Switzerland - multimodal transportation

The Swiss bike network is comprehensive, safe, and incredible. What's impressive is how they have mixed logging/fire/gravel/dirt roads with highways, small local roads, and even infrastructure rights-of-way to make a highly reliable network. As shown, a water pipe over a bridge makes a good reason to build a ped/bike bridge across the river gorge.

Switzerland - resource efficiency

The lochs from Thunersee (lake Thun) exemplify Swiss water management. Switzerland generates about 60% of its energy from hydroelectric sources, and realizes about 90% of their potential hydroelectric energy generation potential. Pretty incredible!

Switzerland - waste management

The garbage can says "for taxed garbage only" - the Swiss have the highest rate of composting and recycling as a nation, and charge for garbage collection by standardizing the cost of garbage bags, and charging a highly taxed rate for the bags. They also charge for plastic bags at the super market, thus creating incentives to decrease the amount of waste people generate.

Switzerland - Commitment to Environmental quality

The swiss load long haul trucks onto trains to decrease the environmental impact of goods movement. Fascinating how the equation changes when you consider scale!