Art – in a roundabout way 3,000 Over 3,000 roundabouts ensure that traffic runs smoothly in Switzerland. But the artistic installations in the middle of these roundabouts are often an acquired taste, to put it mildly. “Kreiselkunst” (literally “roundabout art”) has become an ironic term in German. But there is hope. Many of the older roundabouts are now being dismantled – as are the “interesting” installations that accompany them. 90,000,000,000 Plastic waste is a shameful legacy. The more conventional legacy we leave to our loved ones is less likely to end up in the landfill. Some 90 billion Swiss francs is bequeathed from one generation to the next every year in Switzerland (2020). An enormous amount of money. Half of all personal monetary assets in Switzerland are not earned but inherited. Although many people inherit nothing at all. 450,000,000,000 Switzerland has another hidden source of immense wealth. All the underground pipelines for water, sewage, electricity, gas, and district heating in Switzerland have a total physical value of 450 billion Swiss francs, according to recent estimates. The government now intends to keep a closer eye on these assets and put together a national inventory. 127 The Swiss like to pat themselves on the back for being prolific recyclers. But could recycling a lot simply mean you are consuming too much? According to the marine conservation organisation Oceancare, Switzerland has a significant plastic problem. Annual per capita plastic consumption stands at 127 kg – a European record – of which 95 kg is, incidentally, not recycled. 55 You can measure and quantify almost anything – including hope. According to the latest University of St Gallen “hope barometer” survey of the Swiss population (2022), a majority of just over 55 per cent say they are satisfied and hopeful at least in relation to their own personal lives. Hope increases as people move up the age groups, with 18- to 29-year-olds being the least optimistic. FIGURES COMPILED BY MARC LETTAU “Swiss Review”, the magazine for the Swiss Abroad, is in its 48th year of publication and is published six times a year in German, French, English and Spanish in 13 regional editions. It has a total circulation of 431,000, including 253,000 electronic copies. “Swiss Review”’s regional news appears four times a year. The ordering parties are fully responsible for the content of advertisements and promotional inserts. This content does not necessarily represent the opinion of either the editorial office or the publisher. All Swiss Abroad who are registered with a Swiss representation receive the magazine free of charge. Anyone else can subscribe for an annual fee (Switzerland: CHF 30 / abroad: CHF 50). ONLINE EDITION www.revue.ch EDITORS Marc Lettau, Editor-in-Chief (MUL) Stéphane Herzog (SH) Theodora Peter (TP) Susanne Wenger (SWE) Paolo Bezzola (PB, FDFA representative) FDFA OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS The editorial responsibility for the “Notes from the Federal Palace” section is assumed by the Consular Directorate, Innovation and Partnerships, Effinger- strasse 27, 3003 Berne, Switzerland. kdip@eda.admin.ch | www.fdfa.admin.ch EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Sandra Krebs (KS) TRANSLATION SwissGlobal Language Services AG, Baden LAYOUT Joseph Haas, Zürich PRINT Vogt-Schild Druck AG, Derendingen PUBLISHER The “Swiss Review” is published by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). The postal address of the publisher, the editorial office and advertising department is: Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, Alpenstrasse 26, 3006 Berne. revue@swisscommunity.org Phone: +41 31 356 61 10 Bank details: CH97 0079 0016 1294 4609 8 / KBBECH22 COPY DEADLINE FOR THIS EDITION 1 February 2023 CHANGES TO DELIVERY Please advise your local embassy or consulate. The editorial team cannot access your address and administrative data. Thank you. Swiss Review / March 2023 / No.2 17 Switzerland in figures Imprint
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