When <a href="https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/usa/en/home/representations/embassy-washington/welcome.html">Swiss Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud</a> moved to Washington DC, his residence was perfect. Too perfect. The Swiss ambassador’s residence sits on six acres on a hill with an awesome view of the Washington Monument. “I was amazed by the beauty of the whole setting…It looked like a golf course and I don't like golf courses… they are ecological disasters,” Ambassador Pitteloud reflected. Together with his gardening team, the Ambassador has <a href="https://www.audubon.org/news/why-switzerland-growing-native-plant-oasis-heart-washington">transformed the residence into a native oasis</a>. On this episode of How To!, we’re taking a field trip to the Swiss Ambassador’s residence. Ambassador Pitteloud reveals how he brought back his beloved birds and even gave diplomatic immunity to local colonies of bees. We talked <a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/how-to/2022/08/how-to-save-the-planet-with-native-plants">last week with Doug Tallamy</a>, who gave some wonderfully concrete advice on how you can revitalize your local ecosystem with just your yard. Ambassador Pitteloud is a living testament that you can have a meaningful impact with just your yard and he’s impoloring others to follow suit. “Environmental protection has become ideological and politicized. This is not a political question… It's 5 minutes before midnight.” Resources: <a href="https://homegrownnationalpark.org/tallamys-hub-1">Homegrown National Park</a><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781604699005">Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard</a><a href="https://www.audubon.org/native-plants">Audubon Native Plants Database</a><a href="https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/">National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder</a><a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app">SEEK by iNaturalist</a>If you liked this episode, check out part one: “<a href="https://slate.com/podcasts/how-to/2022/08/how-to-save-the-planet-with-native-plants">How To Save the Planet, Starting With Your Yard.</a>”Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at <a href="mailto:howto@slate.com">howto@slate.com</a> or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at <a href="http://www.slate.com/howtoplus">slate.com/howtoplus</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

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How To!: Swiss Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud's Environmental Diplomacy

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