Switzerland (Web Desk) — Experts have launched a unique experiment to prevent glaciers from melting rapidly, using blankets made from sheep wool instead of artificial plastic sheets.
Under a project being conducted under the supervision of environmental organizations and the University of Lausanne, two special wool blankets were placed on the San Floron Glacier in western Switzerland in June.
The blankets have been spread over an area of approximately 200 square meters. Experts are comparing their performance with traditional artificial mesh protective sheets to determine which method is more effective in preventing glacier melting.
According to the project organizers, the initial results are encouraging. Measurements conducted every two weeks have shown that blankets made from sheep wool are reducing glacier melting as effectively as artificial sheets.
According to experts, one objective of the experiment is also to make use of sheep wool that is wasted in Switzerland. It is estimated that between 40 and 70 percent of the sheep wool produced in the country each year is discarded instead of being used.
If the experiment proves successful, sheep wool could be used as an environmentally friendly and useful alternative for protecting glaciers.