The Network becomes active

Sofia Karlberg: On the one hand, we make a contribution at the local level, and on the other, we do our best to reduce the embassies' environmental footprint. We are involved in joint activities, for example through active cooperation with the NGO Trash Hero, in which 60 diplomats collected waste on UN World Environment Day, or by organising activities on World Bicycle Day.

The German Embassy has equipped its lighting fixtures with LED lamps, which has reduced electricity consumption by 25%. That's a lot! Some embassies have installed light sensors, improved their recycling, got rid of plastic bottles and now offer delicious Bernese tap water or a soda streamer. Many embassies have purchased bicycles and e-bikes, because this is the easiest and fastest way to get around the streets of Bern.

The green transition and the fight against climate change are important issues for us. We have changed our old fossil-fuel embassy car to an all-electric car and we were the first of all the Swedish embassies to do so.

The group is open to any embassy, no matter whether the embassy has already implemented many measures or is about to start. More important is the commitment to reduce our ecological footprint. This network aims to bring together embassies that turn words into action.

Introduce eco-friendly habits in your embassy. Another nice aspect that we like to highlight is the fact that climate-friendly measures also save money! Using less paper while printing or reducing your electricity or water consumption will have a positive impact on the overall expenses.

A highlight this year will be World Bicycle Day on 3 June. And as with every other event, we will be using our internal brochure "Checklist for Sustainable Events", which was created together with the City of Bern.

Carlos Alonso Villalobos: First of all, we were surprised by the recycling culture in Switzerland and the way the authorities ensure the flow of information. And of course, we were delighted to hear about the existence of the Greening Embassies Network, with members who share these same values ​​associated with sustainability.

Our first measure was for our four embassy staff members to commit to using Bern's public transport system, which offers an excellent service and produces very few carbon emissions. We therefore travel to all events and diplomatic activities in Bern by bus, tram or on foot.

We have already implemented the following measures:

• We changed to two-level flush toilets to reduce the amount of water consumed

• In our bathrooms, we only use cloth towels instead of paper towels

• We use environmentally friendly toilet paper

We base plenty of our actions on the Ecological Blue Flag Program, which is one of the most important environmental programs in the Republic of Costa Rica. Within this context, we recently shared tips and recommendations with the Costa Rican community in Switzerland to reduce its environmental impact.

People sometimes think there is nothing left to improve, but there is still a lot that can be done. That's why it is important to point out even small measures. We have received a lot of positive feedback from our community and we will ensure that this information is expanded even further.

We want to obtain the Ecological Blue Flag that 12 Costa Rican embassies around the globe already have. Our efforts, however, will not stop when we get this flag. On the contrary, once you have the flag, you must demonstrate your ongoing efforts in order to keep it. And like Sweden, all Costa Rican embassies also share their best practices among themselves.