Skiing is about connecting with Mother Nature, but unfortunately, ski resorts can have a negative impact on the environment. In recent years, more and more resorts have begun to understand the importance of being environmentally friendly and protecting the environment where they can.
Consistently ranked as one of the top eco-friendly ski resorts in the world, Saas Fee is a typical picturesque resort with plenty of alpine charm.
Saas-Fee is the main village in the Saastal, one of the most scenically beautiful and diverse valleys in the Valais (Switzerland) and the Alps. This car-free village lies on a high plateau 1800 meters above sea level, nestling amongst the icy dome of the Allalinhorn and the rocky group of the Mischabel chain. Their typical old Valais wooden houses create the perfect setting for winter holidays, deserving of its name “Pearl of the Alps”. Saas-Fee has some of the most restrictive building and zoning regulations in Switzerland. All buildings must have a gabled roof and at least one-third of the facade of the building must be built of wood. The typical Valais style of Chalet can be maintained with these measures.
The foundation for creating a resort conscious of the environment and quality was laid in 1951 when the community decided to keep the village car-free. The absence of cars in Saas-Fee contributes considerably to the relaxed holiday atmosphere and romantic character of the village where there is no stress from traffic. Guests benefit from the quiet, the good quality of the air, and the freedom of movement in the streets. 10 years ago, car-free resorts in Switzerland which care about a high quality of service and the environment joined forces to form the Society of Car-free Swiss Resorts. The Society (GAST in short) is a network of several car-free Swiss touristy communities (Bettmeralp, Braunwald, Riederalp, Rigi, Saas-Fee, Stoos, Wengen-Mürren and Zermatt) that promotes car-free recreation and holiday experiences in alpine resorts. The resorts commit themselves to nine decided quality criteria, which are checked regularly.
Saas-Fee committed itself to the Alliance in the Alps project as a pilot community in 1996. The Alliance in the Alps community network initiated in collaboration with CIPRA (Commission Internationale pour la Protection des Alpes) is an association comprising over 250 communities located throughout the Alpine region, from France to Slovenia. The member communities have come together to support the Alpine Convention's goals for sustainable development in the Alps. To this end, they work in close contact with the resident populations to improve their communities' ecological, social and economic situation.
Saas-Fee was awarded the status of Energy Town in June 2002. The label represents the introduction of actual quality control concerning communal energy policies. It is awarded to towns and communities that -in proportion to the possibilities at their disposal- go to exceptional lengths to implement energy and traffic policies in their community.
Saas-Fee was the first resort in Switzerland to introduce fees for refuse bags in 1994. This fee encourages residents to sort their waste carefully and to produce less waste in general. Household waste may only be disposed of in the official bags for which a fee is charged.
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