Sheep's wool could help save Switzerland's glaciers
Ada WoodStephanie Nims
ByAda WoodandStephanie Nims
3 days agoUpdated: September 9, 2026, 5:55 am EDTPublished: September 8, 2026, 6:19 pm EDT

Researchers at Glacier 3000 in western Switzerland are testing whether sheep's wool can replace plastic-based geotextiles used to slow glacier melt. Since 2000, Swiss glaciers have lost almost 40% of their mass, while nearly 70% of the country's wool goes unused each year. The “Keep it Wool” project aims to create a biodegradable alternative that doesn't shed plastic fibers into melting ice.

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