>First you have to buy Zurisache (sp?) for like 2 CHF each. Throwing them out in anything else can get you fined.
Depends on the Kanton.
>Then you have to separate your trash into three different types of glass (white, brown, green), other recyclables and non-recyclables.
Depends on the Kanton and possibly even the city. When I first came here we just had one sack for everything and didn't have to buy the bags.
It has changed now, but we have this in the US too. Sure, if you live out in the sticks you can pile your trash as high as the trees or even burn if it you like. There are a lot of places where you have to buy trash bags, etc. and how tidy you have to keep your property depends on zoning. I knew a guy who got fined because he didn't mow his lawn enough.
>The anmelden/abmelden (registration) system, which is the norm on mainland Europe, is extremely weird
It's not weird. It's an upfront and efficient version of what we have in the US. In the US most people don't know their location is tracked when the file returns. Most people probably don't know that the government can look in their bank account either.
>Some cantons also prohibited "excessive noise" or work on Sundays (for the entire day).
The interesting thing about Switzerland is that much of the law is actually voted on by the people. These noise laws are there because the people wished it so. We have noise laws in the US as well in certain places but not because a majority of the people effected voted for them.
Depends on the Kanton.
>Then you have to separate your trash into three different types of glass (white, brown, green), other recyclables and non-recyclables.
Depends on the Kanton and possibly even the city. When I first came here we just had one sack for everything and didn't have to buy the bags.
It has changed now, but we have this in the US too. Sure, if you live out in the sticks you can pile your trash as high as the trees or even burn if it you like. There are a lot of places where you have to buy trash bags, etc. and how tidy you have to keep your property depends on zoning. I knew a guy who got fined because he didn't mow his lawn enough.
>The anmelden/abmelden (registration) system, which is the norm on mainland Europe, is extremely weird
It's not weird. It's an upfront and efficient version of what we have in the US. In the US most people don't know their location is tracked when the file returns. Most people probably don't know that the government can look in their bank account either.
>Some cantons also prohibited "excessive noise" or work on Sundays (for the entire day).
The interesting thing about Switzerland is that much of the law is actually voted on by the people. These noise laws are there because the people wished it so. We have noise laws in the US as well in certain places but not because a majority of the people effected voted for them.