The award ceremony in Schaan was a celebratory conclusion to the inaugural year of the Energy and Climate Laboratory Liechtenstein, a multi-year project with a focus on professional training from the initiative Pioneers for a Sustainable Liechtenstein. During the last few months, 26 trainees from Liechtenstein have been planning and helping to implement sustainability projects in their respective companies. As part of the Next Step Career and Training Days event, these projects were presented in the presence of H.S.H Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein. The best of eleven exciting, innovative trainee projects received awards: the development of a concept for more vegetarian meals in the employee canteen, a sophisticated waste management concept with plastic-free waste bins and improved recycling, and the issuing of solar stocks for employees to fund sustainability commitments.
The awards ceremony in Rapperswil for the Energy and Climate Laboratory Switzerland was the crowning glory of this project year for the myclimate foundation’s oldest educational project. Since 2006, trainees at companies or vocational schools have been able to implement their own projects, thereby gaining valuable practical experience and generating added value. In the 2019/20 training year, a total of 170 projects were submitted by more than 400 Swiss trainees. Twelve teams were placed on a short list beforehand, three in each of the four categories: Energy, Raising Awareness, Innovation and Planning. This year too, saw a broad of range of solutions presented: from works of art, designed to educate and inform about climate protection, to a second-hand initiative, right through to insect snacks and planning initiatives for biodiversity. Teams from Geneva and Neon and two trainees from Zurich were honoured for their special achievements this year. In addition to the award, the winners were presented with a cash prize. A team from Olten were also awarded a prize for giving the best presentation of the day.
The Energy and Climate Laboratory
The goal of the Energy and Climate Laboratory is to accumulate knowledge on the environment and the efficient use of energy and to combine commitment with technological skill, innovative spirit and design expertise. The task set for the workshop’s participants is to develop products and projects that reduce CO2, promote energy efficiency or raise awareness among the general public about everyday actions to stop climate change.