More than six million steps.

On Swiss-related activities in the US to fight global warming: a lot of people talk about global warming and are mobilizing all kinds of resources to spread the word and educate fellow citizens. Some others walk the walk and there is certainly one person who can claim this as he has just finished crossing the entire US by foot. Martin Vosseler does not take planes – he crossed the Atlantic on a cargo ship – and he had to endure hundreds of miles during his “Sun Walk” from L.A. to Boston. During his trip, he met hundreds of people and slept in all kinds of accommodation, from camping out in subzero temperatures to being invited to sleep over by people he had met while walking.

He was struck by the enthusiasm he was feeling from all over the United States about the need to change our use of energy. Like we often say, it is difficult to point to exactly what or how, but there is a fundamental and fast shift in society here. People are starting to change their transportation habits, for example by commuting by bike – the local bike path in Boston is now congested in the morning – or by organizing more car pooling (a local high tech company has a matching system in place that connects to Facebook). Not surprisingly, citizens are starting to look elsewhere for solutions and inspiration to establish renewable energies and minimize environmental damage.

Switzerland is often cited as an example and Swiss organizations in the US have launched several programs to facilitate idea and know-how exchange. A good example is a climate trail, a series of outdoor posters that explains key elements of Swiss environmental and energy policy. From the Mall in Washington DC to the UN in New York and MIT in Boston, the trail has provided a unique opportunity to walk and learn about energy-reducing measures and successes. There is no doubt that the future months will see more collaborative activities about this important issue.