this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2023
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[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is the best summary I could come up with:


Almost a third of Swiss people changed their daily habits as a result of Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future climate strikes, new research has found.

Now, a study by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has examined the wider impact of these strikes on people’s environmental choices.

To examine the wider impact of the school climate strikes, EPFL researchers surveyed Swiss residents in the wake of the protests in October and November 2019.

“Our findings showed that people have become more aware of how their behaviour affects the environment and that significant shifts are under way at an individual level,” says Livia Fritz, a researcher and the study’s lead author.

Changes in transport habits included looking for alternatives to driving to work, such as walking or cycling, and avoiding flying by choosing holiday destinations closer to home.

Survey participants also reported seeking out local, organic produce, eating more vegetarian meals, and making a bigger effort to reduce plastic waste following the climate protests.


The original article contains 421 words, the summary contains 165 words. Saved 61%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] Spzi@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Changes in transport habits included looking for alternatives to driving to work, such as walking or cycling, and avoiding flying by choosing holiday destinations closer to home.

Survey participants also reported seeking out local, organic produce, eating more vegetarian meals, and making a bigger effort to reduce plastic waste following the climate protests.

Positively surprised to see effective measures, like avoid flying and meat.

IIRC Switzerland also has quite an exemplary carbon pricing scheme. I'm totally unaware how much flights and meat are encompassed. The general point I'm trying to make: It's probably hard to say wether people changed their habits due to FFF, or due to policy changes. Of course, FFF likely influenced policy changes.

Either way, thanks for the uplifting news :)

Now I'm waiting for the more serious news how Swiss companies have changed their business practices ;)

[–] crispy_kilt@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Switzerland also has quite an exemplary carbon pricing scheme

No we don't

[–] Spzi@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Care to elaborate? I like the dividend part about the tax and dividend scheme.

[–] crispy_kilt@feddit.de 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If it were exemplary, our greenhouse gas emissions would go down like Prigozhin's aeroplane. They don't. Just like every other country we're pretending to do something about the climate crisis but it's too little, too late.

If you mean we're better at it than say the US or other major powers then yes, but that's not because we're doing well, it's because we're doing less catastrophically terrible than them.

[–] Spzi@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Ah yes, I'm totally with you. Maybe I was too enthusiastic in my wording.

I meant I like the tax & dividend implementation, with the attempt to make the tax progressive, so it does not burden the poor, but the rich.

Like all other carbon pricing schemes, the amount is way too low to have an effect quick and strong enough, that's true.

[–] hubobes@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are no policies really affecting the choice to fly or eat meat.

[–] Spzi@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The exemption from fuel taxes is a policy affecting air travel. Also, policies affecting competing modes of transportation.

Similarly, meat isn't priced according to it's true cost, which can be seen as a subsidy.

From my point of view, everything (including the two) should be included in carbon pricing, to prevent a distorted market.

[–] hubobes@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah I agree, what I meant is that as a Swiss citizen there are really no policies driving you towards producing less carbon. Or if there are you do not really notice them in your day to day life. So I am pretty sure the people did this on their own accord.