 FM IN GENEVA DAB+, CABLE & SATELLITE ACROSS SWITZERLAND
LISTEN ONLINE 
P O P U L A R
- alcohol
- army knives
- banks
- Basel
- Bern
- cannabis
- CH votes
- cheese
- children
- chocolate
- consumers
- crime
- cycling
- easyJet
- environment
- EU
- expats
- gay
- Geneva
- health insurance
- hiking
- jura
- language
- lausanne
- Olympics
- Polanski
- real estate
- skiing
- smoking
- Swiss franc (CHF)
- swiss watches
- tax
- tax.
- tax. banks
- ticino
- tourism
- trains
- wine
- workplace
- zurich
S U B S C R I B E
WRS stories about environment
Hydro-fracking in Lake Geneva a risky business
Monday, 15 April, 2013
“Tight gas” can be found in sandy rock under Lake Geneva. But is there enough? The company Petrosvibri has been drilling since 2009 under the lake—a project that has cost over 35 million francs. It now says it’s found lots of this type of gas. Where is it found, and what are the risks involved in extracting it? WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports:
Monday, 15 April, 2013
“Tight gas” can be found in sandy rock under Lake Geneva. But is there enough? The company Petrosvibri has been drilling since 2009 under the lake—a project that has cost over 35 million francs. It now says it’s found lots of this type of gas. Where is it found, and what are the risks involved in extracting it? WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports:
Hopes beam for solar power's future
Thursday, 4 April, 2013
The solar energy sector is in crisis. After a bullish decade, things went into a tailspin a few years back. The bubble has burst, say some analysts, but have we hit rock bottom yet? WRS’s Lucas Chambers has been talking to the main players:
Thursday, 4 April, 2013
The solar energy sector is in crisis. After a bullish decade, things went into a tailspin a few years back. The bubble has burst, say some analysts, but have we hit rock bottom yet? WRS’s Lucas Chambers has been talking to the main players:
Why elevating Grimsel Dam might be a bad idea
Wednesday, 27 March, 2013
After the Fukushima catastrophe in March 2011, Switzerland announced it was moving to abandon nuclear energy. But the transition to renewable energies isn’t without its challenges. The country’s leading environmental organizations are now opposing a project to elevate the Grimsel Dam, in the canton of Bern. WRS’s Jo Fahy talks to Otto Sieber, central secretary of Pro Natura:
Wednesday, 27 March, 2013
After the Fukushima catastrophe in March 2011, Switzerland announced it was moving to abandon nuclear energy. But the transition to renewable energies isn’t without its challenges. The country’s leading environmental organizations are now opposing a project to elevate the Grimsel Dam, in the canton of Bern. WRS’s Jo Fahy talks to Otto Sieber, central secretary of Pro Natura:
Ciba-Geigy ex-worker talks pollution mistakes
Wednesday, 27 March, 2013
To try and understand the mentality of the 1950s and ’60s in the chemical industry, WRS’s Vincent Landon spoke by phone with Jorge Winkler who now lives in Montana in the U.S. From 1967 until he retired, he worked at Toms Rivers, where he ended up as head of production and environmental affairs. The first question: When did Ciba-Geigy really begin to factor environmental concerns into production costs?
Wednesday, 27 March, 2013
To try and understand the mentality of the 1950s and ’60s in the chemical industry, WRS’s Vincent Landon spoke by phone with Jorge Winkler who now lives in Montana in the U.S. From 1967 until he retired, he worked at Toms Rivers, where he ended up as head of production and environmental affairs. The first question: When did Ciba-Geigy really begin to factor environmental concerns into production costs?
Toms River documents dark Swiss chapter
Wednesday, 27 March, 2013
Toms River, by Dan Fagin, is a new book describing one of the darkest chapters in Swiss chemical history. It chronicles the soil and groundwater contamination at a chemical plant in New Jersey, the challenge of clearing up the mess and the legal battle over a childhood cancer cluster. WRS’s Vincent Landon paid a visit to Toms River to hear about the rise and fall of Swiss chemical giant, Ciba-Geigy. In the first of a two-part series, retired journalist, Don Bennett drives him round the site:
Wednesday, 27 March, 2013
Toms River, by Dan Fagin, is a new book describing one of the darkest chapters in Swiss chemical history. It chronicles the soil and groundwater contamination at a chemical plant in New Jersey, the challenge of clearing up the mess and the legal battle over a childhood cancer cluster. WRS’s Vincent Landon paid a visit to Toms River to hear about the rise and fall of Swiss chemical giant, Ciba-Geigy. In the first of a two-part series, retired journalist, Don Bennett drives him round the site:
ETHZ's vision of a new global renewable energy grid
Wednesday, 13 March, 2013
Scientists from the Power Systems Laboratory at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) have put forward a vision of a green electricity network spanning the whole planet that features the harvesting of remote renewable sources. The team just published a paper showing that a globally interconnected network can be technologically feasible and economically competitive. WRS’s Vincent Landon speaks to lead author Spyros Chatzivasileiadis and begins by asking him what he hopes to achieve:
Wednesday, 13 March, 2013
Scientists from the Power Systems Laboratory at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) have put forward a vision of a green electricity network spanning the whole planet that features the harvesting of remote renewable sources. The team just published a paper showing that a globally interconnected network can be technologically feasible and economically competitive. WRS’s Vincent Landon speaks to lead author Spyros Chatzivasileiadis and begins by asking him what he hopes to achieve:
Cleantech gets a clear 'no' from National Council
Wednesday, 13 March, 2013
Energy was the topic of the day in the National Council yesterday, with MPs staging an hours-long debate on the “Cleantech” initiative from the Social Democrats. The initiative urges a quick expansion of renewable energy sources in the country by 2030, claiming also to create jobs. The debate was polarizing at times though the vote tally was indisputable: 111 to 68 advising voters say no. WRS’s Tony Ganzer has highlights from the debate:
Wednesday, 13 March, 2013
Energy was the topic of the day in the National Council yesterday, with MPs staging an hours-long debate on the “Cleantech” initiative from the Social Democrats. The initiative urges a quick expansion of renewable energy sources in the country by 2030, claiming also to create jobs. The debate was polarizing at times though the vote tally was indisputable: 111 to 68 advising voters say no. WRS’s Tony Ganzer has highlights from the debate:
Head vet: 'We see dying or badly injured horses'
Monday, 25 February, 2013
The saga surrounding horse meat continues—the media has turned its attention to the conditions of the horses before they were slaughtered. The Zurich Animal Protection League says some horses in Argentina, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. were sick and nearly dying before they were slaughtered and exported. Those countries import horsemeat to Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Veterinary Office is currently investigating. WRS’s Alex Helmick talks to Thomas Jemmi, deputy director general of the Veterinary Office:
Monday, 25 February, 2013
The saga surrounding horse meat continues—the media has turned its attention to the conditions of the horses before they were slaughtered. The Zurich Animal Protection League says some horses in Argentina, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. were sick and nearly dying before they were slaughtered and exported. Those countries import horsemeat to Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Veterinary Office is currently investigating. WRS’s Alex Helmick talks to Thomas Jemmi, deputy director general of the Veterinary Office:
Seafood made in Switzerland-a bit fishy?
Friday, 22 February, 2013
Seafood made in Switzerland may sound like a contradiction in terms. And yet you may soon be eating it. Companies with names like SwissShrimp are keen to set up aquaculture projects in the cantons of Bern and Lucerne.Should we be concerned for the environmental impact? WRS’s Lucas Chambers talked to WWF Switzerland’s spokeswoman Corina Gyssler:
Friday, 22 February, 2013
Seafood made in Switzerland may sound like a contradiction in terms. And yet you may soon be eating it. Companies with names like SwissShrimp are keen to set up aquaculture projects in the cantons of Bern and Lucerne.Should we be concerned for the environmental impact? WRS’s Lucas Chambers talked to WWF Switzerland’s spokeswoman Corina Gyssler:
Turning your car into a taxi with Tooxme carpooling
Wednesday, 23 January, 2013
Carpooling is a great, eco-friendly idea but the problem so far has been what if you need a ride now, not later? And what if you need to go to a specific destination—not just a block or two away? Well, Tooxme may have come up with the answer. It’s a new, paid carpooling system set up as a pilot project by a team in Lausanne—and it seems to be screeching off to a roaring start: 1,000 users have signed up since kickoff five days ago. It also has backing from the Swiss Touring Club. WRS’s Lucas Chambers went along for a test ride:
Wednesday, 23 January, 2013
Carpooling is a great, eco-friendly idea but the problem so far has been what if you need a ride now, not later? And what if you need to go to a specific destination—not just a block or two away? Well, Tooxme may have come up with the answer. It’s a new, paid carpooling system set up as a pilot project by a team in Lausanne—and it seems to be screeching off to a roaring start: 1,000 users have signed up since kickoff five days ago. It also has backing from the Swiss Touring Club. WRS’s Lucas Chambers went along for a test ride:
How grass can preserve skiing as climate changes
Wednesday, 16 January, 2013
New research looking at the impact of climate change in the canton of Vaud has painted a stark image. In terms of snowfall, the effect of warmer temperatures will have the same effect over the next 20 years as taking a ski resort and dragging it 200 metres down the mountain. Sounds like pretty grim news for winter sports fans. But according to the experts behind the report, the region—the Alps of Vaud and the Jura mountains—is actually well equipped to adapt to the change. To find out more, WRS’s Catherine Allen spoke to climatologist Martine Rebetez from the Federal Institute for Snow, Forest and Lansdcape Research:
Wednesday, 16 January, 2013
New research looking at the impact of climate change in the canton of Vaud has painted a stark image. In terms of snowfall, the effect of warmer temperatures will have the same effect over the next 20 years as taking a ski resort and dragging it 200 metres down the mountain. Sounds like pretty grim news for winter sports fans. But according to the experts behind the report, the region—the Alps of Vaud and the Jura mountains—is actually well equipped to adapt to the change. To find out more, WRS’s Catherine Allen spoke to climatologist Martine Rebetez from the Federal Institute for Snow, Forest and Lansdcape Research:
Vaud's garbage fees cause recycling chaos
Wednesday, 16 January, 2013
It’s taken a while but the canton of Vaud has finally pushed most of its communes to respect federal law and set up a pay per rubbish bag system. Some have chosen to go the pay-by-weight route. This means the more you recycle the less you pay, so recycling points have suddenly become very popular. Here’s WRS’s Lucas Chambers reporting from a mobile recycling center in downtown Lausanne:
Wednesday, 16 January, 2013
It’s taken a while but the canton of Vaud has finally pushed most of its communes to respect federal law and set up a pay per rubbish bag system. Some have chosen to go the pay-by-weight route. This means the more you recycle the less you pay, so recycling points have suddenly become very popular. Here’s WRS’s Lucas Chambers reporting from a mobile recycling center in downtown Lausanne:
The problem with turning off the lights
Tuesday, 15 January, 2013
Switzerland’s cities will be a whole lot darker if proposals from the Federal Office of Energy are adopted. They want shop lights and neon bulbs to be turned off at night to help save nearly 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity by 2050. That’s the annual consumption of about 600,000 households. The proposals also suggest introducing building inspectors to check heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrical installations every 10 years. Ultimately cantons will have the final say but with many benefitting from dividends from the electricity companies they own, will they want to see a reduction of electricity use? WRS’s Dave Goodman talks to Teddy Püttgen, director of the Energy Center at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, EPFL:
Tuesday, 15 January, 2013
Switzerland’s cities will be a whole lot darker if proposals from the Federal Office of Energy are adopted. They want shop lights and neon bulbs to be turned off at night to help save nearly 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity by 2050. That’s the annual consumption of about 600,000 households. The proposals also suggest introducing building inspectors to check heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrical installations every 10 years. Ultimately cantons will have the final say but with many benefitting from dividends from the electricity companies they own, will they want to see a reduction of electricity use? WRS’s Dave Goodman talks to Teddy Püttgen, director of the Energy Center at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, EPFL:
Transocean to pay $1.4 billion to U.S. for Deepwater disaster
Friday, 4 January, 2013
The Swiss firm Transocean has reached an agreement with the U.S. government to pay a record $1.4 billion to settle matters over the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The world’s largest offshore drilling company was operating the rig that was drilling into the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico at the direction of BP. The rig exploded on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers. The explosion led to the largest oil spill in American history. Washington correspondent Daniel Ryntjes talks to WRS’s Alex Helmick:
Friday, 4 January, 2013
The Swiss firm Transocean has reached an agreement with the U.S. government to pay a record $1.4 billion to settle matters over the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The world’s largest offshore drilling company was operating the rig that was drilling into the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico at the direction of BP. The rig exploded on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers. The explosion led to the largest oil spill in American history. Washington correspondent Daniel Ryntjes talks to WRS’s Alex Helmick:
Could VAT be replaced with climate change tax?
Wednesday, 19 December, 2012
Climate change is having a dramatic effect on our world from crops in Africa to glaciers in the Swiss Alps. But it could soon have an impact on our tax systems too. Here in Switzerland the Green Liberals say they have collected well over the 100,000 signatures needed to force a vote on an initiative to replace value added tax or VAT with a duty on non-renewable energy sources. WRS’s Vincent Landon spoke to Roland Fischer, national councillor for the Green Liberal Party from the Canton of Lucerne and the driving force behind the initiative. He began by asking him about the advantages of a switch:
Wednesday, 19 December, 2012
Climate change is having a dramatic effect on our world from crops in Africa to glaciers in the Swiss Alps. But it could soon have an impact on our tax systems too. Here in Switzerland the Green Liberals say they have collected well over the 100,000 signatures needed to force a vote on an initiative to replace value added tax or VAT with a duty on non-renewable energy sources. WRS’s Vincent Landon spoke to Roland Fischer, national councillor for the Green Liberal Party from the Canton of Lucerne and the driving force behind the initiative. He began by asking him about the advantages of a switch:
