Lessons from Italian and Swiss Lake Districts
England is not the only country with a Lake District. Many other countries have them too (including Switzerland and Croatia). Italy has its own Lake District in the north: there are Lakes Como, Maggiore and Lugano (the most polluted of 38 international lakes).
Italy has the same issues with raw sewage pollution and litter from over-tourism. Litter clean-up volunteers on Lake Garda recently recovered 25 tons of waste in just one year including tyres, lead batteries, glass, cans, fishing waste, shopping trolleys, road signs, bar signs and even old toilets.
In England, we have sewage pollution issues on Lake Windermere. And also lots of litter and over-tourism. Showing this is a worldwide issue, not just confined to England.
What’s different is that Italian mayors are getting tough. In some areas, they are banning the sale of plastic water bottles, and even banning tourists for some months, to protect local residents and the environment.
Geography and Scenery Compared
England’s Lake District spreads across Cumbria, a sweep of fells and valleys shaped by ice. The terrain rolls rather than spikes, with 16 major and smaller lakes, including Windermere, Derwentwater, and Ullswater.
Italy’s northern lakes sit at the foot of the Alps, and you feel it at once. Como, Garda, and Maggiore are deep and long, caught in narrow corridors that open to wide basins. The difference is that here you’ll find terraced olive groves and lemon trees in sheltered gardens.
Eco Lessons from Italy’s Lake District
While England and Italy both have issues with their Lake Districts, in Italy things are moving fast. Plastic bottle bans and tourist taxes, along with better litter clean-ups.
There are much better and more frequent bus services, to discourage people from causing road gridlock in summer months. And there are strict rules for sustainable sailors, to avoid polluting the waters further.
Eco Lessons from Switzerland’s Lake District
Switzerland also has its own Lake District, which is vast compared to Cumbria. Again, the Swiss authorities keep their waters pristine clean, as they do their streets (no litter!)
Switzerland has very strong waste rules (you would get arrested, within minutes of dropping a sweet wrapper). There are even pay-per-bag schemes and strict fines, which clear recycling bins and good investment in sewage treatment. Results of lake testing are shared by cantons, so residents are kept up-to-date.
Cleaner lakes mean safer swimming, stronger fish stocks, and fewer medical warnings. They also cut costs in the long run, because preventative care beats emergency clean-ups. For visitors, the difference shows in clear shallows, no sharp smell at marinas, and sandy coves free of plastic.
Unlike in England’s Lake District, paths are maintained and people are employed to look after the lakes and surroundings, on good pay and conditions. There are strict rules to avoid feeding wildfowl (as in England, but people ignore them – they would not be allowed to get away with it, in Switzerland.
Swans, geese and ducks all have plenty of natural food in the Lakes, so there is no need to feed them. In fact, without the litter and bringing them into contact with people and roads, they likely are living in their version of ‘heaven on earth’.
