The Horse 2021/22

Idea

Our consumer behavior and the lifestyle of the Western world are becoming a test for the environment. And Switzerland has its part to play in this - both at home and abroad. Less and less of what we consume is produced locally, and more and more is imported. At the same time, Switzerland exports more goods abroad. Products are manufactured, transported, consumed and finally disposed of in a globally organized manner. This uses up natural resources worldwide and pollutes the environment.

Why I think this topic is important

No matter what products we buy, our consumption has consequences for the environment. Exactly which consequences can vary widely. But overall, our consumption behavior is becoming a test of endurance for the environment. Both Germany and many other regions around the world are affected. This is because the manufacture of many products is organized globally.

For example, our consumer behavior affects the emission of greenhouse gases.

https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/441862/umfrage/private-konsumausgaben-in-der-schweiz-nach-quartalen/

In Q3 2021, private consumer spending in Switzerland was estimated at around 94.7 billion Swiss francs, up on the figure for the prior-year quarter.
Private consumer spending includes spending by private households and spending by non-profit institutions serving households. Due to Corona, consumption was significantly higher.

Andrei and I want to research, how to travel ecofriendlier by plane. 

Possible Questions are:

Is it possible to fly without kerosin?

Should travelling be more expensive so that an amount could be for the environment?

Collaboration partner: Friends from romania

Alternatives for plastic packaging

Oilcloth / Wachstuch 
Cloth bag / Stoffbeutel
Shopping net / Einkaufsnetz
Glas / Einmachgläser 

Do you have other ideas? Habt ihr andere Ideen?

Leara and me would like to find out what packaging alltetnative we have to plastic and how we could produce them.

Then we want to try and produce some here at our school with the help of some other classes. After that we would like to give halfe of the produced packaging products to a village shop nearby and send the other halfe to a shop in Kerala. Then we would like to see how many people would use this products, and if it prevent the waste of plastic

Organise a day on which some divers (maybe you can join) go for e "clean up dive".

How much electricity does Switzerland distribute across Europe? What is the future of Switzerland if other countries make greater progress with renewable energy? What role do we play then?

This year and last there was too little electricity across Europe. Which was noticeable, among other things, in the reduction in network stability. A Europe-wide blackout was also speculated.

Switzerland is strong in the export and import of electricity. The European electricity grid is interrelated - which makes us all dependent on one another for electricity production. Furthermore, what impact could the complete phase-out of nuclear energy have on Europe? 

How do you change the world? One code at a time.

I grew up with a lot of aunts around me. On my father's side I have 4 aunts, one of whom I look up to in particular.
Her Name is Eileen Brewer. She has traveled the world giving women in emerging markets a valuable toolkit by teaching them how to program. I will focus my upcoming project on her.

What impact does the mining have on the environment?

Countries with the biggest metallic raw material occurence:

• Indonesia
• Kongo
• Guinea
• Australia
• India
• Brazil

The most countries are very poor.

Metallic raw material

• All metals and ores that can be refined
• Extracted from the earth's surface and are not renewable

Mining methods

• Underground mining: Mined in mines and tunnels
• Open pit mining: Ores are mined in open pits

Impact on the environment

• rainforests get cut down
• the ice melts
• reduction of the animal habitat

in progress...

Team: Andrei, Fabio

Class: VZ21

Speedy post

For the first time, scientists have studied the loss of ice from glaciers throughout the Alps. The result is frightening. Since the turn of the millennium, glaciers have lost around 17 percent of their volume. Swiss glaciers in particular are melting rapidly. This is yet another stark reminder that there is no time to lose in the fight against climate warming.More...

City and nature - for most people this does not go together. When cities began to spread all over the world, there was no more space for nature, and greenery was mostly replaced by gray buildings. However, the concept of urban gardening gives nature back its place in cities.

Although urban gardening seems like a new trend, it originated in ancient Egypt and was an extremely important food producer in Germany during World War 1 and 2. Recently, urban gardening has been experiencing a resurgence. But what exactly does it even mean and how does it work? In general, urban gardening can be divided into two areas: the container garden and the rooftop garden. Let's take a closer look at both concepts.

Container gardening

Container gardening is a great option when there is not much space available. That's why it's perfect for the city. It got its name because instead of planting the plants or flowers in the ground, they are placed in different containers or pots, which makes container gardening very mobile and space-saving. It is also good for our environment because old containers are reused while our wallet is saved. Another advantage of container gardening is that because it is mobile, a garden can be planted wherever it is desired. Urban birds will thank you because they are attracted to the pots, especially if they contain berries or other plants that provide nectar and seeds.

Gardening on the roof

Many houses in cities have a roof terrace, people began to make greener. Traditionally, rooftop gardens are created for planting vegetables by attaching soil and garden beds. For this to work, at least four layers are required to prevent damage to the structure of the building: An anti-root layer, a drainage layer (which allows water to pass through but not the soil), an impermeable layer, and an insulating layer.

Why do horticulture in the city?

The Danish capital Copenhagen has made green roofs mandatory with the goal of being emission-free by 2025. Green roofs can reduce CO² emissions by filtering certain substances from the air and converting CO² into oxygen. But that's not all. They also lower the temperature by absorbing sunlight, creating a cooler and more comfortable climate in the city. A side effect of this is that air conditioners are used less frequently, reducing energy consumption. Urban gardening also has a positive impact on our health and social life. Gardening brings people together, it is a natural stress reliever, and it makes us happy. The list of benefits for us and our environment goes on and on, making it clear that gardening is not just for people in the countryside.

The benefits of gardening in the city are undeniable, and it's so easy to do with little effort.